Bangalore, February 16, 2025: The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) Karnataka has announced its newly formed executive team, which will serve for the term 2025-2028. The team comprises legal experts, retired officials, academics, activists, and professionals dedicated to upholding civil liberties and human rights across the state. The executive committee was constituted during the state executive meeting held on January 16, 2025, at Bearys Association, Bhavana, Bangalore.

The team will be led by M H Sudhir Kumar Murolli, a human rights activist and advocate from Koppa, who has been appointed as the president. The vice president positions have been assigned to Akhila Vidhyasandra, an advocate at the Karnataka High Court, and Syed Ulfath Hussain, a former Inspector General of Police in Karnataka.

Mohammed Niyaz S, a high court advocate, will take on the role of general secretary, while Hussain Kodibengre, an activist from Udupi, has been named as secretary. The responsibilities of joint secretaries have been given to Zeeshan Aaqil Siddiqui, an activist from Raichur, and Shajeeha P, an advocate from Bangalore. Abdul Salam N K, also a practicing advocate in Bangalore, has been appointed as the treasurer.

The executive team includes several prominent figures from various fields. Former district judge Mohammad Khan Pathan, senior advocate and former state public prosecutor B T Venkatesh, and Jerald D Souza, the director of St. Joseph's College of Law in Bangalore, are among the members. Other notable individuals include Mavalli Shankar, the state convener of Dalit Sangarsha Samithi; Usman P, an advocate at the Karnataka High Court; and Akmal Razvi, a high court advocate based in Bangalore.

The committee also includes Mohammed Kunhi, the director of Shanthi Prakashana in Mangalore, and Mehadi Kaleem, an activist from Bangalore. Retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (NIA) Mohd A G Kaiser from Gulbarga has also joined the team. Media representation is present with Harshakumar Kugwe, editor-in-chief of Kannada Planet. Other members include social activist Malige from Bangalore, RTI activist Sheikh Shafi Ahmed from Kalburgi, and several legal professionals such as Afwan B from Udupi, Mushtaq Ahmed from Dharwad, and Jasbir Singh Dhoby, the president of Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Bangalore. Sardar Jarnail Singh, who serves as the secretary of Sri Guru Singh Sabha, is also part of the team.

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New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.

The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.

The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.

"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.

Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.

"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.

It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.

It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.

"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.

It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.