Poet Nissar Ahmed honoured with ‘Pampa Award’

Bengaluru, May 15 Reformed underworld don N Muthappa Rai died battling cancer at a private hospital here on Friday, hospital sources said.

Rai, 68, was suffering from brain cancer for the past one year and was admitted at Manipal Hospital on Old Airport Road, where he died at 2.30 am, the sources said. Rai is survived by two sons.

Born into a Tulu-speaking Bunt family in Dakshina Kannada''s Puttur town, Rai entered the crime world at a very young age.

Karnataka police issued arrest warrants against Rai in eight cases, including murder and conspiracy.

In 2002, Rai was deported to India from the United Arab Emirates. On arrival, he was questioned by various investigation agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Intelligence Bureau (IB), and by the Karnataka police. He was later acquitted due to the lack of evidences.

In his reformed years, Rai founded charitable organisation ''Jaya Karnataka''.

Rai has appeared in Tulu film ''Kanchilda Baale'' in 2011 and Kannada film ''Katari Veera Surasundarangi'' in 2012.

Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma wanted to make a movie based on Rai''s life. The film roped in actor Vivek Oberoi for the lead role and was shot in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Mumbai, Dubai and London. However, it has not been released due to production delays.

Rai was enthusiastic about the film and even celebrated his birthday with Varma and Oberoi.

After his cancer diagnosis, Rai withdrew from public life and resigned from Jaya Karnataka.

His last rites are likely to be performed at Bidadi on Friday, family sources said.

Bengaluru, Mar 28: The Karnataka government on Saturday said that the state run Indira Canteens would provide food packets free of cost to the poor and needy in the wake of the lockdown, the government said here on Saturday.

The canteens would operate in three schedules -from 7:30 AM to 10 AM, 12:30 PM to 3 PM and 7:30 PM to 9 PM, the government said in a public announcement

During the scheduled hours, street side vendors, labourers and poor would be provided food free of cost.

After the cabinet meeting on Friday, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had said food packets would be provided to the poor and needy with the help of some organisations through the Canteens and had sought the help of everyone in this regard.

The State-sponsored, subsidised 'Indira Canteens' as of now serves breakfast at Rs five and lunch and dinner at Rs 10.

The government asked people availing the facility to maintain cleanliness at the canteen and staff who serve food to compulsorily use masks and hand gloves.

It also said soaps and sanitizers should be made available at the canteens.

The government also asked people to maintain a minimum distance of one metre while standing in queue and take all precautionary measures.

Earlier, a day after announcing that food would be provided free of cost through the canteens for daily wagers, Yediyurappa on March 24 had said it has been decided that the canteens will not be opened, after realizing that it was leading to crowding, which drew criticism.

Mangaluru, Jan 18: The Muslim Central Committee of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi has claimed that around 3 lakh people had gathered at Shah Gardan, Adyar-Kannur in Mangaluru on January 15, even though their expectation was just 1 lakh people.

The protest against CAA, NPR, NRC and police atrocities against minorities was jointly being organised by the various Muslim organisations of twin district under the leadership of Muslim Central Committee.

“We had just expected around 1 lakh people. But the Mangaluru witnessed the largest gathering in its history on Jan 15. Around 3 lakh people had participated in the protest,” Ibrahim Kodichail, vice president of the committee told media persons today.

K S Mohammed Masood, president of the committee, added that the event was a grand success and fretful, besides being peaceful. He wholeheartedly thanked all those who strived hard to make the protest a great success and to those who had taken part in it.

“At least 28 organisations have come together. As a result 3 lakh people assembled. I thank all those organisations,” he said.

He also opined that police too had helped to maintain law and order and cooperated with the protesters at the venue.

SM Rasheed Haji, B M Mumtaz Ali, Syed Ahmed Basha Thangal, Kasim Ahmed H K and Mansoor Ahmed Azad were present at the press meet among others.