The New Indian Express News

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will head the newly reconstituted Kerala State Board for Wildlife. Minister for Forests and Wildlife A K Saseendran will serve as the vice-chairperson. The board includes MLAs V Sasi, Sebastian Kulathunkal from Poonjar constituency and A Prabhakaran from Malampuzha constituency. Other members include environmentalists, conservation activists and representatives of non-governmental organisations. Senior officials from major departments such as f

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following the Kerala Film Chambers decision not to screen movies in government-owned cinemas from next month, Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian said on Wednesday that inter-departmental interventions have been initiated towards their demands. They have given a letter regarding this, and we have held a discussion with them. But many of their demands require coordinated efforts of multiple departments, including Electricity and Local Self-Government Departments, the minist

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Syndicate of the University of Kerala has decided to appoint Prof Sam Solomon, head of the department of optoelectronics, as registrar of the varsity. Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal who chaired the meeting refused to place before the Syndicate the award of PhD to researcher Vipin Vijayan on grounds that the matter was sub-judice. Vipins open defence of his doctoral thesis had courted controversy after C N Vijayakumari, the dean of the faculty of oriental studies, ob

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has increased the monthly premium under the Medisep health insurance scheme for government employees and pensioners from Rs 500 to Rs 810. An official order to this effect was issued on Tuesday. The scheme will be implemented with effect from January 1, 2026. Employee organisations have protested the steep hike and demanded that the government contribute an equal share to the premium, instead of placing the entire additional burden on the staff. They have

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP on Wednesday held a series of meetings with its councillors in the Thiruvananthapuram corporation to finalise its mayor and deputy mayor candidates. Sources said that the party leadership decided to defer an announcement amid differences of opinion with the RSS. Though an announcement was expected on Wednesday, the leadership chose to keep the names under wraps after the RSS strongly pitched for an experienced councillor to be named mayor. Party insiders said the RSS

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Still clueless over the fate of the gold that was stolen from Sabarimala artefacts, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the gold theft cases have fanned out its probe to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The sleuths visited various locations in Chennai in a bid to collect more evidence against Smart Creations CEO Pankaj Bhandari. Another team of officers conducted another round of search at Roddam Jewellers in Ballari in Karnataka. Roddam Jewellers is owned by Govardhan, who

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has announced a financial assistance of Rs 30 lakh to the family of Ramnarayan Baghel, the migrant worker who was lynched to death by a mob in Palakkad. A sum of Rs 5 lakh each will be given to Ramnarayans mother and wife, while Rs 10 lakh each will be allotted to his children as fixed deposit. The amount will be disbursed from the Chief Ministers Disaster Relief Fund, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday. Lashing out against the Sangh pariva

In a year shaped by uncomfortable truths, TNIE brought to light stories that exposed fault lines in governance, society and the environment, prompting debate and remedial action by authorities. As the year draws to a close, we look back at the stories that raised eyebrows, stirred public conscience and made an impact Verdict leak shock Judgment leaked? Key details of actor assault case verdict out a week before P Ramdas | December 10 The breaking report exposed how key details of the actor assau

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has submitted a six-point memorandum to the Union government to ease its financial crisis. Finance Minister K N Balagopal, in a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman blamed simultaneous shocks to state revenues and constraints on borrowing capacity for the current crisis. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a press conference on Wednesday, had severely criticised the centre for the discrimination in allocating central funds to states and als

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Sabarimala issue could have been one of the reasons for the LDFs poor performance in the local body elections. Addressing media after cabinet, he said LDF will look into the fronts performance and make necessary corrections. However, he refused to give undue importance to Sabarimala in the election outcome, pointing to the result in Pandalam municipality, which the LDF wrested back from the BJP. Pinarayi alleged a nexus between the BJP

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is planning to introduce a permanent nativity card as a new identification document to prove residency as it looks to address concerns related to citizenship. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who announced the cabinet decision on Wednesday said the card will replace the nativity certificate currently issued in the state. Terming as worrying the situation faced by people who have to prove their citizenship, Pinarayi said an authentic and legally-backed docu

