Indonesia inaugurates 'Little India Gate' in Medan city
Singapore, Oct 28: Nearly 7,000 people gathered in Northern Indonesia Sunday to witness the inauguration of 'Little India Gate', the first-of-its-kind structure in the country which recognises the contribution of Indian community in the development of Medan city.
The new structure was inaugurated jointly by India's ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste Pradeep Kumar Rawat and Mayor of Medan H T Dzulmi Eldin S at Kampung Madras or Madras Village area in Medan city, the fourth largest city in the country.
About 7,000 people witnessed the historic moment with great enthusiasm, the Indian embassy in Jakarta said in a statement.
Ambassador Rawat said it was a true representation of what Indonesia stood for, which is 'Bhinneka Tunggal Ika' or Unity in Diversity and of the Indian belief in 'Vasudev Kutubakam', meaning the world is one family.
Rawat assured the Mayor that the Indian embassy in Jakarta and the Indian Consulate in Medan would assist in promoting 'Little India Gate' as an important tourist destination in Medan, especially for Indian tourists.
"Little India could also become a bridge between the two countries in terms of trade and commercial relations," he said in a statement.
The Mayor in his speech said the new structure will be promoted as an iconic tourist spot in Medan city as it is the first such structure in entire Indonesia.
The gate also represents the immense potential in the Indian community and a recognition of their contribution in the development of Medan city, Dzulmi said.
Kampung Madras area is one of the city's significant ethnic enclaves comprising a large population of people of Indian descent whose ancestors had settled down in Medan in mid-nineteenth century.
Every year, Kampung Madras becomes a meeting point for Hindu and Tamil festivals such as Thaipusam or the Tamil New Year, Pongal and Diwali.
Not only is it home to one of the oldest Hindu temples of North Sumatra Sri Mariamman Koil, but it also houses mosques belonging to the South Indian Muslim community, churches including an Indian Catholic church that dates back to 1912, a Gurdwara and a Buddhist temple, the statement said.
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Belagavi youth’s murder case projected as road accident, cracked in Uttara Kannada; Three arrested
Karwar: Uttara Kannada police have cracked a murder case in which a Belagavi youth was killed and his body burnt inside a car to make it appear like a road accident.
Addressing a press meet in the city, Superintendent of Police Deepan M.N. said three accused from Old Hubballi have been arrested in connection with the case. The crime was a pre-planned act driven by personal enmity, he said.
The case came to light on April 8 morning when a car (KA-04/MJ-8996) was found completely burnt in a roadside ditch near Talekumbri bus stand in Yellapur. Only charred human remains were found inside the vehicle. Initially, it was suspected to be an accident caused by overspeeding, and a case was registered at Yellapur police station based on a complaint filed by the deceased’s father, Jagannath Dhapale.
However, the father later expressed suspicion that his son’s death was not accidental, prompting a detailed investigation.
Taking the matter seriously, two special teams were formed under the leadership of Yellapur Inspector Ramesh Hanapur. On analysing technical evidence and CCTV footage, police found that it was a planned murder.
The accused have been identified as Abdul Raheem Basheer Ahmed Mujawar (32), Maulasab Bavahan Wada (36) and Dadapeer alias Aftab Mehboob Saab Balasangi (22), all chicken traders from Old Hubballi.
Police have seized the car used in the crime along with two scooters. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody.
Investigations revealed that the accused killed Nitesh Dhapale due to personal enmity and later set the car on fire along with the body to project it as an accident.
SP Deepan M.N. appreciated the efforts of Inspector Ramesh Hanapur, PSIs Rajashekhar Vandali and Siddappa Gudi, and the entire team for solving the complex case.
