Mangaluru youth, jailed in Saudi Arabia for carrying tablets, walks free

February 9, 2017

Mangaluru, Feb 9: A 35-year-old man from Ullal in Mangaluru taluk, who had landed in a jail in Saudi Arabia after being detained at Dammam international airport for carrying a six-month stash of his epilepsy medicines without a doctor's prescription four months ago, has finally walked free.

Siyabuddin Fayaz Ullal, who was released on February 6, thanked all those who toiled for his release including the activists of Indian Social Forum (ISF).

On October 3, Siyabuddin boarded a flight from Mangaluru to Dammam. From there, he was to head for Riyadh, where he had worked for several years. This time, however, he was going to Riyadh after a break. He had come to Mangaluru to get married and had stayed on for over a year.

Siyabuddin was carrying with him his medicines for epilepsy, a condition he had suffered from for about 16 years. The tablets – Zeptol CR (Carbamazepine) 1200 mg and Cloba (Lobazam) 10mg – were enough to last him six months (they came cheaper in India).

But unlike his many other trips to Riyadh from India, at Dammam he was detained for carrying the medicines without a doctor's prescription. He was charged with smuggling.

His family had then approached U T Khader, the minister for Food and Civil Supplies, who in turn got in touch with Arathi Krishna, the deputy chairman of the NRI Forum in the state government. Ms Krishna had then sent the details of the case to the embassy officials.

Meanwhile, a relative of Siyabuddin had gone to Riyadh and submitted the requisite documents, mainly the doctor's prescription, which stated that he suffered from complex partial seizures and was carrying six months' worth of medicines from India.

Comments

Very Good job ISF. Keep it up.

It's ma uncl he dint board d flight on 3rd it was on 31st oct he left India

Great job done Indian Social forum, heard from the day one about this case. Social forum team members did a fantastic job. Highly riskier issue very nicely handled with almighty allahs blessings.

Congrats Indian Social Forum (ISF), they worked quickly behind this work, great! keep going..

Grt Job ISF., keep going.

masha allah isf member work hard on this case..sply noushad katipalla....

MASHAALLAH good work by ISF keep going with your great work, MAY ALLAH accept your noble work and may ALLAH bless you and give you good strength to serve the humanity.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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