KOZHIKODE: A pregnant woman sustained serious burns after being allegedly assaulted by her partner using a hot iron box at Kodenchery in Kozhikode. The woman is currently undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. She sustained serious burns on her hands, legs, and other parts of her body. The accused has been identified as Shahid Rahman of Peruvalli, Kodenchery. According to preliminary information, Shahid is allegedly addicted to drugs and also involved in the use a

KANNUR: Like every Christmas, Malabar Bakery near Kannur Market continues to uphold a cherished tradition of preparing its classic icing plum cake. Serving the people of Kannur for the past 115 years, the bakery is a symbol of nostalgia and trust. Even today, the original cake that has delighted customers for generations is baked and sold, garnering special demand during the Christmas season. For many in the town, the familiar taste of Malabar Bakerys icing plum cake is an indispensable part of

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malappuram, which once reported the highest number of home births in Kerala, has witnessed a remarkable turnaround this year with an 80% drop in such cases. The district reported 36 home births so far in the current financial year, a major drop from 191 reported in the previous fiscal. The demise of 35-year-old Asma, who bled to death during a home birth at her rented house in Malappuram on April 5, proved a turning point. Following the botched delivery, field workers, with t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The draft electoral roll for the 2026 assembly election published on Tuesday registered an overall dip in voter numbers by 8.65% compared to the voters list prior to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Of this, the sharpest drop in voter numbers was recorded in Thiruvananthapuram at 14.31%, followed by Idukki, Ernakulam and Kottayam. Notably, the northern districts of Kannur and Malappuram recorded the least drop in the number of voters. Chief Electoral Officer-Kerala Rath

IDUKKI: At a time when Kerala is witnessing disturbing incidents of migrant workers being attacked by mobs on mere suspicion sometimes after being labelled thieves or outsiders - one such suspicious stranger walking alone through a forest road in Idukki last week could easily have met a similar fate. He was walking alone on a deserted forest stretch clothes torn, body trembling, and a sack slung over his shoulder. To many, he looked like danger. In truth, Baran Marandi was a hungry, lost husba

Time slows down in Fort Kochi every December. There is always something special about the Christmas - New Year season in this nook of the world. Its not just about the old-world charm and colonial hangover the place is known for. The special vibe comes from the communitys warmth and camaraderie. And at the centre of this stands a 400-year-old rain tree at Veli Ground. Gathering around this tree during festivities has been an age-old tradition. Over time, however, this tradition has evolved into

Histories of theatre often remember movements, institutions, and landmark productions. What they forget are the people in rehearsal rooms and backstage corners the women who acted, wrote, and sustained the stage, yet rarely entered official histories. For the Love of Art: The Lost History of Women in Kerala Theatre, Jayasree Kalathils English translation of Sajitha Madathils acclaimed Malayala Nataka Sthree Charithram, steps into this silence with urgency, restoring women to the centre of Malay

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Film maker and two-time MLA P T Kunju Muhammed's arrest was recorded by the Cantonment police on Tuesday in a sexual assault case registered on a complaint filed by a woman film director. He was later released as he had obtained pre-arrest bail from the principal sessions court. The court had ordered that in case the accused was arrested, he should be released on bail. The accused reportedly denied the allegation before the investigators. The police on December 7 registered a

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP will hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss and finalise its candidates for the mayor and deputy mayor posts. The meeting will be attended by senior party leaders and NDA councillors, after which the party is likely to announce its candidates, sources said. Party insiders said the BJP has almost finalised councillor R Sreelekha for the mayors post and senior councillor Manju G S for the deputy mayors post. However, senior leaders maintained that a final decision would

