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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Home Department has suspended Vatakara DySP Umesh A, who was accused of sexually exploiting a woman whom he had detained for immoral trafficking while serving as Circle Inspector in Vadakkenchery station in 2014. The government action was based on a special report filed by the State Police Chief, which found the officer guilty of grave official misconduct, indiscipline and abuse of power. The incident came to the fore via a suicide note penned by Cherpulassery station Ins

KOCHI: A decomposed body, suspected to be that of missing Bengaluru native Suraj Lama, was recovered from a forested area near the Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) premises in Kalamassery on Sunday morning. Lama had gone missing shortly after being deported from Kuwait. The remains, believed to be at least one-and-a-half months old, were discovered by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the missing person case, said a source with the Ernakulam Rural Police. The SIT had intensified the prob

GURUVAYUR: Marking the 49th remembrance day of Gajarajan Guruvayur Keshavan, the legendary tusker revered for his unwavering devotion to Lord Sree Guruvayurappan, Junior members of the Guruvayur elephant family offered floral homage on Saturday. A large number of devotees and elephant enthusiasts gathered at the Sreevalsam Guest House premises, where a life-sized statue of Keshavan stands as a symbol of loyalty, strength and surrender. Procession and Salute The memorial procession began around 7

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vanchiyoor court on Saturday sentenced Adam Ali, a native of Bengal, to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 90,000 in the Keshavadasapuram Manorama murder case. The court found that he strangled 70-year-old Manorama and dumped her body in a well near her house in 2022. The verdict came after dramatic scenes in the courtroom earlier in the day. Moments after he was pronounced guilty, Adam Ali ran out of the courtroom. Lawyers and police officers chased him and caugh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday shared photographs of Unnikrishnan Potti - the key accused in the Sabarimala gold scam - with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, reiterating through a post on his Facebook and X handles that the case is part of a larger conspiracy involving both the Congress and the CPM. In a strongly worded statement, Chandrasekhar said that the arguments we put forward from the beginning have now been proven

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Aiming to make Cancer Safe Kerala a reality, the Global Preventive Onco Summit will be held at the Hotel Hyatt Regency here from January 26 to 28. Touted to be the worlds first-ever cancer prevention conclave, the event will bring together cancer specialists from India and abroad, including experts from the Mayo Clinic in the United States and the World Health Organisation. Hosted by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Swasthi Foundation, and supported by leading institutions like A

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : In the run-up to the Navy Day celebrations at Shankhumukham beach, the city corporation has come up with elaborate arrangements and restrictions to ensure the smooth conduct of the event scheduled for Wednesday. The event that will offer the public the opportunity to witness the Indian Navys multi-domain operational capabilities is expected to be attended by over 46,000 spectators. To address the growing bird hit menace being reported in the airport area, the civic body has

KOCHI: Fort Kochi is preparing for the consecration of a new bishop after 25 years. Monsignor Antony Kattiparambil will be consecrated as the 36th bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cochin on December 7. The ceremony will be held at the Parade Ground in Fort Kochi and will be presided over by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, Archbishop of Goa and Daman. According to Diocesan Chancellor Fr Johney Xavier Puthukkattu, Fort Kochi has witnessed episcopal consecrations at intervals of 25 years over t

ALAPPUZHA: The Alappuzha District Sessions Court III on Saturday sentenced the second accused, Rajani, to death in the murder of 32-year-old Anitha, a pregnant woman and mother of two. Anitha, daughter of Sasidharan from Punnapra Thekkemadam, was killed on July 9, 2021. Earlier, the court had handed down death penalty to the first accused, Prabeesh, a native of Nilambur. The second accused, Rajani, 38, of Pathissery House, Kainakary, was produced before the court on Saturday after being brought

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior actor and filmmaker Balachandra Menon has alleged that his film Samaantharangal lost the national award for Best Feature Film due to the intervention of Malayali jury members. Stating that he had to share the Best Actor award with another actor due to this intervention, he released a video of the jury member Devender Khandelwal validating his allegations. However, despite media questions, Balachandra Menon refrained from naming anyone. He was speaking at a press confer

