‘Christmas gift' proves costly: Manipal woman pays Rs 46 lakh for paper pieces!

[email protected] (CD Network)
May 8, 2015

Manipal, May 8: In a fresh case of online fraud, a woman in Udupi has lost Rs 46 lakh trying to get her “gift”.

Metilda Hilda D’Souza, a resident of Perampalli near Manipal, in her complaint to Manipal police, stated that she was working in Israel when someone named Taylor Mike befriended her through a social networking site. Taylor told her that he had sent a Christmas gift to her and had paid for it.

gift
She later received a call and an email from the delivery service informing her that her parcel had been held up at Customs and she should pay $ 900 to clear it.

Accordingly, Ms. D’Souza sent the amount and later, the same company asked her to transfer $2,800 and $ 3,700 to an account belonging to Nelly Wayne.

She did as she was instructed. About six months ago, Ms. D’Souza returned to India and she transferred Rs. 1.4 lakh to the account of another alleged agent Augustine Dean on the company’s directions.

She kept on transferring money as demanded by the company and she transferred Rs. 46 lakh.

Circle Police Inspector Srikanth said that about a week ago, Ms. D’Souza received the parcel but the company told her not to open it. When she opened it on May 4, she found that it was full of paper pieces. Ms. D’Souza lodged a complaint on May 6.

“She had even mortgaged her gold ornaments worth about Rs. 10 lakh to get the parcel,” he said.

A case has been registered under Sections 66 (A), (C) and (D) of the Information Technology Act, 2008, and Section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code at the Manipal Police Station and investigation is on, the police added.

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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