9 Kasaragod men get jobs in Dubai after being duped by fake recruitment agent

coastaldigest.com web desk
September 12, 2018

Kasaragod, Sept 12: Thanks to the efforts of kind-hearted NRI businessmen in United Arab Emirates, as many as nine gulf job aspirants who were duped by a fake recruitment agent have finally secured jobs in Dubai.

The nine job seekers, all from Kerala’s Kasaragod district, had fallen for fake offers that promised them roles as 'sales professionals' at a supermarket in Muhaisnah by the fake agent who was himself looking to land a job on a visit visa.

Fortunately, Indian community members came to the rescue of the duped men. Interestingly, no complaints have been filed against the fake agent and he has been put up with a family member till the issue is sorted out. Efforts would be made to return their money, community members said.

This is how the man put his now discredited plan into action after the group of nine had arrived in the UAE on visit visas on September 4. The men allegedly paid him Rs50,000 (Dh2,552) each, according to Hari Kottachery, a Dubai-based social worker who with the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre helped resolve the issue.

Kottacherry said that the fraudster did not "deliberately" dupe or abandon the nine men. "Their flight landed on September 4 at 11.35pm from Mangaluru International Airport." All nine stayed inside Dubai Terminal 1 till 6am the next morning as they were no accommodation plans in place.

"The man was clueless. All his knowledge came from searching online," said Kottacherry. Once they got out of the airport, the agent took a taxi and instructed the cab driver to go to a supermarket in Karama. "It was only later that we realised that the agent was also new to Dubai. Based on information he had heard from others and after searching online, he realised there is a place called Karama," said one of the victims.

"When the job hunt in Karama proved futile, he took the men to Sonapur. He would ask the men to wait outside while he would enquire about vacancies." When this yielded no jobs, the men realised something was amiss.

So, one of the men enquired with a manager at a supermarket who said that they were not hiring workers. When confronted, the agent confessed that this was his first visit to the UAE and he was hoping to go door-to-door looking for opportunities for himself along with others.

The victims were promised Dh1,500 salaries plus overtime, accommodation, and other monetary benefits. "We were shocked to find out that the whole thing was cooked up. This guy had relentlessly chased the nine of us for seven months to fix the entire thing. We found out that he had no clue about Dubai. He didn't have contacts, he didn't know any place in Dubai. Nothing," the victims said.

"We have found jobs for all nine men and all of them have already begun work,” said Anwar Naha, president of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre.

Comments

Suresh
 - 
Wednesday, 12 Sep 2018

Should thank to the helped guy and arrest the fake agent

Ibrahim
 - 
Wednesday, 12 Sep 2018

Thanks to the NRI good hearted man. He saved them

Kumar
 - 
Wednesday, 12 Sep 2018

These Kasargod people are involving in such activities

Danish
 - 
Wednesday, 12 Sep 2018

Go through only govt institutions. People never learn

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy has issued a high-alert warning to vehicle owners regarding a surge in cyber fraud targeting those looking to pay traffic violation fines. Fraudsters are reportedly exploiting recent government discount schemes on traffic penalties to deceive citizens.

The Scam: How Fraudsters Strike

Criminals are using SMS, WhatsApp, and social media to circulate suspicious links and APK files (Android application packages). They claim these apps allow users to pay e-challans at a discount.

•    Device Hacking: Downloading these unauthorized apps gives hackers full access to the victim's smartphone.

•    Financial Theft: Once the phone is compromised, fraudsters intercept OTPs and personal data to drain bank accounts.

•    Phishing Sites: Fake websites mimicking official portals are also being used to harvest banking credentials.

Already, two residents within Mangaluru city limits have reported significant financial losses after falling victim to these fraudulent apps.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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News Network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

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