Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

1. Dharmasthala case: SIT asked to submit probe report by October end, says Home Minister Parameshwara

Home Minister G. Parameshwara on October 27, 2025, said that the Special Investigation Team probing the alleged mysterious deaths and burials in Dharmasthala has been asked to submit the final report at the earliest. “The SIT has said that it would submit the final report in October. They might submit the report before October 31 or there could be a delay by a day or two,” he said.

He said that the SIT has informed that the final report would include the analysis by the Forensic Science Laboratory of the bones found during excavation as well as a chemical analysis report. The SIT, which had conducted excavations at multiple locations identified by the complainant, recovered some skeletal remains again during a search operation in the Banglegudde forest area.

2. Mysuru tiger attack: Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre faces farmers’ ire

Minister for Forests, Ecology, and Environment Eshwar B. Khandre faced farmers’ ire in Mysuru on October 27, 2025, over the death of a person due to a tiger attack in Saragur. Rajashekar (53) was killed by a tiger near Mulluru village close to Nugu wildlife sanctuary on October 26, 2025.

Mr. Khandre, who reached K.R. Hospital in the city to pay his last respects to the deceased, was surrounded by farmers who staged an agitation. Expressing their outrage over recurring human-animal conflict in Mysuru region, farmers accused the forest department staff of dereliction of duty and demanded a permanent solution to the issue.

3. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy flags poor performance of e-bus operators in Bengaluru

Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy has written to Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy raising serious concerns over the “poor performance and lack of accountability” among private operators managing electric buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model in Bengaluru.

Mr. Reddy said several operators, including NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, Tata Motors Limited (TML) Smart City Mobility Solutions, Switch Mobility, and OHM Global Mobility, have fallen significantly short of expected service standards which resulted in breakdowns, frequent strikes, and passenger inconvenience.

4. Cyclone Montha: IMD issues yellow alert for 11 districts in Karnataka

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru, which has forecast fairly widespread rainfall over Karnataka for the next few days due to Cyclone Montha, has issued a yellow alert for 11 districts on October 27 and 28. Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Bidar, Kalaburgi, Yadgir, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Raichur, Koppal and Gadag districts are likely to receive heavy rainfall.

A yellow alert has also been issued for Bengaluru, Vijayanagara, Chitradurga, Davangere, Tumakuru, Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Bengaluru Rural and Bengaluru South districts on October 27. IMD synoptic meteorological features stated that Cyclone Montha is likely to move north-northwest wards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by morning of October 28.

5. Two CPI(M) activists arrested during campaign in Bengaluru

Two CPI(M) activists who were distributing pamphlets in Madiwala in Bengaluru as part of a party campaign were arrested by the police on October 25 evening. An FIR was filed against activists Suhas Adiga and Chithra Bhanu, who were released on bail on October 26, 2025. Mr. Adiga is the General Secretary of Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU). 

CPI(M) Karnataka state committee had planned a protest on December 21 in Bengaluru to highlight issues such as agricultural crisis, land acquisition issues, unemployment, corruption, price rise, atrocities against women and Dalits among others. Ms. Bhanu and Mr. Adiga were part of a group distributing pamphlets and collecting signatures for the campaign ahead of the protest.