Car mishap on Dammam-Khobar Highway: Thousands mourn tragic death of 3 NRI best friends

coastaldigest.com news network
September 26, 2020

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Jeddah, Sept 26: Indians across Saudi Arabia, especially those hailing from southern state of Kerala, mourned the tragic death of three youth who lost their lives in a car crash.

Muhammad Shafeeq, Ansif, and Sanad, all aged 22, were involved in a car accident while they were returning after attending the National Day celebrations held in Al-Khobar on September 24. 

Their car lost control and turned upside down and hit some other cars near Dhahran while taking to a parallel road from the Dammam- Khobar Highway. All of them died on the spot and their car was completely mangled.

A large number of people, including relatives and friends, attended the funeral prayer and burial held on September 25.

The young men, who were born and brought up in Dammam, united in both life and death. Their parents had come from Kerala to Saudi Arabia more than two decades ago. They were childhood friends ever since their schooling at International Indian School, Dammam, from kindergarten onwards. They were laid to rest in graves close to each other in Dammam cemetery.

Social workers, led by Nas Vakkam, Jaafar Kondotty, and Shaji Wayanad, swung into action to complete all the procedures to facilitate their burial soon after the accident. A large number of people gathered at the premises of Dammam Medical Complex morgue where the bodies were kept and later at Dammam cemetery to pay last respects at around 2 p.m. on Friday.

It was heart-rending scenes when their family members and close friends bid adieu to the young men who were the most loved trio among the expatriate community. After education, Shafeeq who hailed from the Malappuram district was working along with his father Saidalavi Haji in a commercial establishment.

Ansif, from the Wayanad district, was pursuing his graduation in Bahrain while Sanad from Kozhikode was planning to continue higher studies after the lifting of the travel restrictions imposed following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

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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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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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