Kochi: Former Congress legislator Anil Akkara, who played a key role in exposing the Rs 324-crore Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam, has claimed that if the ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe proceeds in the right direction in this case, top CPI-M leaders will be named as accused in the final charge sheet.

Akkara’s remarks come in response to news that the ED has summoned Alathur Lok Sabha MP K. Radhakrishnan for questioning.

He alleged that Radhakrishnan, along with former minister and current CPI-M legislator A.C. Moideen and former Thrissur CPI-M district secretary M.M. Varghese, would be named as accused if the investigation is conducted thoroughly.

“So far, these leaders have been shielded due to a secret deal struck during the 2024 Thrissur Lok Sabha election. However, the ED has already recovered Rs 60 lakh from CPI-M party bank accounts and Rs 40 lakh from Moideen under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This scam occurred during their tenure as Thrissur district CPI-M secretaries,” Akkara said.

The ED’s latest notice to Radhakrishnan comes after a gap of more than six months in the investigation. Radhakrishnan, a former two-time state minister and ex-Speaker, is a prominent CPI-M leader from Thrissur. The notice has put the ruling party on the defensive as it prepares for the 24th Party Congress in Madurai this April.

Radhakrishnan, a member of the CPI-M Central Committee, was served the notice upon his recent arrival in Thrissur. The party is reportedly seeking to delay his appearance, citing the ongoing Parliament session.

This is the first time Radhakrishnan has been summoned since the scam surfaced, sending shockwaves through the party. The ED has already questioned several senior CPI-M leaders, including Moideen, former Lok Sabha member P.K. Biju, former CPI-M legislator M.K. Kannan, and M.M. Varghese.

Several local CPI-M leaders and employees of the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank were arrested and jailed in connection with the scam, although many have since secured bail.

The Thrissur Lok Sabha seat holds particular significance as it was the only constituency in Kerala where the BJP emerged victorious in 2024, with actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi clinching the win.

IANS

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin Friday wrote to his counterparts in Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, West Bengal, Punjab, Odisha and party heads as well, inviting them to join hands with Tamil Nadu and be part of a Joint Action Committee for an “uncompromising fight,” over delimitation of Lok Sabha seats, which he termed an unfair exercise.

Stalin proposed the inaugural JAC meeting in Chennai March 22, 2025, and urged the leaders to join forces to chart a “collective course forward.” Writing to CMs and leaders, Stalin said reports suggest that the delimitation exercise is being considered based on population, with two potential approaches.

In the first case, the existing 543 seats could be redistributed among the states, and in the second case, the total number of seats could be increased beyond 800. “In both scenarios, all the states that have successfully implemented population control measures stand to lose significantly if the exercise is based on post 2026 population. We should not be thus penalized for effectively controlling population growth and upholding national development goals,” he said.

Despite the gravity of this issue, the Union Government has provided neither clarity nor any concrete commitment to address concerns. Their representatives have vaguely stated that delimitation would follow a “pro-rata” basis, without explaining the base that will be used for such pro-rata calculation. Further, the CM slammed “empty rhetoric” than no state will face a decrease in its seats.

“When the very foundation of our democracy is at stake, can we accept such vague assurances? When our states’ futures hang in the balance, do we not deserve transparent dialogue?,” he asked.

Pointing to the all-party meeting held here March 5, 2025 and its proposal to form a JAC by reaching out to all states that face the same threat, he said: “I believe this issue transcends individual State concerns – it strikes at the heart of our federal principles. Together, we must examine the constitutional, legal, and political dimensions of this challenge. We must jointly develop alternatives that preserve our current representation in percentage terms. Only through a collaborative analysis and an unified advocacy, can we hope to secure a delimitation process that honors our role in nation building without compromising our current level of representation in percentage terms.”

Stalin sought the formal consent of CMs/leaders to join the proposed JAC comprising of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka in the South to West Bengal and Odisha in the east, Punjab in the north. The DMK chief also wanted the leaders to nominate one senior representative from their party who can serve on the JAC and help coordinate unified strategy.

