Endless ordeal of Abdul Basheer | ‘No land’s man’ now languishes in Mangaluru rehab

Harsha Raj Gatty
January 24, 2019

No identity, scant memory, mumbling few Urdu, Hindi and Arabic words; while some suspect Abdul Basheer to be a Pakistani, others give him a benefit of doubt that he maybe a Saudi National. But time and again having failed to produce any reliable documentation of identity among other things has got this 45-year on wrong side of the law.

"No one knows how he landed there (Kerala), but what he told us was that he was visiting Ajmer and his passport taken away, which left him stranded in India. But so far neither the Kerala authorities have been able to trace his passport or the origin of his nationality," Joseph Crasta, founder of Snehalaya Psycho Social Rehabilitation Centre said.

Wandering in streets of Kannur has already done enough for Abdul Basheer, after he was picked up by the Kannur police acting 'suspicious'. Further, when Basheer duly told the authorities of his recollection of his mother hailing from Burma and his father was Sayyed Hussain Makkanakkas, a Pakistani national, things didn’t seem to work in his favour. The Kasargod police formally charged him under Foreigners Act and arrested him on September 2012.

Subsequently, Basheer was produced before Kasargod CJM court, and he was duly awarded two years imprisonment at Kannur Jail. According to Kerala police, the jail authorities duly noticed that Basheer was not mentally stable therefore they admitted him for examination in mental-health care unit in Calicut. Although Abdul was slated to be released in November in 2015, he had to undergo another month of prison term since he was unable to pay the fine. Finally he was due to be released on December 2015.

But that was not the end to Basheer’s ordeal. He has neither been identified as an Indian nor has other nationality nor he been granted any refugee status. The authorities did not have a protocol, when the court ordered them to deport Basheer to his respective nation and he continued to be pushed around from one authority to another.

Although Foreigner Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) Ernakulam contacted Saudi Embassy officials to enquire the residence status of Basheer, the foreign authorities told them that they don’t have his records.

Initially, Basheer was transferred to ‘open jail’ in Cheemeni, later under the request from Kerala government, the Kasaragod District officials requested Snehalaya Psycho-Social Rehabilitation Centre at Mangaluru to admit him.

 “Based on a number provided by him, we called a woman in Saudi, who claimed to be his sister and quite often asked about his whereabouts, but later the calls went unanswered and there are no efforts by anyone to provide him any relief,” says Joseph Crasta, founder, Snehalaya Charitable Trust.

According to Crasta, Basheer is schizophrenic but is not a violent case. “His statements about his family, background is inconsistent, although he can speak fluent Hindi and Arabic. Right now, he is the only 'foreigner' among the 167 inmates whom we have lodged in the facility. Earlier we had two Nepali's at our unit, we were able to trace their family, we now hope to reunite Basheer to his family as well,” Crasta adds.

Comments

Naaz
 - 
Thursday, 31 Jan 2019

if anyone can pass that Saudi Number, we can track that lady and inform about it. Nizam Uppala 00966551335641 Basheer Uppala 00966554226682

kumar
 - 
Thursday, 24 Jan 2019

I request the authorities to be kind on this innocent person and consider citizenship to hi m so that he can live peacefully.  I express my grattitudes to the charitable organisation for helping him.   there are many muslim organisations and rich people in Mangalore.  I think its their duty too to help him.  

Nishant Kudla
 - 
Thursday, 24 Jan 2019

He is eligible for Indian citizenship as he has spent several years in the country.

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
November 19,2024

vikramgowda.jpg

The Karnataka Police’s Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) achieved a major breakthrough on Monday night by eliminating Vikram Gowda, one of Karnataka’s most wanted Naxal leaders for over two decades. The encounter occurred in the dense Kabbinale forest of Udupi district, marking a significant victory against Naxal insurgency in the region.

Who Was Vikram Gowda?

Hailing from Hebri in Udupi, Vikram Gowda, 44, was a prominent figure in the Naxal movement. He went underground in 2002, initially serving as a courier and fund collector before rising to lead a breakaway Naxal group. Despite having only a fourth-grade education, he was a staunch advocate for tribal rights and a key player in the movement’s survival in Karnataka.

Bounty: ₹3 lakh from Karnataka and ₹50,000 from Kerala.

Legacy: The last major Naxal leader in Karnataka after the 2021 arrest of B G Krishnamurthy.

The Encounter

Police revealed that Gowda and his team visited Kabbinale village to collect groceries on Monday night. Acting on a tip-off, ANF ambushed the group. When the Naxals opened fire, ANF responded, leading to Gowda's death.

