Only 3,628 pilgrims' selection through Qurrah in Karnataka; increase in quota urged

April 28, 2014

Bangalore, Apr 28: Minister for Information, Infrastructure Development and Haj Roshan Baig said a delegation would meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek an increase in the State's quota of Haj pilgrims.Currently, the State's quota is 4,977 pilgrims.

At a function organised here to launch the online draw of lots (Qurrah) for selecting Haj pilgrims, Mr. Baig said the delegation would be led by Union Minister for Minority Affairs K. Rahman Khan.

Mr. Baig said private tour operators were exploiting pilgrims by charging up to Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 7 lakh per person. Increasing the State quota would help community members from poor families to undertake the pilgrimage, he said.

Haj Committee of India chairman Mohammed Magoob Ahmed said Karnataka's quota had been reduced from 7,000 to 4,977 pilgrims this year. The reason for the reduction was the ongoing construction at Haram Sharif in Saudi Arabia.

The Karnataka State Haj Committee received 17,182 applications till March 22, 2014, the last date for submission. Of the total applicants, 8,762 are men, 8,409 are women and 11 infants. Of the total applications, 871 belong to reserved category-A (above the age of 70 with a companion) and 478 applications to reserved category-B (fourth attempt). Of the total 4,977 State quota pilgrims, 3,628 are to be selected through the online draw of lots.

District-wise draw of lots would be held to fill the quota fixed based on the Muslim population in the districts. In the three districts of Gadag, Koppal and Yadgir, the number of applications received is less than the quota allotted. Excess seats, if any, will be re-allotted to other districts.

Pay-in slips with details of selected pilgrims can be downloaded from the websites of the Haj Committee of India and Karnataka State Haj Committee.

Mr. Rahman Khan said efforts would be made to get the State quota increased from next year.

Speaking after inaugurating the online computerised qurrah programme (online draw of lots for Haj pilgrimage), he said the Haj Committee of India should have protested when the Centre released the Haj quota recently.

“I wonder why this happened. I was not informed about this issue. Otherwise I would have taken it up,” he stated. Minister for Haj and Infrastructure Development Roshan Baig urged Khan to take a delegation of leaders from the State to the Centre on the issue. “It is very unfortunate that the quota has been slashed. We cannot tolerate this,” he added. Minister for Labour Qamarul Islam was present.

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Air India Express brings back Mangaluru–Muscat direct flights from March 2026

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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Think Before You Post! Mangaluru Police Crack Down on Provocative Instagram Accounts

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December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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