The Tamil Nadu CM described the union government’s plan for delimitation a blatant assault on federalism, punishing states that ensured population control and good governance. He asserted, “we will not allow this democratic injustice!”

Stalin said he has written to the chief ministers of Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, West Bengal, Odisha and Punjab. Also, he has written to heads of parties in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, West Bengal, Odisha & Punjab, calling for an uncompromising fight against this unfair exercise.

“First JAC meeting in Chennai March 22, 2025. Let us stand together not as separate political entities but as protectors of our people’s future.”

PTI

Kozhikode: A 15-year-old class 10 student from Kozhikode district who sustained severe head injuries after being attacked by fellow students following a dispute at a farewell party succumbed to his injuries Saturday.

Muhammed Shahabas, a student at M J Higher Secondary School in Elettil, was assaulted Thursday when a clash broke out between two groups of students outside a private tuition centre in Thamarassery, located near Kozhikode. CCTV footage released Saturday showed Shahabas being left near his house after the incident.

Upon returning home, Shahabas was taken to a local hospital. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was later transferred to the state-run Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Despite being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, he passed away Saturday.

Initially, five students were detained by the police Thursday. They were presented before the Juvenile Justice Board and subsequently released into the custody of their parents. However, following Shahabas’s death, the police filed a murder case against the five students, who are all classmates at the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School in Thamarassery.

A senior police official confirmed, “After the victim’s death, the charges were upgraded to murder. The parents of the accused have been instructed to present the students once again before the Juvenile Justice Board. We are also investigating whether others were involved in the incident.”

The altercation that led to the tragic attack took place February 23, when students from both schools attended classes at the tuition centre. As the Class 10 exams were approaching, a farewell party was organised. During the event, when the M J Higher Secondary School students performed a dance, a group of students from the Vocational Higher Secondary School allegedly booed when the music abruptly stopped. This incited anger among some of the M J Higher Secondary students, which eventually led to a violent clash outside the tuition centre.

The incident highlights an alarming trend of youth violence in Kerala, particularly among students.

Union Minister of State for Tourism, Suresh Gopi, commented on the issue, suggesting that the influence of cinema might contribute to such behaviour. However, he stressed, “While cinema may have some influence, it’s essential that everyone plays a role in uplifting society. No one should be led down the wrong path.”

IANS

Thiruvananthapuram: A 23-year-old youth, Affan who killed four of his relatives and also his 19-year-old girlfriend was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crime, according to a preliminary probe by the police.

At present, Affan is admitted to the state-run Medical College Hospital here.

He informed the cops post his surrender that he had consumed poison after the brutal murders.

He is under police custody in hospital, where he is now not cooperating with the probe and also the treating medical professionals.

Even though he has confessed to the police that the motive of the crime was the huge financial debts his father Rahim had accumulated following the failure of his business in the Middle East, the police do not fully believe Affan.

In a marathon killing spree that began at 10 am Monday and lasted till around 5.30 pm, Affan killed his girlfriend, younger brother, his grandmother, his father’s sister and her husband Lateef.

His mother continues to battle for her life at the hospital here.

The murders have come as a shock to the small town in Venjaramoodu located about 25 km from the state capital city.

People are yet to come to terms with it as the crime occurred at three homes located under two different police stations.

Affan’s close friend is also shocked as after he finished killing the five people, the two young men met by a road. At that time Affan acted normally and told his friend that he would return soon, as he had some urgent work.

Affan then shocked the local police when he walked into the station and informed the Station House Officer that he had killed six people.

At that time Affan was under the impression that his mother was also dead.

According to the police, Affan’s father runs a spare parts shop abroad which went into losses and he had borrowed money from several people and not returned home for the last five years.

With the business going into serious trouble the people who had lent money to Affan’s father started troubling the young man.

IANS

Thiruvananthapuram: The 23-year-old man, who Monday allegedly killed five people including his 13-year-old brother and seriously injured his mother, was a good-natured, mild-mannered and soft-spoken person according to neighbours and relatives.

