Srikakulam Proposes Seven-Day State Festival for Ratha Saptami

Visakhapatnam: Srikakulam district collector Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar has announced that proposals have already been submitted to the government to conduct this year’s Ratha Saptami festivities as a seven-day state festival beginning on January 25. In preparation for the celebrations, the district administration will convene a public consultation meeting on December 26 at the Zilla Parishad meeting hall to discuss preliminary arrangements. The administration has highlighted its commitment to providing improved facilities this year, drawing lessons from the previous festival.

The collector has urged participation from a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including public representatives, elders well-versed in temple traditions, spiritual and cultural organisations, voluntary service groups, and members of the business, trade, and transport sectors. Ordinary devotees have also been invited to share their perspectives. He stressed that suggestions from anyone are welcome regarding the conduct of the festivities, the facilities to be extended to devotees, and the management of traffic during the event.

Highlighting the importance of community involvement, Pundkar stated that the district administration’s objective is to ensure the Ratha Saptami celebrations are conducted in a grand manner that reflects and respects the sentiments of the devotees.

Husband Kills Wife Over Suspicion in Anakapalli District

A man allegedly killed his wife in Elamanchili town of Anakapalli district on Wednesday, suspecting her fidelity.

The accused, Rakesh, reportedly attacked his wife, Maya, after finding her talking on the phone when he returned home. The couple, natives of Uttar Pradesh, had been living in Elamanchili for the past few years, where they were running a scrap business. They have two children.

Elamanchili Circle Inspector Dhanunjay said the accused had been harbouring suspicion about his wife for the last three months. “When Rakesh entered the house, he found his wife speaking on the phone. An argument followed, during which he assaulted her with a hammer, leading to her death,” the CI said.

Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. The body was shifted to a government hospital for post-mortem examination.

‘Mana Badi–Mana Badhyatha’ Drive to Improve Board Results in Guntur

In a focused effort to improve academic performance and secure better board examination results, the Guntur district administration has launched an education initiative titled “Mana Badi–Mana Badhyatha” (Our School–Our Responsibility).

Under the programme, collector A. Thameem Ansariya has appointed district-level officers as special officers to oversee 185 high schools. Special emphasis is being laid on Class IX and X students, with a target of achieving 100 per cent pass results in the Class X examinations.

The initiative aims to reduce students’ mental stress, improve concentration, identify learning gaps, and provide focused academic support in weaker subjects. Officers will act as mentors, offering guidance and counselling, while students will be motivated through success stories from various fields.

The collector said proper guidance and awareness of higher education and career opportunities would help students build strong futures and perform better academically.

PM-USHA Course at VSU Trains Students in Blogging and SEO

The Department of English at Vikrama Simhapuri University (VSU) continued its 12-day PM-USHA-sponsored course on Creative Writing and Professional Content Development on Wednesday, with the eighth day focusing on blogging and search engine optimisation (SEO).

T. Paul Armstrong, faculty member, Department of English, VSU College, served as the resource person and shared insights into both the creative and technical aspects of digital writing. In the morning session on SEO principles for writers, he explained the importance of keywords, meta descriptions, backlinks and organic reach in improving online visibility.

This was followed by a session on blogging, where participants learned how to structure posts, craft engaging headlines and use effective call-to-action techniques to attract readers.

Post-lunch sessions were hands-on, with students drafting 500-word blog posts using targeted keywords to apply SEO strategies. The day concluded with an analytics review, introducing participants to tools used to measure content reach and performance.

The programme is being coordinated by Dr B.S.S. Bhagavan, PM-USHA coordinator and organising secretary, and Dr R. Prabhakar, co-coordinator. Faculty members Dr B. Samuel Mark and Mrs V. Bhagya Jostna assisted students during the practical sessions.

SVVU Suspends Student After Outsider Attack on Hostel Inmates

Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) has suspended a first-year student following an alleged attack by outsiders on hostel students at the College of Veterinary Science (C.V.Sc.) campus in Tirupati.

According to an official order issued by the Dean of C.V.Sc., the university received a complaint from students on Wednesday regarding a group attack by outsiders on both first-year and senior students residing in the hostels. The incident reportedly occurred within the campus late on Tuesday night.

