Mangaluru: Three youngsters held for murder attempt on engg student

Vijayapura, June 18: Shoukat Ali Sumbad, a local farmer, has donated land for the construction of Chennamma memorial, modelled on the Kittur fort, at Sindagi town in Vijayapura to celebrate the town's connect with the valorous Lingayat queen who fought the British in 1824.

Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swamiji of Lingayat Panchamasali Peetha Kudala Sangam said Shoukat Ali came forward to donate his land adjacent to the state highway when local authorities failed to provide land for the memorial. 

"The committee led by Basava Jaya Mrutyunjaya Swamiji sought a 15x10 plot but when I went through their plan of constructing a model of Kittur fort, I decided to donate 425 sq ft," said the 61-year-old farmer. 

"Rani Chennamma is the pride of every Indian, irrespective of caste and creed, and my contribution is nothing compared to her sacrifice for the nation," he added.

Shoukat Ali, who lives in the neighbouring town of Almel, said he is a man of modest means but proud to make the contribution. "I own nine acres of land in Almel. I have six sons and two daughters. Two of my sons run small businesses in Mumbai. Ten of us live in a small house in Almel," he said.

“I also work as a broker to sell or buy sites. I had bought 15 guntas of land in Sindagi for my children some 15 years ago. When our MLA MC Managuli and Swamiji sought land for the memorial, my entire family agreed wholeheartedly” Shoukat Ali said.

“As Chennamma’s history is linked to Sindagi, there has been a demand for a memorial here since 2008, but the town municipal council failed to provide land due to political and technical reasons,” said Swamiji. 

“There were plans to observe a Sindagi bandh in the first week of June to protest the indifference of authorities. But then Sumbad gave us his land. We have formed a committee to construct a model of Kittur fort and a bronze statue of Chennamma at a cost of Rs 28 lakh,” he added.

Mangaluru, May 19: In a bizarre incident which exposes the publicity craze of “philanthropists”, members of a city-based organisation returned without disturbing grocery kits after villagers refused to be photographed while receiving them. 

The incident took place at Mukrampady village in Puttur a few days ago. According to sources, a team belonging to an organisation from Mangaluru had visited the village with a letter from their organisation, to distribute grocery kits to families near mosques in the month of Ramadan. 

The team members reportedly insisted the beneficiaries to pose for pictures with the team near a mosque while being given the food kit. The villagers refused to fulfil their wish.

The organisation members then left the place without handing over the Ramadan kits, sources said.

Chikkamagaluru, Mar 8: A 20 member armed gang barged into a farmhouse at Gudde Thota near Jayapura in Koppa taluk and looted valuables and cash worth about Rs 12 lakh after assaulting the inmates, Police said on Sunday.

According to police, the culprits covered their face with masks and after assaulting watchman they broke open the main door and tied up Vijayaraghav and his wife Asha before robbing the valuables.

The culprits took away Rs 2.5 lakh in cash and valuables worth over Rs 10 lakh.