None of the relatives or neighbours could believe that the accused, Afan, could commit the murders.

A woman who runs a tea-shop near Afan’s home told a TV channel Tuesday that the accused loved his brother and used to take care of him.

“I cannot believe he did it. He was a good boy. There is not a single bad thing we can say about him. Saw his (accused) younger brother yesterday afternoon also. Did not know what had happened till the police arrived,” she said.

Similar responses came from other neighbours and relatives who could not believe Afan carried out the killings.

While the accused claimed to have killed six persons, his mother survived the attack on her and is presently hospitalised.

Afan’s arrest is yet to be recorded by the police as he is presently hospitalised at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College after he claimed to have consumed poison.

Police have not yet officially divulged details of the case including motive behind the murders and the weapon used for carrying out the killings.

However, some news reports claim that financial crisis in the family was the motive behind the killings and that Afan allegedly used a hammer to carry out the murders.

The other victims were Afan’s grandmother in her 80s, a young woman said to be his lover, his paternal uncle and the latter’s wife.

The mass murder took place across three houses, reportedly separated by around 20-25 kilometres, in the Venjaramoodu area near the state capital.

He is suspected to have travelled from one house to the other on his motorbike to carry out the murders, police said, but did not disclose the exact sequence in which he allegedly carried out the killings.

The incident came to light when Afan appeared at the Venjaramoodu police station Monday evening and confessed to carrying out the murders.

PTI

Kottayam: The further studies of the five arrested third-year nursing students, currently in jail for ragging first-year students at the state-run Nursing College hostel in Kottayam, have been stopped. The Nursing Council made this decision Saturday and informed the Health Department and the State Government.

This means that these five accused cannot study further in any of the colleges in Kerala.

At the same time, four more complaints from junior students were registered Saturday. The Kerala Police probe team raided the hostel and recovered crucial evidence of the materials used by the five students to cause bodily injuries to the first-year student.

The Principal of the institution, A.T. Suleka, and Assistant Professor Ajeesh P. Mani have been suspended from service. The hostel housekeeper and security official, both employed on contract, have been removed from service.

Kottayam legislator and former State Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan demanded that the ongoing case be monitored by a court.

State BJP president K. Surendran announced that BJP workers would launch a program to curtail ragging, allegedly led by the student wing of the CPI-M — SFI.

“The reports reveal that these activities conducted by SFI activists are worse than how terror organisations deal. SFI has turned into an anti-social organisation. The CM Vijayan government and the CPI-M are providing support, which is why previous ragging cases do not reach a logical conclusion, and SFI members escape the law. We will start an anti-ragging help desk in all 14 districts, with the first one in Kottayam. All can fearlessly contact the desk,” said Surendran.

Earlier Wednesday, third-year students Rahul Raj, NS Jeeva, N.P. Vivek, Rigil Jeeth, and Samuel Johnson were arrested and later sent to judicial custody after a first-year student filed a complaint with the police February 11.

The visuals of the brutal assault on an innocent first-year student aired on Malayalam TV channels, sending shockwaves. In the footage, senior students could be seen laughing and making lewd comments while the victim was tied to a bed, a heavy object placed on his private parts, and his body injured with a compass.

The college authorities’ role has come under scrutiny as they claimed ignorance of the incident. First-year students were threatened with dire consequences if they reported the matter. It has now emerged that the senior students were engaged in this act to collect money for buying drugs and liquor.

Although the name of the SFI has been mentioned as those behind this cruel ragging act, its state secretary P.M. Arsho dismissed it as a baseless allegation, stating that none of their activists are involved in the case.

IANS

Kottayam: Five third-year students of the state-run School of Nursing in Kottayam were arrested Wednesday morning for ragging freshers.

The arrested students were identified as Rahul Raj, NS Jeeva, NP. Vivek, Rigil Jeeth and Samuel Johnson.

The arrest was made after first-year students complained against the accused claiming brutal torture.

The complainants said they were asked to stand naked, their pictures were taken, and the senior students drew marks on their bodies using sharp objects.

The senior students also used to collect money from freshers to buy liquor.