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The special investigation team probing the sexual harassment charges against Rahul Mamkootathil, is set to collect more solid evidence against the MLA, before going to the next step. Before summoning the MLA for interrogation, the team is focused on recording witness statements and gathering further evidence to submit before the District Sessions Court on Wednesday when Rahuls anticipatory bail plea will be considered. Sources said the police are unlikely to launch an all-out

Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri, the master chef of school arts festivals for the past two decades, is an unassuming individual who swears by the divinity of cooking, a task demanding utmost passion and deep dedication. In a freewheeling chat with TNIE, he opens up about his culinary journey spanning over three decades, why he believes in the individual freedom to choose what to eat, the controversies over beef and menu in school festivals, and the speciality of the much-talked about traditional

KOZHIKODE: Koyilandy MLA Kanathil Jameela passed away on Saturday at a private hospital in Kozhikode following illness. She was 59. The CPM leader had been convalescing at home for the last six months after undergoing treatment for cancer. Jameela had a unique political ascent, achieving the rare feat of serving and winning elections across all three tiers of the panchayat system before being elected to the assembly in 2021. Born in Kuttiadi, Jameela inherited her political fervour from her fath

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what may prove costly for the Congress in the run-up to the elections, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has admitted that the party acted against Rahul Mamkootathil after the then KPCC president and the Leader of Opposition received multiple complaints against the Palakkad MLA. This is the first time that a senior party leader has publicly said so. The open confirmation by Chennithala counters the party leaderships public claims that it had not received any harass

KOCHI : A student who has passed Class 10 cannot be admitted back to Class 8. General Education Minister V Sivankuttys recent quip, made while explaining why Thiruvananthapuram mayor Arya Rajendran is not being fielded in the upcoming local-body polls, has quickly become a metaphor for moving the needle on ascending the political ladder in the state. His comment suggested that politicians who have completed a full term are ready for the next stage, widely interpreted as a nod to Aryas prospects

KOCHI: People who label us a CSR party are scared of our growth, Twenty20 chief coordinator Sabu Jacob tells TNIE, as the party prepares to expand its presence in the state. Excerpts: From being in power in one panchayat in 2015 to controlling four in 2020, Twenty20 has grown in a short span. What does the future hold for the party? In 2015, we contested the Kizhakkambalam panchayat election and won 17 of the 19 seats. In five years we turned around the finances of the panchayat. Our development

THRISSUR: In administering a temple town that attracts nearly 5 crore devotees annually, the task of running Guruvayur municipality can be at times overwhelming. With another local-body election round the corner, discussions in Guruvayur revolve around what political front can offer practical solutions to the problems faced by both residents and visitors. After the municipality was formed in 1995, it was the UDF that had the first go at governing it. But since 2000, it has been all the LDF. In t

KOZHIKODE: A 60-year-old local hero, known for his four decades of volunteer work as an emergency responder, is in the electoral race in Olavanna panchayats ward 16. Madathil Abdul Azeez is contesting as an independent after being denied a seat by the LDF. This is not his first political rodeo. Azeez previously won a ward seat in 2015 under the UDF banner before joining the CPM. By running independently, the communitys indispensable first responder is now forcing a direct contest, challenging th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: More details from the survivors statement have now emerged in the sexual harassment case against Rahul Mamkootathil, which refute the claims made by the Palakkad MLA. Rahul in his anticipatory bail plea, had indicated that their relationship began while the woman was still married, however, the survivor has reportedly told the investigating officers that she met Rahul only after her separation from her husband. Her marriage, held on August 22 last year, lasted barely a month,

Half a decade down the Covid-lane, many of us carry the remnants of a pandemic which struck our body and mind. A 2018 Pushcart Prize nominee, Babitha Marina Justins poem Writing from my Neighbourhood, portrays how estrangement reprogrammed our normal lives. Homes are silent: children no longer play in the bylanes The aroma from her neighbours kitchen reminds her of the two daughters in the neighbouring house. Her quiet daughters have become quieter, she observes. The initial lines of the poem de

