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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday said the party has sent letters to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, demanding a detailed inquiry into what it alleges is large-scale corruption and financial irregularities in the CPM-led Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. Chandrasekhar said the CPM, which has governed the corporation for the past 10 years, spent nearly `20,000 crore in the name of development, yet the city continues

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move to address the alarming situation of CCTV footage from cinemas being leaked and sold online, the Kerala cyber police are now targeting the buyers of these visuals. Visuals from the state government-owned Kairali, Nila, and Sree cinema complex of the capital city were leaked into porn channels on Telegram and X, raising widespread privacy concerns. Speaking about the issue, Cyber operations SP Ankit Asokan said that a proactive search was ongoing in the incident. The

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: General Education Minister V Sivankutty has said that he will request Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to depute a special team to probe the suicide of two BJP leaders in Thiruvananthapuram. The families of councillor Thirumala Anil and Anand K Thampi are in despair and disagreement with the BJP leadership. Being their MLA, I will seek a special team to probe the deaths, the minister said in a press conference here on Saturday. Alleging that Anils family members had handed ove

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vietnamese films will take the centre stage at the Country Focus section in the 30th edition of the International Film Festival Of Kerala (IFFK) scheduled to commence in the state capital from December 12. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, the festival will screen five critically acclaimed Vietnamese movies Glorious Ashes directed by Bui Thac Chuyn, The Tree House by Truong Minh Qu, Cu Li Never Cries by Pham Ngoc Lan, Dont Cry Butterfly by Duong Dieu Lin

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Local body polls are taking a heavy toll on the capital, with illegal flex boards and campaign materials defacing public spaces across Thiruvananthapuram. Medians, footpaths and even electric posts have been taken over by unauthorised campaign displays, despite the green protocol being in force. There are four enforcement squads at the district level and 25 under the city corporation. However, officials say enforcement is proving extremely difficult this time. According to Su

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Signalling a fresh showdown with the state government, Governor Rajendra Arlekar has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court rejecting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans recommendation to appoint two academics of his choice as Vice Chancellors of APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and Digital University, Kerala (DUK). As directed by the Supreme Court, two separate search-cum-selection committees headed by Justice (Retd) Sudhanshu Dhulia had shortlisted VC probables

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nearly 200 children with disabilities took part in a special sports meet organised by the Trivandrum Physiatrists Club to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2025. The event aimed to foster inclusion, confidence, and sporting excellence was held at the Sports Authority of Indias Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE), Kariavattom. The programme was inaugurated by Dr Selvan P, president of IAPMR Kerala. In his keynote address, Dr Roy R

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Indian Ocean region is a highly strategic and critical maritime space, and being positioned at its centre, India bears a special responsibility towards it, said President Droupadi Murmu. Addressing the operational demonstration conducted by the Indian Navy at Shankhumukham beach as part of the Navy Day celebration, she said the country is committed to the idea of the oceans remaining open, stable and rule-based. Stressing the need for ensuring maritime security in the Ind

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Trivandrum Physiatrists Club will host a special sports meet for children with disabilities on Thursday, to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2025. The event is scheduled at the Sports Authority of India - Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE), Kariavattom. Nearly 200 children facing diverse challenges, guided by Samagra Shiksha Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram district, will take part in a range of athletic and team events designed to

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) will bring together landmark works of three celebrated filmmakers Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Garin Nugroho, and Youssef Chahine through Retrospective and Special Focus sections, from December 12 to 19. Three films by Saeed, one of the leading voices of Indian Parallel Cinema, will be screened in the Retrospective section. They include Naseem (1996), which won two National Film Awards and portrays the growing communal tensions b

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Wednesday defended the proposal in BJPs manifesto for Thiruvanthapuram corporation to bring an Olympic event to the capital city, dismissing the criticism raised by General Education Minister V Sivankutty. When the Olympics is coming to India, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Alappuzha, in fact all 14 districts must have their share of participation. When someone presents such a great dream of bringing an Olympic event venue to the state capital, it

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The controversial Varkala Dakshin Kashi project launched at the ancient Janardhana Swamy Temple under the Swadeshi Darshan 2.0 scheme has run into fresh trouble with the Varkala municipality slapping yet another stop memo on Tuesday demanding immediate halt of the initiative. The municipal authorities had on September 25 served the first stop memo to the tourism department over the project, which aims to improve basic facilities and enhance the overall pilgrim experience, cit

