Online taxi drivers union demands separate parking at airports in Kerala
KOCHI: Office-bearers of the Online Taxi Drivers Union (OTDU), a state-level independent association representing drivers working with ride-hailing companies, have called on airport authorities in Kerala to allocate dedicated parking spaces for online taxis. All major airports across the country have established separate parking areas for online taxis, but this is not the case in Kerala. The online taxi service has become an integral part of the transportation landscape, and its usage is expected to grow in the coming years, said Adv T R S Kumar, chief patron of OTDU. Kumar added that despite submitting a formal request for dedicated parking spaces last year, no action has been taken. We strongly suspect that the authorities are favouring the traditional taxi mafia in the state, he said. The union also alleged that several conventional taxis operating at Kochi airport are using illegally obtained permits, but no action has been taken against them. We follow all rules and regulations, yet we are denied justice, Kumar said. Currently, nearly 10,000 drivers are employed in the online taxi sector across the state. Although the online taxi service has been operational in Kerala for about eight years, attacks on our members remain frequent, particularly in Alappuzha, Kumarakom, Munnar, Thrissur, and Kozhikode. The safety of online drivers has not yet been assured, said Jijo Zachariyas, general secretary of OTDU. Additionally, the government has drafted a bill to regulate online taxi companies, but it has not been presented to the legislature.
How to handle violence by persons with mental disorders
KOCHI: Severe psychotic disorders affect less than 1 per cent of the population. Those with a predisposition for aggressive behaviour make up less than 5 per cent of this group. However, portrayals of violent psycho characters in films and web series often perpetuate the myth that individuals with mental disorders are inherently dangerous. Sensationalised reports of isolated incidents of violence further fuel stigma. Aggression in persons with mental disorders typically occurs when symptoms are ignored or treatment is discontinued, and often only when triggered by specific situational factors. Genesis of aggression Violence in mental illness arises from psychopathology. For example: A person with psychosis may act aggressively as a defensive strategy if they harbour the false belief that others are trying to harm or kill them. Someone with schizophrenia experiencing hallucinations that command them to attack might act based on such delusions. A manic individual, driven by grandiosity and irritability, may easily provoke quarrels with others. What is the usual public reaction to a person with mental disorder reacting violently in public? Adverse comments or gestures. This will only add fire to psychotic fury. Many fail to recognise that they are dealing with an individual suffering from a neurobiological condition. De-escalate and facilitate treatment Aggression in such situations stems from symptoms of a disorder. Some individuals refuse treatment because they do not accept that they have a psychiatric condition. This can lead to behaviours that endanger themselves or others. To prevent harm, urgent treatment is essential. When a person loses the capacity for decision-making, it is the duty of their family or community to ensure treatment, even against their will, as part of their right to quality care. The Mental Health Care Act provides for supported and emergency admissions in such cases. Hesitancy to act often results in preventable violent incidents. However, all such admissions and treatments must be scrutinised by statutory bodies to prevent misuse and protect human rights. Mental health review boards, chaired by judicial officers, function in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, and Kannur for this purpose. Tips to tackle A person harbouring delusional fears may become suspicious of anyone approaching them. Threatening stimuli can provoke defensive aggression. The following steps can help de-escalate the situation: Listen without engaging in an argument Use a calm, soothing tone of voice Avoid provocation or confrontation Adopt a positive and friendly attitude Express concern for the individuals well-being Offer food or drink Distract with a positive activity Remove dangerous objects from the area Use verbal redirection and set boundaries Maintain close observation Ensure personal safety and be prepared to apply physical force if necessary Important to avoid Large gathering of onlookers Unpleasant or chaotic surroundings Loud or irritating noises Intimidating eye contact Unnecessary invasion of personal space Confrontational or threatening gestures/messages Role of police When a person with a mental disorder refuses treatment and poses a threat to themselves or others, the police can initiate proceedings for their admission to a public mental health establishment as per the Mental Health Care Act. The police can also report cases of ill-treatment or neglect of mentally ill individuals to the magistrate, who can order their admission and treatment. Relatives or citizens can approach the police for assistance in securing professional help for an unwilling individual. Educating relatives about the illness is crucial. Practices like chaining, locking up, or dismissing the disorder as mere bad behaviour and depriving treatment are illegal. Police officers must be trained to handle such situations sensitively. Treat with dignity Symptoms of mental illness, no matter how embarrassing, can be controlled with treatment. Once individuals gain insight, they often understand the necessity of forced intervention during their illness. However, their past aggressive behaviour should not lead to stigma or marginalisation. They deserve to be treated with dignity. The writer is senior psychiatrist at Medical Trust Hospital, Kochi, and former member of the State Mental Health Authority
Complaints against delimitation process of local bodiesin Thrissur district
Instead of doing delimitation on the basis of population, the division is made according to the number of houses, says the Opposition Leader in Thrissur Corporation. He calls the move illegal
Will protest if Cochin Devaswom Board continues efforts to take control of Thrissur Pooram: BJP
Response after Cochin Devaswom Board submits report in HC pointing out Thiruvambadi Devaswoms role in Thrissur Pooram disruption
Kerala Driver Fined Rs 2.5 Lakh For Blocking Ambulance, Licence Revoked
The incident reportedly happened on Nov. 7 in the Chalakudy area of Thrissur district.
Thiruvambady Devaswoms actions during Pooram suspicious, CDB in Kerala HC
KOCHI: The Cochin Devaswom Board (CDB) has told the Kerala High Court that certain actions of the Thiruvambady Devaswom during the Thrissur pooram had given rise to suspicions that they were aimed at aiding certain political parties to influence the Lok Sabha elections. Giving credence to the CPIs claim of a concerted effort to disrupt the pooram, the CDB, in a report submitted to the HC, said a series of incidents that occurred during a one-year period ahead of the prestigious event supported the allegation of a conspiracy to undermine the festival. The Thiruvambady Devaswoms dubious actions included disrupting the pooram by involving in discussions individuals who had no connection to it or the festival. The involvement of BJP leaders B Gopalakrishnan and district president K K Anishkumar and RSS leader from Kannur Valsan Thillankeri has further strengthened these suspicions, the report said. Adding to the controversy, Suresh Gopi, who was then BJPs candidate from Thrissur, openly intervened in the issue. Despite it being a no-traffic zone, he broke the law by using a Seva Bharathi ambulance, allegedly to provoke anger that could force a stop to the festival midway, which could further his electoral interests. He also spread false information through channels and social media, claiming that the pooram was in disarray, the report said. It also stated that Gopi had spread the news that issues had been settled following his intervention. Public accusations and counter-allegations aired on channels and in newspapers by office-bearers have brought disgrace to the public discourse. These incidents confirm suspicions about the Thrissur Pooram conspiracy, stated the report. According to the CDB report, one glaring example of the conspiracy is the delay of the fireworks display, which was scheduled for 3 am but was postponed until 7.15 am. Pooram: Call to set up high-powered committee This delay should be viewed as an unethical pressure tactic by the Thiruvambady Devaswom, it said. A list of 160 individualscomprising 85 workers and 65 committee memberswas submitted by Paramekkavu Devaswom seeking permission to stand on the highly regulated pooram ground during the fireworks. However, the ThiruvambadyDevaswom initially refused to provide a similar list, the report said. Eventually, they agreed to participate in the fireworks display only on the condition that all individuals they nominated be allowed on the ground. For the first time in the history of Thrissur Pooram, which is attended by lakhs of people, the festival was arbitrarily reduced to a mere formality due to the obstinacy of one of its partner temples. This led to an unprecedented delay in the most popular fireworks display, disappointing thousands of spectators who had gathered to witness the pooram, said the report. The report also stated that there would be a chance for conflicts and pressure tactics during the Thrissur pooram in the coming years. A high-powered committee should be formed under the aegis of the CDB in coordination with district administration and Thrissur corporation to ensure proper conduct of the pooram rituals in future, said the report which was filed in response to a batch of petitions filed on the Pooram disruption.
Gender equality forums unite to celebrate men
KOCHI: Not just women, but men too face social, mental and legal issues, like being named in fake dowry harassment cases or mental health challenges. Championing their cause, at least four main gender equality forums have joined hands for the first time to celebrate the lives of men and boys; and to highlight the various challenges, ahead of International Mens Day falling on November 19. A bike rally was held from Thrissur to Kochi on Sunday as part of a series of events being held to celebrate the occasion and advocate for mens rights. Its for the first time we are celebrating Mens Day. We decided to hold the bike rally today as many are working, and it would be more convenient for them to actively participate on a weekend. Were not against womens rights. What were advocating is mens rights and welfare in the same way that society currently serves womens interests, said Girish M, president of Gender Equality Movement (GEM). Besides GEM, the organisers of the Movement for Equal Rights India are Mens Rights Foundation (MRF), Purushavakasa Samrakshana Samithi (PSS) and Mens Advisory Network (MAN). A rally comprising 30 bikes was flagged off at 8am from Thekke Gopura Nada in Thrissurs Thekkinkadu Maidan and ended at Vanchi Square near the Kerala High Court in Ernakulam. On November 19, a candle procession will be held at Thekkinkadu Maidan. A main issue highlighted by the Movement for Equal Rights India is the misuse of laws aimed at protecting women. The laws originally intended to protect womens rights are being increasingly misused. Now a situation has arisen when we need to talk about mens rights, said Gokul P R, secretary, Purushavakasa Samrakshana Samithi. Gokul said he himself has been fighting a fake case for the last 21 years and is awaiting verdict.He said at least 2% of such cases are false accusations. By the time a man is found not guilty, a good period of his life would be over. So a dedicated support mechanism for men to prevent misuse of the laws is the need of the hour. Also, suicide among men is also rising at an alarming rate. However, the issues are rarely discussed in society, Gokul said.
Malappuram crowned science fair champions, Kannur came second
ALAPPUZHA: Malappuram emerged overall champions in the 56th State Schools Science Fair, which concluded in Alappuzha on Monday, securing 1,450 points in 180 competitions held over the past four days. Kannur came second with 1,412 points, while Kozhikode came third with 1,353 points. Agriculture Minister P Prasad and Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian distributed prizes to the winners. This is the first time a trophy in the name of Education Minister has been introduced in the fair for the top district. In school-level competitions, Durga HSS, Kanhangad, Kasaragod, emerged as overall champions, scoring 140 points. Sacred Heart HSS, Dwaraka, Wayanad, was second with 131 points, while FMG HSS, Koombanpara, Idukki was third with 126 points. At the regional-level vocational expo competitions, Thrissur region was named overall championship with 67 points. Kollam was second with 66 points, and Ernakulam followed in third place with 60 points. MLAs P P Chitaranjan and H Salam, municipal chairperson K K Jayamma, District Collector Alex Varghese, Public Education Department additional director C A Santhosh attended the valedictory function.
Pinarayi's remarks against IUML supremo evokes sharp reactions
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's remarks against Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) supremo Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal evoked sharp reactions from the Congress and the League on Monday. The leadership of the Congress and the League alleged that the statements of the CPI(M) veteran were a reflection of his and his party's close nexus with communal forces. While addressing a bypoll campaign meeting of LDF candidate P Sarin in Pallakad on Sunday, the CM criticised IUML supremo Thangal, saying he was acting like a worker of Jamaat-e-Islami. The IUML, the second-largest coalition partner in the Congress-led UDF, made a strongly worded attack against the Left veteran through an editorial in the party mouthpiece Chandrika. In the editorial, the IUML said the people of Kerala fondly call Panakkad Thangal as the brand ambassador of communal harmony, and CM Vijayan should not come to assess his qualifications. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's attempt to evaluate Thangal's qualifications reflects his and his party's close ties with communal forces, the mouthpiece alleged. At a time when the Sangh Parivar forces are making all attempts to destroy the communal harmony of the state and try to create communal polarisation by raising various issues, CM Vijayan and the Left government have been constantly doing things that support them, it claimed. The attitude towards top police officers who were facing allegations in the disruption of Thrissur Pooram and the stand in the waqf land issue in Munambam were examples of this collaboration, it further alleged. By targeting Panakkad Thangal and his Kodappanakkal family, who have played a key role in fostering the communal harmony of the state, Vijayan has given strong support to the interests of Sangh Parivar forces, the editorial said. The IUML mouthpiece also sought to know why the chief minister had become disturbed and intolerant when a former leader of the BJP came to the secular fold without any conditions and sought the blessings of Thangal. If it is not the reflection of Sangh Parivar connections, what else? it asked. The editorial also said it could not be viewed as a coincidence that the Babri Masjid demolition issue was used by Vijayan to criticise Thangal. When IUML leader K M Shaji asked Pinarayi Vijayan not to assess the qualifications of Panakkad Thangal, Congress leader and Palakkad bypoll candidate Rahul Mamkootathil said the remarks were part of his Sanghi nature. The CM's remarks against Thangal were not a political attack. It was the exposition of his (CM's) Sanghi nature, Mamkootathil said. He alleged that Vijayan's Sanghi nature, hidden by public relations agencies, would come out at times. Mamkootathil also said that such a statement was expected from BJP state chief K Surendran, but here, the CM is making such remarks. Vijayan on Sunday criticised the meeting of former BJP leader Sandeep G Varier and the top leaders of Indian Union Muslim League, a day after he joined the Congress party, saying the workers and supporters of the IUML won't accept this. Varier was received by IUML chief Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, veteran party leader P K Kunhalikutty and other party leaders. Vijayan said the news of Varier's paying visit to IUML leaders brought back memories of an election held in Ottapalam in this district soon after the demolition of the Babri Masjid many years ago. The CM alleged that though the masjid was demolished by the RSS-led Sangh Parivar, it was the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and the Congress-led Central government that had extended all support for that. He further charged that the then IUML leadership was not willing to question the Congress party in Kerala over this out of fear of losing the ministership in the UDF government in the state at that time. The IUML leadership had to face the ire of the party workers then, as they had failed to oppose the wrong stand adopted by the Congress party, he alleged. Referring to the present developments, the CM said the people of the state were aware of all these facts and would realise the opportunistic stand. PTI LGK KH 11181232 NNNN
A driver from Thrissur, Kerala, lost his licence and paid a Rs. 2.5 lakh fine. He blocked an ambulance on November 7 in Chalakudy. The ambulance was going to Thrissur Medical College. Paramedics' dashcam footage showed the driver blocking the ambulance for over two minutes. The video went viral on social media. People praised the police for taking action.
LDF, UDF grapple with Muslim vote consolidation challenge in Palakkad
PALAKKAD: While political parties make their final push to secure votes as the bypoll campaigning heads to a climax, the consolidation of Muslim votes in the Palakkad assembly constituency is emerging a challenge given the indirect involvement of politically influential organisations like Samastha, Jamaat-e-Islami, and SDPI. The Congress-led UDF, which is banking on Muslim vote consolidation, have had a relaxed campaign given the additional support of Jamaat-e-Islami and the unofficial backing of SDPI. On the other hand, the unofficial campaign of a so-called Samastha faction within the district, reportedly in favour of LDF candidate P Sarin, has raised hopes in the CPM-led LDF camp too. These behind-the-scenes dynamics have put pressure on the UDF, which traditionally receives a bulk of the minority votes comprising around 24% of the total electorate in the constituency. The support of a prominent Samastha faction, traditionally aligned with the IUML and the UDF, for Sarin has become evident during house-to-house campaigning. This effort particularly focused on orthodox Muslim families within mahals involves leaders including scholars and Syeds, accompanied by local faces. Instead of pressuring voters, they have been advising them to cast their votes in favour of the LDF candidate this time. While Samastha officially maintains a neutral stance, the leadership has decided to extend regional support to the LDF, said a campaign leader working in the Kannadi panchayat, requesting anonymity. BJP leader Sandeep Varier joins Congress ahead of crucial Palakkad bypoll To counter BJPs communal politics, an LDF victory is essential, he said. He further alleged that the Congress-BJP understanding evident during the Thrissur Lok Sabha poll should not be repeated in Palakkad. He also criticised UDF leaders, including those from the IUML, for their criminal silence in Parliament on issues concerning the Muslim community, such as the recent Waqf Amendment Bill. However, the Samastha district leadership refuted claims of supporting any particular political party. Samastha has not taken a stand to support any specific party or initiated any such campaign. We have always supported those who fight against fascism and uphold secularism, said Hamsa Faisi, a district Mushawara member of the Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama. Another senior Samastha leader said such claims might have stemmed from the regional influence of party leaders. In many areas in the district, the mahals are under the control of the CPM, or the mahal committees themselves are headed by CPM-affiliated leaders, he explained.
