DK man still stranded in Uganda; Somali wife, 3 children reach Mangaluru

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Chakravarthi)
March 22, 2017

Mangaluru, Mar 22: The Somali wife and three young children of Abdul Rasheed Shafi, a non-Indian resident from Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada, who is currently stranded in Uganda, have finally reached his hometown after bearing a prolonged hardship in the East African nation.

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Abdul Rasheed’s father Mohammed Shafi (left) along with his Somali daughter-in-law and three grand children.

Rasheed Vitla, a social worker and secretary of M-Friends social media group that took initiative to bring the stranded family to India, said at a press meet on Wednesday in Mangaluru that they will continue their efforts to bring back Abdul Rasheed, who is facing a criminal case in Uganda.

The troubles began in Abdul Rasheed’s life in July 2016 when he was robbed of a huge amount of cash from his possession. The cash, worth around Rs 12 lakh belonged to the company, wherein he was working as a marketing manager for several years.

The robbery had taken place close to a police station in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and Abdul Rasheed had immediately filed a case. However, the police could not catch the robbers. Hence, the company, owned by a British Indian, held the victim responsible for the loss and gave him a deadline to repay the amount.

When the poor Abdul Rasheed failed to pay the amount, a theft case was lodged against him on October 3 and he was subsequently jailed. He was released on bail on December 5 thanks to the efforts of a few local philanthropists. However, the company, which has confiscated his passport, continued to blackmail him. The company is now demanding around Rs 12 lakh from him to return the passport and withdraw the complaint. Without securing his documents, neither he can get a job in Uganda nor can come back to India.

When Abdul Rasheed was in prison a local mosque used to supply food to his family. After his release, his situation worsened as he had no source of income to take care of his homeless family. His Somali immigrant wife also had no family members or relatives in Uganda. The couple has a one-year-old son and two daughters aged three and five.

In such a situation M-Friends rushed to help the beleaguered family and secured safe return of the four members of the family. Ansar Bellare, a member of M Friends, had been to Mumbai to fetch the family to Mangaluru via train as they were coming to India first time. However, Abdul Rasheed is still helplessly wandering on the streets of Kampala.

Mr Rasheed Vittla said that though the matter was brought to the notice of Sushma Swaraj, the minister for external affairs, she did not personally intervene and asked to contact the Indian High Commissioner in Uganda. However, he too was helpless as a case was pending against Abdul Rasheed.

Abdul Rasheed’s helpless father Mohammed Shafi, who also has no sources of income and lives in a rented house in Panakaje village of Belthangady taluk, has continued to urge Sushma Swaraj, to personally intervene in the case and take necessary steps to force the company to return his son’s passport and withdraw false charges against him. Meanwhile, the M-Friends has urged the philanthropists including NRIs to come forward to provide financial help to the victim and secure his release.

M-Friends president Haneef Haji Golthamajalu, Abdul Rasheed’s wife and three children were also present at the press meet.

Also Read: Mangaluru youth’s family in Uganda in dire straits; kin seek Sushma’s help

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News Network
December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

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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
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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