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With new revelations coming up in connection with the Sabarimala gold theft case, the special investigation team probing the case has been met with fresh claims that could further complicate the investigation. A businessman, named earlier by Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, has reportedly told the SIT that the first accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, had close links with D Mani, an antique collector based in Chennai. It is learnt that in his statement, the businessman alleged th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keralas first skin bank at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College has started processing donor skin, ushering in a new era in advanced burn care in the state. The facility, established alongside the Burns Unit, is expected to significantly improve survival and recovery outcomes for patients who lose skin due to severe burns and accidents. The harvested skin is preserved under specially controlled temperatures and undergoes a three-week chemical processing procedure. Once proc

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has agreed to increase the width of the vehicular underpass at Kumarichantha as part of the NH 66 development activities, informed Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor. Noting in an X post that the decision came after his discussion on the issue with the NHAI chairman Santhosh Kumar Yadav, he wrote that the community leaders of the locality too have agreed to the NHAI decision. Requesting the people to call off their agitation an

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a gesture of environmental stewardship and festive goodwill, ITREK Trekking & Outdoor Activities Group mobilised a dedicated 25-member team for a large-scale plastic clean-up drive at Ponmudi hill station on December 20. Led by founder Suresh Sam Chandy, the volunteers targeted two key locations, removing heaps of plastic waste to restore the areas natural splendour. ITREK, a vibrant community of nearly 700 members from diverse backgrounds across the state and beyond, oper

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Close on the heels of the Bharat Mata portrait row, the inclusion of Hindutva icon V D Savarkars picture in the inaugural calendar brought out by the Kerala Lok Bhavan has raised eyebrows. The 2026 calendar, intended to be circulated among the Lok Bhavan staff, has a stamp sized picture of Savarkar in the February page, highlighting his death anniversary on the 26th of the month. The calendar also has dozens of pictures of national icons against the dates related to them as w

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to address substance abuse among young professionals, the Prevention of Drug Abuse (PODA), a joint initiative of the state police and the private sector, is being rolled out, said state police chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar. The initiative focuses on preventing drug abuse at work places through cooperation between police and private institutions. Under PODA, private sector employees will be required to sign a mandatory declaration at the time of joining, stating that t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala consistently featured among the top ten states sending students abroad between 2016 and 2020, according to a NITI Aayog report. The state improved its position from eighth to seventh in the country during the period, showed the report Internalisation of Higher Education in India Prospects, Potential and Policy Recommendations released on Monday. India is the largest source of international students with 13.35 lakh persons pursuing studies overseas in 2024. The top fiv

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vande Bharat Express travelling from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram hit an autorickshaw at Akathumuri railway station near Varkala on Tuesday night. The driver reportedly jumped out of the autorickshaw just in time and suffered minor injuries. The incident happened around 10.25pm when the autorickshaw reportedly entered the railway track from the platform area. Police suspect that the autorickshaw driver was under the influence of alcohol. The injured driver, Sudhi of Ka

KOCHI: In a performance that defied his age, K K Velayudhan has scripted history by winning gold at the Asian Masters Classic Powerlifting Championship held in Istanbul, Turkey. The 71-year-old, who hails from Muttikulangara in Palakkad, won the precious metal in the 59kg category at the championship, which took place from December 1 to 10. It is indeed very special to win. Its been a dream I harboured for a long time. Im thrilled to have finally achieved it, Velayudhan told TNIE. With the gold-

PALAKKAD: Details from the investigation into the mob lynching of Ramnarayan Baghel, 31, a migrant labourer from Chhattisgarh, reveal a pattern of sustained and deliberate violence preceding his death in Walayar, Palakkad. According to post-mortem findings and remand-report details from investigative sources, he suffered extensive, repeated assaults with sticks and kicks, particularly targeting his head, face, chest and back, suggesting prolonged torture rather than a single episode of violence.