The complaint alleged that the outsiders were provoked by D. Jaswanth, a first-year student. Considering the seriousness of the incident, the university suspended the student from Thursday until further orders. The order also directed class in-charge teachers not to allow the suspended student to attend classes during the suspension period.

Following the incident, students staged a protest condemning the attack and raised concerns over campus safety. They demanded strict action against those responsible for bringing outsiders into the university premises.

University officials said the matter has been reported to the police and an inquiry is under way. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.

Anakapalli Police Destroy 1,200 Litres of Illicit Liquor Wash

Anakapalli district police destroyed about 1,200 litres of fermented jaggery (FJ) wash used for manufacturing illicit liquor during a raid in Nathavaram mandal.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of Nathavaram police and Excise officials conducted searches in the Padimikonda forest area. The team, led by Nathavaram station inspector Y. Tarakeswara Rao, seized 12 drums containing FJ wash.

The entire stock was destroyed on the spot to prevent its use in producing spurious liquor. Police said strict surveillance would continue across Anakapalli district against the manufacture, transportation and sale of illicit liquor.

Women’s Kabaddi Training Camp Launched in Vizag

The Andhra Pradesh State Kabaddi Association, in collaboration with the Adani Foundation, on Tuesday inaugurated the 51st Junior Women’s National Kabaddi Championship Camp at Gangavaram under corporate social responsibility initiatives.

The camp aims to provide professional training and exposure to 14 selected players chosen for the national team, including several promising athletes from Gangavaram, a region known for producing state- and national-level kabaddi players.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior representatives of Adani Gangavaram Port Limited and the Adani Foundation, along with village leaders, community representatives and players.

All training facilities and kabaddi kits are being provided under the Adani Gangavaram Port CSR initiative. Addressing the gathering, port management said the camp would help instil confidence, discipline and teamwork among young women athletes.

₹2 Crore Paid to Hit-and-Run Victims in NTR District

The NTR district police commissionerate has provided swift compensation to victims of hit-and-run road accidents, in line with Supreme Court directions, disbursing ₹2 crore to 247 victims across 238 cases.

City police commissioner S.V. Raja Sekhar Babu said ₹2 lakh each was paid to the families of 51 deceased victims, while 196 injured persons received ₹50,000 each. He commended officers and staff for ensuring timely processing of claims.

Highlighting a case, officials said a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh, who lost his wife in a hit-and-run accident in Vijayawada in June 2024, received compensation within a short period after police coordinated with revenue authorities and the General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC), Mumbai.

According to police data, ₹1.02 crore was sanctioned in 51 fatal cases and ₹98 lakh in 196 injury cases, placing the NTR police commissionerate first in Andhra Pradesh in compensation delivery under the scheme.

Under the state government’s policy, compensation is paid through GIC in cases where offenders remain unidentified. Officials said pending cases would be settled expeditiously.

The commissioner also presented commendation certificates to traffic police personnel for their role in implementing the scheme.

Police Recover 342 Stolen Mobile Phones, Return Them to Owners

Prakasam district police have recovered 342 stolen and missing mobile phones valued at around ₹50 lakh using advanced technology in the fifth phase of a special drive conducted over the past three months and handed them over to their rightful owners on Wednesday.

District Superintendent of Police V. Harshavardhan Raju distributed the recovered phones at the District Police Office.

Addressing the media in Ongole, the SP said a dedicated team had been constituted to trace missing mobile phones using modern technological tools. Since November 1, 2021, the district police have traced and returned 6,447 mobile phones worth about ₹9.5 crore to victims from Andhra Pradesh and other states.

He cautioned the public against purchasing high-end mobile phones at suspiciously low prices in the second-hand market and advised buyers to verify bills before purchase. Citizens were also urged to alert the police if they come across suspicious mobile phone sales.

Highlighting the importance of mobile phones and the sensitive personal data they contain, the SP advised people to report lost devices immediately to prevent misuse. He also appealed to the public not to use phones found in public places and to hand them over to the nearest police station.

The SP congratulated the officers and staff involved in the recovery drive, while beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the police for the prompt and effective action.