Mangaluru youths reach home after five month ordeal in Saudi Arabia, thank ISF

May 27, 2017

Mangaluru, May 27: The two youths from Mangaluru, who returned home on Saturday after five month ordeal in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, wholeheartedly thanked the hands that toiled for their ‘rescue’ from a sheep farm in the Arab country and reunion with their families in India.

Damodar Shettigar (31), a resident of Gandhinagar in Ganjimat, and Puneeth Jayaraj (25), a resident of Mulki (both areas fall under the limits of Mangaluru taluk) landed at Mangaluru International Airport at 8 a.m. The duo flew from Saudi Arabia to Dubai by FlyDubai flight, and then boarded a Mangaluru-bound Jet Airways flight.

Along with the family members, a couple of activists of Indian Social Forum (ISF), an organisation of NIRIs that had helped the youths to secure their passport from their visa sponsor in Saudi Arabia, also were present at the Airport to welcome them.

The duo had both good and bad experiences to share: They had to work in a sheep form in an isolated village of Saudi after being duped by an Indian job agency that had promised them the job of auto spray painters. Their visa sponsor had confiscated their passports too. On the other hand they experienced the helping nature of fellow countrymen in Saudi Arabia.

“We never thought that agency would fool us. We had lots of dreams. Now we have learned a lesson. We will never leave India,” they said recalling the difficulties they had to undergo in the Middle Eastern nation.

They minced no words to thank ISF. “ISF activists not only took us to the Saudi labour officials and helped to get our passports back, but also took care of us like own family members. They took us to their homes and provided us shelter without any expectation,” they said.

The youths had paid Rs 78,000 each to the agent to obtain visas and for other expenses. They landed in Saudi Arabia in December last year to work as auto spray painters. However, after reaching the Arab country, they were forced to look after a sheep farm.

Also Read:

Mangaluru youths stranded in Saudi all set to return thanks to ISF

Duped by agency, 2 Mangaluru youths languish in Saudi sheep farm; seek MEA help

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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