PALAKKAD: Two more persons have been arrested in connection with the lynching of migrant worker Ramnarayan Baghel, 31 , at Attappallam in Walayar, taking the total number of accused in custody to seven. The newly arrested are Vinod Kumar, 54, and Jagadeesh Kumar, 49, both residents of Kizhakke Attappallam. They were taken into custody in a joint operation led by the Crime Branch and the Walayar police. Police said several suspects in the case are believed to have fled to Tamil Nadu, and efforts

KOCHI: Letting bygones be bygones, past fire-breathing accusations melted into broad smiles on Tuesday, as Opposition Leader V D Satheesan and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) leader P V Anvar publicly reaffirmed their political camaraderie, by draping each other in tricolour shawls. Underscoring the strength of new associate members joining the UDF fold, the event was attended by Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS) leader C K Janu. Satheesan ceremonially presented shawls to Janu also, and to

MALAPPURAM: Members of the Panakkad family and the leaders of the IUML attended the reception for the Sandesha Yathra organised by the Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama at Tirur on Tuesday. IUML Malappuram district president Panakkad Syed Abbas Ali Shihab Thangal inaugurated the meeting. It may be recalled that the members of the Panakkad family stayed away from the inauguration of the yathra at Nagercoil on December 18. The IUML leaders did not attend the reception meetings at various places i

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After bird flu (H5N1) cases were reported in parts of Kottayam and Alappuzha districts, Health Minister Veena George convened a State-level Rapid Response Team meeting to review the situation. The minister clarified that bird flu has not yet affected humans in the state but stressed that precautionary measures are essential. She urged strict vigilance at the field level and called on everyone to follow the guidelines. The health department has already issued special guideline

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Alarmed by the rise in unsafe riding practices linked to ultra-fast delivery targets, the motor vehicles department (MVD) has issued notices to leading quick-commerce firms, including Blinkit, Swiggy, Zepto and BigBasket, directing them to strictly adhere to road safety guidelines. Transport Commissioner C Nagaraju confirmed that notices have been served on dark stores as well as delivery platforms, and said the companies have been given 15 days to streamline delivery timelin

KOCHI: Creativity and faith are both a calling that can come together in the artistic process. Nuns who embody this union may be considered rather rare to come by. But, then, there are those in the habit of overturning popular perception. Sr Lismys journey as a cinematographer began in the silence of her Congregation of the Mother of Carmel (CMC) convent. It was a chance encounter with a simple camera that stirred to life an interest. My superiors at the CMC Nirmala Province in Thrissur support

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Researchers in Kerala have developed a technology that could significantly reshape the countrys rubber marketing sector by ensuring more accurate grading and fairer pricing for farmers. The innovation, the outcome of two years of meticulous research conducted at the College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET), has won the institution a patent from the Indian government. Natural rubber from Kerala is graded mainly into ribbed smoked sheet (RSS) 4 and 5, with vastly varying prices.

PATHANAMTHITTA: In a modest home in Anandapally, near Adoor, the story of Christmas unfolds not through sermons or stage plays, but across hundreds of postage stamps from around the world. At 77, veteran art teacher Ramachandrans stamps retell the tale of Christs birth using a rare Christmas-themed collection that spans more than a century of global postal history. A former president of the Pathanamthitta District Philatelic and Numismatic Society, Ramachandran owns more than 300 Christmas-them

THRISSUR: Lalitha sat on the verandah in the Welfare Partys office in Thrissur, frozen, her eyes blank. A numbness has enveloped the 35-year-old since Sunday night, when she saw the lifeless form of her husband Ramnarayan Baghel, a Chhattisgarh resident who was lynched by a mob at Attappallam in Palakkad on December 17 over suspicions of theft and being a Bangladeshi. It had not let go of her when TNIE spoke to her on Monday night. Nearby, her children, aged 10 and 9, watched videos on the mobil

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: 2.54 crore voters have been included in Kerala's draft electoral roll published on Tuesday following the recently concluded Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The electoral roll finalised on October 27 featured 2.78 crore voters; 24.08 lakh voters have been excluded from the draft list following the SIR. The excluded persons mainly include those categorised as Absent, Shifted or Dead (ASD). According to Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rathan U Kelkar, those exc

