7 Bishnoi gang shooters arrested by Delhi Police
New Delhi, Oct 25: In a crackdown on the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, the Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested at least seven suspected shooters who were planning to target someone in Rajasthan, officials here said on Friday.
The arrests come days after the sensational murder of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique in Mumbai on October 12. The Bishnoi gang has claimed responsibility for the murder.
The officials said that the seven arrests were made from Punjab and other states and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition have also been recovered from those nabbed.
It is suspected that they were planning to target someone in Rajasthan on the direction of Arzoo Bishnoi, who is a close confidant of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, an officer said.
He said the accused are being further interrogated and it will also be probed if they are in many manner linked the attack on Baba Siddique.
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Meitra Hospital to help Malabar Artists by bringing up Art Pavillion at Hortis Arts Festival
Kozhikode: The Kochi Biennale Foundation is gearing up to unveil a dedicated art pavilion at the Malayala Manorama Hortus Arts and Literature Festival, designed as a platform to spotlight local talent from the Malabar region. The pavilion, supported by Meitra Hospital, will provide emerging artists in Kozhikode and surrounding areas with a space to display and sell their work without leaving their native region.
Faizal Kottikollon, chairman of Meitra Hospital and founder of KEF Holdings, along with his wife Shabana Faizal, view this initiative as a stepping stone for artists in Malabar, helping them nurture their craft while staying connected to their roots. The couple, who have long championed regional development, are committed to promoting Malabar’s artistic potential.
"Our land is home to countless talented artists, but many struggle to make a sustainable income from their art," Faizal shared. "Currently, artists often have to migrate to Kochi or beyond to find opportunities. With the Kochi Biennale event making Kochi a thriving art hub, we felt it essential to create a similar stage in northern Kerala, where artists in Kozhikode can perform and sell their work locally, generating income without leaving their homeland."
Both Shabana and Faizal envision the Art Pavilion project developing in the same spirit as the successful Nadakkav School Project, a model school with international standards that inspired similar projects in places as far-flung as Kenya, Bengaluru, and Srinagar.
For Faizal, supporting art is a way of sharing life’s privileges. "True happiness comes from giving back," he noted. "Instead of profit-driven ventures, we’re now focusing on education and health, areas that need urgent support. Art plays a crucial role in enriching lives, and this pavilion aims to uplift both artists and the community."
In line with their community-centered approach, the Kottikollons recently launched Thula, a new venture in Chelari, blending traditional medicine with modern practices. "Thula isn’t about profit; it’s a first-of-its-kind initiative to integrate traditional methods for restoring the body’s natural balance with contemporary medicine," Faizal explained.
While the couple was inspired by the famous botanical treatise Hortus Malabaricus, they see Thula as a means to honor India’s heritage of indigenous healing knowledge, shared by legends like Itty Achuthan. Thula also taps into local talent by featuring artisans, weavers, and Kalaripayattu experts from Kozhikode, creating further opportunities for the region’s skilled artists.
About Faizal and Shabana Kottikollon:
Founders of the Faizal and Shabana Foundation, the couple has actively transformed educational infrastructure across Southern India. Since its inception in 2007, the foundation has contributed over INR 340 million ($4.5 million) to rebuild schools using prefabricated structures to replace decaying classrooms. Shabana Faizal, originally from Mangaluru, is the daughter of Late B Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen, a prominent business and community leader, while Faizal Kottikollon is the son of Malayali entrepreneur PK Ahammed, chairman of the Peekay Group of Companies.
With the pavilion at the Hortus Arts and Literature Festival, Faizal and Shabana Kottikollon continue their dedication to preserving and uplifting Malabar’s artistic culture, opening new avenues for the community’s creative talent.