Vocational expo showcases talents from across Kerala
ALAPPUZHA: The vocational expo, organised as part of the State School Science Fair, highlighted innovative talent from across Kerala. Approximately 84 teams from vocational higher secondary schools across the state presented diverse employment-focused models, including smart machinery, LED light manufacturing, hybrid bikes, digital systems to prevent fake voting, mini hatcheries, safety alarm systems to prevent drowsy driving, and much more. One standout project was from Ashish K M and Muhammad Hadhi of Government VHSS, Kadappuram, Chavakkad, Thrissur, who showcased equipment designed to protect KSEB workers from shocks. Through a digital system, engineers can easily detect the presence of electricity on live power lines. The app, installed on mobile devices, allows engineers to control the electricity flow immediately, thus preventing workers on the line being electrocuted. Ashish explained, Accidents mainly occur when employees work after removing the fuse from the carrier. However, electricity from rooftop solar plants or generators may still reach the line, causing electric shocks. Our system prevents such accidents. In addition to the shock-prevention equipment, they have developed an app called Third Eye to facilitate public complaints related to KSEB workers. Ahammad Hanan and Muhammad Kaif from Government VHSS, Delampady, Kasaragod, created a face-recognition app to eliminate fake voting. Meanwhile, students from Government VHSS, Vellanad designed a mini incubator to support home hatcheries at a low cost, using materials like old refrigerators. Their device can incubate up to 150 eggs at once. Teams that came in the top three positions at the district-level competed in the state contest, where they showcased the practical applications of their innovative ideas. This expo was a testament to the creativity and problem-solving skills of Keralas vocational students, highlighting potential solutions to real-world challenges across various sectors.
Alappuzha typewriter museums new exhibit resonates with Gandhijis words
ALAPPUZHA: The AVP Typewriter Museum in Alappuzha is home to a rare exhibit a typewriter that was used to inscribe Mahatma Gandhis words. The around 100-year-old Royal-brand typewriter used by the Mahatmas secretary R P Parasuram, of Rappalmadom in Thrissur, reached the museum recently. Parasuram was also Gandhis typist and stenographer for more than 12 years, from 1930 to 1942. Historic agitations like the Salt Satyagraha and the Quit India Movement took place during the period. A majority of Gandhis speeches were shorthanded and typed by Parasuram. After discontinuing his job in Delhi, he reached Thrissur. Later, he started a textile shop Sreeram and Parasuram Textile Shop which functioned at Marar Road, in Thrissur round. The typewriter has been donated to the museum by S Ramakrishnan, who is the son of Sreeram, the textile business partner. AVP Museum, the only such museum in the state, was established in 2021 at Thondankulangara by P Venkitarama Iyer in memory of his father V Parameswara Iyer, who had set up the AVP Institute of Commerce in Alappuzha in 1946. Iyer said he came to know about Parasuram through a vernacular daily report on the Gandhi Jayanti Day on October 2. The report said that Parasuram was the secretary of Gandhiji and I assumed he had typewriters. After I contacted the Thrissur unit of the Kerala Brahmana Sabha (KBS), they told me Ramakrishnan has preserved the typewriter. He was ready to donate it to the museum, Iyer, president of KBS Alappuzha unit, told TNIE. Ramakrishnan recalled Parasuram was a family friend who reached Kerala in the 1960s after working with many national leaders and freedom fighters including Jayaprakash Narayan. He used the typewriter in the textile shop. After he died in 1982, it reached my hands as he was a bachelor, said Ramakrishnan, who retired as a regional manager with the Indian Overseas Bank. The AVP Institute had around 25 typewriters, including a Remington used by Parameswara Iyer. Venkitarama started collecting more machines. The museum now displays 66 typewriters, including models of Royal, Adler, Smith Corona, Oilvetti, Kovac, Hermes, Olympia, ALL, Godrej, Facit, Hald, and Honee-du. It includes electric-electronic typewriters that date back to different periods in the 20th century with English, Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Punjabi, Arabi and Swiss characters.
Kerala: Car driver fined for Rs 2.5 lakh for blocking ambulance
Kerala police imposed a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh on a car driver for refusing to give way to an ambulance. The emergency vehicle was heading from Ponnani to Thrissur Medical College. Kerala police imposed a fine of Rs 2.5 lakh on a car driver for refusing to give way to an ambulance. The emergency Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
A scammer impersonating a Mumbai police officer accidentally targeted a real officer from the Thrissur cyber cell. The scammer alleged the officer's Aadhaar number was linked to dark net activities. The quick-thinking officer played along, gathering evidence and even engaging the scammer in a Zoom call.
Contest is between LDF and UDF in Palakkad: CPM
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The election battle in Palakkad is between LDF and UDF, CPM state secretary M V Govindan has said. The LDF is in a stage to capture the constituency, he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. The BJP has already been pushed to the third place in Palakkad. After the election date was declared, nine leaders in Palakkad left the Congress alleging a Congress- BJP nexus. K Surendran had alleged that Shafi Parambil received Rs 4 crore. This proves that there is also a deal for vote trade, besides the hawala deal. In Thrissur, it was Congress votes which went to the BJP. The UDF had taken a soft position against the Kodakara hawala deal. Even after the state police arrested 28 accused and wrote to the ED and IT department to take over the case, nothing happened, he said. Govindan also claimed that the votes garnered by BJP candidate E Sreedharan last time will not go in favour of the saffron party this time. The CPM secretary alleged that the central government is not taking a favourable stand towards the state in the Wayanad rehabilitation process. Had the Union government declared it as a national disaster, there would have been chances for the state to get financial aid from international and national agencies besides the national disaster response fund. He alleged that some elements are trying to destroy the communal harmony in the state in view of the Munambam Waqf land row. The government has taken a stand that the issue should be resolved on the basis of a dialogue. The CPM also supports this, he said.
Protests brew as conduct of festivals faces uncertainty in Kerala
THRISSUR : At a time when fans are working hard to make Thrissur Pooram and other major festivals a memorable experience for participants, it seems the authorities are hell bent on dampening the festival spirit by enforcing impractical rules. If one sticks to the rule that the crowd has to be at a distance of 8m from the elephant parade, it would lead to difficult situations in the conduct of festivals. While the ultimate objective of all stringent rules is welfare of animals, it seems the rules are too harsh to the extent of putting an end to age-old festivals in the state. According to Rajesh G, secretary of Paramekkavu devaswom, It is totally impossible to conduct Thrissur Pooram adhering to the new set of rules. We urged the central and state government to intervene in the matter so that the next pooram can be organised without any issues. Thiruvambady devaswom secretary Girishkumar K also sought support of central and state governments in resolving the present situation. The devaswoms are planning to initiate necessary action to take the matter to the court so that the ground-level situation could be presented before the judges who issued the order. He added that as organisers of Thrissur Pooram they would move a review petition against the recent verdict. Samasrishti formed Animal rights organisations in the state have joined hands to form a new outfit named Samasrishti-Federation of Animal Rights Organization of Kerala to fight for the protection of animal rights. The organisations include SPCA Idukki, Heritage Animal Task Force, People For Animals Thiruvananthapuram, PAWS Thrissur, PAW Kannur, SEW Kannur, WEFAA Thrissur and ARROW Pathanamthitta. Samasrishti has been formed as the legal battle and awareness programmes that the organisations conduct separately seem to be insufficient to achieve necessary results, said the office-bearers of the new organisation including M N Jayachandran, Sushama Prabu, and Preethi Srivalsan.
Pooram lovers feel HC restrictions on parading elephants will cast shadow over festivities
Symbolic Pooram held in Thrissur demanding revision of rules
Watch: Fake cop targets real cyber crime police officer in hilarious mix-up
In an unexpected twist regarding the rising digital arrest scams in the country, a scammer found himself in trouble after accidentally targeting a cyber cell officer as his intended victim. In a humorous video posted on Instagram by the Thrissur city police, a scammer posing as a Mumbai police official gets caught when a real Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Watch: Fraudster impersonating Mumbai Police cop calls real police officer
A fraudster impersonating a Mumbai police officer in Kerala accidentally video-called a Thrissur Police Cyber Cell officer. The officer, initially pretending to have a faulty camera, eventually revealed his identity, stunning the scammer. The incident, shared by Thrissur City Police, went viral, drawing amusement and praise for the officer's quick thinking.
General body meet of Catholic Council of India from November 15
KOCHI: The 15th General Body meeting of the Catholic Council of India (CCI) will be hosted by the Pala Diocese, marking a significant occasion as the diocese celebrates its Platinum Jubilee year. This event follows the recent hosting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India conference. The three-day meeting will begin on Friday evening and conclude by Sunday noon. Founded in 1993 by the CBCI, the Catholic Council of India serves as the national pastoral council and includes bishops, priests, religious persons, and laity from the Syro-Malabar, Latin, and Syro-Malankara Rites in India. Around 200 representatives from dioceses across India will participate in the meeting. The CBCI president, Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath of the Thrissur Archdiocese, also serves as the head of the CCI. The General Body meeting was last held in 2017 at St Johns Church in Bangalore. This years main discussion topic will be the Unique Role of the Laity in the Socio-Political Context of India. The opening day of the meeting will feature Holy Mass celebrated by Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai.
Kerala spends highest out-of-pocket expenditure on health in India
KOCHI: Increased incidence of lifestyle diseases and high cost of diagnostic tests, coupled with the disappearance of not-for-profit hospitals and peoples reluctance to opt for government medical institutions have pushed Keralas out-of-pocket expenses in healthcare to the highest among states, a recent survey has revealed. Out-of-pocket expenses are costs a patient pays for medical care not covered by their health insurance. As per the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey 2022-23 by the National Sample Survey Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Keralas out-of-pocket expenditure for hospitalised treatment per household is Rs 8,655 in rural and Rs 10,341 in urban areas, while per person, it is Rs 2,368 and Rs 2,939, respectively. The national average per household is Rs 4,129 (rural) and Rs 5,290 (urban) and per person is Rs 950 and Rs 1,446, respectively. The out-of-pocket expenditure for non-hospitalised treatment is also high in Kerala with each household in rural and urban areas spending Rs 1,177 and Rs 1,163, respectively, and a person spending Rs 322 and Rs 330, respectively. Though the states growing elderly population is a reason, experts argue that prevalence of lifestyle diseases among the working group is a major contributor to the rise in spending. Incidence of lifestyle diseases among people aged between 19 and 69 years is a major factor contributing to the increase in hospital care expense, said M M Abbas, a Kochi-based health activist. Dr D Narayana, an economist and statistician, said Kerala also has a high percentage of people with non-communicable diseases. High individual expense on healthcare worrisome: Expert Hospital stay and expenses would be higher here for treatments just before death. The proportion of people who visit hospitals is higher in Kerala. Patients diagnosed with a lifestyle disease will have to take lifelong treatment, he said. Narayana emphasised that outpatient visits are not covered under health insurance, burdening patients. Kerala allocates maximum money for healthcare. Hence, the high individual out of pocket expense is worrisome, he said. Kerala has improved the infrastructure and quality of services at government hospitals, but the number of people visiting private hospitals is high. Considering their social status, most people visit private hospitals, Narayana said. Emergence of corporates is another reason behind the rising healthcare burden, opined experts. Dr Bhaskar Rao, head of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), which began operations in Kerala recently after acquiring Sreechand Hospital in Kannur and Westfort Hospital in Thrissur, said hospitals make transplants and other procedures available. Primary and secondary hospitals should continue to function. They are less expensive for common people, who can visit for fever or other issues, Rao said, adding that primary and secondary healthcare institutions and tertiary and quaternary establishments have to be complementary to each other. When small-scale hospitals are closed down or merged and large-scale hospitals become prominent, it affects treatment cost. Abbas said the cost of medicines and diagnosis is also high. There were several mission hospitals in Kerala, but most have gone extinct. We have many corporate hospitals. This will definitely affect treatment cost and accessibility to healthcare, he said. Dr Bhaskar said the healthcare expenditure, with advanced technologies and better-diagnostic facilities, will be higher.
After Thrissur, Can BJP Make History In Palakkad?
KOCHI: Never stop with the small fry dive deep to catch the big fish. This mantra is often drilled into young officers during police training. And thats exactly what Kochis District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) did in a recent drug bust case, where it dismantled a major gang smuggling vast quantities of ganja from Odishas forests to Keralas streets. The specialised wing was formed to track and apprehend drug peddlers across all districts in the state. Given the high rate of drug-related crime in Kochi, five DANSAF units operate in the area under the supervision of the assistant commissioner, Narcotic Cell. Officers work undercover, gathering intelligence, identifying peddlers, and detaining suspects. In a recent operation, DANSAF detained seven individuals and seized 57kg of ganja from them in Kalamassery. The team also went on to capture the kingpin who was distributing large quantities of ganja across Kerala through a network of carriers. It all started two months ago, when our team arrested two West Bengal natives with 20kg of ganja near Elamakkara, says an officer. During interrogation, the duo refused to reveal their master. Its difficult to break such men, as they pretend to understand only Bengali or Odia. However, the probe took a turn when the police examined the call data records (CDR) of one of the suspects phones. We noticed one phone number, with whom the suspect in custody was regularly in touch, showing up at various locations across the state, says the officer. The number, which would be active only for a few hours each day, was eventually tracked to Odisha. Pursuing this lead, the probe team identified the phones user as Sudhira Batra, aka Sudhish Bhai, a native of Rayagada in Odisha. On grilling, some other peddlers in police custody also confirmed that Sudhira was their main supplier. Through intel gathered from Odisha, we learned that this 24-year-old Sudhira was a big fish. He had a big network, with multiple people working under him to smuggle ganja into various states. Local drug pushers placed orders directly with him, and he would send carriers with the ganja, the officer notes. Sudhira was placed under surveillance, and soon blipped on the Kerala radar. We tracked his movement to Kochi via Palakkad and Thrissur, says the officer. Certain that he was carrying a large consignment of ganja, we deployed an interception team at the Ernakulam Town and Junction railway stations. But he alighted at [the relatively smaller] Kalamassery station, likely to evade the police. Another team was quickly dispatched to hunt for Sudhira near the Kalamassery station. Fortunately, he and his gang were still at the station. There were seven people, all carrying trolley bags, the officer recalls. We found 57kg of ganja in the trolley bags and a handbag. This was one of the largest hauls in Kochi in recent times. Further investigation revealed that Sudhira paid each carrier `10,000 to smuggle ganja from Odisha to Kochi. To evade police checks, the carriers frequently changed trains. The gang supplied ganja to migrant workers and local dealers in Kochi, Aluva, Angamaly, and Alappuzha. Assistant Commissioner (Narcotic Cell) Abdul Salam believes Sudhiras arrest could lead to the dismantling of other large-scale smuggling networks operating from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. We suspect that the ganja was intended for a supplier in Kochi. We need to interrogate Sudhira to obtain details about this buyer, he says. Our operations have led to numerous drug busts in Kochi. We keep tabs on those involved in narcotics cases, gather intelligence from other agencies, and conduct joint operations. Case diary This weekly column brings you exciting, intriguing police stories, straight from the crime files
82 students from Kerala suffer food poisoning at Kodaikanal resort
DINDIGUL: Around 82 students from Kerala suffered food poisoning after having dinner at a resort in Kodaikanal early on Wednesday. Speaking to TNIE, a top official from the health department said, A group of students from Thrissur in Kerala came to Kodaikanal and stayed at a resort along the Lake Road. Later, they visited several tourist spots and came back to the resort by Tuesday evening. They consumed food items and other eatables allegedly from the resort at night. Several students experienced diarrhoea, and vomiting and felt nauseous by midnight. The students mostly belong to the age group of 14 to 16 and were taken to Kodaikanal government hospital for treatment between 2 am and 4 am. All of them were given first aid and treated as outpatients. Around 82 students were affected by food poisoning. Meanwhile, a team of officials from the food safety department inspected the resort on Wednesday morning and took food samples for testing to a government food lab. They warned the resort authorities that severe action would be taken based on the report.
