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.

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News Network
January 24,2025

Bengaluru, Jan 24: Following several reported suicides allegedly caused by harassment from Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Friday acknowledged that the current laws are insufficient in dealing with the highhandedness of these institutions in the state.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Parameshwara confirmed widespread complaints of MFI-related harassment, stating that existing laws were ineffective in curbing the issue. The Congress government plans to amend the law to ensure stricter regulations for MFIs.

"The reports from our department indicate that current laws are inadequate, and they lack the necessary strength to curb this menace," Parameshwara said. He added that new, stringent laws would be framed to regulate the MFIs, with the Congress government taking steps in that direction. In the meantime, officials have been instructed to take immediate action regarding ongoing harassment cases.

Explaining the situation, Parameshwara highlighted that MFIs often demand multiple signatures from loan recipients, which they might not fully understand. "This leads to forced raids, seizures of properties, and other actions," he noted, adding that such practices need to be addressed under law.

Law Minister H.K. Patil and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have also taken note of the issue. Siddaramaiah has called for a meeting on January 25 to discuss the alarming rise in cases and the ineffectiveness of current laws.

The issue has sparked public outcry, with victims’ families, including the wife of a suicide victim, sending symbolic protests such as mangalsutras to Parameshwara, demanding action against the MFI staff involved. Numerous petitions have been filed in Deputy Commissioners' offices across the state, urging government intervention to stop MFI harassment.

In response, opposition leaders, including Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, BJP’s R. Ashoka, and Basavaraj Bommai, have accused the Congress government of losing control over MFIs, enabling the widespread exploitation of vulnerable citizens.

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News Network
January 24,2025

mangalorejapan.jpg

Mangaluru, Jan 24: A high-level meeting to foster trade ties and attract Japanese companies to Mangaluru was held on Wednesday, focusing on leveraging the region’s robust infrastructure, skilled workforce, and strategic connectivity.

Hosted by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Anand G. Pai, the session welcomed a Japanese delegation led by Prof. Gopal Mugeraya, Vice-President of Technical Education at NITTE, and included prominent figures such as Komatsu Shinya, Prefectural Assembly Member and Former Vice Chairman of Japan; Katsutoshi Seiwa, Director of Industrial Technology Innovation Division; and Kotaro Kurosaka, CEO of Sanyo Machinery Company, among others.

Anand G. Pai highlighted KCCI’s pivotal role in promoting trade and commerce, particularly the opportunities offered by the Mangalore Special Economic Zone Limited (MSEZL), which has already garnered interest from a multinational corporation. Pai assured the delegation of KCCI’s unwavering support to facilitate smooth business operations in the region. He also invoked Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta’s "Back to Ooru" vision, urging Indians in Japan to invest in Mangaluru to spur local employment and boost MSMEs.

Capt. Chowta, who felicitated the Japanese delegates, pledged full support, including land allocation, streamlined compliance processes, and potential government grants. He emphasized plans to collaborate with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to secure additional funding for these initiatives.

Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath lauded Japan’s technological leadership and appreciated its interest in the region. He also commended MP Chowta’s advocacy for infrastructure development as a foundation for such collaborations.

KCCI Vice-President Ahmed Mudassar, Secretary Aditya Padmanabha Pai, and other key officials were also present at the meeting, which is expected to pave the way for enhanced trade relations and local economic growth.

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News Network
January 23,2025

Bengaluru: A suspected case of Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, was reported in Bengaluru late on Wednesday, marking what is likely the first case in Karnataka this year.

A 40-year-old man, who recently traveled to Dubai, has been admitted to Victoria Hospital and is currently receiving treatment, according to well-placed sources. Further investigations are underway to verify additional details of the suspected case.

Mpox raised widespread alarm last year when cases surged in several African countries and began appearing in other nations, including Pakistan and Thailand. In August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).'

India's first confirmed case of Mpox was reported in September 2024. Last month, Kerala reported two additional cases.

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