Mangalore crash survivor walks away from AI wreckage unscathed

[email protected] (News Network : TOI)
May 23, 2010
 

surv1

 

 
MANGALORE: On Saturday, Mayan Kutty, was heralded as the chosen one. A man who walked away from the fiery wreckage which claimed 158 lives with barely a scratch on him. Over 24 hours later, one realizes that while the scars are not visible, they are indeed deeply etched on his psyche.
 
Kutty's been so traumatised and fearful of flying again that he doesn't ever want to board a plane. At the moment, he has no desire to go back to his job in Sharjah where he works as a salesman. "I'll settle down in my native place in Kannur," he said.

He has another interesting tale to narrate. When he walked away from the wreckage with his passport intact, he was robbed of his cellphone in the hospital when some ministers came to see him. "Someone who came with the ministers stole my mobile," he says ruefully. Of the survivors, he's likely to be out of the hospital first.

Abdulla Puthur Ismail, who was ejected from the plane when it broke into two and lived to tell his tale, has a contrasting outlook. Though he is equally shocked by the tragic incident, he intends to go back to work in Dubai as his livelihood is there. "If I had to die, I would have died on Saturday. If I don't go back to Dubai, I'll starve," he says.

There's a twist in this story too. Abdulla was admitted after the crash to the same hospital which had been booked by his brother for him for routine treatment for a nerve ailment.

Sabrina Huq, a medical student and resident of Dhaka, has injuries on her legs and hands. Shocked as she is by the incident which she thought only ever happened in the movies, she says she was saved because God must have some special task for her in life. She is doing her internship in a college here and intends to complete it.

Joel Prathap DSouza's in a private hospital with some stress to his spinal cord. He's being put through tests to ensure that all's well before he's discharged. Joel went to Dubai on a visitor's visa, got a job and came back to change it into an employment visa.

Another survivor Pradeep G K took the flight to attend his brother's wedding on May 27. He too said he wishes to return to Dubai to earn his bread and butter. Krishnan Kollikunnu hasn't yet figured what to do next

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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News Network
November 26,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 26: Assembly Speaker and local MLA U.T. Khader has initiated a high-level push to resolve one of Mangaluru’s longest-standing traffic headaches: the narrow, high-density stretch of National Highway-66 between Nanthoor and Talapady.

He announced on Tuesday that a formal proposal has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) seeking approval to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the widening of this crucial corridor.

The plan specifically aims to expand the existing 45-meter road width to a full 60 meters, coupled with the construction of dedicated service roads. Khader highlighted that land for a 60-meter highway was originally acquired during the initial four-laning project, but only 45 meters were developed, leading to a perpetual bottleneck.

"With vehicle density rising sharply, the expansion has become unavoidable," Khader stated, stressing that the upgrade is essential for ensuring smoother traffic flow and improving safety at the city's main entry and exit points.

The stretch between Nanthoor and Talapady is a vital link on the busy Kochi-Panvel coastal highway and connects to major city junctions. The move to utilize the previously acquired land for the full 60-meter width is seen as a necessary measure to catch up with the region's rapid vehicular growth and prevent further traffic gridlocks.

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News Network
November 21,2025

Bantwal: A domestic dispute appears to have led to a violent confrontation in BC Road area, where the owner of a textile shop was allegedly attacked with a knife by his wife on Wednesday evening.

Krishna Kumar Somayaji, the owner of Somayaji Textiles, sustained serious injuries in the incident and was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment. He is currently receiving care in the intensive care unit and is reported to have survived the assault, according to police.

The Bantwal Town police have registered a case against Somayaji's wife, Jyothi KT, who has since been taken into custody.

Police stated that the complainant, Namita, an employee at the shop, reported the sequence of events. She stated that around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, the suspect entered the shop, wearing a burqa and disguised as a customer, before attacking Somayaji with a knife. The employee then transported the injured owner to a local hospital via an autorickshaw.

Superintendent of Police Arun K confirmed that an ongoing domestic dispute between Somayaji and his wife reportedly preceded the attack. Police noted that Jyothi KT had previously visited the shop and issued threats.

Based on the complaint, Bantwal Town police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Indian Arms Act-1959. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.

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