Predictability dims interest in Wayanad; Chelakkara dull too
KALPETTA/THRISSUR: The high-decibel campaign featuring national political stalwarts failed to buoy up voters in the high-profile Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is seeking mandate, that went to a by-election along with Chelakkara assembly constituency in the state on Wednesday. Poll percentage dropped by nearly 8% in Wayanad with only 64.72% voters turning up this time. The figure was 72.92% in the 2024 general election. Chelakkara recorded a voter turnout of 72.51% this time, compared to 77.40% in 2021. The polling passed off peacefully in both constituencies. Polling for the Palakkad bypoll is scheduled for November 20. Normally, by-elections witness heavy polling in the state as leaders and workers of all major fronts across the state zero in on a handful of constituencies that go to polls, and leave no stone unturned to ensure that all their votes are cast. But defying the tradition and expectations, voters coldshouldered the calls by parties this time. The fall in voter turnout in Wayanad has perplexed political leaders as well as poll pundits. That too when Priyanka, in a departure from the practice of her brother Rahul Gandhi who represented the seat earlier, spent several days in the constituency and addressed corner meetings even in remote areas of the hilly terrain. Laxity on the part of the voters over a predictable outcome in the clash between unequal rivals might have been the main reason for the sharp fall in voting percentage, poll experts feel. Added to this is the indifference triggered by the second election in a gap of less than six months. When Rahul contested from Wayanad for the first time in 2019, the poll percentage was 80.33, and his majority 4,31,770 votes. When he sought reelection in 2024, the voting percentage dropped to 72.92, and his margin to 3,64,422. The sharp fall in voting has cast a pall over the Congress camp, which was aiming to increase Priyankas victory margin to record levels. They take solace in the thought that the LDF and BJP votes did not poll owing to the hopeless situation their candidates were in in Wayanad. Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi wrap up Wayanad by-election campaign 'Want to serve Wayanad, just like mother looks after children': Priyanka Gandhi Priyanka has no reason to worry, says Leader of Oppn Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said Priyanka has no reason to worry about the poll outcome. The fall in polling percentage will not affect her in any way, he asserted. However, the LDF claims vote loss for the UDF. The polling progressed at a slow pace throughout the day. Several voters had come from even Gulf countries to cast their votes last time. But the spirit was lagging this time. The number of total voters in Wayanad LS constituency that spans over seven assembly segments -- Sultan Bathery, Mananthavady, Kalpetta, Thiruvambady, Ernad, Wandoor and Nilambur - is 14,71,742. In Chelakkara, the polling started at a slow pace, but picked up momentum by noon. Long queues were visible in half of the booths by evening. Arrangements set, Wayanad & Chelakkara ready for polling Wayanad bypoll: Landslide survivors cast votes amid tears
Milestone for Yusuff Ali as Lulu Retail gets listed on ADX
KOCHI: On the morning of December 31, 1973, a boy from Nattika in Thrissur, barely 18, reached the shores of the UAE on a ship from Mumbai, with a dream to make a living and provide for his family back home. When the shares of Lulu Retail get listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) on Thursday, it will be a major milestone in the extraordinary journey of Yusuff Ali M A, with the share sale making him the second-richest private individual in the UAE, according to Bloomberg. The highly anticipated listing of Lulu Retail, which follows a record-breaking $1.72 billion IPO UAEs largest this year will propel Yusuff Alis net worth to $7.6 billion, a jump from $5.3 billion in 2023. A record 82,000 retail investors subscribed for shares in the IPO, demonstrating the trust of the public on the Lulu brand, with more than 50,000 individuals registered in the 16 days between Lulu announcing its intention to float and the close of subscriptions, a release said here. Lulu Retails IPO also marks the 100th listing on ADX, UAEs largest exchange. Yusuff Ali began with a small trading centre in 1974 in Dubai. The company now operates more than 240 hypermarkets, express and mini-market stores across the six GCC countries, sourcing products from 85 countries. The IPO has captured global attention. The landmark event will be marked by a formal bell-ringing ceremony at 10am on Thursday, officially declaring Lulus trading on the exchange and signalling a new chapter for both the company and the regions retail markets. The allocation of shares has been successfully completed, and this listing also marks the 100th on ADX, the statement said. The IPO listing comes a day before Yusuff Alis 69th birthday on November 15. The richest Keralite in the Forbes billionaires list, his 39th rank in Forbes Indian billionaires list is likely to get a boost once trading begins on ADX.
Temple sets example by introducing mechanical elephant to honour tradition and preserve wildlife
Inspired by the Irinjadappilly Sri Krishna Temple in Thrissur, the temple trustees collaborated with PETA to bring Sankaranarayan to Kannur
Police announce eight-member team to probe 2021 Kodakara hawala case further
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police department has formed an eight-member team to investigate the 2021 Kodakara hawala case further. Thrissur Range DIG Thomson Jose will monitor the probe, while Kochi Deputy Commissioner Sudarsan K S will head the team. Irinjalakkuda DySP V K Raju, who had headed the previous special investigation team, is the investigating officer. A special police team had earlier approached the Irinjalakkuda Judicial First-Class Magistrate Court, seeking permission to conduct a further investigation into the case. They had earlier recorded the statement of former BJP Thrissur district committee office secretary Thirur Satheesh, who had stirred a hornets nest by alleging that cash stolen from a car at Kodakara was part of hawala money received by state BJP leaders for election expenditure. Satheesh had claimed that the hawala money, meant to cover BJPs election expenses, was kept in six sacks at the party office. He said the money was received at the office the night before the Kodakara heist. According to Satheesh, the key accused, Dharmarajan, had allegedly visited the party office when BJP state president K Surendran was also present. The LDF government decided to conduct a further investigation into the 2021 case after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a meeting with State Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb on Friday, in light of the fresh revelations by Satheesh.
Brisk polling in first 3 hrs of LS polls in Wayanad; 20.54 per cent turnout till 10.30 am
Wayanad/Thrissur(Kerala), Nov 13 (PTI) Brisk polling was seen in the Wayanad Lok Sabha and the Chelakkara assembly seats in Kerala as they witnessed a turnout of 20.54 and 19.08 per cent, respectively, after the first three hours of voting on Wednesday. The election process, held amidst tight security arrangements, was primarily incident-free except for electronic voting machine (EVM) breakdowns reported in some booths of Wayanad and Chelakkara. The EVM breakdowns were reportedly quickly addressed by the election officials. The voter turnout in Wayanad LS constituency was 13.7 per cent at 9.30 am, barely rose to 13.91 per cent at 10
Nedumbassery organ trafficking case: NIA identifies three recipients
KOCHI: The NIA probing the Nedumbassery organ trafficking case has identified some of the recipients who travelled to Iran for kidney transplantation. NIA has turned these identified recipients and donors as witnesses in the case after the probe revealed that the accused told them that organ donation and transplantation were legal in Iran, and promised them substantial amounts of money for donating organs. Operations of the racket came to light after the arrest of a youth at Kochi airport in May this year. On May 18, officials of the Bureau of Immigration at the airport intercepted Sabith Korukulath, a resident of Valappad in Thrissur, on suspicion that he was involved in organ trade. An investigation revealed that Sabith worked for a gang under Ernakulam native Madhu Jayakumar. Madhu is still holed up in Iran. Madhus friend Sajith Shyam, of Kalamassery, and Vijayawada native Bellamkonda Ram Prasad were later arrested by the police. The NIA took over the probe on July 1, and filed a chargesheet against four accused persons. During the probe, NIA identified some of the donors and recipients who were approached by the racket. As per the chargesheet filed by NIA, the racket identified gullible youth with financial constraints from Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and other states. Members of the racket would obtain the youths consent by promising money. The donors were trafficked to Iran where their organs were harvested after collecting huge amounts of money from recipients from New Delhi, Jammu and Ghaziabad, among others, the probe revealed. The recipients were charged up to `50 lakh by the accused. NIA found that recipients belonged to higher strata of society and travelled to Iran to undergo organ transplantation. In September, the Kerala High Court granted bail to Sajith Shyam, the second accused. Following this, Bellamkonda approached the NIA Court in Kochi with a bail plea claiming that charges against him were similar to that of Sajith. When the court considered the bail petition, NIA produced certain documents, including WhatsApp chats of the accused with others, revealing that he was actively involved in organ trafficking. The NIA also retrieved several pieces of digital evidence from the mobile phone of Sajith. These included medical records, lab tests done by donors, their flight tickets to Iran as well as details about kidney transplant packages at hospitals in Iran. Considering the evidence, the court had dismissed Bellamkondas bail petition, stating: Perusal of the data collected by the investigating agency, produced in a closed envelope, would clearly indicate that the petitioner is actively involved in organ trafficking and hence it prima facie appears that he is part of a huge racket involved in organ trafficking. Gullible youths targeted As per the chargesheet filed by the NIA, the racket identified gullible youth with financial constraints and obtained their consent by promising huge amounts of money The donors were trafficked to Iran where their organs were harvested after collecting up to J50 lakh from various recipients The NIA found that recipients belonged to higher strata of society and travelled to Iran to undergo organ transplantation
Whats happening in Kerala is Waqf Boards land jihad
PALAKKAD: Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya was in Palakkad campaigning for NDA candidate C Krishnakumar as the front fancies its chances in the assembly by-election. The BJP leader shared his thoughts with TNIE. Excerpts. Palakkad is considered BJPs Class-A constituency. What are your expectations? We will definitely win this election. Last time, we lost this seat by just around 3,000 votes because both UDF and LDF cross-voted to sideline the BJP. This time also they will do it. But the voters are aware about it and our karyakartas are working hard to ensure the votes. BJP has maintained control of the Palakkad municipality for consecutive terms. Now Palakkad is drawing national attention. Is it a matter of prestige for the BJP leadership? Absolutely. The people of Palakkad blessed the BJP with the municipality. Palakkad is the stronghold of the party. The party earlier fielded a very senior leader, E Sreedharan, and this time also fielded a senior one, C Krishnakumar. Workers are optimistic that BJPs success in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat will positively impact the Palakkad assembly election. What are the main challenges for BJP in Kerala? After the victory in Thrissur, I think a new chapter in BJPs history was opened in Kerala. It has given a lot of confidence to our karyakartas. The people are slowly accepting BJP. In the case of Palakkad, it neighbours Thrissur. The impact of that victory is going to resonate in Palakkad. One major challenge for BJP is whenever BJP is coming close to victory, both Communist and Congress parties come together and do vote transfer to prevent BJP from winning. The Waqf Board issue has been a significant topic for BJP... Whats happening in Kerala is the Waqf Boards land jihad. In Munambam, 400 acres have been claimed by the Waqf Board. Large villages which dont have a single muslim family, but only Christian families, are declared as Waqf property. In Mananthavady in Wayanad, five acres are being claimed, and in Taliparamba in Kannur, around 600 acres including the famous Rajarajeswara temple are being claimed. Waqf Board also claimed land in Noorani and Kalpathy in Palakkad. Waqf Board is a secular board, but its encroachment is towards Hindu properties and Christian properties. All these encroachments are done for Muslim vote banks. Both UDF and LDF are shamelessly supporting these illegal encroachments. So, I request both the Hindu and the Christian community to come together to oppose this illegal encroachment by the Waqf Board. What key messages do you plan to convey to the voters? Krishnakumar ji is a local candidate. He is very committed to the calls of development in Palakkad. Palakkad has heritage and history, and is a very important place in Kerala in terms of its culture. If you elect a party like Congress or Communist, they will destroy these because they have no vision and they are all corrupt. So, electing Krishnakumar is development for Palakkad and support for a local person. Moreover, electing Krishnakumar is for supporting the local culture and for defeating Waqf encroachments.
Arrangements set, Wayanad & Chelakkara ready for polling
The 14.71 lakh electors of Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency will vote to elect their new MP in the bypoll on Wednesday, six months after the general elections in April. The month-long public campaigning by the three major fronts in the LS constituency, which comprises seven assembly segments Sultan Bathery, Mananthavady, Kalpetta, Thiruvambady, Ernad, Wandoor and Nilambur witnessed a grand culmination on Monday. On the day of silent campaigning on Tuesday, UDF candidate Priyanka Gandhi stayed at Taj Hotel, Padinjarathara on Tuesday. On Monday, she had taken part in a mega kottikalasam at Sultan Bathery and Thiruvambady with brother Rahul Gandhi. She will leave Kerala Wednesday noon after visiting a few polling booths. As for LDF candidate Sathyan Mokeri, he continued his visits to Thiruvambady, Ernad, Wandoor, Nilambur and Kalpetta assembly constituencies on the day. Meanwhile, the LDF lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against circulation of the visuals of Priyanka praying at a church in Wayanad. On the day, NDA candidate Navya Haridas visited the Bathery bishop house and called on the families in Thalapuzha, who had received the Waqf Board notice claiming land ownership. The by-election was necessitated after sitting MP Rahul, who won from Raebareli and Wayanad in the April elections, withdrew as Wayanad MP. The bypoll marks Priyankas foray into electoral politics. Officials take polling equipment to Cheruthuruthy GHSS in Chelakkara on Tuesday All arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the bypoll in Chelakkara constituency. On Tuesday, Thrissur district collector Arjun Pandiyan, who is also the district electoral officer, reviewed the polling arrangements in Chelakkara. He also flagged off the vehicles carrying polling materials and officers to the booths. The vehicles have been installed with GPS devices which can be monitored by sectoral officers. The collector visited the central control room set up at Cheruthuruthy PWD Rest House. The constituency has a total of 180 polling booths. Webcasting facility has been arranged in all polling booths to ensure transparency in the entire process. Out of 180 booths, 14 polling booths have been identified as vulnerable. Additional police officers have been deployed for protection of polling officers and voters in such booths. Five booths have been designated as model polling booths. Facilities like proper drinking water, ramps for movement of physically challenged people, complete adherence to green protocol etc will be followed in model polling booths. The booth at A block of Chelakkara Little Flowers Convent High School will be managed completely by women polling officers. Over 600 police officers have been deployed for the smooth conduct of polling in Chelakkara. A total of 216 ballet units and control units and 234 VVPAT machines will be used for election process on Wednesday.
