Hyderabad: A Telangana man, who was reported missing in Dubai earlier this month, has returned home after spending 17 days in detention.Veppugonda Mallesh, a resident of Bonkur village in Gollapalli mandal of Jagtial district, landed in Hyderabad following his release from custody in Dubai.Mallesh had travelled to Dubai in Nov 2025 to work as a steel fixer with Master Heal Facility Management LLC. Recalling the events leading to his detention, he told TOI: “On the night of June 9, I had gone out with 15 to 20 others, including Indian, Bangladeshi and Nepali nationals. We were all detained by the police.”According to Mallesh, Dubai police accused the group of illegally selling liquor and arrested everyone present. He, however, maintained that he had no involvement in the alleged offence and was still detained.Back in Telangana, Mallesh’s family lost contact with him after his mobile phone was switched off. Mallesh’s wife, Velpugonda Rama, also known as Padma, said: “Concerned about his whereabouts, I approached the Telangana govt’s CM Pravasi Prajavani programme on June 16. In a representation addressed to the chief minister, I appealed for help in tracing my husband. Later, we got to know that he was in jail.”Following the petition, the matter was referred to the Telangana govt’s NRI Cell, which initiated efforts to locate Mallesh. Mandha Bheem Reddy, vice-chairman of the Telangana NRI Advisory Committee, coordinated with the Consulate General of India in Dubai and kept the family in touch throughout the process.After spending 17 days in custody, Mallesh was released and returned to India. “I am not sure if I will be able to go again. I am told to check with the authorities after three months about my return to Dubai,” he added.