After a six-year pause, TEDxThiruvananthapuram is preparing for a comeback on December 20, at Technopark Phase III. The 2025 edition carries the theme Local Mission, Global Vision, and marks the beginning of a fresh chapter for the city-branded TEDx event. TEDxThiruvananthapuram began in 2016 and ran three editions under licence-holder Vishnu Prasad. When he migrated to a different country, the event slowly slipped into silence. Earlier this year, the responsibility fell to Arun Surendran, strat

KASARAGOD: One person died and 46 others were injured on Saturday afternoon when a bus carrying pilgrims from Karnataka bound for Sabarimala plunged into a gorge on the ParambaKattankavala road near Chittharikal. Police and local people rushed to the aid of the pilgrims. Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver lost control of the vehicle and plunged into the gorge. The Vellarikundu Taluk Control Room reported that 22 people have been admitted to Pariyaram Hospital, 4 people to Cherupu

Unassuming and adaptable, the humble bun has made itself present all around the world. From street-side vendors to gourmet restaurants, buns appear in countless forms, inspired by the region. Its origins may be tough to trace, but its presence is hard to ignore. Europe has its long-standing bun traditions. Englands hot cross bun still finds pride of place every Good Friday. The brioche bun, Frances latest gift to the world from its rich culinary traditions, is now a burger essential worldwide, r

As the tourism season gathers momentum with visitor arrivals steadily rising, the iconic Varkala cliff and Papanasam beach continue to present a grim picture of neglect despite their status as an ecologically sensitive geo-heritage site on the Unesco tentative list. The laterite cliff is now marred by safety, sanitation, and environmental concerns. Tourists are greeted by poorly -lit pathways. Littered beaches and untreated sewage flowing directly into the sea and onto the shore owing to the la

GURUVAYUR: The renowned Guruvayurappan Ashtami Vilakku (lamp festival) was observed on Friday night, with Sree Guruvayurappan presiding over the procession, seated on a Golden Thidambu (Koalam). The temple town was pervaded by an intense air of devotion as thousands of lamps illuminated the area with the radiant glow of ghee-soaked wicks. The divine procession achieved a particular level of grandeur during the fourth circumambulation (Pradakshinam) of the Ashtami Vilakku. The majestic elephant I

KOCHI: One of the accused in the 2017 actress assault case tried to commit suicide, police said on Saturday. Manikandan, the third accused in the case, was arrested on Friday night and booked for creating a nuisance after consuming alcohol, police said. Thereafter, he was released on station bail after which he attempted suicide by cutting the veins of his hands, an officer of Palarivattom police station said. The incident occurred very close to the Palarivattom police station after he was relea

KOZHIKODE: A fire broke out at the new C-Block of Baby Memorial Hospital (BMH) in Kozhikode on Saturday morning, causing widespread panic but averting a major disaster through swift evacuation and intervention by fire and rescue teams. The fire started at approximately 9:45 am in the Air Conditioner (AC) systems located on the ninth floor of the hospitals new C-Block. Hospital authorities confirmed that construction or maintenance work was ongoing in the section affected which did not house any

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday shared photographs of Unnikrishnan Potti the key accused in the Sabarimala gold scam with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, reiterating in a Facebook post that the case is part of a larger conspiracy involving both the Congress and the CPM. In his strongly worded statement, Chandrasekhar said that the arguments we put forward from the beginning have now been proven right, alleging that the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The long-delayed Outer Ring Road (ORR) project has got a fillip with the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) formally granting environmental clearance for the ambitious project. The move comes close on the heels of a recent Supreme Court order that ex-post facto clearance may be granted under conditions. Meanwhile, the land owners who surrendered their land for the project have threatened to boycott both the upcoming local body and assembly elections to protest the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A restaurant owner in Thiruvananthapuram who repeatedly dumped waste in a public place was caught in a joint operation by local residents and the police and was made to clear the entire pile himself. The accused, identified as Shamli, who runs a restaurant near the Government High School, Varkala, had allegedly been dumping waste near the Ilakamon water tank for several days. The stench from the waste pushed local residents to launch a search on their own. They examined CCTV