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following the allegations of accepting bribes for facilitating parole and illegal activities for prisoners, the state Home Department has suspended Prisons Deputy Inspector General (DIG) MK Vinod Kumar. The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has booked the officer in the issue, as part of which he will be out of service with immediate effect till the probe is completed. Based on the primary investigation of the Special Cell Unit, Vinod was found to have misused his powers b

KOZHIKODE:Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ouided Bouchamaoui visited the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls, Nadakkavu, on December 18as a distinguished guest of the Faizal and Shabana Foundation. The visit marked a significant and inspiring moment for the school community, students, and faculty alike, said a press release from the Foundation. During her visit, she held cordial interactions with the principal and headmaster of the institution, gaining insights into the schools ac

Sadakku sadakku The trend centres around Thakilu Pukilu, the popular song from the 2001 Malayalam film Ravanaprabhu, which re-released in October. Fans revelled in Suresh Peters high-energy beats and Mohanlals macho maximus presence. Videos from the theatre went viral. So much so that even a local politician became an overnight star after a video showed him grooving to the song. Riding this renewed interest, the web world was taken over by AI-generated Poochandi cat dance clips using the song as

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A special fast-track court here has sentenced a man to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 65,000 for abducting two minor girls by impersonating a police officer and sexually assaulting one of them. The accused, Vishnu, 35, a native of Madathuvila near the Medical College, was found guilty by Special Fast Track Court Judge Anju Meera Birla. The court also directed that the fine amount be paid to the survivor and that the Legal Services Authority prov

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The controversial Varkala Dakshin Kashi project, launched at the ancient Janardhana Swamy Temple under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme, has landed in legal trouble, with environmental activists filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court seeking its intervention. The PIL highlights the archaeological and immense heritage value of the nearly 2,000-year-old Janardhana Swamy Temple and alleges that the project is causing damage to the temple. It further claims tha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Artist Subin Abrahams paintings are rooted in memories, emotions and self-reflection. And his latest solo exhibition, Sole on the Soil, on display at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, stands as a testament to that. The exhibition brings together paintings that represent the natural world and the essence of village life. Though Subin portrays the realities and hardships of rural life, they appear nostalgic and serene. Maybe he was trying to convey, the hardship behind the idyllic.

KOZHIKODE: Beypore is preparing for three days of colour, competition and coastal celebration as the fifth edition of the Beypore International Water Festival will begin on December 26. The festival is spread across six locations in and around the historic port town in Kozhikode. One of the key highlights this year will be the international kite festival, which is expected to see participation from flyers representing five countries. The countdown to the festival will begin on December 25 with a

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major move aimed at promoting women workforce and gender equality across the state, the Kudumbashree Mission is all set to roll out a comprehensive state-wide gender campaign, Uyare from January 1, 2026. The campaign aims to raise womens participation in the labour force from the current 20 per cent to 50 per cent, while simultaneously working towards the creation of safe and inclusive workplaces. As part of the first phase, campaign-related information and awareness pro

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dousing the BJPs high hopes of expanding its base in the state , the partys vote share declined in the just concluded local body polls to 14.76%, according to data released by the State Election Commission on Monday. The saffron party-led NDA had secured 19.26% of total votes polled in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, while the fronts vote share hovered around 15% this time. The Congress emerged on top with 29.17% of the votes, while CPM finished second with 27.16%. However, desp

KOCHI/TPURAM : In a landmark moment for Indias public healthcare, the Ernakulam General Hospital (GH), performed a heart transplant on a Nepalese woman on Monday, marking the first time a district-level government hospital in the country has undertaken such complex procedures. Durga Kaami, a 22-year-old woman from Nepal, received the heart of Shibu, 46, a Kollam resident who was declared brain dead on December 21 following a road accident. After his family comprising mother Shakunthala and sibli