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Mangaluru: Surfing extravaganza begins Friday; click here for schedule

[email protected] (CD Network)
May 25, 2017

Mangaluru, May 25: Bollywood action superstar and local boy Suniel Shetty was announced as the event ambassador for the second edition of the Indian Open of Surfing today.

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The three day surfing extravaganza, that would witness over 120 surfers of national and international origin vie for top honours, beings tomorrow from 7:30 am onwards at the Sasihithlu beach, Mangaluru.

“Surfing is a thrilling sport which has now caught the eyes of the Indians. The sport has given a lot of opportunity to the locals around the coastal belt of India generating employment and revenue sources. It’s a great initiative by the Karnataka Government and Mantra surf Club in promoting our beaches and various adventure sports possible here. In its second edition, I can already see a considerable spike in interest amongst the locals as well as a lot of water sport lovers. It fills me with pride and honour to support the sport which I can proudly say has originated in India from my home town,” remarks Sunil Shetty about his association with the event.

The competition, which expects to see over 120 national and international participants, is a part of the ‘Karnataka Surfing Festival’. The championship is recognized by the International Surfing Association and Surfing Federation of India and is organized by Dakshina Kannada district administration in association with Karnataka Tourism, Kanara Surfing and Water Sports Promotion Council in partnership with the country’s oldest surf club, Mantra Surf Club.

“We are excited to have Sunil Shetty as the event ambassador. What adds on to the happiness is that he is also a local boy. Surfing as a sport needs this push and support for it to grow. The Event would not have been possible without the support of the Karnataka Tourism who, have made it a part of their annual Karnataka Beach Festival. I would also like thank Trip 360 by Cox & Kings, TT Group of Companies and Union Bank of India for lending their support to the event,” says Kishore Kumar, President, Surfing Federation of India.

The second edition of the ‘Indian Open of Surfing’ is open to public and is an effort by Karnataka Tourism to promote the state as an international surfing & water sports destination. Celebrities will be invited for the closing ceremony. The Government of Karnataka will be promoting the event nationwide with the intention of showcasing Mangaluru as the premiere surfing destination in the country. The event will also include some very interesting cultural and musical performances from local as well as national bands. A food festival along with activities like beach volleyball, Slack lining, and skateboarding and mixed martial arts demo would be the added attractions for both the surfers as well as visitors at the Sasihithlu beach.

Schedule for the Second Edition of Indian Open of Surfing:

Day - 1 May 26

• 7:30 AM - Surfing Contest Begins & continues till 12:30 PM
• 8:00 AM (Onwards)- Slack lining, Skateboarding activities will begin for the day.
• 9:00 AM (Onwards) - Inauguration Ceremony Preparation
• 10:00 AM - Inauguration Ceremony - Surfing Contest will stop
• 11:30 AM - Women's SUP Race - 1st Heat
• 12:30 PM - Lunch Break
• 1:30 PM - Women's SUP Race - 2nd Heat
• 3:30 PM - Finish of Day 1 Surfing Contest
• 4:30 PM - Stage Program Begins

Day - 2 May 28

• 7:30 AM - Surfing Contest Begins & continues till 12:30 PM
• 7:30 AM - Beach Volleyball
• 8:00 AM (Onwards)- Slack lining, Skateboarding activities will begin for the day.
• 12:30 PM - Men's SUP Race - 1st Heat
• 1:00 PM - Lunch Break
• 3:30 PM - Finish of Day 2 Surfing Contest
• 4:30 PM - Stage Program Begins

Day - 3 May 29

• 7:30 AM - Semi-Finals & Finals of all Men's & Women's Surf Categories.
• 8:00 AM (Onwards) Slacklining, Skateboarding activities will begin for the day.
• 9:00 AM - Interaction
• 12:30 PM - Lunch Break
• 2:00 PM - Start of Men's SUP Finals
• 3:00 PM - Finish of all Surf finals categories.
• 4:00 PM - Award Ceremony
• 5:00 PM - Live Music & Stage Programs Begins

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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 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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News Network
December 7,2025

SHRIMP.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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