Rivalry among Mangaluru Salafi groups quenches media’s thirst for ISIS story

coastaldigest.com web desk
October 4, 2017

Mangaluru, Oct 4: A controversial voice message by the leader of one of the coastal Karnataka-based Salafi groups has sent shockwaves in the region after local media gave massive coverage to the 11-minute clip in which the speaker apparently discouraged his followers from joining another Salafi splinter group and claimed that its members dress like ‘ISIS’ terrorists.

The audio clip, which contains some advices and warnings by Ismail Shafi, vice-president of South Kanara Salafi Movement (SKSM), to the members of his organisation, unexpectedly went viral as people began to share it on social media platforms.

The Beary language clip also grabbed the attention of the local police officers who heard the word ‘ISIS’ but couldn’t immediately understand anything else. “The Beary audio clip contains the word ISIS. We got it translated to Kannada. Now we are verifying the authenticity of the speaker’s claims and allegations. We will take necessary action based on the probe report,” said Sudhir Kumar Reddy, superintendent of the police of Dakshina Kannada.

The speaker in the audio clip has levelled a series of allegations on so called Dammaj Salafi group, a by-product of the ongoing churning process within the Salafi movement in Kerala and Coastal Karnataka, and warned Salafis against joining that group.

According to the speaker, the clerics of Dammaj group brainwash the youths and college students of Muslim community, persuade them to discontinue the studies, leave the country and die in so called jihad. He says that the new group, which has built a mosque at BC Road in Dakshina Kannada with the help of funds provided by a man from Al-Khobar, identifies itself as Salafi group but indulge in extremism.

He says that Dammaj group members are present in Mangaluru, BC Road, Ullal, Kalladka, Maripalla areas of the coastal district and they are financially supported by a Moodbidri-based man. “They wear black or brown gowns... Their intention is to cause damage to Salafi movement and put an end to its da’wa activities,” he says adding that they are backed by Jews.

He also cautions the Salafi parents against forging matrimonial alliance with the members of Dammaj group claiming that they take their better halves to countries like Yemen and Afghanistan. “In Kerala, they are facing the charge of supplying men to ISIS,” the voice said.

Some of the other attention-grabbing allegations levelled by the speaker against the Dammaj group members are: “They don’t mingle with people; they don’t interact with non Muslims such as Hindus and Christians; they believe that India is not suitable for them and they prefer to leave the country; they don’t send their children to the schools here; they don’t travel by buses here; they don’t do any job; they keep their women in house arrest after forcing them to cover all their fingers with ‘black bandage’; their ultimate goal is to wage so called jihad and die...”

Comments

MSS KHOBAR
 - 
Monday, 9 Oct 2017

Most of the half learned people they cause damage and spoil the true religion of Almighty which has come as guidance to all humankind.

 

Our prophet preached not to be too extreme in following religion.

He advsised to follow middle path. 

 

We should study : 1)Quran,       2)Hadees     3) Sunnah the footsteps of Prophet and his sahabah. This will suffice to be follow true and acceptable Islam.

 

When anybody see following a true religion,  it itself is a marketing of preaching its fact.

Definitely they will be impressed and people will have more urge to know and follow them.

 

These are the basics and common sensed teachings. Then there will be no enemies.

 

Action speaks louder than the voice.

 

Mohammed Fayaz
 - 
Thursday, 5 Oct 2017

Dear friends,

 

First of all police should keep close vigilant on all those people who have taken in charge of muslim groups of mangalore like Salafi, Sunni, Jamath,Tabliki,anti hadees etc. this people just use religion to play politics for thier own personal gain, blaming each other creating ruckus in society, All beary belong to one single family one single ummah why dont we unite. Ya Allah keep us away from all groupism and guide us on straight path Ameen.

shabeer Puttur…
 - 
Wednesday, 4 Oct 2017

First arrest Ismail Shafi and give him third grade treatment then truth will come out, this guy 27 years back was in Puttur, Normally puttur Hindus and Muslims were like brothers that time, this ismail shafi wrote some bad words about Hindu gods, which divided  Hindu Muslim hearts.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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News Network
November 26,2025

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Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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News Network
December 3,2025

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Mangaluru, Dec 3: A group of Congress workers gathered at the Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday to welcome AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, but the reception quickly turned into a display of support for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Venugopal arrived in the city to participate in the centenary commemoration of the historic dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The event, organised by the Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, in association with the Mangalore University Sri Narayana Guru Study Chair, is being held on the university’s Konaje campus.

KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai and several party workers had assembled at the airport to receive Venugopal. However, the moment he stepped out, workers began raising slogans backing Shivakumar.

The university programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This show of support comes just a day after Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar would lead the government “when the high command decides.” The chief minister made the comment after a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence—another public display of camaraderie between the two leaders amid ongoing attempts by the party high command to downplay their leadership rivalry.

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