Kerala: Polling begins in Wayanad LS seat
Wayanad/Thrissur: Voting in the bypolls for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat and the Chelakkara assembly constituency in Kerala commenced at 7am on Wednesday People started arriving early in the morning at the 1,354 polling booths in the hill constituency of Wayanad where there are over 14 lakh registered voters, according to the Election Commission figures. #WATCH | Kerala: People queue up at a polling station in Wayanad to vote for the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-polls pic.twitter.com/lBF0ykyJNn ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2024 The Wayanad constituency comprises seven assembly segments of Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST), and Kalpetta in Wayanad district; Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district; and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district. A bypoll was necessitated in the hill constituency after Rahul Gandhi, who won the Wayanad LS seat in the general elections held earlier this year, vacated it after he also won from the Rae Bareli constituency. There are 16 candidates in the fray for the seat with Congress-led UDF's candidate and Rahul's sister Priyanka, who is making her electoral debut, CPI(M)-led LDF's Sathyan Mokeri and BJP-led NDA's Navya Haridas being the top contenders. Polling in Wayanad commenced amidst tight security arrangements which included deployment of over 2,500 security personnel and live monitoring of the by-election process by an extensive webcasting system. Voting for the Chelakkara assembly seat in Thrissur district of the state also saw people turning up early at the 177 polling stations in the constituency. There are six candidates in the fray for the assembly seat, where a bypoll was necessitated after LDF's K Radhakrishnan -- who won from there in 2021 -- was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Alathur constituency by defeating UDF's Ramya Haridas who had won from there in 2019. Haridas is now contesting from the Chelakkara assembly seat and is pitted against LDF's U R Pradeep and NDA's K Balakrishnan. There were close to two lakh voters in the constituency during the 2021 assembly election in the state. Voting began in Wayanad and Chelakkara after a mock poll was carried out by casting votes in favour of all candidates, including NOTA, whose names are there on an EVM.
Polling for the Jharkhand Assembly elections has begun, with 43 of its 81 seats going to vote in Phase 1 today. The 43 constituencies include 17 general seats, 20 reserved for Scheduled Tribes, and six for Scheduled Castes. The remaining 38 seats will vote in phase two polling on November 20. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made elaborate security arrangements as 950 polling booths have been identified as sensitive across 31 constituencies. The mock poll began at 5.30 am and regular poll begun at 7am and will continue till 5pm. The voting will end at 4pm at sensitive booths. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), a member of the opposition's INDIA bloc, will face off against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The NDA allies in Jharkhand Assembly polls are All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) and Janata Dal (United), while the INDIA bloc is represented by JMM, Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Left parties. In the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly election, Hemant Soren-led JMM won 30 seats, the BJP won 25 and Congress won 16 seats. A coalition of the JMM, Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal formed the governmen, with Soren assuming the role of Chief Minister. Polling begins in Kerala's Wayanad Lok Sabha seat,Chelakkara assembly constituency Voting in the bypolls for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat and the Chelakkara assembly constituency in Kerala commenced at 7am. People started arriving early in the morning at the 1,354 polling booths in the hill constituency of Wayanad where there are over 14 lakh registered voters, according to the Election Commission figures. The Wayanad constituency comprises seven assembly segments of Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST), and Kalpetta in Wayanad district; Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district; and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district. A bypoll was necessitated in the hill constituency after Rahul Gandhi, who won the Wayanad LS seat in the general elections held earlier this year, vacated it after he also won from the Rae Bareli constituency. There are 16 candidates in the fray for the seat with Congress-led UDF's candidate and Rahul's sister Priyanka, who is making her electoral debut, CPI(M)-led LDF's Sathyan Mokeri and BJP-led NDA's Navya Haridas being the top contenders. Voting for the Chelakkara assembly seat in Thrissur district of the state also saw people turning up early at the 177 polling stations in the constituency. There are six candidates in the fray for the assembly seat, where a bypoll was necessitated after LDF's K Radhakrishnan -- who won from there in 2021 -- was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Alathur constituency by defeating UDF's Ramya Haridas who had won from there in 2019. Haridas is now contesting from the Chelakkara assembly seat and is pitted against LDF's U R Pradeep and NDA's K Balakrishnan. There were close to two lakh voters in the constituency during the 2021 assembly election in the state. Voting for six assembly bypolls seats begin in Bengal Polling for by-elections to six assembly seats in West Bengal started at 7 AM on Wednesday, amid tight security arrangements, an official said. Voting will continue till 5 PM, he added. The by-polls are being held in Sitai, Madarihat, Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur and Taldangra assembly constituencies in West Bengal. Notably, five of these constituencies are in the TMC strongholds of south Bengal, while Madarihat remains a BJP bastion in the northern part of the state. Altogether 108 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed for the by-elections. The bypolls were necessitated following the resignations of MLAs who were elected to the Lok Sabha in the general elections this year. Both the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP have fielded candidates for all six seats. The CPI (M)-led Left Front and the Congress are contesting the by-elections separately for the first time since 2021, following a recent change in the Bengal Congress leadership. The Left Front has announced candidates for five of the six seats, including one CPI(ML) nominee. The Congress has fielded candidates in all six assembly segments. Voting begins for bypolls to seven assembly seats in Rajasthan Voting for by-elections on seven assembly constituencies of Rajasthan began at 7 am on Wednesday morning under tight security arrangements, officials said. Polling began at 7 am, an official of the election department said. The seven seats going to the polls are: Jhunjhunu, Dausa, Deoli-Uniara, Khinvsar, Chorasi, Salumber and Ramgarh. The results will be declared on November 23. As many as 69 candidates -- 10 female and 59 male -- are in the fray in the seven constituencies which have a total of 19.37 lakh voters. More than 9,000 security personnel have been deployed across 1,914 polling stations to ensure a smooth voting process. Currently, the 200-seat state assembly has 114 MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party, 65 of the Congress, three of the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP), two of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), one of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and eight Independent MLAs.
All Set for Wayanad, Chelakkara Bypoll in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram: All preparations are set for the crucial byelections in the Wayanad Lok Sabha and Chelakkara assembly constituencies in Kerala on November 13 (Wednesday). The polling will begin at 7 am. The administration has announced a paid public holiday in both constituencies to facilitate voting. Wayanad has garnered national attention with Priyanka Gandhi's first electoral contest. She is pitted against CPI's seasoned leader Sathyan Mokeri and BJP's Navya Haridas. The Wayanad constituency has over 14 lakh registered voters and 1335 polling booths. In the previous Lok Sabha elections, the Wayanad constituency saw a voter turnout of 72.69 per cent. The Wayanad by-election garnered national attention after the Congress decided to nominate Priyanka Gandhi as the UDF candidate for the constituency. As Priyanka's first electoral battle, the campaign became a major topic of discussion. The by-election was necessitated by Rahul Gandhi's decision to vacate Wayanad in favor of Rae Bareli, having won both seats in the previous Lok Sabha elections. The LDF nominated the experienced CPI leader Sathyan Mokeri, who had previously lost to the Congress by over 20,000 votes in 2014. Known as a farmers' leader, Mokeri enjoys popularity within the constituency. Meanwhile, the BJP has introduced the youthful leader Navya Haridas as their candidate. The Chelakkara assembly by-election in the Thrissur district is also witnessing a notable contest. The LDF is backing former MLA U R Pradeep, the UDF is supporting former MP Remya Haridas, and the BJP has nominated K Balakrishnan. The Chelakkara assembly constituency has nine panchayats of which six are under the LDF and three with the UDF. Chelakkara is historically a stronghold of the LDF, which has won the last six assembly elections. Election squad seizes Rs 25 lakh in Chelakkara constituency An election squad seized Rs 25 lakh in unaccounted cash from a car during a vehicle inspection near Cheruthuruthi in the Thrissur district. The cash was stashed in the car. The individuals travelling in the vehicle claimed that the money was meant for purchasing goods. Authorities have initiated an investigation to determine if the money was intended to influence voters. EC notice to Nilambur MLA Anvar The Election Commission issued a notice to MLA P.V. Anvar to conduct a press conference in Chelakkara on Tuesday. All media interactions and public campaigning are restricted due to the polling scheduled for Wednesday. Palakkad bypoll on November 20 The Palakkad assembly by-election, initially set to occur concurrently with those in Wayanad and Chelakkara, has been rescheduled by the Election Commission to November 20 due to the Kalpathy Ratholsavam festival. The votes will be counted on November 23, alongside the other constituencies.
Munambam issue animates politics in the waning hours of bypoll campaign
Opposition is mindful that a rightward drift in traditionally pro-UDF Christian votes catalysed BJPs win in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency. CPI(M) reckons that splitting minority votes on religious lines may benefit BJP
KOCHI: The story of pi is one of great intrigue. On a cosmological plane, this natural constant is believed to hold secrets of the universe, evident in the spiral patterns of galaxies and the way matter is distributed. In quantum mechanics, pi offers insights into the subatomic world. Physicists such as Werner Heisenberg, Albert Einstein, and Johannes Kepler have depended on it for the Uncertainty Principle, the General Theory of Relativity, and the Laws of Planetary Motion. Pi is seen as an intrinsic part of universal geometry, governing everything from the macroscopic world to the DNAs inner structure. And its history spans ancient civilisations: the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Bharat. To a mathematician, pi is an infinite, irrational number often approximated as 22/7 or in decimal as 3.14159 extending into an infinite sequence of digits. Several cultures approximated pi to different decimal places. This mystery number has a notable Kerala connection as well. In the 14th century, Sangamagrama Madhava, a mathematician from Irinjalakuda in Thrissur, became the first to approximate pi correctly up to 11 decimal places. Madhavas achievements go beyond the value of pi. He developed calculus series for sine, cosine, and arctangent functions long before these concepts appeared in the works of 17th-century mathematicians James Gregory, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, and Isaac Newton. This revelation has shifted traditional beliefs, as Leibniz and Newton are regarded as the fathers of calculus. Today, Madhavas contributions are recognised in the naming of certain infinite series based on trigonometric and calculus functions, now known as the Madhava-Newton, Madhava-Leibniz, and Madhava-Gregory series. Kerala School of Mathematics Madhavas work highlights ancient Keralas prominence in mathematics and astronomy, giving rise to the term Kerala School of Mathematics. This school includes scholars such as Parameshvara, Neelakanta Somayaji, Jyeshtadeva, Achyuta Pisharati, and Achyutha Panikkar. Among them, Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, famous to Malayalis as the author of the devotional work Narayaneeyam, was a mathematical linguist who contributed significantly to the school. Madhavas work is referenced in the writings of these scholars. However, much of his original work has been lost, or yet to be unearthed. While outside Kerala, within India and abroad, Madhavas contributions have been well-celebrated, the state is now slowly embracing his legacy. And that brings us to Litty Chacko, a Malayalam professor at St Josephs College in Irinjalakuda, who has spent 15 years uncovering Madhavas life and contributions. In my college, the mathematics department was quite strong, and we hosted many international seminars. Many international speakers came because they had heard of Irinjalakuda as Madhavas birthplace. That intrigued me, she says, on how her research began. I have always had a passion for heritage. I wanted to learn more about him. I visited his ancestral home near Irinjalakuda, met many people, and explored numerous manuscripts. The journey has been incredible, allowing me to know more about him and related history that is nowhere in our textbooks. Litty had a clear goal: finding the eight books Madhava is credited with, as mentioned by his successors. It was during these journeys that I discovered Lagnaprakarana [an important astronomical text] for the first time. I found it written in a notebook, but it had several errors. I spent two years working on it, refining it, and eventually publishing it, she says. When the UGC called for new course proposals, Litty incorporated a manuscript management course alongside Malayalam. This helped establish a lab for manuscript preservation at her college. It also created a dedicated space for studying inscriptions, allowing her to deepen her focus on Madhavas work. She terms it as a calling. While maths was not my field, I felt a pull inside to prove Madhavas existence, compile his works, and promote the depth of his contributions, focusing on preserving his legacy and heritage, she reflects. Her next mission is to pin-point Madhavas astronomical observatory. It is widely believed that a temple and two stones, near the mana, mark the vananireekshanasalas (observatory) location. However, I found no concrete evidence there, says Litty. But there certainly must be an observatory associated with Madhava bringing clarity to this became my next goal. For this, she turned to the works of manuscriptologist K V Sarma, internet archives, and other resources. She plans to compile her findings into a resource for studying the ancient local heritage. It will gather studies in mathematics and astronomy for broader accessibility, she says. English education was promoted as superior Among the discoveries is Golavadha, considered Madhavas masterpiece. Sarmas research describes Madhavas disciples reverence for the work, yet no one knows what it precisely contains as it seems lost to time. Litty believes it may exist somewhere. If not here, it could be in Europe, as a foundational text likely influencing later mathematical works claimed by the West. They surely must have read this one, she says. The colonial eras onset accelerated the decay of Indian scientific heritage. Palm-leaf manuscripts were neglected, and the class system alienated knowledge from the masses, stopping these works from entering folklore or daily life. Sanskrit was largely inaccessible to the public. English education was promoted as superior, leading to the dismissal of traditional knowledge systems, Litty says. Littys searches in various manas (traditional homes) unearthed several unpublished and untitled works left to ruin. Through these studies and conversations, I realised Madhava could not be studied in isolation. It involves Malayalam, Sanskrit, mathematics, astronomy, Ayurveda, Tantra, and more. Such a multidisciplinary approach is absent in our syllabus, says Litty. I believe documenting branches of Asian science is vital for progress. I began with Ayurvedas Ashtavaidya tradition, and plan to proceed with Tantra next. My aim is to establish a foundation, paving a clear path for future researchers. Madhavas global recognition led to the creation of a collective called Madhava Ganitha Kendram in 2012. Since then, the Kendram, based in Ernakulam, has organised events and created programmes about his work. However, A Vinod Karuvarakundu, the Kendrams director, points out that the state is yet to establish a memorial at Madhavas birthplace. Just as Shankaracharya is globally recognised as a philosopher, Madhava should be celebrated as one of the greatest mathematicians, he says. We also need a robust research structure to delve deeper into Madhavas contributions. There is, however, a centre called the Kerala School of Mathematics, established in Kozhikode in 2007 by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment and the Department of Atomic Energy. It aims to revive the glory of a similar school that flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries in Kerala. But, the centre is said to be focused more on current mathematics rather than historical research. Ironically, it was an English civil servant, Charles Matthew Whish (1794-1833), who first introduced the existence of the Kerala School of Mathematics and Astronomy to the West. Since Charles Whishs discovery, many scholars have explored Madhavas contributions. However, a systematic study of his mathematical work is still lacking, says Vinod. An ecosystem for decoding the manuscripts coded language and an organised inventory of available copies are necessary. Sooraj R S, who is part of a project cell at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, has researched how historians approach Madhava. He agrees the study should be multidisciplinary. My background is in Sanskrit, and I used historiography theory in my research. In-depth analysis of Madhavas work is limited here, as I am not very familiar with mathematical theories, he rues. Studies should consider figures beyond Madhava as well. This scientific heritage should be included in the curriculum. Too often, a trend emerges where interest in certain figures spikes, only to wane quickly. It would be unfortunate if Madhavas legacy followed this pattern. Rajasekhar P Vaikom, who has published an interpretation of Yuktibhasa (a treatise by Jyeshtadeva from the Kerala School), highlights two issues regarding traditional knowledge systems in India. There are two contradictory trends when it comes to traditional knowledge in India. One is to exaggerate it, and the other, a more malevolent one, is to trivialise it, he says. If we can encourage the younger generation to study these contributions scientifically and understand the pedagogies and derivations from different historical periods, an appreciation of these systems could ensue. Without this, all that is genuine also risks being labelled as superstition. Research institutions outside Kerala, such as International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru, and colleges under Delhi University, have been organising seminars and outreach sessions on Madhava. Spurred by this, the Kerala government has taken note of the genius. Higher Education Minister R Bindu recently said at an international seminar organised by the Government Sanskrit College in March that there were plans to set up a mathematical research institute at Kallettumkara, considered to be Madhavas native place. History awaits. With inputs from Aparna Nair
Crisis in Chavakkad as 200 families face threat
THRISSUR : While more than 600 families at Munambam in Ernakulam are protesting for their rights on the land in which they have been living for years, over 200 families in Chavakkad in Thrissur are facing a similar crisis as the Waqf Board has staked claim on their land. Though the residents filed a complaint with the Chief Ministers Office, they are yet to get a favourable response. Now, the residents of this coastal region have approached the High Court seeking intervention. Many residents are awaiting documents of their land from the village office. But the revenue authorities are not issuing the same as the Waqf Board has staked claim on the land. Valiyakath Haneefa, who resides in the area, recently approached Manathala village office to secure documents related to his 6 cents of land for availing a loan to conduct his daughters marriage. However, the revenue authorities told Haneefa that they were unable to issue the documents as the land originally belonged to Waqf Board. The village officer told him that there is a directive not to issue ROR (Record of Rights) certificate for those who currently occupy the land. Anmol Mothi, a local BJP leader, said: More than 200 families, mainly belonging to Muslim community, are facing similar issues. They are worried about their future as they cannot legally claim ownership of the land in which they have been residing for a long time. It is learnt that several families living in the surroundings of Manathala mosque have been facing the same issue. Manathala mosque and the annual Nercha festival are famous in Central Kerala. The houses in the region are situated close to each other. People who have been living here since their grandparents time, people who bought land here and even those who received title deeds from the state government are also among the affected, said Anmol. He added that the issue would be brought to the attention of the Centre. According to Sheeja Prasanth, Chavakkad municipality chairperson, the residents are in a panic as Waqf Board has staked claim on land in various parts of the state. The residents have been living there for years. From what I came to know, they have filed a complaint with the district collector and authorities concerned.
