Duped by agent, Udupi woman returns home after house arrest' in Saudi

[email protected] (CD Network)
September 6, 2016

Udupi, Sep 6: A woman from Karnataka's coastal district of Udupi, who was forced to work as a house maid in a remote town in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, after being duped by an Indian travel agent, has finally returned home safe thanks to the selfless efforts of the activists of Indian Social Forum (ISF), an organization of Indian expats.

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Hailing from a middle class family in Udupi, Malathi Nayak had a dream of working in the Middle East to financially uplift her family. A travel agent promised her of a hospital nurse job with all service benefits in Saudi Arabia.

However, after landing in Wadi ad-Dawasir, a small town located over 600 kms away from Riyadh, the national capital, she realized that she was duped by the travel agent. She was actually sent there to work as a maid in her visa sponsor's house and not as a hospital nurse.

However, she had no other option but following the order of the sponsor. She was literally kept under house arrest, as the sponsor neither gave her salary on time nor provided her a phone to contact her family members in India.

After nine months of ordeal as a house maid, she managed to contact her family members in Udupi through phone and explained her situation. The helpless family members contacted Sandeep Shetty, an expatriate from Udupi, who is working in Jeddah and requested him to help her to return home. Mr Shetty approached the ISF, which had helped several stranded expatriates in Saudi Arabia in the past.

A team of ISF comprising of Ismail Mangalapete, Shahul Hameed Vamanjooru and Sayed Abdul Haq then contacted the stranded woman and assured her all necessary support. They also contacted Indian embassy in this regard. However, unable to face the mental torture in the house, she ran away and contacted the ISF members, who asked her to stay in the house of Abdul Raheem, an Indian expatriate from Namil Nadu in Wadi ad-Dawasir.

After constant follow up, the ISF activists managed to convince the Indian embassy in Riyadh the severity of the case. Following the intervention of the embassy, Malathi boarded an India-bound flight at Riyadh International Airport on September 3 and reached Udupi next day via Bengaluru.

Comments

muthhu
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Sep 2016

Well done ISF ...great work

this is real communal harmony

ahmed
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Sep 2016

your right Mr Viren Kotian Hindu women need SAUDI RIYAL for the that purpose they run from INDIA only for money purpose ,......

HAMID
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Sep 2016

thank god...great work by ISF

Dinesh Rao
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Sep 2016

Very shocking story. We are hearing about such fraudulent travel agents for decades. Why the consecutive govts and local police failed to curb them?

Viren Kotian
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Sep 2016

I dont understand why Hindu women go to such a country.

Sohrab
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Sep 2016

Maasha Allah.
Good work
Congrats.

SK
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Sep 2016

Alhamdulillah .....well done Sandeep, ISF and Muslim brothers, who stuggled hard to achieve this ....

Well Wisher
 - 
Tuesday, 6 Sep 2016

Alhamdulillah. Well done ISF. Specially Mr. Ismail Sahul & Sayed. Hats off

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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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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News Network
December 17,2025

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Melkar, Dec 17: The 17th Annual Day and Graduation Ceremony of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, themed “Fusion-2K25,” was celebrated with dignity and enthusiasm, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s academic journey. The programme reflected the college’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence, character building, and the holistic development of students.

The event was inaugurated by Mr. Asif Mohammed, whose presence greatly enriched the occasion. The celebration was further graced by the chief guests Mr. P. B. Ahmed Mudassir and Mr. Nissar Fakeer Mohammed, along with the distinguished guests of honour Mr. B. A. Nazeer and Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar. In their inspiring addresses, the guests encouraged the graduating students and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the management, faculty, and students.

The annual report was presented by the Principal, Mr. Abdul Majeed S, highlighting the institution’s academic progress, notable achievements, and extracurricular accomplishments during the academic year.

The presidential address was delivered by the esteemed Chairman of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasized the vital role of education in empowering women and shaping responsible citizens. He also stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and perseverance in achieving success.

Cultural programmes and academic recognitions formed an integral part of the celebration, showcasing the talents and achievements of the students. The graduation ceremony was a proud moment for the outgoing students as they were formally conferred degrees and wished success in their future endeavours.

Ms. Mashmooma Fathima served as the Master of Ceremonies. The welcome address was delivered by Ms. Fathima Nida, and the programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms. Ayisha Suhana.

The event successfully achieved its objectives and was highly appreciated by the guests and attendees.

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