Ullal gears up for 20th Urs; 35 lakh devotees, over 500 goats expected

March 24, 2015

Mangaluru, Mar 24: The countdown has begun to the historic Urs at the renowned Hazrat Sayyid Muhammad Shareeful Madani Darga at Ullal, scheduled to be held this year from April 2 to 26 this year. Fervent preparations are underway for the much-awaited Urs that will commence with a grand inauguration next month.

The number of believers and devotees to the Ullal Darga Urs held once in five years has been increasing. With around 30 lakh believers participating in the previous Urs, this time around 35 lakh devotees are expected to visit the Darga during the ritual.

During the previous time, approximately 2 lakh persons had participated in the rice distribution programme held on the last day of the Urs. It is estimated that this year, around 2.5 lakh people will be present for the rice distribution programme on April 26.

For the first time, the Urs will be held under the guidance of new Khazi Fazal Koyamma Thangal, son of Tajul Ulama Assyyid Abdurrahman Bukhari.

In the past not much security was seen during the Urs. However, this time, with the absolute necessity for a large number of security forces, over a thousand security personnel including Karnataka State Reserve Police and those from neighbouring districts will be deployed as part of security arrangements along with 200 CCTV cameras, informed Mangaluru Police Commissioner S Murugan.

Vice president of Ullal dargah committee Ashraf Ahmed R said that on the occasion of the 20th Urs celebrations, around 20 types of special programmes, awards, felicitations for achievers and other programmes would be held for the first time. For the smooth organisation of the Urs, people and political leaders from all religions are cooperating in the preparations, he said.

500 goats

On the last day of the Urs, as customary, ghee rice and mutton will be served to people visiting the Darga, for which goats sent from believers throughout the country will be used. A total of 10.5 tons will be required to serve the visitors. Since the previous time, around 500 goats had been received from all over the country, this time over 500 goats were expected as part of the ‘vow’ of the devotees. Already 50 goats had been received by the Darga, he said.

Darga committee president U S Hamza said that during the upcoming Urs, programmes would be held more during the daytime than during night hours.

Renowned throughout the country, thousands of devotees and believers are expected to attend the Urs next month. On April 3, an international-level convention is scheduled to be held, in which the Governor of Karnataka is expected to participate.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

Comments