Latest news with #UAE-bound
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
Punjabi influencer murder: Kanchan Kumari died of strangulation, no evidence of sexual assault yet, say police
Asphyxia due to strangulation was the cause of death of YouTuber Kanchan Kumari, popularly known as Kamal Kaur, the Punjab Police confirmed Tuesday. Speaking to The Indian Express, Amneet Kondal, Senior Superintendent of Police, Bathinda, confirmed that the murder took place on the intervening night of June 9 and 10. Kumari was found dead inside her car in the parking lot of Adesh University in Bathinda on June 11. SSP Kondal clarified that contrary to speculations, the post-mortem report has ruled out sexual assault, although the viscera report is still awaited for a conclusive determination. Two Nihang Singhs, Jaspreet Singh and Nimratjeet Singh, have been arrested in the case so far. The police said the duo strangled Kumari using a kamar kass (a traditional belt worn by Nihangs), which they later burned to destroy evidence. The prime accused, Amritpal Singh Mehron, fled India on the morning of June 10, boarding a UAE-bound flight from Amritsar airport, hours after the crime was committed, said the police. 'We have obtained an arrest warrant and are initiating the deportation process for Amritpal Singh from the UAE. He was present at the scene of the crime and is a key conspirator,' added SSP Kondal. During interrogation, the arrested accused revealed that they had slapped Kanchan Kumari multiple times to obtain the passwords of her mobile phones. After she disclosed the passwords, Amritpal allegedly took both phones with him before fleeing. This has raised serious concerns about what content or communications were stored on her devices that led to such a violent escalation. The police confirmed that Amritpal also threatened other social media influencers, including Amritsar-based Deepika Luthra. The Amritsar police lodged an FIR and provided her police protection. Sources revealed Luthra deleted her social media accounts following continued threats from anonymous users and Mehron himself. The case has drawn nationwide outrage, with Bollywood singer Mika Singh publicly condemning the murder in a video message Monday. 'Killing a woman is not bravery. You could have filed a complaint or tried to explain your viewpoint. This is not what Sikhi teaches us,' Mika said, while urging Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to take swift action. 'The Sikh community is watching. This case must not be ignored.' Mika also voiced strong support for Baba Harjit Singh Rasulpur of the Misl Shaheedan Nihang Baba Fakir Singh Rasulpur Dal (Ayodhya Wale), who also condemned the act. Baba Rasulpur questioned the hypocrisy of Amritpal Singh, who watched content he deemed inappropriate and later targeted the same creators. While urging responsible content creation on social media, he stated emphatically that murder can never be the solution. 'Killing a woman is not an act of valour. If the content was objectionable, one could choose not to watch it,' Baba Rasulpur said. Meanwhile, Canada-based Punjabi influencer Surleen, known for bold content, responded to the incident and said, 'I have handled my life alone before and will continue to do so. I don't owe anyone an apology for my content. No one has the right to judge or threaten me.' Kanchan Kumari, a resident of Lachhman Colony, Giaspura, Ludhiana, hailed from Uttar Pradesh, with her family having migrated to Punjab decades ago. Police sources suggested that the accused were pressuring her to remove the word 'Kaur' from her social media handles. Her refusal may have led to the murder, they said. As of now, Amritpal Singh's exact whereabouts remain unknown, and authorities are continuing efforts to trace him and process his deportation from the UAE.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Indian Express
Amritpal Singh Mehron, key accused in influencer Kanchan Kumari's murder, fled to UAE hours after crime: Police
Amritpal Singh Mehron, a self-styled radical Sikh leader who is allegedly the key conspirator in the murder of social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, popularly known as Kamal Kaur 'Bhabhi', fled the country within hours of the crime, Punjab Police said. Amneet Kondal, Senior Superintendent of Police, Bathinda, said on Sunday that Mehron boarded a UAE-bound flight from Amritsar airport at 9.15 am on June 10. 