I have surrendered my son as I respect law,' says ex-mayor Ashraf

January 16, 2012

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Mangalore, January 16: “My son is innocent. He has been made a scapegoat by my political adversaries. Since I have enormous respect for law, I have asked him to surrender before the police. But I am hopeful that justice will prevail,” said K. Ashraf, former mayor, reacting to the 15-day judicial remand given to his son Araf in a drug-related case.

Araf, 17, has been named a key accused in the case of alleged drugging following which a teenaged girl was hospitalized for nearly two months in Mangalore six months ago.

In response to the complaints lodged by the girl's father Arjun, separate FIRs had been filed by Kadri and Kankanady police. Araf and his friends were also accused of threatening the girl and her parents while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Araf had evaded arrest and was said to be staying in his relative's place in Mumbai. The police had even gone to Mumbai looking for him, but had to return empty handed.

“Although the police had filed booked cases against several people, only my son was being chased like a criminal,” Mr. Ashraf said, but insisted the justice will prevail. He also wondered how did the police book a case against his son of threatening the girl on the hospital premises, where there had not been any complaint from the concerned hospital.

“This is a clear case of vendetta. There are people both inside my party and outside, who want to finish me politically, they have foisted a case against my son. They cannot take me on politically,” Mr. Ashraf, who is also the president of the Congress City Block.

The former mayor had a couple of months ago threatened to resign from the party for leaving him in the lurch when he had been unnecessarily harassed by the police. But following assurances from the Congress leaders including Veerappa Moily and Oscar Fernandes he had backed out. In fact, he had convened a press meet to announce his resignation and called off the briefing at the last minute, without citing any reasons.

The Hindutva organisations had supported the cause of Arjun's daughter and had demanded action against the accused. They had also given memoranda to the city police several times and had accused them of yielding to political pressure when the “drug mafia was gaining strength”.

The outfits had also warned of Hindu girls being lured into drug abuse as part of “Love Jihad”, and being converted to Islam in places like Ponnani.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 4,2020

Mangaluru, Jul 4: The General Secretary of the Dakshina Kannada district unit of Bharatiya Janata Party’s youth wing (Yuva Morcha) has been tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.

In a tweet, Sooraj Jain Marnad, has confirmed that he was tested positive for COVID-19.

"I have been tested COVID19 positive. With all your blessings, I’m recovering & will be under treatment for a few days," the tweet said.

The district has witnessed a huge spike in COVID-19 cases in the past few days. The total tally of the district has already crossed 1000 mark. 22 COVID-19 positive patients in the district have died so far.

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News Network
April 26,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 26: Two businessmen brothers, Tajammul Pasha and Muzammil Pasha, in Karnataka's Kolar district have set out to help people in need amid the lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic by selling their land for Rs 25 lakh.

On seeing daily wage labourers and their families in Kolar suffer during the lockdown, the brothers said they decided to sell their land and use the money to buy essentials and food grain for a large number of poor people.

The brothers also bought oil and cereals with the money. Then they set up a tent next to their house and started a community kitchen to make food for labourers and homeless people.

"Our parents died early. When we shifted to our maternal grandmother's place at  Kolar, people from communities, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims helped us survive without any religious bias," said Tajammul Pasha, visibly emotional.

The Pasha brothers are into banana cultivation and real estate. Tajammul was five and his sibling Muzammil was three when they lost their parents. They had to move from Chickbalapor to Kollar, where their grandmother lived.

"We were brought up in poverty. We survived because of the support of people of all communities and religions. We have signed the society agreement bond and handed it over to our friend who purchased our site and gave the money," the brothers said.

Once the lockdown ends and the land registrar's office opens, the remaining steps to transfer the land will be completed, they said.

So far the two brothers have supplied food grain, oil, sugar and other essentials to over 3,000 families. They have also given hand sanitizers and masks to the poor.

The Kolar administration has issued passes to their volunteers so that they can help in this difficult time.

The number of coronavirus cases in India has increased to 24,506, including 775 deaths, the Home Ministry said today, adding that 1,429 cases and 57 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

Amid a countrywide lockdown to check the spread of the highly contagious illness, which began on March 25, the government last night issued an order to allow neighbourhood shops to remain open with conditions; malls across India continue to remain shut.

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News Network
January 31,2020

Bangalore, Feb 1: Following the Directions from department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of Karnataka, to set up Isolation ward for the admission and treatment of the Novel Coronavirus infected patients, Fortis Hospital, Bangalore has allocated 5 isolation beds, 4 at its Bannergatta unit and 1 at Cunningham Road Unit.

According to a statement issued here on Friday, Dr A Nagasubramaniam, Medical Director, Fortis BG unit said, “We are following the guidelines and protocols as suggested by Department of Health and family welfare and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in line with WHO guidelines for managing any suspected case. We will accordingly notify the health authorities.”

The management has been educating the hospital staff members, visitors and patients about the virus and the precautionary measures on a timely basis. A health advisory on Coronavirus has also been put up at the lobby and the canteen to educate the patient attenders, nurses and staff members, the statement added.

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