Kerala hotel owner dishes out 1,500 free biryanis to celebrate Argentina's World Cup win
Thrissur (Kerala), Dec 19: Fifteen hundred plates of biryani for free if Argentina wins the football World Cup. This was the promise made, ahead of the football World Cup, and kept by a Kerala hotel owner and die-hard fan of the South American team.
Shibu, owner of Rockland hotel in Pallimoola area of Thrissur district of the southern state, had before the commencement of the grand sporting event promised to provide 1,000 plates of biryani for free if Argentina wins the cup.
However, on Monday -- the day after Argentina won the final against France -- a huge crowd, much more than he ever expected, turned up at his outlet.
Apparently not one to back away from a promise made, Shibu not only kept his word but also upped the number of free biryanis by an additional 500.
Visuals on various channels showed the long serpentine queue of people, including school and college students, waiting outside his outlet since morning to get in.
Speaking to reporters, he said, "I had not expected such a huge crowd so early in the day."
When asked if he would be able to cater to them, Shibu responded, "I have increased the number of free biryanis by 500."
Congress MLA Shafi Parambil, who was also present there, told reporters that Argentina fans were waiting for this win for the last 36 years.
"The 36-year long wait is over. Our years of waiting for this moment was more than Messi's age. We were fans of Argentina when they lost and we were fans when they won. For us, it's a passion," he said.
Shibu too spoke along similar lines and said he was celebrating the end of an over three decade long wait by giving away the delicacies for free.
"I am sharing my happiness by giving away the free biryanis," he said.
Those who sampled the fare praised the taste and said "it's awesome".
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