Campaign ends for phase I of Jharkhand polls
New Delhi: Campaign ended on Monday for the first phase of assembly polls in Jharkhand and bypolls in Wayanad parliamentary seat and assembly seats across several states with leaders making strong efforts to woo the electorate. Priyanka Gandhi is making her electoral debut from Wayanad, the Lok Sabha seat won her brother Rahul Gandhi, who decided to retain the party's traditional seat of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. Jharkhand will go to the polls on two phases on November 13 and 20. Forty-three seats will go the polls in the first phase. Campaigning in the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and accused him of humiliating Champai Soren. Champai Soren has been loyal for so many years, standing with Hemantji, but how he was humiliated and removed is not just an insult to Champai Soren but an insult to the entire tribal community. The main issue was that Champai Soren stated that corruption should stop, but the JMM was not willing to end it, he alleged. The Union Minister further said that if BJP is voted into power in Jharkhand, a law would be brought to prevent the transfer of land to infiltrators, even if they marry tribal women. The illegal immigrants are taking up the jobs meant for tribals of the state... The infiltrators are dangerous for our daughters, our resources, and our land... When we form the government, we will bring a law that will prohibit the immigrant from registering tribal land in his name, even if he marries a tribal girl. We will make the immigrant give back the acquired land. Shah also accused Hemant Soren of vote bank politics and said Bangladeshi infiltrators were coming to the state. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also alleged that mafias are rapidly growing in Jharkhand and claimed that only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can ensure both security and governance in the state. Adityanath cited the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh and highlighted how the authorities were strictly dealing with the miscreants. Mafias are flourishing in Jharkhand. Uttar Pradesh is right next to you. Go and see; no one will play with the law and order because if someone does so or tries to disrupt a festival, then the ticket to Yamraj is booked. (The accused are dealt with very strictly). Whether it is security or good governance, only the BJP can provide it, CM Yogi said while addressing a gathering in Bhawanathpur. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also took a dig at the Congress Hemant Soren. He addressed a public gathering in Chinia in Garhwa district. Even during the difficult times of British rule, Birsa Munda did a great job from the land of Jharkhand but it is unfortunate to say that Congress and Hemant Soren are hungry for power..., he said. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a road show in Ranchi and two rallies--one in Bokaro and another in Gumla--where he slammed Congress and its allies for attempting to create a divide between SCs, STs, and OBCs. Congress leaders including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi also campaigned in Jharkhand in the run-up to the first phase of polling. Congress on Sunday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the BJP, accusing the party of posting a misleading advertisement on social media that contained false information about the leaders of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Indian National Congress (INC), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Following the complaint, a FIR has been registered at the cybercrime police station in Ranchi for violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) guidelines over a video posted on a social media handle of the BJP's Jharkhand wing. Sources said FIR no 176/24 dated 10.11.2024 has been filed at the Ranchi cybercrime police station for violation of MCC guidelines and extant legal provisions. Additionally, the cybercrime police station Ranchi, in a letter dated 10.11.2024, requested social media platforms to remove the objectionable posts under Section 69(A) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. Earlier in the day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh hit out at BJP, saying that the party's campaign is devoid of issues and focused solely on communal polarization. The INDIA coalition's campaign in Jharkhand is centred around our government's achievements in the last five years and our seven guarantees - ranging from enhanced food rations to honorariums for women and new degree colleges in each block. We are focused on our governance and our vision for a just, inclusive, and prosperous Jharkhand, he wrote on X. The BJP's campaign is devoid of issues and focuses solely on communal polarisation. It is an indictment of the Union Government's performance that after ten years in power, the BJP is seeking votes only on religious polarisation. The non-biological PM has failed miserably to fulfil the promises he made to the state over the past ten years. Worse, he has denied almost Rs 1.4 lakh crore, which is legitimately due to Jharkhand on account of coal royalty, the Congress leader added. Jairam Ramesh said the people will reject BJP in the assembly polls. On November 13th and 20th, the people of Jharkhand will vote decisively for continuity, communal harmony, social justice, and self-dignity. They will reject the wholly negative and disgusting campaign of the BJP, he said. Meanwhile, a roadshow was held in Sultan Bathery, Wayanad that included Priyanka Gandhi Rahul Gandhi, who is Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, was also present. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is contesting against Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Satyan Mokeri and BJP's Navya Haridas in the by-polls. Chelakkara Assembly seat in Thrissur district is also going to the polls on November 13. A total of 34 seats will see bypolls on November 13. Bypolls will also be held for West Bengal's six assembly seats--Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Sitai and Madarihat Earlier, 48 constituencies were scheduled to go to for bypolls on November 13, but the Election Commission of India rescheduled the poll date in 14 Assembly constituencies in three states -- Kerala, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh -- to November 20 following large-scale social, cultural and religious engagements of people from various communities
Bengal cultural festival kicks off in Thrissur
Kerala school sports meet: Thiruvananthapuram all set to emerge overall champions
KOCHI: Thiruvananthapuram is all set to become champions with 1,924 points in the Kerala School Sports Meet that has been going on in Ernakulam for the past seven days. Thrissur is emerging as the first runner-up with 832 points and Kannur as the second runner-up with 750 points. Besides dominating the swimming pool, Thiruvananthapuram stands tall with 144 gold, 88 silver and 100 bronze. While Thrissur won 73 gold, 56 silver and 75 bronze, Kannur got with 67 gold, 61 silver and 66 bronze. Malappuram stands at the fourth position with 568 points followed by Palakkad with 522 points. All 526 events at the games were completed by Saturday. At the close of day 7 of the sports meet, 43 meet records both in aquatics and athletics were broken. K Akhila jumps high and long to grab gold medals K Akhila of GV Raja Sports School, Thiruvananthapuram, appeared to be a natural at the jumping pit. Though she couldnt match her best performance of 1.63m in the high jump, she cleared the bar at 1.53m to clinch the gold medal in the senior girls event. The Palakkad resident also won gold in long jump with an effort of 5.54m. Foul in hurdles didnt hold Gayathri back N G Gayathri overcame her despair over getting disqualified in the 80m hurdles after fouling her start to win a gold in the sub-junior girls long jump event with a jump of 5.14m. She is a student of St Thomas HSS, Thrissur Servan K C of Kuttamath GHSS, Kasaragod, competing in the junior boys shot-put at the Kerala State School Sports Meet in Kochi on Sunday. He broke the meet records in shot-put and discus throw | pics by a SANESH Clean and comfortable accommodation gets students, teachers praise Students and teachers expressed their happiness over the clean and safe accommodation provided by the officials at the first Olympic-style state school sports meet. The accommodation for the students and officials was arranged at 17 centres. Besides this, eight schools had been reserved as stand-by. The arrangement saw 71 schools getting divided into seven clusters. More than 3,000 people were provided additional accommodation during the first two days of the inclusive sports events. In the last seven days, 24,000 people, including children and officials, were accommodated in the city. A clean sports meet The states first Olympic-style school sports meet was successfully held as a completely green event. More than 200 student volunteers or green volunteers at 17 venues in the district actively ensured that the green protocol was adhered to. Clad in a special uniform comprising a green t-shirt and cap, they were always vigilant to ensure the implementation of the Green Code under the leadership of the head teachers association. Separate bins were installed at all venues to sort and collect organic and inorganic waste, including the food waste from the canteen. Red bins were set up for collecting and depositing plastic waste and green bins for depositing organic waste.
Thrissur Sahodaya takes home overall trophy in CBSE State Kalotsav
Malabar Sahodaya and Kochi Sahodaya come in second and third positions, respectively. Among schools, Silver Hills Public School, Kozhikode, became the overall champions
By triumphing over disability, Sherin inspires courage & hope
KOCHI: A young Sherin Raj Joseph could not have imagined what the future had in store for her. Suffering from congenital kypho-scoliosis, a condition in which abnormal curvature of the vertebrae leads to bones pressing into the spinal cord, Sherin became wheelchair-bound at the tender age of 13. Instead of turning despondent, she found the strength to brave her physiological hurdles. Sherin recently enrolled as an MBBS student at the Thrissur Government Medical College. I was a very active as a kid, until my legs started weakening when I was in 5th grade. The disease took away all the joys in my life. Unable to do the things that I enjoyed, I feared becoming bedridden for life, said Sherin, recounting her stiffest struggles. After various treatments proved ineffective, Sherins family turned to Dr R Krishna Kumar of VPS Lakeshore Hospital as a last resort. Dr Krishna Kumar, head of the hospitals spine surgery department, convinced her family of the urgent need for surgery, without which she would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. After a successful surgery in 2017 and many months of physiotherapy, Sherin made a gradual recovery. Back on her feet, she dedicated her time to studies to reach the one goal she had, of becoming a doctor. It was the hope the doctors instilled in me that motivated me to become a doctor, Sherin said in delight. Through the complex kypho-scoliosis corrective surgery, Dr Krishna Kumar removed the bone pressing against Sherins spinal cord. This success story should help spread awareness about early diagnosis and effective surgeries. There is a stigma among people about undergoing surgeries. Even Sherins own late father was concerned for her life. I hope this story spreads a positive message, he said. In an event at the hospital, Lakeshore MD S K Abdulla, director of medical services Dr H Ramesh, and Dr Krishna Kumar presented Sherin with a stethoscope.
Thrissur Sahodaya surges ahead in CBSE State arts festival
Kochi Sahodaya is in the second position with 481 points and Malabar Sahodaya with 478 points is in the third position. Among schools, Silver Hills Public School, Kozhikode, is leading with 72 points
Thiruvananthapuram rules the pool, extends meet domination at Kerala School Sports Meet
KOCHI: Thiruvananthapuram continued its domination on Day 5 of the Kerala School Sports Meet, increasing its aggregate points tally to 1,776. Thrissur is way behind with 708 points, while Kannur is placed third with 618 points. Friday marked the completion of the aquatic programme with medallists for 103 events under various categories identified. In track and field, 15 of the 29 events were decided by the end of the day. The meet has so far seen 37 new meet records -- 32 in the pool and five in athletics. TPuram dominates pool Thiruvananthapuram garnered 654 points in aquatics, winning 74 gold, 56 silver and five bronze. Athletes of Thundathil MVHSS contributed 27 gold to the haul. Among the capital districts swimmers, Abhinav S and Mongam Theerdhu Samdev, with their three meet records, stood out. Ernakulam was placed second with 162 points. Its medal count was 13 gold, 21 silver and 12 bronze. Kottayam came in third with 90 points. A mothers dream come true On the track, Krishnapriyas dream came true when her daughter Archana S won gold in the junior girls 3,000m race. Archana is a student of Palakkad Mundur HS. She overcame many of the obstacles that life threw her way to mark this achievement. My small earnings have limited the comforts that I have provided my daughter, said Krishnapriya, adding that she is proud and happy with her daughters achievement. Varsha S of GVHSS, Pirappancode, Thiruvanathapuram, competing in the senior girls butterfly stroke. She set a meet record | A Sanesh Archanas coach, N S Sijin, also guided former international P U Chitra. Twenty-two of his wards from Palakkad, including S Jagannathan, who won gold in the 3,000m junior boys walk, are competing in this years school sports meet. Most of the Palakkad athletes hail from economically backward families. Jeena vaults to a record Jeena Basil, who won gold in the senior girls pole vault, broke the meet record by clearing 3.43m. She is a Plus-Two student of Kothamangalam Mar Basil School. Jeenas success was also achieved amid financial hardships. She has been participating in competitions with the help of school authorities and her neighbours. Jeena also won gold at the National School Games held in Patna, Bihar. Hailing from Oonunkal, in Kothamangalam, she is the daughter of Basil Varghese and Manju, who are farmers. Following in dads footsteps J Nivedkrishna repeated his fathers feat by winning gold in the junior boys 100m. A Plus-One student of Palakkad Chittoor Govt HSS, he clocked a time of 10.98 sec. His father S Jyotiprakash had won gold in the 100m and 200m events at the 1997 state school sports meet held at Kalamassery, Ernakulam.
