Cong extends Karnataka poll campaign to Saudi Arabia; leaders reach out to NRIs

Mangaluru: A man fell victim to an online scam, losing Rs 1.7 crore after fraudsters posed as officials from TRAI. According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, the incident began on November 11, when the complainant received a call from an unknown number at 9:49 am.

The caller, claiming to represent TRAI, alleged that another mobile number registered under the complainant's name was involved in illegal activities in Andheri (East), Mumbai. The caller further stated that an FIR was lodged against the complainant for harassment under the guise of marketing. He was instructed to contact Andheri (East) police station immediately or risk his mobile service being deactivated within two hours.

The complainant was subsequently connected to an individual named Pradeep Sawant, who claimed the complainant was implicated in a money laundering scheme linked to the Naresh Goyal fraud case. Sawant alleged that a fraudulent bank account under the complainant's name was opened at Canara Bank, Andheri, and used to purchase a SIM card for illegal activities. He warned that the complainant could face arrest.

Later, the complainant was contacted via WhatsApp video call by individuals posing as Rahul Kumar (a police officer) and Akanksha (a CBI officer). They allegedly sent fabricated CBI documents to his WhatsApp number. The fraudsters demanded money to "resolve" the case. Fearing threats, the complainant allegedly transferred Rs 1.7 crore through RTGS in batches of Rs 53 lakh, Rs 74 lakh, and Rs 44 lakh between November 13 and 19. A case has been registered at the CEN police station and an investigation is ongoing.

Dubai: A 15-year-old Indian expat boy drowned after he was caught by huge waves in the sea off Mamzar Beach in Dubai. 

Ahmed Abdulla Mafaz, a 15-year-old school student in Dubai, died while his sister Fathima, a university student, was rescued, according to their father Mohammed Ashraf. The family hails from Kerala’s Kasaragod.

The grieving father said the incident happened when the Indian expat family went for an outing at the beach park.

Recounting what happened, he said: “We were all sitting on the beach and playing around in the water. I had just gone to the washroom when it [the tragedy] happened.”

He said both Mafaz and Fathima knew how to swim and it was not clear how they were swept away.

“I think there were huge waves and they got pulled by the strong current.”

Fathima’s screams for help were heard by another beachgoer who rushed to rescue her. “He is an Arab national. He rescued our daughter. We have no words to thank him,” the father said.

However, there was no sign of Mafaz, a grade 10 student of New Indian Model School in Dubai.

Meanwhile, the police were called in. Dubai Police said they received a call about two persons drowning.

“As soon as we received the report, the rescue team from the Ports Police Station in Dubai conducted a search,” a spokesperson said. 

However, there was no luck on Friday night. The search operation was intensified with divers and drones on Saturday, following which the boy’s body was fished out on Saturday evening.

The family has decided to lay him to rest in Dubai once the legal procedures are over, said Ibrahim Berike, a member of the volunteering team from Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) that is providing supportfor the paper work.

He said the family is shattered after the devastating tragedy. “They have four children. Fathima, who is doing MBA, is the eldest daughter. Mafaz was the third child. His other two siblings are also boys. Their mother, who was also there on the beach, is inconsolable,” he added.