Indian family's holiday turns tragic in UAE as father, daughter drown off beach

Agencies
November 26, 2020

 

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Sharjah, Nov 26: An Indian family’s long-awaited holiday took a tragic turn after a 47-year-old father and his 18-year-old daughter drowned off Al Heera Beach near the Sharjah-Ajman border on Wednesday.

Sources said Kerala-native Ismayil Thazhe Chandamkandiyil jumped into the water in a bid to rescue five children, including his brother’s kids and two of his daughters, who were struggling in the rough waters.

While he was able to rescue all other children and one of his daughters, the father of three jumped back a second time to rescue the older girl.

“Unfortunately, he and his older daughter, Amal Ismayil, wasn’t able to make it out alive,” said Samad Kodumayil, a Sharjah–based PRO and Ismayil’s uncle.

“The family had gone out to the new beach to enjoy a swim. Some of the children were playing in the water while Ismayil’s wife, sister-in-law, and some smaller kids were sitting on the shore,” he added.

The incident took place at 4.30pm on Wednesday. Family members alerted the police authorities who immediately sent out a rescue team to find the father and daughter.

“Within 30 minutes, their bodies had re-surfaced in the same area where they had drowned,” said Kodumayil.

Rescue operations

The Sharjah Police have confirmed the incident. Police officials said they received a call in their operations room on Wednesday evening, reporting that two beachgoers had drowned.

“A team, comprising officers from the rescue unit, patrols, national ambulance, and coast guard, reached the site in less than five minutes,” an official said.

“The team launched a search operation and the bodies were recovered from the Sharjah-Ajman border. They tried to revive the father but he was declared dead a few minutes later. An intensified search continued to recover the body of the 18-year-old girl.”

3-month holiday planned

The entire family is in a state of shock. Ismayil, an employee of the RTA and a long-time resident of Dubai, flew his family from Kerala for a three-month holiday in the emirate, said Kodumayil.

“He got his family here on a visit visa only a week ago,” he added. Ismayil is survived by his wife and two daughters, aged 14 and 8.

The family hails from Baluserry in the Kozhikode district of Kerala. According to Kodumayil, Ismayil’s family used to live with him in the UAE, until he sent them back home a year and a half ago. His wife previously worked as a teacher in the country.

“They went back to Kerala because all his daughters were studying there,” he added.

The family has been arranging the repatriation of Ismayil’s and Amal’s remains.

“Their bodies were moved to the Kuwaiti Hospital morgue in Sharjah. We have received a Covid-19 negative report from the hospital, and we are now awaiting the forensic report and other documents to go ahead with the repatriation procedure.” explained social worker Naseer, who is helping Kodumayil with the case.

Beachgoers urged to take caution

Since the winter season started, the Sharjah Police have been reminding beachgoers to be extra careful in venturing out into the water. A team has been deployed to monitor the sea conditions.

The authorities have warned swimmers against going to dangerous areas with strong water currents.

“Such accidents are likely to increase because the sea is rough during this time of the year. Signboards warning beachgoers of strong waves have been installed in various parts of the beach,” a senior official said.

However, a number of beachgoers do not follow instructions and never check the weather forecast to learn about the condition of the sea, he added.

The Sharjah Police have launched an awareness campaign for beachgoers in an effort to prevent such accidents.

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
December 3,2025

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IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is battling one of its worst operational disruptions in recent years, with hundreds of delays and cancellations throwing domestic travel into chaos.

Government data on Tuesday showed its on-time performance plunging to 35%, an unusual dip for a carrier long associated with punctuality.

By Wednesday afternoon, airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad had collectively reported close to 200 cancellations, stranding travellers across the country.

Crew Shortage After New Duty Norms

A major trigger behind the meltdown is a severe crew shortage, especially among pilots, following the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms last month.

The rules mandate longer rest hours and more humane rosters — a shift IndiGo has struggled to incorporate across its vast network.

Sources said several flights were grounded due to lack of cabin crew, while some delays stretched upwards of eight hours.

With IndiGo controlling over 60% of India’s domestic aviation market, the ripple effect has impacted airports nationwide.

IndiGo Issues Apology, Lists “Compounding Factors”

In a statement, IndiGo acknowledged the large-scale disruption:

“We sincerely apologise to customers. A series of unforeseen operational challenges — technology glitches, winter schedule changes, adverse weather, system congestion and updated FDTL norms — created a compounding impact that could not have been anticipated.”

To stabilise operations, the airline has begun calibrated schedule adjustments for the next 48 hours, aiming to restore punctuality. Affected passengers are being offered refunds or alternate travel arrangements, IndiGo said.

What the FDTL Rules Require

The FDTL norms, designed to reduce pilot fatigue, cap duty and flying hours as follows:
•    Maximum 8 hours of flying per day
•    35 hours per week
•    125 hours per month
•    1,000 hours per year

Crew must also receive rest equalling twice the flight duration, with a minimum 10-hour rest period in any 24-hour window.

The DGCA introduced these limits to enhance flight safety.

Hyderabad: 33 Flights Cancelled, Long Queues Reported

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport saw heavy early-morning crowds as 33 IndiGo flights (arrivals and departures) were cancelled.

The airport clarified on X that operations were normal, advising passengers to contact IndiGo directly for latest flight status.

Cancellations included flights to and from Visakhapatnam, Goa, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Hubli, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar.

Bengaluru: 42 Flights Disrupted

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport recorded 42 cancellations — 22 arrivals and 20 departures — affecting routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata and Lucknow.

Passengers Vent on Social Media

Irate travellers took to X to share their experiences. One passenger stranded in Hyderabad wrote: “I have been here since 3 a.m. and missed an important meeting.”

Another said: “My flight was pushed from 1:55 PM to 2:55 PM and now 4:35 PM. I was informed only three minutes before entering the airport.”

Delhi Airport Hit by Tech Glitch

At Delhi Airport, the disruption deepened due to a slowdown in the Amadeus system — used for reservations, check-ins and departure control.

The technical issue led to longer queues and sluggish processing, adding to delays already worsened by staff shortages.

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News Network
November 22,2025

The Karnataka government has announced a 50% rebate on pending traffic and transport fines. The discount is available from November 21 to December 12.

The rebate applies to all traffic e-challans and violation cases booked by the RTO between 1991–92 and 2019–20. Officials clarified that the offer is not applicable to pending tax dues and is restricted only to traffic-violation fines.

Across Karnataka, more than 4 lakh RTO cases remain pending, including those involving transport vehicles. While thousands of vehicle owners have already cleared their dues, the department expects to generate substantial revenue through this limited-period rebate.

How to Pay and Avail the Discount

There are three ways to check and pay your pending fines:

1. Through Mobile Apps
Available on both Play Store and App Store:
•    Karnataka State Police (KSP) app
•    KarnatakaOne app
•    ASTraM app

Steps:
•    Enter your vehicle number in any of the above apps
•    Verify the photo/details of your vehicle
•    Pay the fine with the 50% discount applied

2. Visit a Traffic Police Station

You can pay your pending fine at any nearby traffic police station.

3. Visit the Traffic Management Centre (TMC)

•    Location: First Floor, Infantry Road, near Indian Express, Bengaluru

Transport Commissioner Yogeesh A M said, “We don't issue e-challans, so there's no online payment system.”

The department estimates ₹52 crore in pending RTO fines up to March 2020. “With the 50% rebate, we expect to collect around ₹25 crore if all dues are cleared,” he added.

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