Keralite sacked from Gulf firm over insensitive remarks about flood victims

Agencies
August 20, 2018

Dubai, Aug 20: A Gulf firm has fired a man from Kerala after he made insensitive comments on a social media post on the plight of the flood-hit victims in the state.

The company, Lulu Group International dismissed Rahul Cheru Palayattu, who worked as a cashier at the company's branch in Oman after he mocked the sanitation requirements of the flood victims in Kerala on Facebook, Dubai-based Khaleej Times reported.

His termination letter by the firm's Human Resource Manager, Nasr Mubarak Salem Al Maawali read, "This is to inform that we have terminated your service with immediate effect because of your highly insensitive and derogatory comments on social media with regard to current flood situation in Kerala, India."

It further added, "You are hereby instructed to handover all your official responsibilities to your reporting Manager immediately and to contact the Accounts Department for your final settlement."

After facing the heat for his remarks, Rahul apologised by posting a video on Facebookon Sunday, "I am really sorry for what I did. I was in an inebriated state when I posted that message. At that time I did not know what I did was a grave mistake."

In a statement, Chief Communications Officer (CCO) of Lulu group V Nandakumar said, "We took immediate steps to terminate his services and send out a very loud and clear message to the society about our stance in such issues. We as an organization have always stood for humanitarian values and highest ethical practices."

Indian billionaire and owner of Lulu group, MA Yusuff Ali, who also hails from Kerala, also donated 9.23 million UAE dirhams for relief operations in the flood-hit state.

Extending their support to the people affected by flash floods in Kerala, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government on Saturday formed a committee to provide relief to the southern state.

Kerala has been facing its worst flooding in a century, with nearly 400 people being killed. The state has suffered a loss of Rs. 19,512 crore due to the deluge, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday.

As the massive floods, caused due to torrential rains wreaked havoc, besides the Central Government, the Chief Ministers of various states have come forward to support Keralaand offered financial aid to the southern state.

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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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