As the “torture” kept on increasing, the first-year students decided to register a complaint.

Natakom Suresh, the Kottayam district Congress Committee President said: “The police have to do a proper job. What’s important is this has been going on for a few months and we wish to know what were the college authorities doing. If the police fail to do a clean job, we will take up the issue.”

Top CPI-M leader from Kottayam, K. Anil Kumar, pointed out that the police have arrested the wrongdoers and will also conduct follow-up actions.

Incidentally, this case has come at a time when February 6, a division bench of the Kerala High Court, while staying the order of the single judge allowed the re-admission of 18 students at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Mannuthy who were implicated as accused in the suicide of junior student J. S. Sidharthan.

The division bench on that day pointed out that “students indulging in ragging are worse than those indulging in vandalism”.

Sidharthan’s body was found in the hostel toilet February 18, 2024, and it was alleged that he committed suicide.

IANS

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party President Pawan Kalyan Wednesday began a three-day pilgrimage to Kerala and Tamil Nadu, seen as part of his ‘Sanatan Dharma Parirakshana’ (protection of ancient dharma) mission.

After landing at Kochi Airport, the actor-politician left for Sri Agastya Maharshi Temple.

After offering prayers at this temple, he will proceed to Meenakshi Sundareshwara Temple at Madurai in Tamil Nadu. He is scheduled to visit various temples in Tamil Nadu Thursday and Friday. These include Sri Parashurama Swamy Temple, Agastya Jeeva Samadhi, Kumbeshwara Temple, Swamimalai, and Thiruthani Subramanya Swamy Temple.

Pawan Kalyan embarked on the temple tour shortly after recovering from viral fever and severe spondylosis.

The Jana Sena leader had originally planned a five-day tour to Kerala and Tamil Nadu but this has now been curtailed to three days due to his health condition.

The Deputy CM skipped the meeting of ministers and secretaries with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu Tuesday. During the review on Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Civil Supplies Minister and Jana Sena leader Nadendla Manohar intervened to inform the participants that Pawan Kalyan had been suffering from severe spondylosis for two weeks, and could not attend the meeting.

Manohar said the Deputy Chief Minister would attend his official duties in 2-3 days. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu enquired about Pawan Kalyan’s health condition and said that he tried to speak to him over the phone but he was not reachable.

After TDP-led NDA stormed to power in Andhra Pradesh in June and especially after a row erupted over alleged adulteration of ghee used for making Tirupati laddus, Pawan Kalyan started raising his voice for protection of ‘Sanatan Dharma.’

Pawan Kalyan, who undertook ‘praishchita deeksha’ over the adulteration of Tirupati laddu, demanded legislation and a national board for the protection of Sanatan Dharma.

Addressing a public meeting in Tirupati October 3, 2024, he demanded that secularism must be upheld in a manner that ensures uniform response to any threat or harm caused to any religion or faith.

Pawan Kalyan’s visit to Tamil Nadu is likely to generate political heat as Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is known for his strong opposition to ‘Sanatan Dharma’. The DMK leader had made controversial remarks on Sanatana Dharma in 2023.

Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai is also likely to join Pawan Kalyan during his visit to Tamil Nadu.

IANS

Pathanamthitta: As many as 57 of the total 59 people accused in the sensational case of alleged sexual abuse of a Dalit girl in the district, have been arrested so far, police said Sunday.

Since the first case in this regard was registered at Ilavumthitta police station January 10, all the listed accused, except two who are currently abroad, have been arrested through a comprehensive probe, district police chief VG Vinod Kumar said.

A 25-year-old youth was the last person who was taken into custody in the incident and he was held from near his house here Sunday morning, the officer said in a statement.

A special investigation team, led by woman IPS officer S Ajitha Beegam, has been investigating the case under the supervision of the district police chief.

Based on the statement of the accused, a total of 30 cases had been registered under four police stations in the district, the officer said, adding that five minors were also among the accused.

The objective of the police team is to complete the investigation and submit the chargesheet at the earliest, he added.

