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Karnataka Today newsletter: State Film Awards for 2019 announced after much delay, and more

Sudeep and Anupama Gowda were adjudged best actor and actress respectively as the Karnataka State Film Awards for the year 2019 were announced on January 22, 2025. While Sudeep won Best Actor (Male) for his performance in the sports drama Pailwan, Anupama clinched the Best Actor (Female) honour for her role in the thriller Trayambakam.

While the Karnataka government had also announced the winners for 2018, it is yet to hold the award ceremony. During the opening ceremony of the 15th Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) in March 2024, CM Siddaramaiah had said that a committee had been formed to decide the winners for 2019. The government had attributed the delay to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a major accident, 10 persons were killed and over 19 suffered injuries when a vegetable and fruit laden truck in which they were travelling, overturned at the Arabail Ghat region near Yallapur in Uttar Kannada district in the wee hours of January 22, 2025. Those in the truck were vegetable and fruit vendors from Savanur in Haveri district and were going to the Kumta weekly market.

According to Superintendent of Police Narayan, the accident occurred around 4.30 a.m. when the driver lost control of the vehicle resulting in the truck turning turtle and falling into a five foot-deep trench. The police had to use a crane to lift the truck and pull out the victims stuck underneath. By then, however, nine people had died while another passed away enroute to hospital, he said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on January 21, 2025, wondered whether there were no rapes during the BJP regime. He was reacting to the BJP’s allegation about the deteriorating law and order situation in the State in the wake of a gangrape of a woman at K.R. Market in Bengaluru.

Reacting to BJP’s charges in this regard, Siddaramaiah asked “Haven’t rapes taken place during the BJP regime?” He said that rapes should not happen and women should be protected. “Anti-social elements in the society do such things. We will take stringent action against them,” the Chief Minister added.

Councillor Ganesh Kulal from Derebail South West ward will receive the ‘Person of the Year’ award from Mangaluru Press Club in recognition of his social work, particularly for performing the last rites of over 1,500 unclaimed bodies in Mangaluru. Mr. Kulal, 55, has been doing the last rites of unclaimed bodies for over 25 years without any commercial interest.