'His travel history through passport records revealed this detail. We will now initiate the process of getting him deported from the UAE,' she said, adding that he was the main accused in the murder. The police discovered that Mehron had been plotting Kanchan Kumari's murder for nearly three months. Along with two arrested accused—Jaspreet Singh, 32, and Nimratjit Singh, 21, he had visited Ludhiana multiple times and stayed in hotels close to her residence to monitor her lifestyle, movements and routine. According to the police, Mehron had visited her home two to three times during this period. On June 7, when he visited, Kanchan Kumari wasn't home, and on June 8, she refused to accompany him to Bathinda for a car promotion event saying that her mother was unwell. However, on June 9, she agreed to go, as Jaspreet and Nimratjit assured her that her car would also be renovated. 'On the afternoon of June 9, Amritpal travelled with Kanchan in her Hyundai Eon car while Jaspreet and Nimratjit followed from Moga in a Scorpio. After midnight, once the car's renovation work was completed in Bathinda, Amritpal drove while Kanchan sat in the back seat beside Nimrajit. The two men allegedly slapped her, snatched her phones, and forced her to share passwords. Then, Jaspreet and Nimratjit made her sit in the middle of the back seat while they sat on either side and used a 'kamar kass'—a cloth belt worn by Nihang Singhs—to strangle her. They pulled it from both sides for 10 to 15 minutes until she died,' said Kondal. Following the murder, Mehron left the crime scene in a separate car arranged in advance by his other associates, Tarn Taran resident Ranjit Singh and an unidentified person, both of whom have now been named in the FIR. Jaspreet and Nimratjit drove the victim's car to a petrol pump where their Scorpio was parked. Nimratjit took the Scorpio while Jaspreet drove Kanchan Kumari's car and parked it at Adesh Medical University around 2 am on June 10. However, he soon realised that the kamar kass was still around her neck. He brought the car back, removed the belt, and parked it again around 5.30 am, SSP Kondal added. Kanchan Kumari's body was discovered by the police on the evening of June 11 after a foul smell began emanating from the vehicle. By that time, Mehron had already fled to the UAE. Jaspreet and Nimratjit were arrested on June 13. A lookout circular was issued on June 14, only to reveal that the main accused had already left the country. The police's cyber cell has blocked four Instagram accounts linked to Mehron–@amritpalsinghmehron, amritpalsingh_mehron, @ and @ now display the message: 'These accounts are not available in India due to a legal request to restrict content.' Following the arrests in the case, Mehron released a video taking full responsibility for the murder and claimed it was meant as a warning to those uploading vulgar content. His sister and father have also been called for questioning. As the case widens, several influencers from Punjab and Haryana have reported receiving threats to behave or face the same fate as Kanchan Kumari's via the video posted by Mehron on June 13. Influencer Deepika Luthra, based in Amritsar, received a disturbing message referring to the Bathinda murder scene, 'Parking lots are not only in Bathinda.' She has approached the police for protection. Influencer Simarpreet Kaur alias Preet Jatti and an astrology-based content creator have also appealed for security citing online threats. What is further disturbing is the online support being extended from across the border. Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti posted a video praising Mehron as a 'brave lion' and warning other content creators of similar consequences if they continued sharing material they deemed indecent. Mehron's supporters have questioned why many 'vulgar' social media pages remain accessible while his Instagram handles have been blocked. Authorities are now awaiting forensic and postmortem reports, including the confirmation of any possible sexual assault. Security has been tightened for at-risk influencers across Punjab and Haryana. The case has reignited debate over digital safety, the unchecked spread of content of any type online, and the need for timely and comprehensive cyber surveillance. Kanchan Kumari was a well-known social media personality, with over 7.7 lakh followers on Instagram and 3.8 lakh subscribers on YouTube. Known for her bold style and use of double-meaning videos, she had a massive online following.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Time of India
Nepal's new NOC rule for UAE travellers: How Indian expats lost Dh1,400 during trip