Two Keralites make it to 2024 World Abilitysport Youth Games
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has been a remarkable year for the cerebral palsy sports team of Kerala. After a stellar show at the recently concluded National CP Athletics Championship, two of its members have now made the cut for an upcoming world championship. Nikhil Manoj, 17, and Muhammad Afthab, 15, have been selected for the 2024 World Abilitysport Youth Games, a sports meet for young athletes with physical impairement, to be held in Thailand from December 1 to 7. The selection was made based on their stupendous performance at the national meet. Our team has won the national athletics championship title twice. This year too, we exhibited a good performance but the announcement of the championship is yet to be made. The selection of two of our team members for the Thailand Games has further boosted the childrens confidence. Besides, our children could participate in both sub-junior and junior events this year. A proud moment, indeed, said R Girija Kumari, team manager of the Cerebral Palsy Sports Association of Kerala (CPSAK). At the national athletics, the state team comprising 24 members won two gold, six silver and five bronze medals. Niya and Nived, both Kozhikode natives, won bronze in the 100m race, in the T37 category and the T36 category, respectively. Thrissur native Afthab won gold in club throw (T32 category). Melkey Sedel from Thrissur won silver in 100m and 200m (T38 category) and Vijesh clinched bronze in long jump in the T36 category. Nikhil Manoj from Ernakulam (T38 category) won silver in 100m and bronze in 200m. Sijo George from Thiruvananthapuram (T37 category) won bronze in the long jump. Muhammad Ajnas from Wayanad (T37 category) won silver in 100m and 200m. This years national meet was special as it brought forth a marked improvement in the childrens performance, Girija said. Regular training helped them improve their muscle control and movement. Those who participated in the previous years event could better their performance. Some who won bronze last year won silver this year while one of last years silver medallists could upgrade it to gold this year, she said. Sharon, a 16-year-old hailing from Kozhikode, was the one who could improve the most among the team members, she said. He had dragging legs when he joined the team. There were bruises on his leg. However, his leg movement improved gradually. This year, he won gold in 100m and silver in 200m in the T35 category. CPSAK could also provide better facilities to the children this year, thanks to a sponsorship. Kochi-based Buimerc India Foundation is providing sponsorship for the children. We could give them better facilities for training and take them on a third-AC coach to Gujarat where the national event was held because of this, Girija said. Moreover, VHSS, Chathiyara, is providing its playground for the children to train for free.
Kerala students suffer as tour operators cant get along
KOCHI: The alleged professional animosity amongst tour operators is playing spoilsport for students and teachers going on study tours to other states. In one recent incident, students and teachers of a school in Angamaly on a trip to Kodaikanal had a harrowing time after the tour operator failed to ensure proper accommodation and make adequate arrangements for them. The management and Parents Teachers Association of SNDP School, Angamaly, submitted a written complaint before the Ernakulam Rural police chief on Thursday, saying that a group of 135 students and teachers had left for Kodaikanal in the early hours of November 1. We left early morning and reached Kodaikanal in the evening. Our accommodation had been fixed there. However, the tour operator failed to provide the stay, and all of us were made to travel to Ooty the same night after DJ party and food. We reached Ooty on November 2 early morning. All of us, including students, were made to travel the high terrains without proper rest and sleep for nearly two days and nights, the authorities said in the complaint. Moreover, the students and teachers could not visit major tourist spots in Ooty owing to the Diwali holiday rush. The team returned to Kerala on November 3. The school had booked the trip with Angamaly-based Green Kerala Holidays at Rs 2,800 per person. Proprietor of the firm Alex Antony told TNIE that the unfortunate incident took place due to professional animosity between tour operators. I have been operating the firm for 15 years. This is the first time such an incident has taken place. We normally make all the arrangements at the destinations with the support of local residents. However, in this case, our local person deserted us and didnt even respond to our panicked calls during and after the incident. Now, our reputation is at stake, said Antony, who has decided to approach the tour operators association and the police for a proper solution. He alleged that a tour operator who lost the bid for the school trip played behind the scenes. The school has to pay me about Rs 1 lakh for the previous trip. So, I wont make such a mistake deliberately, Antony said, adding: It is sad that some operators are endangering students for a few hundreds of rupees. Other schools based in Aluva, Angamaly and Thrissur reported facing similar experiences in the recent past.
Thiruvananthapuram tops medal tally at school sports meet
KOCHI: At the end of the fourth day of the 21st Kerala State School Sports Meet, which saw athletics getting under way at Ernakulam Maharajas College ground in Kochi on Thursday, Thiruvananthapuram continued to dominate the points tally. Thiruvanathapuram tops in the overall score with 1,561 points, followed by Thrissur district with 596 points and Kannur with 551 points. A total of 27 meet records (23 in aquatics and 4 in athletics) have been broken since the start of the sports meet. In the track and field events, the first record fell when Muhammed Ameen M P of KKMHSS Cheekode in Malappuram sped to the finish line clocking 8:37:69. The others who broke the meet records in the sports meet were Mohammed Ashfaq of G V Raja Sports School in 400 m senior boys and Sivadev Rajeev of Mar Basil HSS Kothamangalam in pole vault senior boys category. Kozhikode wins senior boys volleyball trophy Kozhikode became the champions in the senior boys volleyball at the sports meet by defeating defending champions Kottayam. They won three sets to one. Sports ayurveda brings comfort to athletes The Kerala Institute of Sports Ayurveda and Research (KISAR) under the Indian System of Medicine and National Ayush Mission is providing on-the-spot treatment to those injured at the sports meet. The medical team is working at all 17 venues where the sports meet is being held. Around 200 staff, including 20 specialist medical officers and 60 medical officers, are on hand to treat the children. On the first day of the sports meet, 228 athletes sought treatment. It was 350 on the second day, said state convener Dr P R Preeta. TPuram boxers overcome injuries to win gold The smiles on the faces of Dhilkshith Ajay, Anandhu Sheejanand and Saikrishna E M of GV Raja Sports School erase the pain that these boys had to overcome to win the gold in the ring. They fought against the odds to come out victorious. Ecstatic teammates toss Kannur captain Sijil Shaji who scored six goals against Kozhikode in the senior girls football final at the Kerala State School Sports Meet. The Kannur team, which scored eight goals, was crowned champions Sadly, the autorickshaw that the trio was travelling in on Wednesday after the semi-final match was hit by a car. It was a miracle that these young boxers didnt suffer any serious injuries in the accident and could compete in their final matches. Dhilkshith, a class 9 student, won gold in the 57 kg junior boys category. Anandhu, a class 10 student won gold in the 54 kg junior boys category and 10th grader Saikrishna won gold in the 75 kg junior boys category. Kannur U19 girls champions in football Kannur won the under-19 girls football competition at the sports meet. The Kannur team, who played against Kozhikode became the champions by scoring eight goals. Kozhikode won the second place and Thrissur won the third place. Yummy food Right from the start of the sports meet, the famed chef of school youth festivals Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri and his team have been dishing up a delectable array of dishes. Around 300 people are working round the clock in the games kitchen. The food for everyone taking part and associated with the sports meet is being prepared at kitchens set up in six venues. There are 13 food counters. The food is being prepared as per the instructions provided by the nutritionist appointed by the Director General of Education. Besides rice and curries, the kitchens also make chappathi, chicken curry, beef curry, egg, milk and fruit bowls.
Satchidanandan hints at ending public life owing to health issues
THRISSUR: Kerala Sahitya Akademi president K Satchidanandan, through a Facebook post, has revealed that he was suffering from Transient Global Amnesia and wanted to end his public life gradually. He also noted that in his 60 years of experience, he understood that speeches had never changed the world which was evident from the times of Christ and Buddha. He shared that about seven years back, he was diagnosed with the disease and has been taking medication for the same. In between, though the symptoms disappeared, the increasing stress in life has resulted in memory loss. He also shared that he was suffering from symptoms like shaking or trembling of hands and legs and memory issues. To take rest and regain health he would be staying away from public programmes. He urged cultural organisations and personalities in the state not to feel bad if he is unable to attend programmes for which he is invited. However, he assured that writing poems being his life, he would continue to attend programmes related to poems. He also assured to discharge his responsibilities as Akademi president until the end of his term. Born in Pulloot, Satchidanandan is a pioneer in modern poetry and a Left follower. He also serves as the director of Kerala Literary Festival. As literary critic and translator, he also placed Malayalam literature on an international platform.
Kerala school sports meet: Thiruvananthapuram dominates swimming, tops tally
KOCHI: As the 21st Kerala State School Sports Meet completed the third day, out of 529 events, 348 have been completed. On the third day, Thiruvananthapuram continued to dominate the points table. The district led with 91 golds, 76 silvers and 79 bronzes. It has scored 853 points. Kannur followed in the second position with 49 golds, 37 silvers and 51 bronzes with a total point of 469. Hosts Ernakulam stood 6th with 286 points. The swimming pool seemed to have been taken over by the swimmers from Thiruvananthapuram. The swimmers from the district gave no leeway to others and continued to rake in gold medals besides breaking records. On the 3rd day, after 56 of the 103 swimming events were completed, Thiruvananthapuram swimmers bagged 41 golds and stood far ahead of other districts with 353 points. Ernakulam came a distant second with 8 golds and 101 points. In aquatics, MVHSS Thundathil continued to dominate the pool and came out as the top achiever with 89 points. Athletics begins today The fourth day of the sports meet will see athletes setting the track of the main venue Ernakulam Maharajas College Stadium on fire. The athletics competitions will get under way on Thursday. In all, 2,700 athletes will participate in athletics competitions. Registration for the competitions started on Wednesday. Competitions for teachers will be held on the last day. Senior boys kho-kho final between Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram in progress at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Thoppumpady The athletics events will begin with the senior boys 5000m walk. This will be followed by senior girls 3000m walk and the junior boys 300m walk. Then sub-junior boys high jump, 400m run, shot put, 4x100m relay, sub-junior girls 400m run, long jump, shot put, 4x100m relay, junior boys pole vault, hammer throw, long jump, junior girls shot put, 3000m run, 400m run, high jump, long jump and 4100m relay events will be held. Senior boys long jump, 3000m run, 400m run, pole vault, hammer throw, high jump, 4x100m relay, senior girls discus throw, 3000m run, 400m run, high jump, javelin throw and 4x100m relay will also be held on Thursday. Athletics competitions will be completed in four days. Meanwhile, to enable everyone to enjoy the sports fiesta, Kite Victers TV Channel has begun the live telecast of the sports meet. 14 counters for registration Extensive facilities for registration for the athletics competitions have been arranged at Ernakulam Maharajas College Stadium. 14 counters have been prepared, one for each district. 80 per cent of the athletes registered on Wednesday. For the rest, the registration counter will reopen at 6 am on Thursday. Handball champions In the handball competition at the Kerala State School Sports Meet, Malappuram and Thrissur became the champions in the senior boys and senior girls categories. Malappuram came first by scoring 16 goals against the 14 scored by Kozhikode in the senior boys handball competition.
Beware of Ranga-like gangsters and their narco traps
KOCHI: Today, many youngsters seem to be fascinated by gangster characters like Ranga, played by Fahadh Faasil in the Malayalam movie, Avesham . However, this admiration almost led to the abduction of two college students in Kochi. It all started when one of the youth, a student of a college in Kakkanad and residing in an off-campus hostel, befriended Akshay Shaji, a 22-year-old from Irinjalakuda, on Instagram. The latter portrayed himself as a gangster. The photos and videos Akshay posted on the social media platform made him appear as a gangster. All this likely captivated the students, says a police officer. Akshay even offered to assist the student with any trouble at college. Trouble brewed soon enough. In early October, clashes broke out at the college between students from different batches over a love affair. The two youths, one hailing from Thrissur and the other, Pathanamthitta, were injured by seniors during this altercation. They mentioned the incident to Akshay over Instagram, and the latter vowed to avenge them, the officer explains. However, the situation at the college was resolved through parental and administrative intervention. Akshay the gangster, unaware of this development, arrived outside the college on October 17, accompanied by two friends. The students, who arrived subsequently on a scooter, informed Akshay that they no longer required his help as the matter had been settled. Angered by this, Akshay forced the students onto the scooter, driving them towards the Kalamassery area. During the journey, he declared that they were being abducted and would only be released upon the payment of Rs 15,000. He even threatened to kill them if they didnt pay or involved the police. One of the students managed to contacted his roommate, explaining the abduction and requesting him to arrange the money. The roommate, however, reported the matter to the Infopark police and on the advice of officer J S Sajeev Kumar, informed the victims that he could bring a gold chain instead of cash. The arrangement was made to meet near Kakkand to hand over the chain. As Akshay and the students reached Kakkanad, our team, dressed in plain clothes, tracked them in auto-rickshaws. We intercepted the scooter near the Kochi SEZ area, and though the accused attempted to escape, we caught him, Sajeev says. After Akshays arrest, police identified his friend Rizal, an aviation student living in Maradu. In a desperate attempt to evade arrest, Rizal injured himself by slashing his wrist. He was quickly taken to a hospital for emergency care. The police later decided not to arrest Rizal, as he only had a passive involvement in the case. During interrogation, we discovered that Akshay had no connection with criminal gangs; he was, in fact, a drug dealer with previous narcotics charges. He worked on private buses in Irinjalakuda and used Instagram to lure students, intending to introduce them to drug use and sales, Sajeev explains. For Sajeev and his team, the relief was less about thwarting an abduction and more about saving the students from Akshays narcotics scheme. One memorable moment was when one of the students, after being released, approached us proudly to say he had a black belt in karate, a police officer shares.
KIMS Hospitals expands into Kerala with plan for 3,000 new beds in five years
The initial steps include taking over Sreechand Hospital in Kannur and entering into an operations & management contract with Westfort Hospital in Thrissur
How two friends banded together to take on Ironman
KOCHI: At 42 and 38, Arunjith Unnikrishnan and Sreenath L thought that they were well past their prime and like many, had almost given up the thought of taking up sports. Almost. Just last week, the duo successfully completed the Ironman 70.3 in Goa a gruelling, international triathlon event that tests the mettle of even the most ardent of adventure sports enthusiasts. So, how did they do it? That story begins in 2019, during the long days of lockdown and isolation. To break free from the sedentary lifestyle that accompanied those times, the two leaned on sports activities. If it was running for Arunjith, for Sreenath, it was cycling. Later, when the pandemic waned, the two were not only reluctant to give up their newfound pursuits, but they also wanted to embrace it. Arunjith started going on long runs in and around Thrissur city, and Sreenath practised to cycle 100km in one stretch. Little did the duo know that they were only barely scratching the surface of adventure sports. To cycle 100 kilometre I thought that in itself was a big achievement. Boy, wasnt I wrong Sreenath tells TNIE. Indeed, for long-distance cycling events, 200kms was the starting distance. But rather than be miffed about it, Sreenath, who works as an assistant manager with the Reserve Bank of India in Kochi, took it as a challenge. That year, I completed 200-, 300-, 400- and 600-km stretches as per the specifications laid out by Audax Club Parisien (ACP), the authority on long-distance cycling events. This won me the Super Randonneur title, he says. Sreenath L and Arunjith Unnikrishnan The question that plagued his mind after this feat was, What next? Soon enough, this was answered when ACP announced the next edition of the Paris-Brest-Paris Randonneu a mega cycling event wherein one tries to cover 1,200km in under 90 hours. It was held last year, from August 20 to 24. Though I gave it my best, an injury I sustained forced me to retire at the 950-kilometre mark, Sreenath adds. Meanwhile, Arunjith, who had been bettering his run timings, soon got an invitation from Kerala Riders UAE, a Malayali triathlon club based in Dubai, to take part in Run, Kerala, Run a 28-day marathon challenge. I ran 31 half marathons back to back. Running had indeed become an obsession by then, he tells TNIE. It was also during this time that Arunjith, an assistant director of Talent at EY Kochi, learned about triathlons. All of his club members were participating in it. But being an aquaphobic, he couldnt. This fear of the water was a barrier; a handicap for me to pursue sports, especially triathlon, which required swimming, cycling and long-distance running. However, with some encouragement, I took the first step, i.e. to learn how to swim, Arunjith says. Even at the time, what was on his radar was the Ironman 70.3 triathlon event in Goa. As we all know, to work with a goal in mind makes the process easier. All my friends were participating in the event, so I thought, Why not me? One early morning, while on his way to attend a practice session in Periyar River near Aluva, Arunjith ran into Sreejith, whom he had met during a 2022 cycling event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the formation of Idukki district. When I told him about Ironman, Sreenath, too, expressed interest to join, he recalls. Indeed, Sreenath, who had just returned from a recovery trek to the Everest Base Camp, was raring for another adventure. I knew cycling but did not have enough practice in swimming or running. So I joined Arunjith for training in the Periyar River that morning, he says. The thing about swimming is that while someone can teach you the basic survival steps, you have to master the technique yourself. Its unique for each individual, to put it simply. After months of practice, I mastered it only a day before the Kochi Swimathon event in April. This boosted my confidence, Arunjith says. Sreenath just wanted the practice as he already knew the basics. However, the swimming leg in triathlons is no ordinary beast as it happens in the ocean. So we signed up for a sea swimming course in Puducherry. Later, we learned about a triathlon event here and enrolled in it to see how wed fare. Surprisingly, I came second overall, and Sreenath, too, gave a good performance, Arunjith recalls. The two were further buoyed by their performance in the Calicut Sprint Triathlon, organised by the Calicut Pedallers Club, two weeks later. In a matter of a month, we had transformed ourselves and were finally ready for Ironman, Sreenath explains. When October 27 came around and the two found themselves in Goa, each recalled how while they had learned to swim together, it was the other who helped them master the sport they didnt know. Arunjith taught running to Sreenath, and Sreenath, cycling to Arunjith. Now, no matter how they fared at the event, to get this far was achievement enough and we did it as a pair. As friends. Brothers under the banner of adventure sports, Arunjith says, adding, We did it purely out of passion, out of the fire that burns within us. Sreenath finished the event, which included 1.9km of sea swimming, 90km of cycling and 21.1km of running, in seven hours and 34 minutes, while Arunjith completed it in six hours and 47 minutes. The former ranked 296 overall and 262 in his age category, and the latter, 144 and 25, respectively. If we can, anyone can. All you need to bear in mind is this: make gradual progress. Eventually, you could finish an Ironman title, or whatever you set your heart to, Sreenath says. Arunjith concurs, adding, If you give your 100%, nothing is impossible. Now, the duo is planning and preparing for the Oceanman in Dubai and the Ironman 70.3 in Vietnam next year.
