Bengaluru, May 23: The Karnataka Police have arrested the accused actor in connection with the alleged sexual exploitation and blackmail of a female artist in Bengaluru on Friday.

The accused is identified as Madenuru Manu, a resident of Nagarabhavi in Bengaluru.

The Annapurneshwari Nagar Police have arrested Manu and will produce him before the court.

The police have taken the accused for the medical test.

During the preliminary investigation, Manu admitted that he knew the victim. However, he denied all charges against him, claiming that it was a conspiracy.

The Karnataka Police have lodged an FIR in connection with the alleged sexual exploitation and blackmail of a female artist over a private video after the 33-year-old victim filed the complaint.

The accused is said to have been selected as the lead actor in an upcoming Kannada movie, and police are currently investigating the matter.

The FIR has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 64(2) (rape), Section 69 (sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means), Section 89 (causing miscarriage without the woman’s consent), Section 318(4) (cheating), Section 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and Section 352 (intentional insult).

According to the complainant, she met the accused during the shoot of the Kannada television programme ‘Comedy Kiladi’ in 2018, after which they became friends. She stated that the accused had arranged a rented house in Nagarabhavi.

On November 29, 2022, the victim accompanied the accused and other comedy artists to a programme in Shikaripura, Shivamogga district.

After the performance, while she was in a hotel room in Shikaripura, the accused allegedly entered the room under the pretext of paying her remuneration and sexually assaulted her, the FIR said.

Later, on December 3, 2022, the accused reportedly came to her residence and forcefully tied a mangalsutra around her neck against her will. Following this, he allegedly continued to sexually assault her at the same residence.

The victim stated that she became pregnant during this period. Upon learning of the pregnancy, the accused allegedly gave her pills to induce an abortion. She became pregnant again later, and he once again forced her to undergo an abortion, according to the FIR.

The accused then rented another house for the victim, where he continued to sexually assault her. He is also accused of recording her private videos on his phone, physically assaulting her, and threatening her not to reveal the incidents to anyone.

Claiming to be the lead actor in an upcoming film, the accused allegedly took several lakhs of rupees from the victim. She has stated that he pretended to marry her while subjecting her to repeated assaults, forced abortions, and threats to her life. When she confronted him, the accused reportedly assaulted and threatened her again.

The victim has also alleged that the accused, Manu, is a married man.

Guwahati, May 23: Assam Police foiled a drug peddling attempt in Cachar district on Friday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced.

Police conducted an operation in the Cachar district, resulting in the seizure of narcotics valued at Rs 3.11 crore.

The operation against drugs was carried out by police on intelligence-backed information.

Taking to X, Sarma wrote, “Backed by intel, @cacharpolice carried out an operation near ISBT Silchar and apprehended a drug peddler with 622 gms heroin, valued at ₹3.11cr.”

“Our relentless #AssamAgainstDrugs effort will continue. Good job @assampolice”, he added.

Earlier on Thursday, drugs valued at over Rs 5.7 crores were seized by the security forces in Manipur and Mizoram. A defence spokesman said that Assam Rifles successfully apprehended a drug trafficker and seized a large amount of illegal narcotics from Manipur’s Noney district on Wednesday night.

The suspected drug peddler was moving in a truck from Imphal to Jiribam, along National Highway-37.

After receiving input from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence about the likely trafficking of narcotics, Assam Rifles personnel became vigilant and stopped a vehicle matching the description at a check post in Noney.

During the search operation, 569.24 grams of heroin and large quantities of amphetamine/methamphetamine tablets were recovered from the possession of the arrested drug peddler.

The drugs, the total value of which is Rs 5 crore, were contained in 50 cases of soap and 49 sachets.

In another incident, Border Security Force (BSF) personnel of the Mizoram and Cachar Frontier, based on specific input, conducted a search operation at Vairengte in Mizoram’s Kolasib district, along southern Assam, and seized 7.042 kg of pseudoephedrine tablets (a precursor chemical) valued at Rs 7.04 lakh.

One person was also arrested in connection with the drug seizure, a BSF spokesman said. Officials said that all the drugs were smuggled from neighbouring Myanmar.

Chennai, May 22: Following stern directives from the Madras High Court, authorities have initiated the removal of encroachments along the Adyar riverbank in Tamil Nadu’s Anakaputhur, with plans to complete the process within a week.

The court had recently issued a three-month deadline to the Tamil Nadu government to eliminate all encroachments obstructing the Adyar River Restoration Project.

Responding to this, the Water Resources Department on Wednesday began demolishing illegal structures, including around 50 houses in Anakaputhur. Officials confirmed that this is the first phase of the eviction drive.

The removal will continue in downstream areas such as Thideer Nagar, Jyothi Ammal Nagar, Surya Nagar, and Malligaipoo Nagar in Saidapet and Kotturpuram in the coming weeks.

An official from the Water Resources Department stated, “We will proceed with the clearance, one neighbourhood at a time, as per the court’s directive. The project had been delayed for years due to the presence of these encroachments.”

The state’s Additional Advocate-General J. Ravindran informed the court that the encroachments had halted progress on the Adyar River Restoration Project — a major initiative worth Rs 1,500 crore announced in three consecutive budgets since 2023.

Due to the obstructions, contractors were unable to prepare a detailed project report, stalling the project indefinitely.

In Anakaputhur alone, 593 families residing in areas such as Quaid-e-Milleth Nagar, Thai Moogambikai Nagar, Santhai Nagar, and MGR Nagar Third Street are being evicted. However, the state government is providing alternative housing to the affected families.

“Each displaced family will be allotted a 390-square-foot house at no cost. These houses, valued at Rs 17 lakh each, are located in Talaivaram, Keerapakkam, Perumbakkam, and Navalur,” the official added.

The Adyar River Restoration Project aims to rejuvenate the heavily polluted waterway and prevent urban flooding — a recurring issue during Chennai’s monsoon seasons. The successful removal of encroachments is expected to pave the way for its long-awaited implementation.