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Stranded people appeal for help through social media

Agencies
August 16, 2018

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 16: As roads turn into 'rivers' in many places in rain-battered Kerala, families trapped in high rise flats, students stranded in hostels and devotees in churches are using social media platforms to seek help and pass on information about their location.

Videos of people pleading for help with folded hands, are being posted and shared by hundreds of people on WhatsApp groups since last night.

Panic-struck relatives are also sharing the location of their near and dear ones trapped in various places using Google maps.

Various regional channels have also published their numbers through news bulletins for stranded people to contact them and share details of their location, to be passed on to authorities.

"We are in the second floor of the house... the first floor is almost flooded... the mobile phone is running out of charge... please rescue us... please," a man from Ranni said in a video which has gone viral on social media.

"There are tiny tots and senior citizens with us... water is now scaling up to the second floor," he said.

An NRI woman was heard pleading on a TV channel for help to rescue her relatives stranded in a house in Pathanamthitta district, which has been witnessing heavy rainfall since last evening.

In Pathanamthitta, a district in central Kerala which is submerged in water, students and devotees trapped in churches are seeking help through social media.

A family with a two-month-old baby is stranded at a house at Athani near Kochi and sought help via WhatsApp.

Patients of a private hospital in Kozhencherry, the first floor which was flooded, also appealed for help.

Those stranded were worried about lack of drinking water and food and disruption of power supply.

"We are awaiting rescue teams... TV channels are showing that the Army and Navy personnel will come to rescue us... we are trying to contact the emergency numbers... but nobody is picking up," an anxious man was seen telling a television channel over phone.

With the flood situation going out of control, local people are also doing their bit helping police, fire service and other defence personnel in most places.

With water overflowing on roads and national highways, people are using every possible mode from huge vessels to 'vallam' (wooden country boats) to rescue and ferry people especially women and children to safer places.

A weeping woman carrying her new-born twins was rescued from near Aluva, which has been battered in the monsoon fury.

Elderly men and women were seen thanking rescuers with teary eyes.

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Robin, Calicut
 - 
Thursday, 16 Aug 2018

State Emergency Operation Centre - 0471-2364424

State disaster management control room - 0471-2331639

Revenue department helpline number - 0471-2518595, 9995484519, 9496253850

Revenue department flood rescue state-wide toll free number : 1077, 1070 (Prefix the STD codes of the respective district)

Chief minister's helpline number - 0471-2333812

State disaster relief authority numbers

Pathanamthitta - +918078808915 (Whatsapp) / 0468-2322515/2222515

Idukki - +919383463036 (Whatsapp) / 0486-233111/2233130

Kollam - +919447677800 (Whatsapp) / 0474-2794002

Alappuzha - +919495003640 (Whatsapp) / 0477-2238630

Idukki - +919383463036 (Whatsapp) / 0486-2233111

Kottayam - +919446562236 (Whatsapp) / 0481 - 2304800

Ernakulam - +917902200400 (Whatsapp) / 0484-2423513/2433481

District level helpline numbers

Idukki : 0486 2233111, 9061566111, 9383463036

Ernakulam : 0484 2423513, 7902200300, 7902200400

Thrissur : 0487 2362424, 9447074424

Palakkad : 0491 2505309, 2505209, 2505566

Malappuram : 0483 2736320, 0483 2736326

Kozhikode : 0495 2371002

Kannur : 0497 2713266, 0497 2700645, 8547616034

Wayanad : 04936 204151,9207985027

Pathanamthitta district

Control room numbers

Collectorate: 04682322515, 2222515, 8078808915

Taluk ofices

Kozhenchery 04682222221

Adur: 04734224826

Konni: 04682240087

Mallappally: 04692682293

Ranni: 04735227442

Thiruvalla: 04692601303

In case affected people are unable to contact the control room or the number returns a busy message, they can seek help from the police on these numbers:

District police chief - 9497996983

Dy SP [Admn.] - 9497990028

DPO - 04682222630

Manager - 9497965289

AA - 9497965328

Dy SP SB - 9497990030

Dy SP DCRB - 9497990031

Dy SP Narcotic Cell - 9497990032

Dy SP Crime Dett. - 9497990029

CI Vanitha Cell - 9497987057

Crime Stopper - 04682327914

AC AR - 9497990259

AR Camp - 04682223036

Dy SP Pathanamthitta - 9497990033

CI Pathanamthitta - 9497987046

Pathanamthitta PS - 9497980250

Malayalappuzha PS - 9497980253

Police Control Room - 9497980251

Traffic Pathanamthitta - 9497980259

CI Kozhencherry - 9497987047

Aranmula PS - 9497980226

Koipuram PS - 9497980232

CI Chittar - 9497987048

Chittar PS - 9497980228

Moozhiyar PS - 9497980235

CI Pampa PS - 9497987049

Pampa PS - 9497980229

Dy SP Adoor - 9497990034

CI Adoor - 9497987050

Adoor PS - 9497980247

Adoor Traffic - 9497980256

Enath PS - 9497980246

CI Pandalam - 9497987051

Pandalam PS - 9497980236

Kodumon PS - 9497980231

CI Konni - 9497987052

Konni PS - 9497980233

Koodal PS - 9497980234

Thannithodu PS - 9497980241

Dy SP Thiruvalla - 9497990035

CI Thiruvalla - 9497987053

Thiruvalla PS - 9497980242

Thiruvalla Traffic - 9497980260

Pulikeezhu PS - 9497980240

CI Mallappally - 9497987054

Keezhvaipur PS - 9497980230

Perumpetty PS - 9497980238

CI Ranni - 9497987055

Ranni PS - 9497980255

CI Vadasserikara - 9497987056

Vechoochira PS - 9497980245

Perinad PS - 9497980239

Vanitha Help Line - 9447994707

Sannidhanam P S – 04735202014

Helpline numbers: Kerala State Disaster Management Authority - 94465 68222

24-hour control rooms in Malappuram district

Disaster management call, Malappuram Collectorate- 04832 736320.

Nilambur Taluk- 04931 221471

Konmdotty Taluk - 04832 713311

Ernad Taluk - 04832 766121

Tirur Taluk - 04942 422238

Ponnani Taluk - 04942 666038

Perinthalmanna Taluk - 04933 227230

Thirurangadi Taluk - 04942 461055

Kozikode district

Collectorate - 0495-2371002

Kozhikode - 0495-2372966

Thamerassery - 0495-2223088

Koyilandy -0496-2620235

Vadakara -0496-2522361

126 relief camps opened in 43 villages in Kozhikode

Total number of people displaced- 8788

Total number of families displaced- 2751

Emergency relief numbers

Helpline for availing boats for rescue: 8547616013

Helpline for emergency help for marooned people and Isolated caller system: 9447292984, 8281527151

Helpline for vehicle support: 9446841194, 8113900224

Helpline for essential supplies to relief camps: 9446477818,9745743545

Helpline for ambulance and medical management: 8281863442

Helpline for drinking water supply: 8089428478, 9544244428,9400501691

Helpline for cutting down trees posing danger: 9496268149

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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 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

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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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