Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: State government cancels board exams for Classes 5, 8, 9 and 11, and more

As per the direction of the Supreme Court, Karnataka has decided not to conduct board exams for the classes 5, 8, 9 and 11 in schools affiliated with the State Board, announced Madhu Bangarappa, Minister of School Education and Literacy, in Bengaluru on October 18, 2024. Instead, Summative Assessment-2 (SA-2) will be held for the classes 5, 8 and 9 students and annual exam will be held for class 11, he said.

“Also we have withheld the exam results of these classes and withdrawn the order issued regarding the conduct of board exam and have submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court,” he said. The top court observed that the proposed board examinations were prima facie in the teeth of Sections 2(f), 16 and 30 of the Right to Education Act, which prohibited the exposure of children to the rigours of board examinations till they finish elementary education. But, the case is still pending in the court.

Enforcement Directorate on October 18, 2024, raided the office of the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in connection with the alleged scam pertaining to irregularities in site distribution. A complaint was also filed by activist Snehamayi Krishna with ED in this connection. He had accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of being a beneficiary in the scam.

Sources who confirmed the raid on MUDA office said that certain documents have been sought by the ED personnel and that MUDA officials were complying with it. Sources said that the house of Devaraju, who is A4 in the FIR registered by Lokayukta Police, has also been raided by the ED.

Eight Gharials (fish-eating crocodiles) and a Jungle Cat which were being transported from from Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park in Patna to Bengaluru as part of an exchange programme have reached the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP). The lorry in which the animals were being transported, overturned after crashing into an electric transmission pole near Mondigutta forest check-post in Telangana on October 17, 2024.

Two crocodiles slipped out of the container during the accident. Nirmal police, with the help of the Forest Department, captured and loaded them along with the other animals in a different vehicle. The driver had claimed that he was drowsy during the journey and did not have any helper/co-driver.

In a joint operation, the Bengaluru Cybercrime Economic Offences and Narcotic (CEN) and Customs officials recently busted a major international drug racket which was operating via India Post and recovered narcotic substances worth ₹21,17,34,000. Following an increase in the frequency of cases within a short period, the police decided to take up a larger operation to bust the racket.