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the tourism season gathers momentum with visitor arrivals steadily rising, the iconic Varkala cliff and Papanasam beach continue to present a grim picture of neglect despite their status as an ecologically sensitive geo-heritage site on the Unesco tentative list. The laterite cliff is now marred by safety, sanitation, and environmental concerns. Tourists are greeted by poorly -lit pathways. Littered beaches and untreated sewage flowing directly into the sea and onto the sh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Imagine a stage where veterans perform alongside newcomers, where barriers dissolve to create a beautiful symphony. A space where classical artforms thrive freely, untouched by hierarchies of seniority, physical ability, or social standing. A stage where art exists as an inclusive whole. Such is the aspiration behind Indeevaram, a non-profit organisation working towards art inclusivity, which is set to host its inaugural cultural fest on November 30 at EMS Hall, University of

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Canadian filmmaker Kelly Fyffe-Marshall has been selected for the Spirit of Cinema Award at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. The festival will be held in Thiruvananthapuram from December 12 to 19. Fyffe-Marshall, known for films that confront racial prejudice against Black communities, first gained international recognition with her short film Black Bodies (2020), which won the inaugural Changemaker Awar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As part of the Navy Day celebrations, the Indian Navy will hold a Naval Day Operation Demo at Shankhumukham at 4.30 pm on December 3. Ahead of the main event, a rehearsal programme will be held on December 1 starting at 4.30 pm. As a large crowd is expected, traffic arrangements will be implemented in the city from noon. City police commissioner Thomson Jose pointed out that the public has been allowed to attend the rehearsal as well, and everyone is required to follow the tr

KOCHI: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has commenced the critical construction phase for the entry and exit ramps of the six-lane elevated highway stretch between Aroor and Thuravoor, a crucial development set to ease congestion on the heavily choked Ernakulam-Alappuzha corridor. However, the momentum of work is being severely hampered by delays in the relocation of key electrical infrastructure by the KSEB. The 12.75-km elevated highway is designed to provide rapid transit for f

KOCHI: Expressing concern over pollution in the Pampa caused by the discarding of clothes by Sabarimala pilgrims, the Kerala High Court on Friday directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to launch a campaign against the practice. The TDB must educate pilgrims that discarding clothes in the river is not a ritual, the Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar ordered. Large quantities of clothes are discarded in the river by pilgrims bathing in the Pampa

IDUKKI: A four-member family from Kozhikode, currently residing in Mangalore, had a narrow escape after getting stranded 125 ft above ground at a sky-dining restaurant in Anachal near Adimali on Friday. The tourists Muhammad Safwan, 31, his wife Thaufina, 26, and their children Evan, 6, and Ethara, 3 along with a woman staff member of the restaurant, were stuck mid-air for nearly two hours following a malfunction in the crane operating the sky-dining platform. The incident occurred at Southern

KOCHI: Are you planning a train journey in sleeper class in the next few months? If so, you can cross off packing that bedsheet and pillow to make your trip comfortable. Taking note of problems faced by passengers, the Chennai division of Southern Railway has announced that from January 1, 2026, the transporter will provide sanitized, ready-to-use bedrolls on an on-demand, on-payment basis. Travellers from Kerala too would be able to avail the facility since two trains from the state have been i

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The sexual-harassment case filed against Rahul Mamkootathil has left the Congress in Kerala deeply divided, with one faction led by Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan calling for stern action and another, headed by UDF convenor Adoor Prakash, backing the Palakkad MLA. After remaining silent for weeks, Satheesan spoke out on Friday after police issued a lookout notice. Speaking at an event in Kochi, he reiterated that his stand is based on his conviction. It is not just my vie

KOCHI: ... The futures in the air I can feel it everywhere Blowing with the wind of change... The Scorpions ballad on profound changes taking place in Europe in the early 1990s can hold a mirror to the evolving political picture in central Kerala. Winding ones way though Meenachil River-kissed Pala, Poonjar, and Bharananganam, the highlands of Idukki, and the gently rolling regions of Thrissur and Ernakulam, the shift is very evident -- and splashed across compound walls. Posters of candidates f