The investigation so far has revealed that several of the accused met the girl at a private bus stand in Pathanamthitta. She was then taken to various locations in vehicles and subjected to abuse, police said.

The probe also found that the girl, while she was studying class XII last year, was taken by a youth who was acquainted with her through Instagram to a rubber plantation in Ranni, where he raped her along with three others.

Police said the investigation revealed she was gang-raped on at least five occasions, including incidents inside a car and at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital in January 2024.

The girl, who is now 18 years old, has alleged in her complaint that she was sexually abused by 62 individuals since the age of 13.

The matter came to light during counselling conducted by the Child Welfare Committee, after the victim’s teachers at an educational institution informed the panel about noticeable changes in her behaviour.

The Committee, subsequently, notified the police and an investigation was on.

PTI

Pathanamthitta: As many as 23 people were arrested and four minors were apprehended in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a Dalit girl in the district, police Sunday said.

Ten more FIRs have been filed in the case in two police stations in Pathanamthitta district based on the statements of the girl, a release issued by Pathanamthitta District Police Chief said.

A total of 17 people were arrested, and four minors were apprehended in connection with seven cases registered by the Pathanamthitta police and six individuals have been nabbed by the Elavumthitta police, the release said.

Across both stations, a total of 27 accused have been arrested in the cases, it added.

A special investigation team has been formed to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident, with Pathanamthitta DYSP P S Nandakumar leading the team under the supervision of District Police Chief V G Vinod Kumar, the release said.

The team comprises 25 police officers from various ranks and stations.

The District Police Chief will review the investigation’s progress daily, the release said.

The investigation revealed that several of the accused met the girl at the private bus stand in Pathanamthitta. She was then taken to various locations in vehicles and subjected to abuse, police said.

The probe also found that the girl while she was studying Plus-Two class last year was taken by a youth who was acquainted with her through Instagram to a rubber plantation in Ranni and raped her along with three others.

Police said that the investigation found that she was gang raped at Pathanamthitta general hospital in January 2024.

Police are also focusing on gathering scientific evidence and examining mobile phones and other items as part of the probe.

A detailed investigation is ongoing, the District Police Chief stated.

The girl, who is now 18 years old, has alleged in her complaint that she was sexually abused by 62 individuals since the age of 13.

The police said that they received evidence indicating that the girl was exploited by her sports trainers, fellow athletes and classmates.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, demanded that the government should immediately appoint a Special Investigation Team headed by a woman IPS officer.

The brutal harassment the Pathanamthitta girl suffered was also proof of the shortcomings and weakness of our systems, the LoP added.

He stressed the need to make the counselling system more effective in state schools and change the mode of teaching in a way that directly addresses the problems faced by children.

Calling for immediate arrest of all the accused, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a detailed action-taken report from authorities within three days and emphasised on fair and time-bound investigation to deliver justice.

The Kerala Women’s Commission (KWC) has registered a case on its own and its chairperson P Sathi Devi has directed the Pathanamthitta Superintendent of Police to immediately submit a report in this regard, the Commission said in a release.

The matter came to light during counselling conducted by the Child Welfare Committee, after the victim’s teachers at an educational institution informed the panel about noticeable changes in her behaviour.

The Committee, subsequently, notified the police and an investigation was on.

PTI

New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken a strong exception to the reported sexual abuse of a teenage girl in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, where she alleged abuse by 64 individuals over four years.

Acting on the directions of Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, the commission has demanded immediate action from authorities. While five accused have been arrested so far, the NCW has directed officials to ensure the swift apprehension of all individuals allegedly involved in the case.

The commission has also emphasised the need for a fair and time-bound investigation to deliver justice.

The NCW strongly condemned the alleged crime and urged the authorities to provide comprehensive support to the survivor, including medical care and psychological counselling.

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the commission has sought a detailed action-taken report from the authorities within three days.

This shocking case has sparked outrage across the country, with calls for stringent measures to prevent such crimes and ensure justice for the victim.

PTI

Pathanamthitta: Five people were arrested and 10 others taken into custody in connection with the repeated sexual assaults on a teenage girl in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district.

