Bengaluru (PTI): Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family on Monday said the residents of Siddayyanapura in Chamarajanagar district need not worry as she would not take any steps even if the land she has staked claim is found in the name of the royal family.
The assurance came after Wadiyar said over 4,500 acres of land in Siddayyanapura belonged to the royal family as per the agreement between the Maharaja of erstwhile Mysore and the Government of India in February 1951.
Recently when the state government moved ahead to declare Siddayyanapura as a revenue village, Wadiyar shot a letter to the Deputy Commissioner and Tehsildar of Chamarajanagar and other senior officials in the Government of Karnataka in this regard stating that the Mysuru royal family owns a parcel of land in the village, which they want to declare as a revenue village.
As the panicked villagers made a beeline before the Deputy Commissioner to resolve the issue and even claimed that the Mysuru Maharaja had gifted them land.
In order to clear confusion among people of Siddayyanapura, Wadiyar told reporters here, “We don’t know why the villagers are in fear. I am saying this now that they need not get scared now or even in future. I am giving them assurance that even if the Khatha comes in our name, they need not be afraid.”
She, however, complained that the Deputy Commissioner did not provide any document regarding the status of the property. Wadiyar wondered why people were in fear.
“I was away from the town and I was not aware of this issue at all. I learnt about this only when I read about it. I don’t know who created fear among them and I am not aware of what happened on the ground,” the successor of Mysuru royal family said.
Regarding the claim that the Mysuru Maharaja had given them land as gift, Wadiyar said, “If the Mysuru Maharaja had given them gift then do we need to snatch it back from them?”
She also said that the district authorities could have told her about the status of the land when they decided to make it a revenue village.
“Even if the land is transferred in our name, I will not create a situation that would scare them. I cannot give more assurance than this. We will do our best without the intervention of the State government, and there is no need for the government to intervene.
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Report: Thufail Muhammad Abudhabi
Dubai: The funeral of four young brothers who died in a tragic road accident near Abu Dhabi drew hundreds of mourners to the Al Qusais cemetery on Tuesday evening, leaving the UAE’s expatriate community in deep shock and grief.
The children Ashaj (14), Ammar (12), Azaam (8) and Ayyash (5) were the sons of Abdul Latheef and Ruksana, natives of Kerala’s Malappuram district. The family was returning to their Dubai residence after attending the Liwa Festival on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi when their car met with a fatal accident early Sunday morning.
Three of the children died on the spot, while Azaam succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening during treatment. The family’s domestic helper, Bushra Fayaz (49), also lost her life in the crash. Her body was repatriated to India on Monday night, and funeral rites were held in Kerala on Tuesday.
Abdul Latheef, who sustained injuries in the accident, arrived at the cemetery from Abu Dhabi in a wheelchair, his hand in a sling, to attend the burial of his sons. Mourners described the scene as one of the most heartbreaking they had ever witnessed.
“I have never seen the mass burial of children from the same family. It was devastating for everyone present,” said a social worker who assisted the family.
The couple’s only daughter, Izza (10), survived the accident with minor injuries and is undergoing treatment. Unaware of the loss of her brothers, she was seen playing on a mobile phone from her hospital bed.
Relatives said informing the parents about the tragedy was handled with extreme care. Abdul Latheef was told late on Sunday night, while Ruksana who had undergone surgery for an injury to her hand was informed only on Tuesday after counsellors were brought in to break the news professionally.
Before the burial, the parents were allowed to see their children one last time. Ruksana was taken by ambulance to the mortuary, while Abdul Latheef obtained special permission for temporary discharge from hospital to attend the funeral. Ruksana remained hospitalised with her daughter.
Though the family holds Ras Al Khaimah visas, special permission was obtained to conduct the burial in Dubai, where the family resides and where most relatives are based. Community members expressed gratitude to the Dubai authorities for facilitating the process.
Abdul Latheef runs a business in Ras Al Khaimah, while Ruksana works as a property consultant in Dubai. All five children were students of Arab Unity School in Dubai, following the British curriculum. The school management issued a circular to parents outlining measures to support students and families affected by the tragedy and advising on how to discuss the loss sensitively with children.
The cause of the accident has not yet been officially confirmed by Abu Dhabi Police. Public discussions have pointed to possible factors such as dense winter fog and overspeeding, though authorities are yet to release findings.
