The rod had penetrated almost five inches into his body and was only one centimetre away from the spinal cord, sources at KIMS hospital said.

The patient could have gone into coma or would have become paralysed if the rod had touched the spinal cord, they said.

The incident occurred on May 16 when a branch fell on a pile of rods on the ground floor. Under the impact, a rod flew up piercing the left cheek of the man standing on the second floor, sources said.

A team of neuro, orthopaedic and general surgeons operated upon the man for about an hour to remove the rod.

The man is now recovering, sources said.

The Australian player had allegedly misbehaved with the woman, a US citizen, at a five-star hotel in New Delhi early on Friday morning.

The 27-year-old Pomersbach’s conduct prompted RCB owner Vijay Mallya to suspend the batsman, who has not played a single IPL match so far this season, till the time he is cleared of the charges.

The incident came two days after Shah Rukh Khan’s scuffle with officials of the Maharashtra Cricket Association officials, which has prompted MCA to ban the Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner and Bollywood star from its premises for five years.

On this occasion, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Harish Ravat said a contingency scheme would be framed for 180 districts including districts in Karnataka to initiate far sighted programmes to tackle drought conditions.

Earlier, BJP MP Ananthkumar alleged that the Union Government was causing inordinate delay in releasing drought relief funds for the BJP ruled states.

Reacting to this, the union minister said the central team had been on a Karnataka tour from May 13 to 16 and that steps would be taken to release grants for drought relief no sooner the team submitted its report.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, the Congress leader said Yeddyurappa’s influence in the state politics was fast fading. On this occasion he said he would appeal for a thorough probe into the statement of former BJP MLA Lakshminarayana that crores had passed hands for Operation Lotus.

If Sriramulu had earlier stated that he had provided Rs 200 crores to the party, now Lakshminarayana too has said he had spent crores for the bye-polls, BBMP polls and Operation Lotus. As the BJP men themselves had said so, there is need for a probe, he argued.

Participating in a protest organized by the CPI in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mangalore on May 18, Friday demanding release of Vittal Malekudiya and his father Linganna who, Kakkillaya said it was nothing but sheer injustice to put behind bars an MCJ student of Mangalore University merely on the allegation that he supported Naxals.

Alleging that the arrest of Vittal and his father was nothing about an attempt to cover up the misdeeds of the ANF personnel and the atrocities committed on poor tribals by them, Kakkillaya said it was highly unjustifiable to brand anyone as a Naxal supporter, merely because he possessed literature on Bhagat Singh.

A memorandum was forwarded to the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner seeking to release both Vittal and his father and free them of all charges.

Shivanna’s wedding was supposed to take place on the morning of May 18, Friday with Lakshmi at the Ramalingeshwara Temple of Kanive village. The groom’s family had arrived well in advance on Thursday evening itself and all the pre-wedding rituals too had been performed.

It is learnt, on Friday morning, the little girl had been to the banks of the Cauvery river by crossing the river using a pedestrian bridge and was washing her feet while she suddenly slipped and fell into the river. On seeing this, Gowri too dived into the water to save the little girl, only to be followed by Nirmala and Shivanna, finally all the four meeting a watery grave.

Somwarpete Tahsildar Bhasker, MLA Appachu Ranjan and senior police officials have visited the spot of the tragedy.

Fr Gerald D’Souza, Deanery of Puttur Vicar, Fr Ronald Lobo, Parish Priest of  Kokkada  Church, Fr Melwyn Lobo, Assistant Parish Priest, Cyril D’Souza, Parish Council Vice President and others were present on the occasion.

The initiative to construct a new building was taken as the existing church building was old and could not accommodate  the increasing number of people visiting the church.

Speaking after inaugurating a convention of the priests of Mujrai temples organized under the aegis of the Karnataka State Religious and Endowment Temple Priests Association in the capital on May 17, Thursday he said  the revenue thus accrued from the temples would be utilized towards the temples which are in dire need of renovation.

Referring to the demands placed forth by the temple priests, the chief minister said he cannot  announce any grants or schemes as the election code of conduct was in vogue in the wake of the ensuing  Council elections in four constituencies.

Shankernarayana, Vice President  of Brahmana Mahasabha, BK Lokesh, BJP leader, Sri Shivarudra Swamiji of Beli Mutt Samsthan and others were present.

The agitators shouted slogans against the state government ‘misrule’ and demanded that the government should go in case it cannot govern the state on expected lines.

When the agitators tried to barge inside the DC office compound, they were prevented by the cops on the grounds that  prior permission has not been sought. In the melee when the gate was forcibly closed, Mithun Rai sustained injuries in his leg which further agitated the Congressmen leading to a heated exchange of words with the cops.

Congress leaders Shashidhar Hegde, Suresh Ballal, Ivan D’Souza and others took part in the protest.

Vittal, a first year journalism and mass communication student in Mangalore University,  was arrested in March by the police along with his father, accusing him of having links with Naxals. The DYFI took strong exception to the vice chancellor’s letter to the Belthangady court mentioning that Vittal cannot attend exams due to attendance shortage. It may be recalled here that following the VC’s letter the court has ruled that Vittal cannot write his annual exams.

The DYFI has also said that it would stage a protest at the Mangalore University, with the support of various organizations against the Vice Chancellor.