Indian expats lose over Dh1,400 due to Nepal's sudden enforcement of NOC rule for UAE-bound travellers. Some Indian residents of the UAE have unexpectedly lost more than Dh1,400 each or faced significant travel stress after Nepal began strictly enforcing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) requirement from the Indian embassy for re-entry to the Emirates. As reported by Khaleej Times, this rule, though not new, has recently been implemented more rigorously due to concerns about human trafficking and tax evasion. Dubai resident Manu Palerichal, CEO of CLA Emirates, recounted a stressful experience during his Eid break trip to Nepal. 'As soon as we landed in Nepal on Thursday, an immigration officer informed us that we need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Indian embassy when returning to the UAE,' he told Khaleej Times. 'No one had informed us about this beforehand… fellow travellers weren't aware either and told us to ignore it,' he said. Enforced due to system abuse After reaching out to his travel agent, Manu learned that the rule had started being strictly applied to prevent abuses of the system. However, the family had already travelled to Pokhara, nearly 200km from Kathmandu, where the Indian embassy is located. 'We spent two days in Pokhara, anxiously wondering what to do if the embassy was closed on Saturday and Sunday,' Manu said. 'We even came up with alternate plans to return to Dubai in case we couldn't get the document.' Safeer Mohammed, general manager of Smart Travels, confirmed to Khaleej Times that the rule has existed for a while but is now enforced more tightly. 'Authorities found people misusing the system, and that may have prompted this change,' he explained. 'Instances of human trafficking and tax evasion were discovered and that may have been one of the reasons why the rule is now being enforced strictly.' He also clarified that travellers heading from Nepal to India won't have any problems, but those returning to the UAE via Nepal 'must have the NOC before travelling.' Travellers denied boarding, incur losses Dubai resident Thabseer Ahmed faced financial setbacks of over Dh1,400 after discovering the NOC requirement only at the airport while returning from Nepal. 'We found out about the NOC only at the airport (in Nepal) while heading back from our holiday,' he told Khaleej Times. His friends flying back to India had no issues, but those heading to the GCC were denied boarding. 'We tried to get to the Indian embassy, but the flight was at 3am on a Sunday and no one was available to help us,' he said. Thabseer tried to reroute via New Delhi, but it didn't help. 'You have to check out in India, collect your luggage and then check back in. So once I arrived in New Delhi, I had to book a new flight back to the UAE,' he said, adding that a friend from Kuwait lost around Dh2,000, while another from Qatar also faced losses in rebooking. Embassy process, required documents, and advice Eventually, Manu returned to Kathmandu with his family and was relieved to find the Indian embassy working through the weekend. 'I did not have to wait much but staff told me that there was a huge rush on Thursday and Friday with people having to wait hours for their documents,' he said. According to Manu, the documents needed for the NOC included: Passport-size photo Copies of passport and UAE residence visa Immigration stamp Air ticket Emirates ID Application form Each certificate cost 3,100 Nepali rupees per person, totalling over Dh300 for his four-member family. He urged others to check travel requirements beforehand. 'Since Nepal is just a short distance away, a lot of Indians from GCC countries plan short trips here,' he warned. 'Travel agents must give clear directives about these new requirements to avoid complications.'
New Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
UAE-bound vessel MV Sirrah resumes voyage following emergency repairs
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A UAE-bound cargo vessel stranded off the coast of Vizhinjam managed to set sail just hours before the Coast Guard's deadline on Monday. The bulk carrier MV Sirrah, registered under the flag of St. Kitts & Nevis, departed for Khorfakkan Port in the UAE at 2.30 am on Monday. Its departure was made possible after a critical 900-kg engine compressor was sourced from Mumbai and delivered with the support of Waterline Shipping & Logistics Pvt. Ltd., a Thiruvananthapuram-based shipping agency, in coordination with the Kerala Maritime Board. The vessel, which had originally set off from Chennai, encountered technical issues and was forced to anchor about seven nautical miles from Vizhinjam port. 'The ship's owners acted swiftly to procure the required spare parts, but due to the prevailing war-like situation, the transport vehicle carrying the equipment was delayed at multiple checkpoints for security inspections,' said Manoj Nair, managing director and CEO of Waterline Shipping & Logistics Pvt. Ltd. Once cleared by Customs, the spare parts were ferried to the vessel using Dhwani, a tug operated by the Kerala Maritime Board.