The teenager was allegedly sexually abused by around 62 people.

The case surfaced when the victim revealed her gory tale of how as a sportswoman she had been sexually exploited by friends, coaches and senior sportsmen since she was 13 years old.

The issue came to the fore during a counselling session conducted by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Pathanamthitta after the victim’s teachers informed the panel about behavioural changes in the teenager.

Soon, the CWC handed over the case to the district police chief at Pathanamthitta.

In her preliminary statement, she revealed the names of 40 people whose mobile numbers she had saved on her father’s mobile, the device which she was using.

The local police stations in the districts of Elavanthitta, Konni and Pathanamthitta registered five FIRs, and more will be filed in the coming days.

The FIRs have been registered under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The police have arrested five accused, all of them below the age of 30. Of the five accused, one is in jail for abusing a minor.

Sensing the gravity of the crime, the District Police Chief has constituted a special team comprising top officers of the district.

Details are awaited.

Over the years, Kerala has attracted huge media attention in similar cases, including the infamous Suryanelli, Vithura, and Kozhikode cases.

IANS

Kochi: Prominent businessman Boby Chemmanur was arrested Wednesday by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the sexual harassment case filed by Malayalam actress Honey Rose, police said here.

He was taken into custody from Wayanad Wednesday morning and brought to Kochi in a police jeep in the evening.

Visuals aired by news channels showed a police team blocking the businessman’s car and taking him into custody at a tea estate in Wayanad.

Later, he was taken to a police camp in Puthurvayal before being transported to Kochi.

The journey to Kochi, from the hill district in north Kerala, took around seven hours.

The arrest of Chemmanur, who was brought to the Central Police Station, was recorded at around 7.30 pm, police said.

Earlier, Kochi city police had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the allegations of sexual harassment filed by the actress against Chemmanur, a jeweller.

He was booked under non-bailable sections following Rose’s complaint.

The businessman has been charged under Section 75(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for making sexually coloured remarks as a form of sexual harassment, and Section 67 of the IT Act for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form, the police said.

In her complaint, Rose accused Chemmanur of making “repeated sexually coloured” remarks against her.

Reacting to the police action, Rose said it was a peaceful day for her.

While speaking to the media, Rose said that she had raised the matter with CM Pinarayi Vijayan, who assured her of strong action against the culprit.

Later, in a Facebook post, she thanked the CM and the Kerala police for their support and action.

“These days, one doesn’t need a knife or a gun to take someone’s life. A barrage of vile, cruel, obscene, and suggestive comments from a group of social media profiles, along with a planned campaign, is enough,” she said in the post.

“If there’s a leader orchestrating such social media bullying, its intensity only increases. It was impossible not to fight back. I express my heartfelt gratitude to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Kerala Police for standing with me and offering unwavering assurance and action in support of my fight to claim the rights and protection promised to every citizen by the Indian Constitution.

“My family and I remain deeply thankful,” Rose said.

The issue came to light for the first time Sunday when the actress posted on Facebook, accusing an individual of stalking her and making sexually inappropriate remarks through various media platforms, which she claimed outraged her modesty.

However, she had not revealed the identity of the culprit at that time.

The issue intensified after several people posted offensive comments on her post, prompting Rose to contact the police. The Kochi Central Police have registered a case against 30 people and arrested one of them on this complaint.

Rose Tuesday again came up with a fresh social media post revealing the identity of the person against whom she made sexual harassment allegations in her first complaint.

In the post addressing Boby Chemmannur, she said she filed a complaint against him at the Kochi Central police station.

She also warned others with a “similar mindset” to face legal action.

Rejecting the actress’s charges, Chemmanur, however, had said there were no such issues between them as raised by her.

He claimed that he didn’t use any derogatory terms, as alleged by her, and he always interacted with her in a friendly manner.

Rose is known for her roles in a handful of movies in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu.

PTI

Thiruvananthapuram: Even as hectic diplomatic efforts are continuing to save Nimisha Priya, who is in jail in Yemen and sentenced to death, her husband was hoping for relief and his wife returning home.

