Mangaluru youth stranded in Saudi Arabia returns home; family thanks Indian Social Forum

coastaldigest.com web desk
November 5, 2018

Al-Jubail/Mangaluru, Nov 5: An expatriate worker hailing from Moodbidri on the outskirts of Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, who was stranded in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after allegedly being duped by a travel agency, finally returned home thanks to the timely help from the Indian Social Forum (ISF), Eastern Province team.

A young man hailing from Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada worked in a desert in Al-Jubail Saudi Arabia who was being conned by a travel agent returned home safe on 3rd November thanks to the timely help from Indian Social Forum (ISF) Eastern Province Team.

According to his family members, Nagaraj had flown to the oil-rich kingdom a few months ago after being selected in a job interview conducted at Rolex Tours and Travels, Mangaluru. He was promised a job as industrial electrician in a reputed company in Al-Jubail, the industrial hub of Saudi Arabia. He also paid certain amount of money to the travel agency.

However, after he landed in Saudi Arabia, he was forced to work as an assistant in a farm in a remote area in Al-Jubail with no proper food and accommodation. His sponsor company denied that the electrician profession visa was issued to him. On the other hand, when Nagarj’s brother Sukumar approached the same travel agency to bring him back, it reportedly demanded SR 9,000.00 (Rs 175,000). He paid Rs 100,000, but got no response for a month.

Meanwhile, Sukumar came to know about Indian Social Forum’s role in helping several such stranded Indians in the kingdom. He approached ISF member Hasan Kinnigoli and sought help.

Following this, a team of ISF from Jubail comprising Hasan Kinnigoli, Imthiyaz Bajpe, Kaiser Kannangar, Ashraf Ullal and Naushad Katipalla met Nagaraj in the desert and assured him the safe return to home. The team constantly followed up with the sponsor company and convinced the management about his situation and ordeal. The ISF was finally successful in getting exit visa and his pending salary from the company. The travel agency also had to return the money taken from Nagaraj’s family.

Nagaraj’s brother Sukumar and mother Gangavati have appreciated the selfless service of ISF members. We are grateful to the Indian Social Forum for extending relentless support during the most distressed time,” said Gangavati.

Comments

Rawoof handel
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2018

Masha Allah good job brother's 

Davoodhandel
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2018

Masha allah great job 

Abubakkar Siddik
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2018

Great eforts from ISF & specialy Mr. Hassan Kinnigoli.
he is dedicated for social work, continue forever...

Shaad Jubail
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2018

Have witnessed ISF rendering tremendous service in aiding expats to reach home in many such cases.its now time to Media, Govt to save people from getting fooled by fake agencies. Need a strict action through govt.. everyone need to vonveconcen on the issue as ISF is doing.

 

Abdul Salam
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2018

Masha allah great job 

Mohammed
 - 
Monday, 5 Nov 2018

Very well done brothers. Gesture of Humanitarian.

Mohammed Ismai…
 - 
Monday, 5 Nov 2018

Well Done ISF Jubail!

 

All the best Mr. Nagraj

 

 

syed
 - 
Monday, 5 Nov 2018

Alhamdulillah....well done and appreciated for your great effort to team ISF.... 

 

And this is Called HUMANITY!!!!!!

Suman
 - 
Monday, 5 Nov 2018

Great job.. May God Bless you guys..

hassan
 - 
Monday, 5 Nov 2018

Masha allha Great Job By ISF

Nawfal
 - 
Monday, 5 Nov 2018

Proud of what ISF have done in helping a fellow Indian get back home...stay blessed...

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News Network
November 13,2024

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In the heart of Mangaluru, where rising air pollution is spurring public health worries, voices are calling for a greener, cleaner shift in the city’s public transport. Leading this call is APD Foundation, a Mangaluru-based environmental NGO, which has urged Forest, Ecology, and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre to mandate electric vehicle (EV) adoption in public transport.

Abdullah A Rehman, CEO of APD Foundation, emphasized in a formal letter to the minister that Mangaluru’s public transportation system—efficient and organized with both government and private players—could transition smoothly to EVs in stages. He suggested that government-backed financial incentives, partnerships with EV manufacturers, and collaborations with environmental groups could streamline the switch.

Rehman stressed the potential of EVs to cut down emissions, enhance air quality, and reduce noise levels, noting the quieter operation of electric buses. He confirmed that a copy of his letter was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner as well.

However, Dilraj Alva from the Dakshina Kannada City Bus Association noted potential challenges, explaining that the shift might take up to two years due to infrastructure and budget hurdles. Most EV buses, he explained, are procured through aggregators, not directly by individual operators. The addition of charging stations and other essential infrastructure further complicates the transition.

