IFF Karnataka hosts NRI family get-together in Riyadh

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has warned that disciplinary action will be taken against those officials who change the land mutation records and serve eviction notices to farmers under the Waqf Act.

In a letter, the Revenue Department Principal Secretary Rajender Kumar Kataria reminded all regional commissioners and deputy commissioners in the districts that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently had a meeting following complaints about certain land properties being made in favour of the Karnataka Board of Waqfs.

In the meeting it was decided that all the directions issued previously by any government office or authority to change the mutation records has been withdrawn, the letter said.

It added that all the notices served in the past have also been withdrawn and no action should be taken against the farmers who are cultivating on the said land.

On the directions of the chief minister, the previous letters and the latest reminders served on November 7 to the farmers and land owners have been withdraw, the letter said.

"The officials who served reminder-2 despite the chief minister's direction will face appropriate disciplinary action," Kataria said in his letter.

He said he has been instructed to strictly implement the chief minister's direction.

The fresh direction was issued in poll-bound Karnataka, where bypolls to three crucial assembly segments are due on November 13.

Some farmers in Honwad village in Vijayapura in north Karnataka had alleged last month that they were served eviction notices as the Waqf Board claimed rights over it.

Subsequently, complaints started in pouring in from some other parts of the state.

BJP leader Tejasvi Surya on October 25 alleged that Karnataka Waqf Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan directed the deputy commissioners and revenue officials to register lands in favour of the Waqf Board within 15 days, which resulted in confusion.

On Surya's request, the Chairman of the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Jagdambika Pal visited Karnataka on November 7 and met farmers in Hubballi, Vijayapura and Belagavi districts who had alleged that their lands were marked as Waqf properties.

Dubai: A 15-year-old Indian expat boy drowned after he was caught by huge waves in the sea off Mamzar Beach in Dubai. 

Ahmed Abdulla Mafaz, a 15-year-old school student in Dubai, died while his sister Fathima, a university student, was rescued, according to their father Mohammed Ashraf. The family hails from Kerala’s Kasaragod.

The grieving father said the incident happened when the Indian expat family went for an outing at the beach park.

Recounting what happened, he said: “We were all sitting on the beach and playing around in the water. I had just gone to the washroom when it [the tragedy] happened.”

He said both Mafaz and Fathima knew how to swim and it was not clear how they were swept away.

“I think there were huge waves and they got pulled by the strong current.”

Fathima’s screams for help were heard by another beachgoer who rushed to rescue her. “He is an Arab national. He rescued our daughter. We have no words to thank him,” the father said.

However, there was no sign of Mafaz, a grade 10 student of New Indian Model School in Dubai.

Meanwhile, the police were called in. Dubai Police said they received a call about two persons drowning.

“As soon as we received the report, the rescue team from the Ports Police Station in Dubai conducted a search,” a spokesperson said. 

However, there was no luck on Friday night. The search operation was intensified with divers and drones on Saturday, following which the boy’s body was fished out on Saturday evening.

The family has decided to lay him to rest in Dubai once the legal procedures are over, said Ibrahim Berike, a member of the volunteering team from Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) that is providing supportfor the paper work.

He said the family is shattered after the devastating tragedy. “They have four children. Fathima, who is doing MBA, is the eldest daughter. Mafaz was the third child. His other two siblings are also boys. Their mother, who was also there on the beach, is inconsolable,” he added.

Prominent NRI community leader SM Syed Khalilur Rehman, fondly known as CA Khalil, passed away in Dubai on Thursday at the age of 86 after a brief illness.

Khalil had been admitted to Aster Hospital in Mankhool on Tuesday after experiencing severe leg weakness. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, he succumbed to a double heart attack that worsened his condition, his son Rais Ahmed confirmed.

The news of his passing has sent waves of grief across communities, particularly in his hometown of Bhatkal, Karnataka, where he was a celebrated figure. Tributes have been pouring in on social media, highlighting his significant contributions to international trade, social service, and education.

A Legacy of Leadership and Service

A chartered accountant by profession, Khalil was a founding member of the Dubai chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), where he served as chairman from 1987 to 1994. His illustrious career included key leadership roles, such as general manager of Khaleej Times, group executive director of the Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group, and vice-chairman of the Jashanmal Group of Companies.

He also chaired Maadhyama Communications and Sahil Online, a web-based news platform, and was a director and trustee of several media companies and charitable organisations in Dubai and India.

A Champion for Education and Philanthropy

Khalil’s impact extended far beyond his professional achievements. As president and general secretary of Anjuman Hami-e-Muslimeen, he played a pivotal role in the development of educational institutions, including schools and colleges in Bhatkal and surrounding areas. His dedication to social upliftment earned him recognition from the Government of Karnataka, which honoured him with a prestigious award for his philanthropic contributions.

A Life Celebrated

The Bhatkal Muslim Khaleej Council (BMKC) recently released a documentary celebrating Khalil’s remarkable life and service to the community—a testament to his enduring legacy.

CA Khalil is survived by his family and countless admirers across the globe. His passing marks the end of an era for Indian expatriates in the UAE and beyond, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, generosity, and commitment to community service.