Waqfs land claim puts Munambam on edge
MUNAMBAM : There is something ubiquitous between the monsoon sea and the residents of Munambam and Kadappuram. The hearts of these fisherfolk resemble the roiling and boiling sea. The reason behind these turbulent emotions is the threat of losing their lands bought by their fathers and grandparents spending hard-earned money. The Waqf Board claim hangs like the Damocles sword, over 600 families living along the Munambam-Kadappuram coast. But why now? What made the Waqf Board stake a claim even after a settlement arrived in 1991 during the E K Nayanar governments tenure? Is it the announcement of the Coastal Highway and the boom in the tourism prospects of these lands? The questions posed by the residents who are now in a belligerent mode are many and intriguing. TNIE spoke to some residents who own documents identifying them as the owners. The Waqf claim has struck us like a bolt out of the blue, says 78-year-old P T Chacko who looks tired as he recounts the ordeal that he and other residents had undergone to secure the land documents way back in 1991. Chacko says, The main question that needs to be asked is why now? And that, too, after the announcement of the coastal highway. One needs to only add two and two to arrive at the most logical angle. The Waqf claim has struck us like a bolt out of the blue, says 78-year-old P T Chacko who looks tired as he recounts the ordeal that he and other residents had undergone to secure the land documents way back in 1991. Chacko says, The main question that needs to be asked is why now? And that, too, after the announcement of the coastal highway. One needs to only add two and two to arrive at the most logical angle. Chacko had settled down in Munambam in 1962. At that time nobody wanted this land since sea attack was a common thing. For six months of monsoon, the sea would race landward inundating the entire area. However, things began to perk up after the construction of the groyne along the Cherai, Munambam-Kadappuram coast, he adds. Chacko narrates how difficult it was to get permission to build a house due to an ongoing case filed by the management of Farook College. The case was taking very long. The residents here were finding it difficult to live and had even resorted to agitation. However, in 1986, a mediation talk was arranged by the E K Nayanar government. A compromise was arrived at with the Farook College management. As per the deal arrived at the behest of the state government, it was decided to grant ownership to the residents against a payment of a stipulated amount as the price for the land. In 1991, the residents were issued land ownership documents, says Chacko. For 47-year-old Viji Thearathe life has become a big question mark. I dont know what to do! The house that I am living in is on the verge of collapse. I am afraid to even touch the walls, says Viji as she shows the big cracks that have developed on the walls. Pointing towards the rotting beams that are gingerly holding up a structure that resembles a roof, she says, I got the biggest shock when I approached the village office to change the ownership of my land. The officers there told me that the process could not be carried out since there were some legal issues. A safe and secure house had been her and her husbands dream. But Vijis husband couldnt help her realise that dream. He passed away six years ago. Dominic Varghese, a resident of Munambam Viji accuses the revenue officials of not informing her of the seriousness of the matter. This is the land that my parents bought with the money that they earned from fishing. This land is the fruit of their sweat and blood. But now I am being told that I dont have any right over the land which was bought by my parents fair and square! Telling her financial struggles, Viji, who recently got a job as an Anganwadi helper, says, I get Rs 8,000 per month. But in this year and time, that is not enough to take care of the education of the children and the basic needs of the family. I cant even take a loan since the land cant be placed as collateral due to the dispute. Please, help us out. Only the state government can help us overcome this situation. Why should we vacate the land that has been rightfully ours? What is this Waqf? The first time that I heard of the name was in 2019. We are very simple people and do not know these things. So, it is the duty of the peoples representative whom we have elected to fight for us and help us out. The same is the situation of 78-year-old Mary Pallikkathayayil. It is a sorry sight to see her dwelling in a ramshackle structure made up of tarpaulins and wooden planks. I have pattayam for the land but cant even apply for housing under the LIFE Mission due to the case filed by the Waqf. How can they be so cruel to snatch this small piece of land from an old woman? I dont know how long I will live. However, it would have been good if I was able to build a small house and live in it! says Mary. This is the story of nearly all the residents at Munambam. As Dominic Varghese Pullickal says, In my case, it is a double whammy! My property comes under the alignment drawn up for the Coastal Highway project. However, due to the case filed by the Waqf, even if the government issues a compensation package I wont be getting it. It is a tragedy! The residents have been questioning the timing of the case filed. Mary Pallikkathayayil Whats the issue? Nearly five years ago, the Waqf Board laid claim to the areas of Munambam, Cherai, and Pallikkal in Ernakulam district, located along the northern coast of Vypeen. This region comprises around 1,000 land titles and is home to more than 600 families of various religious backgrounds, with land ownership records dating back to 1989. Historical context The history of ownership of this disputed land dates back to 1902. At that time, the King of Travancore leased 404 acres and 60 acres of water to Abdul Sattar Musa Haji Seth, who had come to Kerala from Gujarat for agricultural purposes. The lease had previously excluded the land of local fishermen who had lived there for many years before it. Later in 1948, his successor Siddique Seth registered this land at the Edappally (Ernakulam) Sub-Registrar Office. During the last 50 years, sea erosion caused significant land loss in areas of that island region. In particular, torrential rains and rough seas in 1934 completely obliterated a seaside known as Pandara seaside. A significant portion of the land leased by the King to Seth was included. Later registered land included areas where fishermen had resided for nearly a century. This registered land was handed over to the management of Farook College by Siddique Seth on November 1, 1950, by a gift deed or waqf (the construction work of Farook College was started in 1948 at Feroke in Kozhikode district). Siddique Seths closeness with Maulavi Abdullah Ahmed Ali, a Chavakkad native and founder of Farook College, is reported to have influenced his decision to give the land to the college. However, there are indications that Seth believed there was no use in holding such land when the 404-acre land was reduced to a quarter over the years due to sea erosion. However, it was registered at the time under the condition that the management of Farook College should not use that land for any purpose other than educational objectives, even if it could be bought and sold, and that if Farook College ceases to exist at any point, the land should be returned to his descendants. But knowingly or unknowingly, the word Waqf was written in that document. Even before the transfer of land, some of the residents had obtained occupancy certificates from the Taluk office. The locals did so because the certificate would help them get electricity, drinking water, etc. A few years later, some uneasiness arose between the management of Farook College and the residents due to some disputes over land use. This case continued for several years. Following the assessment that the land had been gifted to Farook College, subsequent court orders were not favourable to residents. Viji Prince Purchasing the land In 1975, the residents of the area formed a tenant group and filed a petition in the Paravoor Munsiff Court. That case continued for 12 years. After a long 34 years, in 1987, as part of a compromise, the then residents paid a large sum to the Farook College management to purchase the land where they had been living for more than a century. They paid Rs 250 a cent. At that time, the land in many nearby areas cost less than Rs 100. However, as fishermen who had been living there for ages, they were forced to pay a heavy price as their occupations would be adversely affected. Subsequently, Hassankutty Sahib, secretary of the managing council of Farook College, signed around 280 land documents between 1989 and 1993. Later events The area developed over the next three decades. Apart from hundreds of concrete houses, many institutions, churches, roads, and bridges were built. The people who lived in peace suddenly had to confront another threat. A person who came to the village office to pay the land tax in January 2022 was unable to do so because the tahsildar issued an order that it was Waqf land. During the later investigation, the residents realised that the Waqf Board had already started such actions in 2019. However, none of them received a single notification. It should be remembered that the Nisar Commission, formed by the V S Achuthanandan government to study encroachment on Waqf land, findings were not based on the complaint submitted by Farook College seeking the land back. A group called the Waqf Protection Committee has approached the court demanding the return of the land. A few people from Ernakulam were behind the association. What political parties say Minister for Sports and Waqf V Abdurahiman had recently said in a social media post that the government had initiated deliberations to amicably solve the Munambam issue. The Congress and the BJP, too, have taken up the issue with the Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan stating that his partys declared stand was that the controversial land at Munambam was not Waqf land. I had attended the meeting at Munambam to declare solidarity with the agitations. People were living in the area before land transactions and such land cannot be declared as Waqf property, he said. Satheesan said that Waqf land should be unconditional but there are conditions in the documents of the land. The CPI, too, had said that the official stand of the party was that nobody should be displaced from the land. Meanwhile, Union Minister Suresh Gopi lambasted both the Congress-led UDF and the ruling Left front for playing vote-bank politics on the issue. Issue created by Waqf Board, govt: Satheesan Kozhikode: The government is trying to give a space for the BJP as it did in the case of disrupting the Thrissur Pooram, said Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan. Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, he said the voices of CPM and BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on the Munambam land issue have become the same. What the Kerala Waqf Board chairman said is giving support to what the Javadekar said, he said. Satheesan said the attempt is to create a communal division in the issue. Now it is clear as to who are the villains in the game - it is the government and the Waqf Board. Our stand is that the people living in the area should be given title deeds that are permanent in nature, he said.
Thrissur MP Seat was presented to BJP by CPI(M) on a platter: K. Muraleedharan
Kerala Police register FIR against Union Minister Suresh Gopi for allegedly misusing an ambulance
Kerala Police has registered an FIR against Union Minister Suresh Gopi for allegedly misusing an ambulance by traveling on it to reach the Thrissur Pooram venue.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi booked for 'misusing' ambulance on Thrissur Pooram day
Union Minister Suresh Gopi and two others face charges for misusing an ambulance during the Thrissur Pooram festivities in April. Police allege they violated restrictions and used the ambulance for election campaign purposes. Gopi denies the accusations, claiming he was rescued by locals in the ambulance after his car was attacked.
Kerala CM orders re-probe into 2021 Kodakara Hawala case
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The Kerala government on Friday decided to re-investigate the 2021 Kodakara hawala case, placing the BJP in a precarious position amidst the by-elections. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan instructed the state DGP Shaikh Darvesh to initiate the reinvestigation promptly. In response, the BJP alleged that the recent disclosures in the Kodakara hawala case are concocted narratives orchestrated at the CPM's AKG Centre headquarters. Former BJP office secretary's revelations The probe comes in the wake of the disclosure by Thiroor Satheesh, the former BJP office secretary in Thrissur, that the funds confiscated during the 2021 Kodakara heist were hawala money intended for the BJP. His revelation has triggered a political uproar in Kerala just before the critical by-elections. Thiroor Satheesh has alleged that bags filled with cash and labeled as election campaign materials arrived at the party's district office at 11 pm on April 2, 2021. The transportation of the money was done with the knowledge of BJP district president Aneesh Kumar. Satheesh stated that Dharmarajan, a businessman and party supporter, had brought the funds and had also instructed to rent out a room for Dharmarajan. Although party leaders usually provided him with details of the person in such cases, Satheesh said no details were provided on this occasion. He admitted that he assisted in moving the bags into the office where the cash was stored in a room generally used by the party's general secretaries. He recounted feeling uneasy after realizing that the bags contained cash and took steps to secure the room. The money was later stolen during transport, a theft Satheesh only learned of the next day. Being the office secretary, he did not disclose the details to the police. On April 4, 2021, just three days before the Kerala assembly elections, a staged accident at 4:40 am in Kodakara led to the hijacking of a vehicle carrying Rs 3.5 crore. The SIT later found that the money was BJP funds transported from Karnataka to the BJP district secretary in Alappuzha. The first charge sheet submitted in the case before the Irinjalakuda First Class Magistrate Court listed 23 arrests and 19 witnesses, including BJP leaders. Of the money looted after the accident, Rs 1.4 crore remains unaccounted for. CPM state secretary M V Govindan alleges Rs 41.6 crore sent for distribution during elections CPI(M) State Secretary M. V. Govindan on Friday called for an investigation into the allegations that Thiruvathoor Sathessh's recent revelations indicate that crores were funnelled into the BJP office during the election period. He alleged that similar instances of money distribution have also occurred during by-elections, adding that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has shown no interest in probing the case. Govindan claimed that reports now suggest that a total of Rs 41.6 crore was funneled for election distribution and alleged that the BJP national leadership was aware of this cash inflow meant for influencing the elections. The CPM leader criticized the ED for only pursuing cases involving opposition leaders and urged an impartial probe. The Kerala police have submitted a detailed report, but the ED has yet to act on the matter. Meanwhile CPM Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim has written to union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman demanding a probe by ED into the BJP-hawala link in Kerala. BJP state president refutes allegations BJP State President K. Surendran dismissed the allegations, labelling them as baseless charges lacking any evidence. He asserted that there is no connection between the BJP and the Hawala case and that there is no evidence against him in any of these cases, deeming it a political manipulation ahead of the critical by-elections. BJP district president K.K. Aneesh Kumar dismissed Thiroor Satheesh's allegations as politically motivated. He stated that Satheesh had been dismissed from the party for financial irregularities and accused him of accepting money from the CPM to make false allegations against the BJP. Congress alleges CPM-BJP unholy nexus Opposition leader Satheesan alleged that the Kodakara hawala case has exposed an unholy alliance between the CPM and BJP. He alleged that the Kerala Police were aware of these details but chose not to disclose them. UDF candidate for Palakkad bypoll, Rahul Mankootathil, claimed that the Enforcement Directorate and Kerala Police were competing to protect Surendran in the Kodakara hawala case.