Khaleej Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Some UAE tourists spend over Dh7,000 on luxury experiences; here's why they choose the Emirates
Many tourists are influenced by targeted ads when planning their trips across the UAE, a report by Yango Ads revealed. This statistic highlights a growing importance of data-driven advertising strategies in the tourism sector. Yango Ads, which has released its 2025 Tourism Industry Guide, also stated in its report that the UAE continues to rise as a preferred destination, with over 20 per cent of CIS travellers choosing it in 2024 and many spending over Dh7,000 per trip on premium accommodations and experiences. The top influencing factors for destination choice include pleasant climate which accounts for 58.6 per cent, cost of travel, visa convenience and rich cultural experiences. Dubai's luxury experiences Hotels, airbnbs and travel agents emphasise how they leverage user data to craft personalised advertising campaigns that highlight Dubai's luxury experiences. David Ganji, managing director, The Holidave Travel, said, 'We study booking patterns, reviews and seasonal trends to understand what travellers are looking for.' This helps businesses suggest the right destination, hotels, and experiences to their clients at the right time. 'We personalise travel experiences for UAE-bound tourists by using Google analytics and social media that help us understand what travellers really want. For example, when people search online for luxury hotels, shopping, or family activities in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, we see these trends through targeted ads and customer feedback. This allows us to suggest the perfect holiday based on their interests and budget,' added Ganji. Similarly, if a traveller is interested in a premium experience, agencies make sure to offer luxury hotels. 'This would include offerings like Atlantis The Palm, Armani Hotel at Burj Khalifa, or The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, along with private airport transfers and VIP-style city tours. 'For adventure lovers, we suggest activities like sky diving, hot air balloon rides, or zip-lining at Jebel Jais — the UAE's highest mountain. Our team follows the latest trends, season offers, and guest reviews to ensure that every traveller gets a trip that matches their preferences — whether it's luxury, adventure, shopping or relaxation. This way, the holiday is not 'one size fits all', but instead feels unique and memorable for each visitor," said the managing director. Smarter campaigns The study also revealed that 41.7 per cent of users use search engines, 21 per cent engage with Telegram ads, and nearly 20 per cent rely on social media — making timing, placement, and content more critical than ever. Evgenii Pavlov, General Manager at Yango Ads MEA, said, 'With data-backed insights like these, UAE tourism operators, hotels, and resorts can run smarter campaigns to attract the right tourists, at the right time, with the right message.' Meanwhile, as travel preferences evolve, even owners of holiday homes are leveraging data-driven insights to craft personalised experiences that cater to the growing demand for luxury, privacy and exclusivity. Shilpa Mahtani, co-founder and managing director of bnbme holiday homes by Hoteliers said, 'We harness user data — including search history, location and demographics — to create highly tailored advertising campaigns showcasing Dubai's luxury offerings. Our personalisation strategies include premium preferences-based personalisation." "High demand for privacy and exclusivity drives us to promote villa-style accommodations, beachfront apartments, and residences with panoramic views of landmarks like the Burj Khalifa. Guests also seek bespoke concierge services, including private chefs, chauffeur-driven cars, yacht charters and desert safaris," she added. After premium preferences-based personalisation, the group focuses on experience-based personalisation. "We curate customised itineraries based on guest profiles — whether solo travellers, corporate visitors, honeymooners, or families — ensuring every aspect of their stay is aligned with their preferences and expectations,' added Mahtani.
