Indian man drowns during Eid break in UAE
Dubai, Jun 17: A 25-year-old Indian man has drowned off a popular beach in the UAE as he went for a "regular swim" with his friends, a media report said Monday.
Anandhu Janardanan, who is from Kerala, drowned in Umm Al Quwain city during the Eid-ul-Fitr break in the country.
Janardanan was swimming "within the safe limits when he encountered rough waves that dragged him down", the Khaleej Times reported.
His friend George Aloysius said a high wave suddenly swept Janardanan away.
"We tried hard to find him, but we couldn't and, later, his body was washed ashore," Aloysius said.
The central operations room of the Umm Al Quwain (UAQ) Police dispatched paramedics and rescue teams to the site.
"They tried to resuscitate Janardanan and rushed him to the hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival," the report said.
As an expat who earned a monthly salary of Dirham 2,000 (Rs 38,000), Janardanan supported his elderly father and two siblings, it said.
His body is expected to be repatriated on Monday.
On Saturday, a 40-year-old man from Bengaluru drowned after suffering a cardiac arrest at the Jumeirah beach in the UAE during an outing with his family.
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Govt launches Haj Suvidha App 2.0 for ease of pilgrims
New Delhi, Nov 23: The Minority Affairs Ministry on Saturday launched the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 with the new version introducing key features such as air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims going on Haj.
The application was launched by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju after he inaugurated the Conference of Chairpersons of State and UT Haj Committees in the presence of Minister of State for Minority Affairs, George Kurian and Chairman of the Haj Committee of India Abdullahkutti, among others.
In his address, Rijiju noted that the Haj pilgrimage is the largest logistical operation undertaken annually by the government of India beyond its borders.
He emphasised that Haj has long been a cornerstone of the strong bilateral relationship between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Rijiju highlighted several significant reforms aimed at improving the pilgrimage experience, including the removal of the discretionary quota, the integration of technology through the Haj Suvidha App, and the provision of facilities for female pilgrims without Mehram.
Kurian spoke about the new measures being implemented for Haj 2025, designed to enhance the comfort and convenience of the Indian pilgrims.
Among the key initiatives, he mentioned the procurement of modern buildings with lifts not only in Aziziya but also in nearby areas close to the Haram.
Additionally, the latest model buses will be introduced for travel between Makkah, Madinah, and within the Mashaer region.
The conference, organised by the Haj Committee of India under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, also marked the launch of the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 by Rijiju.
Building on the success of the Haj Suvidha App 1.0 in 2024, the new version introduces key features such as the selection process, boarding pass and air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims.
The conference included discussions on stakeholder feedback, suggestions and preparations.
