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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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News Network
January 8,2020

Udupi, Jan 8: Senior journalist Raviraj Valalambe passed away due to suspected cardiac arrest on Tuesday night at his residence in Kinnimulki, here. He was 50.

Raviraj was rushed to a hospital after he complained of chest pain. He breathed his last on way to medical facility.

He was the director of Prime TV, a local Kannada news channel.

He had worked as a reporter for ETV and Suvarna News channel earlier.

He is survived by wife and two daughters.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 28,2020

Bengaluru, July 28: Former prime minister and JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda today threatened to launch a state-wide agitation in against the amendments made to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act.

Gowda’s opposition to the new law comes even as Congress leader Siddaramaiah is also doggedly pursuing it.

Demanding that the state government immediately rollback the ordinance empowering these amendments, the octogenarian leader said he personally would take to streets if the government failed to budge.

The B S Yediyurappa government has liberalised the land reforms law by removing restrictions on non-agriculturists from purchasing and owning farm lands.

The government has also amended the APMC Act and has tweaked labour laws, which are all “against the interest of the state and must be rolled back,” Gowda said.

Speaking to reporters here, Gowda stated that he had already written thrice to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in this regard. "The ordinances have to be taken back. The amendments to Karnataka Land Reforms Act, by repealing sections 79-A, B and C, is an anti-farmer move. The APMC Act amendment, too, is against the interest of the state. The government has failed to speak about the impact of these amendments," said Gowda, who is now a Rajya Sabha member.

Elaborating on the amendment to the Land Reform Act, the JD(S) patriarch opined that by throwing open agricultural land ownership to anybody at all, the government was only helping real estate developers while pushing farmers into a “vulnerable” situation.

Amidst all this, there are now reports of funds misappropriation in Covid-19 relief measures and in procurement of medical equipment, he said, adding that it seemed like only the corrupt became stronger over time.

Further, Gowda lambasted both national parties for creating political unrest, referring to the ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan and the recent developments in Madhya Pradesh. However, he added that he would not wish to dwell on it much, while emphasising that his focus was primarily on strengthening his own party at this point in time.

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News Network
February 11,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 11: A 36-year-old woman who fought back after being stabbed eight times by a helmet-clad intruder succumbed to injuries at a hospital.

Susheela was in shock after she pulled off the attacker’s helmet as it was her own brother-in-law. Before breathing her last, she explained the sequence of events to the police.

She said her brother-in-law attacked her because he was eyeing their ancestral property worth over Rs 10 crore. “Susheela put up a stiff resistance and identified her assailant. But the stab injuries proved to be fatal,” said a police officer. Based on her statement, Ananth Kumar, 42, was arrested on murder charges.

The attack occurred on February 7 at Honaganahatti village in Tavarekere, off Magadi Road. Susheela, whose husband Gangaraju died in a road accident 12 years ago, was living with her 14-year-old daughter and 75-year-old mother, Rudramma.

On Friday, her daughter had gone to school and Rudramma was sitting outside the house when a man walked in wearing a full-faced helmet and attacked Susheela with a knife. She defended herself with a stick used for making ragi balls and by throwing chilli powder at his face. But the attacker stabbed her on the hand, neck and head. He fled when Susheela identified him and raised an alarm. Neighbours rushed her to a hospital.

During questioning, Kumar reportedly confessed to the crime, saying he wanted to get rid of her as she was not agreeing to sell five acres of their ancestral property.

Susheela’s nephew Kiran G said: “The family owned six acres. Kumar sold one acre for Rs 50 lakh a few years ago after convincing Susheela. He, however, paid her only Rs 5 lakh. Lately, he was pestering Susheela to sell the remaining land as buyers were ready to pay Rs 2.5 crore per acre. But she was hesitating as she had been cheated by him earlier.”

Police are now examining the circumstances under which Gangaraju was killed. “We learnt the driver who had been arrested in connection with Gangaraju’s accident is currently working with Kumar,” said an officer.

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