Alva also raised the economic concern: while diesel buses are priced between ₹30-40 lakh, electric buses can cost up to ₹1 crore. Reflecting on recent meetings with companies, including one in Manipal, he questioned the assumption that EVs are an absolute solution to pollution. “EVs aren’t entirely eco-friendly, especially when considering battery disposal,” he cautioned.

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News Network
November 23,2024

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Bengaluru: In a boost to the ruling Congress in Karnataka, the party on Saturday swept the by-polls to three Assembly segments, causing a major setback to the BJP-JD(S) alliance in the state.

The Congress has retained Sandur, the seat considered to be its strong hold, and has also bagged Shiggaon and Channapatna segments, which were earlier held by BJP and JD(S) respectively.

The November 13 by-polls to Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna Assembly segments had witnessed a fierce fight between the ruling Congress and a combative BJP-JD(S) alliance.

The by-polls to Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna were necessitated as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister Kumaraswamy of JD(S) to Lok Sabha in May elections.

The by-polls witnessed a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Sandur and Shiggaon segments, while in Channapatna, JD(S) which is part of the NDA alliance took on the grand old party.

Congress' C P Yogeeshwara won the Channapatna segment, defeating JD(S) candidate and Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, by a margin of 25,413 votes.

Former CM Basavaraj Bommai's son Bharath Bommai of BJP faced defeat against Congress' Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan in Shiggaon Assembly segment by a margin of 13,448 votes.

In Sandur, Congress candidate E Annapoorna, the wife of Bellary MP E Tukaram, won the seat vacated by her husband, by a margin of 9,649 votes.

Congress' win in the by-poll is seen as an endorsement of both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar's leadership, and the government's programmes, especially the five guarantee schemes.

Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharath Bommai, the third generation of Gowda and Bommai family respectively, who contested this bypolls, have lost. Their fathers and grandfathers had served as Karnataka's Chief Ministers in the past.

While for Bharath Bommai this was his electoral debut, for Nikhil it was his third electoral loss.

Among the three segments, Channapatna was considered to be a high profile battle, where the contest was between C P Yogeeshwara and actor-turned-politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy.

A five-time MLA from the segment and a former Minister, Yogeeshwara had joined the Congress after quitting BJP ahead of nomination.

There were plans to field Yogeeshwara on a JD(S) ticket, but he was not interested in it, and instead wanted Kumaraswamy to support him as BJP candidate. This was not acceptable to Kumaraswamy and his party, following which Yogeeshwara jumped ship.

However, Kumaraswamy had subsequently said he had agreed to Yogeeshwara contesting from BJP, and despite that he jumped ship to Congress, under the influence of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his brother and former MP D K Suresh.

Nikhil had faced defeat in 2019 Lok Sabha and 2023 Assembly polls. It is seen as a setback for Kumaraswamy too, as he could not ensure son's win from the Channapatna, the seat he had twice represented in the past.

Congress' win is crucial for Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief and his brother Suresh to strengthen their position in their home district of Ramanagara, a Vokkaliga heartland.

In Shiggaon, BJP's Bharath Bommai, son of Basavaraj Bommai lost against Congress' Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, who had faced defeat against the former Chief Minister in the 2023 Assembly polls.

Initially, former MLA Syed Azeempeer Khadri, a Congress' ticket aspirant, had raised a banner of revolt in Shiggaon, by filing his nomination as an independent, but later withdrew after intervention by party leadership.

In Sandur, Bellary MP Tukaram's wife E Annapurna of Congress won from the seat vacated by her husband, against BJP ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu, who is considered close to party leader and former mining barron G Janardhan Reddy.

Sandur is a Congress' bastion, and Tukaram had represented it four times.

Congress winning the by-polls is seen as "crucial" for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to assert himself , amid demands for his resignation following charges against him in the MUDA site allotment case.

There were also behind-the-scenes political activities within the ruling Congress earlier this year, with a few ministers in his Cabinet holding closed door meetings, fueling speculation about leadership change. But such activities came to a halt following instructions from the party high command.

It is equally important for Shivakumar, who has not shied away from openly expressing his Chief Ministerial ambitions, amid speculations over "rotational Chief Minister formula," according to which he will become CM after two-and-half years (in this govt's five years tenure), but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

The defeat in this by-poll is seen as a setback for state BJP President Vijayendra, who has been facing intense criticism and opposition from a section within the party, who have raised a banner of revolt against his leadership accusing him and his father, veteran leader B S Yediyurappa of "adjustment politics".

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News Network
November 18,2024

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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.

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