Facebook post helps stranded Kalladka youth in Saudi Arabia return home safe

coastaldigest.com news network
March 26, 2018

Mangaluru, Mar 26: After three months of ordeal in Saudi Arabia, a youth from Bantwal taluk of Dakhsina Kannada district today reached home safe thanks to a Facebook post which spurred a few Good Samaritans to help him.

Sukumar Shettigar, a resident of Bondala near Kalladka, a communally sensitive town in Bantwal taluk, had flown to Saudi Arabia three months ago after he was promised a driver’s job with an attractive salary.

After reaching the Arabian kingdom Sukumar realised that his job was to drive heavy trailer truck 14 hours a day in an industrial area in south-western city of Khamis Mushait.

Though Sukumar tried to convince his sponsor that driving a heavy trailer was not easy for him, the latter forced him to do the same work. He also reportedly thrashed Sukumar for refusing to sign some papers. Later, Sukumar informed his situation to his family members and friends in his home town.

Shaakir Haqq Nelyadi, a social activist, who came to know the issue, wrote a paragraph on his Facebook wall explaining the helpless expatriate’s ordeal. The post grabbed the attention of SDPI Batnwal constituency candidate Riyaz Farangipete, who in turn reportedly requested the activists of Indian Social Forum in the oil-rich Kingdom to look into the matter.

On March 17, a team of ISF activists contacted Sukumar and offered him legal, medical and financial aid. They also helped him lodge a complaint against the sponsor with the Indian embassy. The sponsor finally agreed to free Sukumar and returned his passport and other documents.

When ISF activists realised that Sukumar had no money to return home, they raised funds and bought air ticket for him. He reached Mangaluru International Airport on Monday morning via Mumbai. SDPI activists Ismaeel Bava, Ismaeel Engineer, ISF activist Siddeeq Ullal, Sukumar Shettigar’s brother Shankar Shettigar and others were present at the airport to welcome him.

Both Sukumar and Shankar thanked ISF and SDPI activists for their timely support. “We will always be grateful to Riyaz Farangipete for his timely help. He came to our rescue when we were helpless,” said Shankar. “I am grateful to the NRI Muslim brothers, especially ISF activists, who helped me when I was really in need,” said Sukumar.

Comments

D. S.
 - 
Tuesday, 27 Mar 2018

He must be so relieved, as if he returned from hell.

zahoor ahmed
 - 
Tuesday, 27 Mar 2018

Thanks SDPI for your help. But don't spoil secular vote in forthcoming election please, Particularly Bantwal. 

Jalal
 - 
Monday, 26 Mar 2018

A wonderful job done by Riyaz Farangipete, the next MLA of Bantwal and district in-charge minister of DK. 

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coastaldigest.com news network
January 22,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 22: Eminent industrialist Dr Mohammed Yusuf has been elected the chairperson of the Karnataka State Board of Auqaf. 

10 members of the Board cast their votes in the election held to the top post today at its office in the city. While Dr Yusuf, who was backed by the Congress, secured six votes, K N M Shafi Sa’adi, who was backed by the BJP, secured only 4 votes.

Addressing reporters, Dr Yusuf said that there was 1.32 lakh acres of Wakf land at the time of Independence. A large number of the properties were lost under various laws, including the Inam Land Abolition Act.

Flanked by Congress MLA Tanveer Sait and Minorities Welfare Dept secretary A B Ibrahim, Dr Yusuf vowed to strive hard to make the Board an example for the entire country. 

74-year-old Dr Yusuf had held the post more than once in the past. A veterinarian, Dr Yusuf had quit the government job and set up business in Bengaluru and Dubai decades ago and has earned considerable success.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 19,2020

Mangaluru, May 19: An Indian expatriate worker hailing from Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district, who was undergoing treatment for covid-19, passed away in Kuwait.

He is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter. His family resides at Kashimath, Vittal in Bantwal taluk.

According to sources, he was unwell for past one month and had been diagnosed with covid-19 infection.

The last rites were conducted in Kuwait. Under the guidance of the priests of the local church, prayer and other last rituals were performed at his home in Bantwal.

He had visited this hometown last year for the wedding of his daughter, sources said.

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News Network
January 7,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 7: Slogans of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ rent the air at Town Hall on Monday evening as thousands of students, social activists, lawyers, doctors and theatrepersons among others staged a protest to denounce Sunday’s attack on the students and faculty of New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

“This is unacceptable. As students living in hostels, we are now worried about our safety,” said Prakruthi Kishore, a student of National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru.

Rishi Kumar, a student of Indian Institute of Science, pitched in. “JNU is an extremely protected university located in the national capital. It’s surprising that such an incident occurred amid tight security.”

Delhi police and the government need to wake up and take stringent action against the goons, Kumar said, adding: “Students can’t be treated like puppets. The government needs to act immediately.”

“The government is behaving shamelessly by sending goons to threaten students and professors of JNU,” said Alokanath Pandit, a lawyer.

With “Zor se bolo-azadi, tum din me maaro-azadi, hum raat me ayenge-azadi,” drowning the cacophony of traffic at the intersection, the sloganeering reached a crescendo around 6pm as the protesters raised their hands in a show of solidarity with the beleaguered JNU community.

Theatrepersons Prasanna and Arundathi Nag, farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar and social activists Tara Krishnaswamy and Srinivas Alavilli were present at the protest venue. “It is not fair that educational institutions are now becoming the target. First, they hiked fees and now they are attacking students. What is the government doing,” Arundathi asked.

“JNU has always been an institution which has raised its voice against atrocities across the country as its students harbour no fear. This is an alarm bell for the country and the government to wake up. Students are the future and can’t be targeted,” she added.

Chandrashekar said Narendra Modi is unfit to be the Prime Minister as he doesn’t keep his word. “Modi said he will help farmers but has done nothing for them. He said he will provide employment to students but is now making them furious,” he said.

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