Tomy Thomas and their daughter expect that they will be able to prevail upon the family of Talal Abdo Mahdi to resolve the case by paying the blood money.

“Numerous people are working to resolve this issue and we all are hoping that we will be able to connect with the family of Mahdi who has to pardon Nimisha. Our daughter at times connects with her mother, but she is missing a mother’s attention and love,” said Thomas who returned home years ago from Yemen and was planning to go back when the case surfaced.

The urgency of the situation escalated after Yemen’s President Rashad al-Alimi approved Nimisha Priya’s death sentence earlier this month. Reports suggest the execution could occur within a month, leaving her family and supporters scrambling for a resolution.

Nimisha Priya, originally from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, moved to Yemen in 2008 to support her daily wage-earning parents. After working in various hospitals, she opened her own clinic. However, in 2017, a dispute with her Yemeni business partner, Mahdi, reportedly took a tragic turn.

Family accounts claim Nimisha injected Mahdi with sedatives to retrieve her confiscated passport. Unfortunately, an overdose led to his death. Nimisha was arrested while attempting to leave the country and was convicted of murder in 2018.

In 2020, a trial court in Sanaa sentenced her to death. The verdict was upheld by Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023, but it left open the possibility of avoiding execution through the payment of blood money.

The case has drawn widespread attention and raised concerns over the fate of Indian nationals abroad as the family and supporters continue their efforts to save Nimisha Priya from the death penalty.

The mother of Nimisha Priya, Prema Kumari, 57, has been tirelessly campaigning to secure a waiver of the death penalty.

Earlier this year, she travelled to Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, to negotiate the payment of ‘diya (blood money)’ to the victim’s family. Her efforts have been supported by the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council, a group of NRI social workers based in Yemen.

Prema Kumari, appearing on Malayalam television from Yemen, tearfully urged for urgent intervention.

IANS

New Delhi: Congress general secretary KC Venugopal Tuesday hit out at BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane for calling Kerala a “mini Pakistan” and said it shows their “deep-rooted animosity” for people of the southern state.

He also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should immediately sack Rane for making such “shameful” remarks.

“From time to time, the BJP deploys its hatemongers to spew venom against Kerala. Using terms like ‘Mini Pakistan’ shows they have deep-rooted animosity for the people of Kerala,” Venugopal said in a post on X.

The Congress leader said for the entire world, Kerala is a model state that has continuously topped the human development indices, especially on education, healthcare and overall standard of living. Since millennia, Kerala has been a beacon of communal harmony and brotherhood among all religions and sects, he added.

“To use abusive language for the land of Sree Narayana Guru, Chattambi Swamikal and Mahatma Ayyankali, who advocated for egalitarianism, inclusivity and social justice, shows the BJP’s disregard for its own fellow citizens.

“If PM Modi has any shame about Mr. Rane’s statements, he should sack him immediately,” the Congress general secretary said.

“The people of Kerala have rejected, and will never accept the BJP for this very reason – they do not understand the beauty of its harmonious living,” Venugopal added.

Maharashtra minister Rane sparked a major controversy by calling Kerala a “mini Pakistan” and stating “all terrorists vote for Gandhis”, a reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad.

Speaking at a rally in Purandar tehsil of Pune district on Sunday, the BJP minister said, “Kerala is mini Pakistan. Terrorists (earlier) voted for Rahul Gandhi and now for his sister Priyanka Gandhi.”

Facing sharp criticism from opposition parties for his comments, Rane on Monday said Kerala is very much part of India and he is merely raising issues of religious conversion of Hindus and “love jihad” in the southern state.

Rahul Gandhi had won from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala in 2019 and again in 2024 along with Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. He retained Rae Bareli seat and vacated Wayanad, which was won by Priyanka Gandhi in a bye-election last month.

PTI

Chennai: Four members of a family, including a newlywed couple, lost their lives when the car they were travelling in collided with a minibus at Murinjikkal in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district.

The tragic accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday and the bus was carrying Sabarimala pilgrims.

