FlyDubai crash leaves family of Kerala couple shell-shocked

March 20, 2016

Kochi, Mar 20: They were huddled in front of the TV hoping against anguished hope, watching the rescue team in Russia sifting through the plane wreckage. Until the names of their kin flashed on the screen, as the two Indians who died in the crash.

Some of them were too shocked to react, some broke into tears, one of them fainted.

Little did members of the Chamakkala House in Perumbavur know that the celebratory goodbye that their son, Mohan Shyam made while for Russia with his wife Anju Kathivel Ayyappan would plunge them into mourning so swiftly.

The newly-wed couple lost their lives when their FlyDubai flight crashed in the Southern Russia city of Rostov-on-Don on Saturday.

"Shyam and Anju were seen off from the airport only on Thursday night and in less than 48 hours, we are at their home to mourn their death'', Raghunath, Shyam's uncle said.

Shyam, 27 and Anju, 27 have been in Russia, where Anju used to work as a Panchakarma nurse in an ayurvedic clinic. Married on November 2, 2014, they had been in Kerala for a two-month long vacation. The couple left for Russia on Thursday night from Nedumbassery airport to Dubai, from where they boarded the ill-fated carrier in the wee hours of Saturday.

Anju, who began her career as an Ayurveda nurse in New Delhi, had been working in Russia for the last four years. Shyam Mohan, who pursued a physiotherapy course after the marriage, joined his wife last year.

Shyam's father Mohan is a carpenter and mother Sheeja a house wife at Vengola village near Perumbavoor. Anju, daughter of the late Kathirvelil Ayyappan, was a native of Panichiyam in Kottappadi near here. She is survived by mother Geetha and brother Ajith.

The victims' family has contacted the External Affairs Ministry through the Government of Kerala, and efforts are on to bring back their remains. The Boeing 737 had 55 passengers and seven crew members on board. No one survived.

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RIP......to All victims of the crash... condolences to their families... very sad indeed....

many times I reported you not to use the place name kasaragod for the news not related to kasaragod. Any news related to kerala you are quoting kasaragod. You should follow the ethics of journalism. If you are not sure about the place then don't publish it. why you r unnecessarily qoiuting kasaragod and misguiding readers.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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