Mangaluru: In a bid to promote Urdu language, literature, and culture, Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu organized an Urdu poetry festival, 'Urdu Mehfil-e-Mushaira,' on Friday at the Town Hall in Mangaluru.

The event, held in the city, was chaired by Nasir Syed, a distinguished NRI businessman and founder-president of the CHS Group of Dubai, who also sponsored the event.

Participating poets included Azizuddin Aziz Belgaumi from Bengaluru, Dr. Mohammed Haneef Shabab, and Syed Ahmed SaliK from Bhatkal, Siraj Sholapuri from Mumbai, Rahmatullah Rahmat from Shivamogga, Usama Qazi Asad Karnataki from Gangolli, and Abdul Salam Madani from Mangaluru.

Zaheer Ahmed Fanaa, also a poet, compered the event and presented his poetry towards the end.

The event featured the distribution of prizes sponsored by Nasir Syed for students who topped Moulana Azad Model School in Karkala, as well as to toppers of various subjects from the school. Two of the teachers from the school were also awarded for their services and commitment towards teaching the students at the school.

Additionally, prizes were awarded to winners of Urdu Speech and Urdu Essay Writing competitions organized by Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu Urdu, DK and Udupi districts.

During his presidential address, Nasir Syed emphasized the need to enhance the status of the Urdu language in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. He highlighted a issue, stating that while people in the region can speak and comprehend Urdu, there is a significant portion that lacks the ability to read and write in the language.

Nasir Syed further expressed his commitment to supporting any initiatives or plans put forth by Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu aimed at addressing and improving this situation.

Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu Urdu, DK, and Udupi districts also felicitated Nasir Syed for his relentless and selfless services and philanthropy, while also acknowledging his contribution as the sponsor of the event.

The program commenced with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by Mohammed Anees, followed by a Hamd presented by Mohammed Bin Tajammul. Master Haneef welcomed the guests and the gathering.

The poets were later felicitated and presented with mementos by the organizers for attending the event and presenting their poetry.

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Nanded (PTI): A farmer, his wife and their two sons were found dead in two different locations in Maharashtra’s Nanded district on Thursday morning, in what police suspect to be a mass suicide, an official said.

Around 8 am, the bodies of Ramesh Sonaji Lakhe (51) and his wife Radhabai Lakhe (45) were discovered on a cot in their home at Jawala Murar village in Mudkhed tehsil, he said.

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The bodies of their sons, Umesh (25) and Bajrang (23), were subsequently found on nearby railway lines. It appears they jumped in front of a speeding train, the official said.

Police inspector Dattatray Manthale told reporters, “The parents were found dead inside their home, while the sons took their lives on the railway tracks. We have asked a Forensic Science Laboratory team to collect evidence. The truth will come out only after a thorough technical investigation and autopsy.”

While the nature of their death appears to be part of a suicide pact, police said the exact circumstances remain unclear.

The family belonged to the small-scale farming community, but it is not yet confirmed if financial distress or a domestic crisis triggered the extreme step, the official said.

Neighbours described the Lakhes as a hardworking family who struggled against the odds of small-land farming to sustain themselves.

The Nanded rural police are recording statements of relatives and checking for notes or final messages left by the family.