File photo of Shivamurthy Murugh Sharana of Chitradurga’s Brihan Mutt. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
1. Chitradurga court acquits Murugh Sharan and two others accused under POCSO Act
The District and Sessions Court in Chitradurga on 26 November 2025 acquitted Shivamurthy Murugh Sharan, head of Murugh Mutt in Chitradurga, and two others, charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, 2012.
The seer was among the accused in two POCSO cases filed on allegations of sexually abusing minor girls. A case was registered in August 2022 after two minor girls from an institution associated with the mutt alleged sexual harassment and exploitation. There is now an acquittal in one of the cases.
Second Additional District and Sessions Judge Gangadhara Channabasappa Hadapad on Wednesday pronounced the judgment acquitting the accused. The other two freed are Rashmi, a hostel warden, and Paramashivaiah, a manager at a mutt. All three were present at the sentencing.
2. ALF launches series of Preamble videos in various Karnataka languages
On November 26, Constitution Day, the Alternative Law Forum (ALF) announced the launch of a series of videos with translations of the Preamble in 16 languages prevalent in Karnataka. Apart from Kannada, video translations have been done in Arava, they are Bhashe, Byari, Dakhani, Gosani, Irla, Kodava, Kodava, Konkani, Kodani, Kodani, Kodani, Lambani, Malame, Naviaame, Naviath, Sanketi, Tulu and Waghri.
“The main objective is to create awareness about the Constitution or at least the preamble,” says Ashwini Bodh, ALF lecturer, activist and researcher. This initiative is part of ALF’s larger effort to promote constitutional literacy in the state, and the translation effort has been ongoing for about a year.
3. Pepper growers in Karnataka expect a sharp drop in production this year
Karnataka, India’s largest pepper producing state, has witnessed a sharp decline in yield by 44.3% during the 2024-25 crop year. According to pepper growers in the state who spoke to The Hindu, a similar or even greater reduction in production is expected during this year’s pepper harvest, which is scheduled to begin in February 2026. Pepper production in the state is estimated to fall to 47,891 tonnes this year from 86,000 tonnes last year, according to the Spices Board.
The main reason behind the drastic decline in pepper production in Karnataka is the incessant rains between May and mid-November, which have made the vine susceptible to various diseases such as foot rot, quick wilt, anthracnose (pollu roga), leaf rot or blight, and in a few cases, complete destruction of the vine. Karnataka has 2,11,497 hectares of land where pepper is grown, mostly grown in coffee hearts as an intercrop.
4. After eight years of struggle, residents of Varamballi in Karnataka got BSNL network connection
The eight-year battle for mobile network finally ended for the residents of Varamballi in Hosanagar taluk of Shivamogga and the BSNL tower came alive on 24 November 2025. When the tower became active, the villagers called their friends and relatives just to check if their mobile devices were catching the network.
Vinayak Prabhu, a young man from the village, called The Hindu on the phone the same day to say that the tower had started working and thanked the newspaper for highlighting the problems villagers were facing due to poor connectivity. He and other residents have written several letters to many leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, to raise the issue.
Published – 26 Nov 2025 19:50 IST