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The KSRTC Budget Tourism Cell (BTC) has successfully tapped into public enthusiasm for the Navy Day celebrations scheduled to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. The BTC has received bookings for 110 chartered trips, a chunk of it from southern districts, that will bring nearly 5,000 passengers from across the state. We are overwhelmed by the demand. Bookings had to be halted due to entry and parking restrictions, said an officer with the BTC, adding that school group

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Police have filed a chargesheet in the case related to the obstruction of a KSRTC bus, excluding Mayor Arya Rajendran and her husband, Balussery MLA Sachin Dev. The only accused named in the chargesheet is the Mayors brother, Aravind, who was driving the car involved in the incident. The development comes as Yadu, a Nemom native and former KSRTC driver, filed a fresh petition demanding that all persons named in the FIR be included as accused and that the current chargesheet b

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Presence of Chinese naval assets in the Indian Ocean is not a threat but their lack of transparency is a matter of concern, said Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of the Southern Naval Command. Addressing the media on the eve of the Navy Day operational demo, he said the Navy has noted Chinese search vessels and surveillance platforms conducting under-sea domain activities, and occasional presence of sub-marines in the Indian Ocean Region. The V

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bringing an anxious overnight search to an end, the three forest officers who went missing during a tiger census in the ParuthipallyPeppara block were found safe on Tuesday morning, officials said. They were traced near Erattumukku around 8:30 am after a search that continued through the night. Section Forest Officer Vineetha, Beat Forest Officer Rajesh and Beat Forest Assistant Rajesh R had set out on Monday morning for fieldwork as part of the tiger census. They were schedu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Issuing a directive to the KSRTC managing director, State Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas said that it is illegal to delay the return of employees provident fund deposits remitted during their service period. The action follows a complaint that a retired employee of the Vikas Bhavan depot, who retired in May 2024, had not yet received his dues. The order states that the amount must be returned within two months. KSRTC had reportedly refused to rel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Election Commissioner A Shajahan has issued a directive stating that all campaign rallies and public meetings held as part of the local body elections must follow law and order as well as the relevant legal provisions and the directions issued by the High Court and the Supreme Court. Political parties and candidates must inform the local police in advance about the venue and timing of any public meeting so that the police can make the arrangements necessary for crowd an

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The construction of breakwater as part of the Muthalapozhi harbour development project is progressing rapidly in Thiruvananthapuram. The `177-crore project, approved by the Union government under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), was launched in May this year with an aim to prevent the recurring accidents at the harbour mouth. According to the harbour engineering department, the casting of tetrapods for the breakwater is moving at a steady pace, and around 25m

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday released the NDAs election manifesto for the Thiruvananthapuram corporation, promising rapid urban transformation and asserting that the state capital would be elevated to one of the top three cities in the country by 2030 in terms of development. Chandrasekhar said the NDAs central focus is the comprehensive development of the capital city. He criticised the LDF for what he termed decades of stagnation and corruption. LDF ha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nedumangad municipality, an LDF stronghold since 1995, is heading into a tight contest as all three fronts have stepped up their strategies for the upcoming local body polls. The LDF, which has held the council for more than three decades, is banking on its long run in power to retain control. The UDF is trying to tap into possible anti-incumbency while the BJP is aiming to make inroads and expand its presence. In the previous local body polls, the LDF won 27 of the 39 wards.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Imagine walking through stinking sewage water inundating the path to your house every day. That is the reality of residents of Kalavihar Nagar Lane 2 in the former Kannammoola ward (now Kunnukuzhy, after delimitation) of Thiruvananthapuram corporation. Water from a drainage, which passes through the boundary of a house, has been leaking through the gaps in the slabs here, ultimately reaching the road and flooding it. A pipe had been placed through the boundary walls of the ho

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

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

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

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

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Station House Officer (SHO) of Aryancode opened fire at a habitual offender when the latter tried to attack him using a machete. The shot was fired by SHO Thanzeem Abdul Samad after Kiran, who was included in the Kerala Anti Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) list and banished from the district, attempted to assault him. As per law, Kiran has been barred from entering the district. Despite this, he returned to his house within the Aryancode police station limits on

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Indywoods AI-generated film Being has won the prestigious Best AI Visualised Film Award at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) - CinemaAI Hackathon 2025. It was selected from over 500 entries received globally. The hackathon featured a 48-hour competition where the top 10 teams created a 2-minute film on a mystery theme revealed at the event. Set in the mist-laden groves of North Kerala, Being traces the echo of a childhood moment that forever reshaped a life