New revelations validate LDFs allegations in Kodakara scam: LDF Thrissur district committee
Political pressure prevented the ED from taking any action in Kodakara scam, says LDF district committee
Suresh Gopi admits that he used ambulance to reach Thrissur Pooram venue
Mr. Gopi had denied arriving at the venue in an ambulance and even challenged a CBI investigation into the matter
16 Candidates in Fray for Wayanad LS Bypoll
Thiruvananthapuram: Sixteen candidates remain in the contest for the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election after the deadline for withdrawing nomination papers ended on Wednesday. The main contenders are Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of the Congress-led UDF, Sathyan Mokeri of the CPM-led LDF, and Navya Haridas of the BJP-led NDA. All three candidates have completed the first two rounds of campaigning in the constituency. Priyanka Gandhi, who addressed street corner meetings in seven assembly segments across Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts on Monday and Tuesday, has left for Delhi. The state Congress leaders said Priyanka will be back soon to resume campaigning in the constituency. The bypoll will be held on November 13. The CPI candidate, Sathyan Mokeri, continued his campaign with door-to-door visits and street corner meetings. The BJP candidate, Navya Haridas, has also intensified her campaign in the constituency by holding public meetings in various assembly segments. In the Palakkad assembly by-election, 10 candidates remain in contention. P Sarin, endorsed by the LDF, has received the stethoscope as his election symbol. The primary contenders are Rahul Mamkootathil of Congress, LDF's P Sarin, and BJP's C Krishnakumar. Sarin switched allegiance to the LDF after being denied a ticket by the UDF. In Thrissur district's Chelakkara assembly by-election, six candidates are competing, including former MLA U Pradeep for the LDF, ex-MP Ramya Haridas for the UDF, and K Balakrishnan for the BJP. Additionally, the UDF faces a challenge from N K Sudheer, a dissenting Congress leader running under the banner of the Democratic Movement of Kerala (DMK), founded by MLA P V Anwar.
Thrissur Pooram controversy: Suresh Gopis remarks are provocative, says K.C. Venugopal
At Chelakkara, the AICC general secretary questions the silence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to the statements made by the Thrissur MP
Revenue District science festival kicks offin Thrissur
Union Minister Suresh Gopi demands CBI probe into Thrissur Pooram disruption
Kerala: Targeting the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government, Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Monday demanded a CBI investigation into the alleged disruption of the Thrissur Pooram in April this year. Addressing the convention for BJP Chelakkara bypoll candidate K Balakrishnan, the Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Tourism refuted earlier claims from BJP leaders that he had arrived at the Pooram venue in an ambulance. I went there in the private car of the BJP district president, not an ambulance, as Surendran (BJP state president K Surendran) believes, Gopi said. He accused the state government of trying to obscure the truth, and said, If Pinarayi Vijayan's police handle the investigation, the reality will remain hidden. Only a CBI inquiry can bring the truth to light. Challenging the state government, he said, If they have the courage, they should ask the CBI to carry out the investigation. I am ready to face it. The Thrissur Pooram disruption row has triggered a political debate in the state after Chief Minister Vijayan stated that the Pooram and the other rituals were not disrupted. CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan also echoed the same view. However, the opposition Congress-led UDF disagreed with the Chief Minister's remarks. Meanwhile, the Thrissur East Police registered a case for disrupting the Thrissur Pooram following a report submitted by the special investigation team that was constituted to conduct an inquiry into the matter. Congress and the Left ally CPI have alleged that the Pooram was purportedly disrupted to help the BJP win the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat by evoking Hindu sentiment. Visuals showing Suresh Gopi arriving at the site in an ambulance have also surfaced in the media. However, BJP leaders claimed that Gopi, who was the saffron partys candidate in Thrissur, came to ensure that the ceremonies were being performed according to the rituals. The actor-turned-politician further alleged that the ruling CPI(M) fears an impartial probe would expose the truth behind the disruption of the annual festivities. They are worried that many, including former and current ministers, could be questioned. I arrived at the venue on that day to inquire about the police atrocities against hundreds of Pooram lovers, he said.
Close on Sarins heels, CPI(M) eyes more significant shifts from Congress to the LDF
The CPI(M) has reportedly perceived a powerful political recruit and a potential whip to scourge the Congress in veteran leader K. Muraleedharan, who forswore electoral politics after his defeat in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat.
Thrissur Pooram not disrupted despite attempts with such an aim: Pinarayi
Chief Minister says Sangh Parivar usually communalises the Pooram and similar festivals to extract gains from them. Instead of taking the responsibility of exposing and preventing such malicious moves politically, the Opposition is displaying objectives similar to the Sangh Parivar by attempting to establish that Pooram was disrupted
Thrissur Pooram controversy: police register case
Yechury a textbook of resistance against inequalities and divisions: Kunjikkannan
He was speaking at the closing day of the AKPCTA State workshop held at Peechi in Thrissur
KSRTC to operate 2000 additional buses during Deepavali
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has made elaborate arrangements for operating 2,000 extra buses from Bengaluru to various places from October 30 to November 1, in view of Deepavali festival, officials said on Saturday. Later, special buses will be operated from various places of Intra and Interstate places to Bengaluru from November 3 to 4, they said. According to KSRTC, special buses will be exclusively operated from Bengaluru Kempegowda Bus Station to Dharmastala, Kukkesubramanya, Shivamogga, Hassan, Mangaluru, Kundapura, Shringeri, Horanadu, Davangere, Hubbali, Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Gokarna, Sirsi, Karwar, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Koppala, Yadgir, Bidar, Tirupathi, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and other places. Special buses from Mysuru Road Bus Station will be exclusively operated towards Mysuru, Hunsur, Piriyapatna, Virajpet, Kushalanagar, Mercara. All premier special buses will be operated from BMTC Bus Station, Shanthinagar (TTMC) to Madurai, Kumbakonam, Chennai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Calicut and other places in Tamil Nadu and Kerala state. it stated. In addition, special buses will be operated from all taluk/district bus stands in the jurisdiction of KSRTC based on the traffic needs, it added.
Heavy Rainfall and Cyclone Impact Cause Disruption in Kerala and Odisha
Heavy rainfall affected several regions across Kerala on Friday, resulting in waterlogging, traffic disruptions, and significant inconvenience. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for five districts in the state, with a warning for thunderstorms. Simultaneously, Cyclone Dana made landfall in Odisha, gradually weakening after impacting the eastern coastal regions. IMD Issues Orange Alert The IMD uses a color-coded alert system to indicate the severity of weather conditions. An orange alert signifies that residents should be prepared for severe weather conditions, with expected rainfall ranging from 64.5 mm to 204.4 mm in a single day. It often indicates widespread high-intensity rainfall, raising the risk of waterlogging and localized flooding. Residents in affected areas are urged to be cautious, limit travel, and follow local authority advisories to stay safe. Kerala on High Alert for Heavy Rainfall In Kerala, the IMDs orange alert applies to Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, and Thrissur. Heavy rains may lead to flash floods, landslides, and hazardous conditions. Additionally, a yellow alert, signifying rainfall between 6 and 11 cm, is in effect for seven other districts. IMD forecasts for Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam anticipate thunderstorms with intense rainfall and gusty winds, with Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha also expecting moderate rainfall with strong winds. Cyclone Dana Weakens After Odisha Landfall Cyclone Dana made landfall on Thursday night between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara and Dhamra in Bhadrak, Odisha. Initially classified as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds reaching 110 km/h, it has since weakened to a cyclonic storm. Odisha, West Bengal, and other nearby coastal areas experienced significant storm impacts. Chief Minister of Odisha Mohan Charan Majhi shared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were briefed on Odishas preparedness before the cyclone hit. The Congress party has called on the central government to provide full support for affected states, urging immediate deployment of emergency response efforts for public safety. Following the landfall, Cyclone Dana was approximately 50 km north-northwest of Dhamra and 30 km northeast of Bhadrak. IMD reports predict that it will continue moving northwest, weakening further into a deep depression within the next six hours. The Doppler weather radar at Paradip is closely monitoring the cyclones progress and intensity. West Bengal: One Dead in Cyclone Dana; Over 2-Lakh Evacuated, Says Mamata Banerjee Bhubaneswar and Kolkata Airports Resume Flight Operations After Cyclone Dana's Impact Cyclone Dana: Odisha Begins Restoration and Relief Efforts in Bhadrak
Kerala braces for widespread rain on October 26; yellow alert for eight districts
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has declared a yellow alert in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.
Satheesan slams CM for colluding with Sangh Parivar
Pinarayi Vijayan helped the BJP win the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat by getting the ADGP to spoil the Thrissur Pooram, Leader of the Opposition alleges.
CM Vijayan accuses BJP, Congress of misrepresenting Malappuram district
Thrissur: Kicking off his campaign for Left candidates contesting the by-polls in Kerala, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday, October 25 hit out at the BJP and the Congress-led UDF, alleging that the Sangh Parivar is misrepresenting Malappuram district, with the grand old party supporting this narrative. Vijayan, who recently faced backlash for remarks linking Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
From Tokyo to Toronto to New Delhi and Thrissur, the challenges of a narrow plot have paved the way for architectural innovations, both in India and globally
Kerala's GST department seized 108 kg of unaccounted gold in raids on 78 jewellery units in Thrissur. The operation involved over 700 officials and leads to significant confessions about suppressed sales. Businesses will pay fines plus interest and GST to reclaim the gold. The investigation of records will continue for weeks or months.
Heavy rains lash Kerala; IMD sounds orange alert in five districts
Thiruvananthapuram: Heavy rains lashed several parts of Kerala on Friday disrupting normal life by causing waterlogging of roads and traffic jams, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) sounding an orange alert in five districts of the state. The IMD issued an orange alert for the day in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki and Thrissur districts. It also issued a yellow alert in seven other districts of the state. An orange alert means very heavy rain (6 cm to 20 cm). A yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 and 11 cm. The IMD also predicted thunderstorms with heavy rainfall and gusty winds at one or two places in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts. It also predicted thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds in some parts of Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts.
Kerala GST seizes 120 kg of unaccounted gold in major Thrissur operation
Thrissur : In a major operation targeting gold jewellery manufacturing units in Thrissur, known for its gold trade, the Kerala Goods and Services Tax (GST) has seized 120 kilograms of unaccounted gold. This operation, dubbed Torre del Oro, is regarded as one of the largest of its kind in the state. It commenced on Wednesday evening and continued into Thursday, involving over 700 officials who inspected around 78 locations, including both manufacturing facilities and the homes of jewellers throughout the central Kerala district. According to official sources, officials found significant irregularities in billing and taxation processes, in addition to seizing the gold. The extensive raids were carried out under the supervision of GST Special Commissioner Abraham Renn S. Sources added that to ensure secrecy, officials from across the state were summoned to Thrissur under the pretext of a training programme and transported to various locations on buses marked with banners reading study tour. State GST Intelligence Deputy Commissioner Dinesh Kumar told the media that the operation, Torre del Oro, would continue.
Massive GST raids in Keralas Thrissur, officials seize 104 kg unaccounted gold so far
GST officials reportedly seize documents also that may help throw light on tax evasion
Siblings to represent country at World Robotics Olympiad in Turkey
Cathlin Marie Jeesan and Clare Rose Jeesan, siblings from Thrissur, won gold medal at the National Robotics Olympiad 2024 recently, making them eligible to participate at the global level
CPM MLA Mukesh arrested in sexual assault case, released on bail
Thrissur (Kerala): CPM MLA and actor M. Mukesh has been arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with a 2010 sexual assault case in the central Kerala district of Thrissur. His lawyer confirmed that the MLA was arrested on Monday, his medical examination and potency test were carried out and then he was released as he had been granted anticipatory bail in the case by a sessions court on September 24. Two cases have been registered against Mukesh, one by the Wadakkanchery police and the other by the Maradu police and in both he has got anticipatory bail. According to the police, the complainant in the case at Wadakkanchery is the same female actor on whose complaint a FIR has been lodged against him at Maradu police station. The actor has claimed that the charges were the result of his refusal to succumb to blackmail attempts by the complainant. Multiple FIRs have been registered against several high-profile Malayalam film personalities following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors, sparked by revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report. The committee was established by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case. Its report highlighted instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry. In response to these allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation involving several actors and directors, the state government announced the formation of a seven-member Special Investigation Team on August 25 to investigate the claims.
Strict fireworks norms an open challenge to Thrissur Pooram, says Revenue Minister
K. Rajan terms the regulations unscientific and impractical. Political parties, Devaswoms call for complete withdrawal of restrictions
Centres tighter norms for fireworks worry Thrissur Pooram enthusiasts
CPI calls for a more enjoyable viewing experience of both the Pooram and the fireworks, asks Centre to ease norms
In a remarkable turnaround, a canal in Mattathur panchayat, Thrissur, has roared back to life, thanks to the relentless efforts of local residents. Once a lifeline for three local bodies, the Valiyathodu Canal had fallen...
Public hearing for women plantation workers in Thrissur on October 19
Swell waves continue to pound coastline of Kerala
INCOIS forecasts swell waves in the range of 0.5-1.3 m height in Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kannur, Kasaragod, Kollam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram, and Thrissur till 5.30 p.m. on Friday
Centre approves CZMP of 10 coastal districts of Kerala
Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change approves the CZMPs of Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram, as per the CRZ Notification 2019. The new regime will benefit 10 lakh people, according to the State government
Who is Oviya Helen and why is she trending?
The public's attention has been drawn to actress Oviya, or Helen Nelson as she is known when a purported private video of her was leaked on the internet. This footage which appears to be of a woman and a man about to have intercourse and has caused so much uproar on different social media sites with some saying it is a deepfake while others are arguing the opposite. Oviya has indeed of late been in the eye of people due to her responding subtly to the controversies raised concerning her. Who is Oviya Helen Nelson? Oviya is born in a Christian family from Thrissur, Kerala. She started acting in a lead role in the film Kangaroo opposite Prithviraj Sukumaran released in 2007. Though she was featured in some movies like Puthiya Mukham and Apoorva, she decided to take a short break to finish her undergraduate studies back in her hometown. In the Tamil film industry her first prominent role came in 2010 with her casting in Kalavani directed by Sarkunam. In this film, Oviya played alongside Vimal and she was well-appreciated for her performance; the success of the film led to many other opportunities. Later on, she acted in Vengai, Sevanu, and Muthukku Muthaaga. However, her appearance on Bigg Boss Tamil Season 1 in the year 2017 put her in the limelight overwhelmingly. Oviya though being targeted by fellow contestants soon became a viewer's favorite among contestants because of her witty and blunt nature. She ended up dropping out of the reality show within mid-season because of health issues but still had a huge fan base and when she came out, she had increased the fanbase. The Video Leak Controversy The recent feud involving Oviya came as a result of a video that leaked on Oviyas posted social media title X in which she was seen in closeness with other people. As far as the video is concerned, some of the advocates pointed out that the actress is likely to be a victim of deep fake and that the video has been forged to ruin the actress reputation. So in retaliation, Oviya uploaded a selfie on her Instagram which did not look like she was bothered with the rumors. When she was asked to not overreact about the video recording of her hot scene, Oviya stood up to her calm composure. To that fantasy, Oviya replied dryly Next time bro, not prepared to take the insults lying down. Authenticity What recently made the rounds on social media gathered many fans and critics of Oviya, arguing whether it is really her in the embedded video. Most think it may just be a subtler way of attacking the actress, whereas others still doubt it. In any case, the fact that Oviya has managed to keep calm and carry herself well has only contributed to adding her reputation as an individual who despite facing many challenges stands erect. Oviya has been tight lipped about the controversies following her but as this one is there it has amazed many as she balanced her personal and social life once more to show why she is what she is today in the South Indian film industry.
Reward for accurately counting potholes in Thrissur city, says Rajan Pallan
The Opposition leader of the Thrissur Corporation asks about the funds allocated for road repairs and why patchwork repairs have not been initiated
