Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday visited the residence of 35-year-old Bharat Bhushan, in Mathikere, Bengaluru, who was shot dead in front of his family by terrorists in Pahalgam and paid his final respects.
Offering condolences on behalf of all Kannadigas to Bharat Bhushan, the Chief Minister said it is extremely unfortunate that a young, well-educated man like him became a victim of a terror strike.
He strongly condemned the attack as a barbaric and inhuman act.
To facilitate the safe return of Kannada-speaking individuals stranded in Kashmir and to bring back the mortal remains of the deceased, Labour Minister Santosh Lad and a team of officials were immediately dispatched. So far, 175 Kannadigas have been safely brought back to the state.
“It is the government’s duty to protect Kannadigas in difficult times,” the CM stated.
The Karnataka government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the Kannadigas who lost their lives in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, he added.
“It is the government’s responsibility to completely eradicate terrorism. Our government extends full support to the Centre in eliminating terrorist activities in the country,” CM Siddaramaiah said.
“Killing innocent people in broad daylight and in front of their families is a heinous crime. Similar to the past Pulwama and Balakot incidents, this is a recurrence. Intelligence failure at the Central level may have contributed to this incident as well,” he observed.
The Chief Minister has directed officials to make necessary arrangements for conducting the final rites of Manjunath Rao and Bharat Bhushan with police honours.
The victims from Karnataka include Bharat Bhushan, Manjunath Rao, and Madhusudan (who had settled in Bengaluru, hailing from Andhra Pradesh). Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy has met Bharat Bhushan’s family in Bengaluru, while Minister for Education Madhu Bangarappa met Manjunath Rao’s family in Shivamogga and assured them of support.
Regarding the terror attack in Kashmir, the Chief Minister said the Central government has already initiated certain measures, and the state government will extend complete support for further steps aimed at eliminating terrorism.
Bharat Bhushan had gone on a Kashmir trip with his wife, Dr Sujata, a paediatrician, and toddler son.
The family stated that the gang of terrorists approached him and asked his name. When Bharat told them his name without any fear. The terrorists then asked him to hand over his son to his wife, Sujata. Later, they had asked him whether he was a Hindu or a Muslim. When Bharat said he was a Hindu, he was shot dead.
India suspends visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday announced that India has decided to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect following the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Adani’s cement major ACC clocks highest-ever annual PAT at Rs 2,402 crore in FY25
Leading cement and building materials company ACC Limited on Thursday reported highest-ever annual profit after tax (PAT) at Rs 2,402 crore in FY25, up by 3 per cent.
'Celebrating bloodshed', social media fumes after man seen carrying cake to Pak High Commission
A video has emerged showing a man carrying a cake into the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on Thursday, just two days after the brutal terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam and a day following India's strong diplomatic retaliation against Islamabad.
If villages are strong, India will develop faster: PM Modi on launching Rs 13,480-crore projects in Bihar
On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a massive public gathering in the Madhubani district of Bihar and inaugurated a series of development projects across key sectors, including railways, infrastructure, LPG, and rural empowerment -- collectively worth over Rs 13,480 crore.
Pahalgam attack: BJP legislators in Bengal stage protest, burn Pakistan flags in front of Assembly
BJP legislators in Bengal, led by the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday staged protests against the Pahalgam terror attack by burning Pakistan flags in front of the House.
J&K Police announce Rs 20 lakh reward for information on Pahalgam attack terrorists
The J&K Police on Thursday announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh for anyone providing information that leads to the arrest of Pakistani nationals and local Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack.
India will identify, trace, punish every terrorist and their backers: PM Modi on Pahalgam attack
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday issued a powerful warning to the "enemies" of the nation, stating that India will "identify, trace, and punish" every terrorist and their supporters, pursuing them to the "ends of the Earth."
Massive crackdown on Maoists on Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, three killed
In a significant crackdown against Maoist insurgents, security forces in Chhattisgarh have launched a major operation in the Karregatta hills of Bijapur district. The operation has already resulted in the deaths of three Maoists, with their bodies recovered by the police.