Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Welcome to the Karnataka Today newsletter, your guide from The Hindu on the major news stories to follow today. Curated and written by Nalme Nachiyar.

Published - September 16, 2026 07:30 pm IST

A fuel pump seen at Seshadripuram. | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K.

1. 85% of fuel dispensing nozzles checked across petrol pumps in Karnataka found to be defective

As much as 85.2% of fuel dispensing nozzles in about 13% of the total fuel stations in Karnataka have been found to be defective, costing consumers. In as many as 101 fuel stations of the 805 fuel stations that were subjected to checks, the error in dispensation of fuel was found to be beyond the permissible limit of 25 ml per five litres.

A total of 3,071 nozzles across 805 fuel stations were checked out of which 2,618 nozzles reported issues. The 805 fuel stations where checks were undertaken in the last one week were deliberately chosen since recalibration exercise of fuel dispensing nozzles there had been done less than a year ago.

2. Despite no rain, Agumbe Ghat riddled with potholes, crippling vehicular movement

Notwithstanding the poor rainfall this year, the restored 14 hairpin bends of Agumbe Ghat are riddled with craters and potholes thereby making driving on the stretch a miserable experience. The ghat on the Malpe-Tirthahalli National Highway 169A connects Udupi district in coastal Karnataka with Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts on the Western Ghats.

The National Highways division of Karnataka Public Works Department (PWD) had restored the hairpin bends that were battered during the torrential 2025 rainy season just before the onset of the current monsoon season. However, within three months, the bitumen concrete on these bends was washed away leaving behind huge craters and potholes.

3. Renukaswamy murder case accused bypassed rules to speak to his wife, warder assisted him: Prison officials

The Parappana Agarahara police have registered a complaint against Pradosh, an accused-turned-approver in the Renukaswamy murder case, for bypassing prison phone rules to speak to his wife. The complaint also alleges the involvement of a prison warder.

According to a complaint filed by B.M. Kotresh, Superintendent of Central Prison, on September 14, prison authorities found that Pradosh had allegedly registered his wife’s mobile number by falsely showing it as the number of a lawyer named Santosh.

Under prison rules, inmates are permitted to register a maximum of three phone numbers belonging to family members, lawyers or other authorised persons for making calls from the prison.

4. 11,346 seized vehicles clogging Bengaluru police stations to be shifted

In a bid to address the long-standing problem of vehicles seized in criminal and traffic cases occupying police station premises, the Bengaluru police on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) launched a drive to shift the vehicles to Revenue Department land on the city outskirts.

Launching the drive at the Jayanagar police station, Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said a whopping 11,346 such vehicles lying on the premises of police stations across the city had been identified and were scheduled to be shifted over the next one month.

5. MLA’s niece removed from government job after revelation of being full-time PG student in medical college

The government of Karnataka has terminated the contract of Ankita Yaragal, a doctor in Bagalkot on the charge of working as an outsource health officer at Namma Clinic at Wambe Colony in Bagalkot while being pursuing an MD course full-time in a private medical college in the district.

Ms. Ankita was serving at the Namma Clinic on contract basis since April 2025. As per an order issued by the commissionerate of health, she was relieved of her duties after the controversy erupted. Reports also highlighted the fact that she is the daughter of Rajkumar Yaragal, the District Health Officer (DHO), and the niece of Umesh Meti, an MLA and a Congress leader.

Published - September 16, 2026 07:30 pm IST

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