Kozhikode: Truck owner Abdul Manaf, who has found himself at the receiving end of sharply worded statements from Arjun’s family, apologised on Thursday for his emotionally charged response. "It’s in my nature to respond emotionally, and if that has hurt them, I deeply regret it. I will always stand with Arjun’s family," he said.

Manaf reiterated that he had not collected money from anyone in Arjun’s name. "If proven otherwise, I am ready to stand in the centre of Mananchira Square in Kozhikode, where anyone can prosecute me by throwing stones. I have no financial need to rely on others. My account details are open for verification, and if anything unusual is found, legal action can be taken," Manaf said.

He further explained that he had recently been invited to a school in Mukkom for an event, where the management offered him an amount as a token of appreciation. "I told them I didn’t want it, but they insisted, saying the decision had already been made. Instead, I suggested they deposit the money into Ayan’s (Arjun’s son) account. If my thought was wrong, I sincerely apologise," he said, adding that although he attended the event on Thursday, he did not accept any money.

Earlier on Wednesday, Arjun’s family accused Manaf and expert diver Eshwar Malpe of exploiting their grief for personal gain. The family claimed that both milked tragedy to boost their YouTube channels and increase their viewership. They also alleged that Manaf had collected funds in Arjun’s name without their consent. "We do not want any money collected on his behalf. Manaf and others brought us a sum, but it was nothing more than a publicity stunt. We never asked him to raise funds." the family members said on Wednesday.

In response to claims that he used Arjun’s image as his YouTube profile picture, Manaf said that he has changed the picture. "I created the channel to provide updates from Shirur, as media outlets suggested. I have not used the channel since Arjun’s body was brought home. I will always stand by Arjun’s family, and I regret any misunderstanding that may have occurred," he added. 

Manaf also clarified that the truck was registered in his brother Mubeen's name. "There's no need to drag this issue any further. Arjun is gone, and we should let things rest now. He was one of us, our Arjun. No one should target or attack his family," he said. 

Arjun, a native of Kannadikkal in Kozhikode, went missing during a massive landslide in Shirur, Karnataka on July 16. He was travelling to Kerala with a truckload of wood. His body was recovered from the Gangavali River on September 25, after a 72-day wait since the accident.

God knows I did nothing for money or fame: Eshwar Malpe
Mangaluru: Expert diver Eshwar Malpe, who participated in the search operations in the Gangavali River, has strongly refuted the allegations made by Arjun’s family. "I did not exploit the situation for personal gain. God knows everything I did. And it was not for money or fame," Malpe asserted.

He clarified that the revenue from his YouTube channel is used solely to fund ambulance services. "I do not engage in these services for financial gain. The rumours about me being involved in any wrongdoing are entirely false. I have no interest in being involved in any controversy related to the Shirur search mission. The truth is clear to those who witnessed the events—nothing was done for fame," he emphasised.