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major crackdown on traffic violations, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has announced that driving licences of motorists who endanger pedestrian safety at zebra crossings will be cancelled. Transport Commissioner C Nagaraju said the department has observed widespread disregard for pedestrian rights. Many two-wheeler and four-wheeler drivers fail to show courtesy to pedestrians, especially at zebra crossings. Several motorists even stop or park their vehicles directly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kowdiar ward in Thiruvananthapuram corporation has emerged as one of the most unpredictable battlegrounds of this election, with the Congress, BJP and LDF fielding some of their strongest candidates. The spotlight intensified after the Congress fielded former MLA and mayoral candidate K S Sabarinadhan in this ward, raising the stakes for the party. We have a strong base, and the mood is favourable. We expect a high-margin victory, said Sabarinadhan. Congress workers also

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Class VIII student was found dead at his home at Narani, Neyyattinkara, on Tuesday night. The boy, identified as Ananthu, 13, was found hanging in his room. He was rushed to Karakonam Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. The police have registered a case of unnatural death and begun an investigation. Ananthu, a student of PPM High School, Karakonam, had reportedly been irregular at school in recent weeks and his parents had been urging him t

Community, for Ananthapadmanabhan V, was a concept he became familiar with very early in life by watching his mother. When they were in Dubai, she was involved in different community activities, helping women in difficult situations return home, supporting small charities for animals, and organising simple fundraising events like school bake sales. He often assisted her in these efforts, and over time, this exposure influenced how he viewed people, support systems, and collective responsibility.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Police are still searching for the knife used to stab Alan to death during a clash that followed a dispute at a football match in Thycaud. The investigation has slowed down because the accused have repeatedly changed their statements about where they dumped the weapon. Recovering the murder weapon remains a major challenge for the team.ed initially told the police that they had thrown the knife into the sea near Azhimala in Vizhinjam. Based on this, police carried out a searc

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Pointing out that nearly 3,000 officers of the forest department have been deployed in remote forest areas as part of the nationwide tiger census, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam on Tuesday said the voting rights of these employees should be ensured for the upcoming local body elections. Adding that it is both democratic and reasonable to reschedule the census dates, he stated that he has written to the State Election Commissioner and the Forest Department head regarding the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With scrutiny of nominations completed on Monday, a full picture of the electoral contests to the Thiruvananthapuram corporation council has become clear and the two leading fronts are grappling with a surge in rebel candidates. Even senior leaders have entered the fray as independents, placing the LDF and the UDF in a tight spot ahead of the polls. In a contrast to previous elections, the LDF is facing serious internal rebellion this time. None of the LDF rebels withdrew th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Wild boar attacks are surging across the state, with culling operations coming to a complete halt following the declaration of local body elections. Farmers and residents in vulnerable regions are bearing the brunt as district collectors have directed all licenced firearm holders to deposit their weapons at police stations an order that contradicts the Election Commission guidelines. According to the Commissions circular, only specific categories of licence holders are requi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 53-year-old man from Puthenchanda in Varkala was found drowned at Papanasam beach on Sunday morning. The deceased, identified as Binukumar, was first spotted by a group of fishermen who had gone out to sea early in the day. They brought the body ashore and alerted the police. The police said preliminary indications point to suicide, though the conclusion is yet to be confirmed. Officers said he was reportedly under financial stress. Binukumar worked as a security guard and

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP candidate in Sasthamangalam ward and former DGP R Sreelekha on Sunday alleged that the Communist party wins votes and governs the state by intimidating and threatening the public. In a Facebook post, she questioned whether there was anything wrong in making such a statement. Referring to Kannur, Sreelekha said, Reports claimed that there were no Opposition candidates in four LDF wards. The reason is clear: If anyone contests, they will be killed. This is their democracy.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when Varkala is being celebrated globally after finding a place on the Unesco tentative list, the historic cliff is ironically facing one of its worst phases of destruction with even government-approved projects contributing to the violations. Allegedly, the government has granted approval for two major projects that have encouraged large-scale interventions on the fragile and fast-eroding cliff. The government has given approval for a `25-crore project under the S

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Giving a bitter sight to book lovers in the capital city, over 700 books have been placed on low-lying chairs and platforms in the Malayalam section of the State Central Library here. When asked about the situation, the authorities stated that the books mostly new had been kept there for nearly a month. However, officials attributed this to the lack of furniture in the library. Even though we have been receiving many books, we do not have enough furniture or racks to keep t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mentioning that the essence of being an artist is to be honest to oneself and his surroundings, veteran Carnatic vocalist T M Krishna said that art which does not engage with time is useless. If an artists art is not in conversation with the time, place and environment they live in, it is not art, he said after receiving the fifth P Govinda Pillai Memorial National Award at the Senate Hall here on Saturday. Talking about traditional musicians like Thyagaraja Swamikal and Muth