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ahead of the December 4 deadline for winding up the enumeration phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) will organise mega camps on Saturday and Sunday (Nov 29 & 30) at the assembly constituency level to speed up the process. CEO-Kerala Rathan U Kelkar told TNIE that the mega camps will be held at three to four locations in each assembly constituency. The main focus of the two-day special camps is to com

KOCHI: For decades, northern Kerala has lived in step with the Gulf. The regions dreams, remittances, and ambitions have long flowed back from desert skylines. Now, that old migration story has a new plotline football. Over the past decade, Malabars obsession with the beautiful game has fused with Gulf migration, spawning a booming parallel football universe powered by the Malayali diaspora. Clubs, tournaments, and weekend leagues have mushroomed across Riyadh, Dubai, Sharjah and Doha. And youn

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Wake me up when November ends! With domestic arrivals remaining unusually low despite the onset of the traditional peak season, Keralas tourism industry has hit a sour note. According to stakeholders, bookings and occupancy have plunged by 40%, making this one of the worst Novembers for the sector in recent memory. Munnar, one of the states most sought after hill stations year round, mirrors the crisis. Insiders say vacationers are skipping Kerala this season, with occupancy

KOCHI: Kerala has reached the threshold of a development era and the local body election results may herald a political change, says Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) president and SNDP Yogam vice-president Thushar Vellappally. The NDA will wrest power in Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur corporations and several municipalities, he told TNIE. Excerpts: Which factors will favour the NDA? NDA-ruled states in North India are witnessing a major transformation in human development while Kerala is lagging

IDUKKI: The tribal communitys threat of boycotting the upcoming local body polls has triggered a political tremor in Idukki, forcing development work in Vattavada and Edamalakkudy to finally move after years of official inertia. In Vattavada, five Muthuvan settlements had unanimously declared a non-participation campaign, citing two unresolved issues: the Block 59 land dispute and the 16-km Chilathiyar-Swamiyaralakkudi-Koodalarkudi-Valsapetti-Ullavayal road, pending for decades. The dispute invo

MALAPPURAM: As local body election campaigning picks up momentum, Chetan Bhagat is grabbing voters attention in Thavanur. Its not the author, though. This star campaigner is a 90-day-old baby boy! Cradled in his mothers arms, the authors tiny namesake has become the most recognisable face in the CPMs campaign for the district panchayat elections in Thavanur, going from one house to other and charming voters with sleepy yawns and sudden smiles. His mother, Syamili K, a DYFI district committee mem

The dim-lit stage, with its hand-stitched curtain of bold geometric designs barely concealing the artist, set the mood. The warm hues from the flickering kalivilakku (traditional lamp) added an aura that evoked centuries of aesthetics and a way of life where art was inseparably woven into human existence. It was in such a setting at the Margi theatre in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday that Giulia Tonello debuted her Kathakali performance. It marked the culmination of three months of rigorous train

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Five flights bound for Sri Lankathree from the Middle East and one each from Malaysia and India were diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL) due to prevailing cyclone Ditwah warning in Colombo on Friday. The diverted flights include two Srilankan Airlines flights, one each from Dubai and Doha, one Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi and one AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur, and an Indigo flight from Mumbai to Colombo the TIAL said. The Indigo flight r

The play, Lewis and Tolkien, was staged in the Museum of the Bible, Washington DC earlier this month. This unusual play, directed by Andrew Borba, was presented by World Stage Theatre. It evokes the friendship of two brilliant thinkers, C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien, who influenced each others work and profoundly impacted literature and faith in the 20th century and up to the present day. The stage was set in Oxford, in the backroom of the now famous pub, The Eagle and Child. This pub, fondly refe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP Thiruvananthapuram Corporation election candidate and retired DGP R Sreelekha has courted a fresh controversy by making a social media post questioning the rationale behind the victim filing of sexual abuse complaint against Rahul Mamkootathil MLA before CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Sreelekha wrote that she was with the victim, but questioned the alleged delay made by the woman in filing the complaint. She also asked whether filing of complaint before the CM was to facilitate the