After spending eight months in Kuwait jail, Melwin Fernandes walks free

coastaldigest.com news network

October 17, 2014

Kuwait, Oct 17: More than eight months after he was imprisoned by authorities in Kuwait for carrying a prohibited drug, Melwin Fernades, a resident of Karkala in Udupi district of Karnataka was released on Thursday night.

Mr Fernandes was arrested at Kuwait airport on February 9 this year for possessing the prohibited drug tramadol used as pain killer. He could have faced the maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment, as smuggling prohibited drugs is considered as a major crime in the gulf nation.

Unfortunately, Mr Fernandes was unaware of the presence of banned medicine in the parcel handed over to him by one of his neighbours in Karkala for her husband in Kuwait.

œWhen Mr Fernades was about to return to Kuwait after spending vacation with family members earlier this year, our neighbour Justine Castelino gave him a parcel requesting it to be handed over to her husband Richard Castelino in Kuwait. However, she did not tell us that the parcel contained banned medicine, says Carol, wife of Mr Fernandes.

Mr Fernandes was in for a rude sock as he was detained by the authorities immediately after he landed at Kuwait Airport.

Subsequently, Ms Carol had filed a complaint with Karkala town police station against Ms Castelino for cheating her husband. Mr Fernandes and Mr Castelino were good friends in Kuwait.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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