Escapees: Three Naxals fled, including prominent members Latha (aka Mundgaru Latha) and Raju.

Significance: This was the first Naxal casualty in Karnataka in over two decades.

Home Minister G. Parameshwara confirmed the operation, stating, “Gowda was elusive for 20 years, escaping multiple encounters. His death is a critical step in dismantling Naxal operations in the region.”

The Decline of Naxal Activity in Karnataka

Karnataka's Naxal movement has been dwindling, with members seeking refuge in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The group’s strength had reduced to just 19 members by 2018, but recent sightings indicate attempts at revival:

2023 Activity: Reports of Gowda-led movements in the Kodagu and Hassan districts reignited concerns.

Political Heat: The BJP criticised the Congress government, alleging it created a “safe haven” for Naxals.

A Glimpse into Gowda’s Past

Personal Life: Gowda’s ex-wife, Savitri (alias Rajita), was arrested in 2021. She was a senior Naxal commander involved in insurgency since 2004.
Rehabilitation Efforts: Since 2013, Karnataka’s rehabilitation policy has seen 14 Naxals surrender and reintegrate into mainstream society.

A Milestone in Karnataka’s Fight Against Insurgency

The operation signifies a decisive blow to Naxal resurgence in the Western Ghats. While the ANF continues its search for escapees, the Karnataka government reaffirmed its commitment to offering rehabilitation to those willing to surrender.

As Karnataka celebrates this triumph, the message is clear: there is no room for insurgency in the state.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
November 14,2024

srirang.jpg

Bengaluru: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi led union government has requested the Karnataka High Court to direct the Mandya district administration and the state government to clear a madrasa operating within the premises of the historic Jama Masjid in Srirangapatna.

The Waqf Board, opposing this move, has claimed the mosque as its property and defended the right to conduct madrasa activities there.

The matter was brought before a division bench headed by Chief Justice N V Anjaria following a public interest litigation filed by a person named Abhishek Gowda from Kabbalu village in Kanakapura taluk. The petition alleged “unauthorised madrasa activities” within the mosque.

Representing the Central government, Additional Solicitor General of India for High Court of Karnataka, K Arvind Kamath argued that the Jama Masjid was designated as a protected monument in 1951, yet unauthorised madrasa operations continue there.

He noted that concerns over potential law and order issues have so far prevented any intervention. Kamath urged the court to direct the Mandya district administration to take action and vacate the madrasa from the mosque.

In defence, lawyers for the state government and the Waqf Board contested this request, stating that the Waqf Board had been recognised as the owner of the property since 1963 and, thus, conducting madrasa activities there is lawful.

After hearing both sides, the bench adjourned the case for further arguments, scheduling the next hearing for November 20.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
November 22,2024

bjpprotest.jpg

Bengaluru, Nov 22: For the second day running, the Karnataka BJP on Friday staged a statewide protest condemning the government’s alleged move to notify land of farmers as Waqf property.

The BJP staged a protest before the offices of Deputy Commissioners at district headquarters.

The BJP leaders are vehemently demanding that the state government cancel a 1974 Gazette notification in this regard.

The agitators are also demanding scrapping of the Waqf Board and the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister for Waqf and Housing Zameer Ahmad Khan.

The BJP MLAs, MLCs, MPs gathered in the premises of Freedom Park and staged a protest under the leadership of Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and slammed the state government.

MLA T.S. Srivatsa led the protest in Mysuru and hundreds of party workers and farmers staged the protest under the leadership of former MP Pratap Simha in Kodagu.

Former MP Sumalatha Ambareesh led the agitation in Mandya.

This was the first time that Sumalatha took part in the party’s programme after the Lok Sabha elections.

State President B.Y. Vijayendra claimed, “The Congress government in Karnataka is issuing notices to farmers claiming the ownership of their lands to the Waqf Board and pushing them on the streets overnight.”

In the first week of December, three teams formed by the BJP will travel across the state and record the grievances of farmers.

“The state government is attempting to snatch away the lands belonging to temples as well,” Vijayendra alleged and added that the teams would comprise all senior leaders of the BJP.

Meanwhile, the police have taken Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik into custody while staging a protest march to the office of Zameer Ahmad Khan in Bengaluru.

Muthalik along with Hindutva activists was planning to lay siege to Zameer’s office over the Waqf row.

The police stopped Muthalik and requested him to submit the memorandum by reaching the minister’s office in a vehicle. However, Muthalik refused to go with the police and continued his footmarch. The police took him into custody following arguments.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.