The deceased were identified as Mathayi Eappen, Anu, Nikhil, and Biju George, all natives of Mallassery in Konni.

Nikhil and Anu, who had tied the knot November 30, were returning home from Thiruvananthapuram airport after their honeymoon in Malaysia.

Biju George was Anu’s father, while Mathayi Eappen was Nikhil’s father. Nikhil worked in Canada and was planning to settle there with Anu, who was preparing to join him.

The accident happened around 4.05am on the Punalur-Muvattupuzha State Highway. According to police, the car likely collided with the bus carrying pilgrims from Hyderabad after the car’s driver fell asleep at the wheel.

Three men in the car died on the spot, while the woman succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Pathanamthitta. A few passengers of the bus, including the driver, sustained minor injuries in the crash.

The locals arrived at the spot first and tried to help the victims. The police and fire force arrived at the scene and used a hydraulic cutter to extricate the four occupants trapped inside the car.

Local residents have raised concerns about the increasing number of accidents on this stretch of the Punalur-Muvattupuzha highway following its recent reconstruction.

Kurien Joseph, a local Congress leader, expressed his condolences. He said, “The marriage of Anu and Nikhil was solemnised November 30 after an eight-year-long love affair. This tragedy struck just seven kilometres from their home.”

The two families were in a state of shock as neighbours and their relatives tried to console them.

The police said they were investigating the accident.

IANS

Thrissur: At least five people, including two children, were killed and six others were injured when a truck ploughed into the roadside tent where they were sleeping in this district early Tuesday, police said.

The victims, nomads living in tents set up along the highway, were struck by the truck on a national highway in Nattika, under the Valapad police station limits, at around 4.30 am, they said.

Among the deceased are two children, aged one-and-a-half and four years. Two women were also killed.

According to the police, the truck was coming from Kannur with timber and the cleaner, who did not have a license, was driving the vehicle when the accident occurred.

“Both of them were drunk,” a senior police officer told reporters here, adding that they have been taken into custody.

Thrissur City police commissioner R Ilango, who visited the accident site, said that a case under the non-bailable provision of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered.

The offence carries a punishment of 10 years imprisonment, he said.

Another officer said the vehicle was speeding according to witnesses and the driver and cleaner tried to escape after the accident.

“They were caught by locals and handed over to the police,” the officer said.

District Collector Arjun Pandian, who also visited the site, told media that all the injured, including two who are in serious condition, are undergoing treatment at the Thrissur Medical College and they will be taken care of.

He also said that the inquest and post-mortem would be completed quickly and the bodies would be handed over to their respective families.

“Have sought a detailed report from the police,” he said.

State Revenue Minister K Rajan said a detailed report has been sought from the police and the Collector.

Terming the incident as “unfortunate”, Rajan said there were serious lapses on the part of the driver and cleaner according to the initial findings of the police.

He also said that the circumstances behind the victims having to sleep on the roadside will be examined.

PTI

New Delhi: Ruling parties held sway in most of the 13 states in the Assembly byelection results declared Saturday, with the BJP and its allies wresting seats in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan and the Trinamool Congress sweeping West Bengal.

Out of the 46 seats where byelections were held, the BJP and its allies won 26, a gain of nine seats, followed by Congress with seven — a loss of six seats.

The Trinamool Congress won six, the Aam Aadmi Party three and the Samajwadi Party two seats. The LDF in Kerala and BAP in Rajasthan got one each.

Apart from this, two seats in Sikkim were won unopposed by Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) candidates.

In the bypolls to two Lok Sabha constituencies, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi cruised to her maiden electoral victory from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala with a margin of over 4.1 lakh votes against CPI(M)-led LDF’s Sathyan Mokeri, but the party lost Nanded in Maharashtra to the BJP.

After the reverses in the Lok Sabha election, the ruling BJP-led alliance secured its hold over the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh with its candidates winning seven out of nine seats. The BJP retained four seats — Ghaziabad, Khair, Majhawan and Phulpur — and wrested Katehari and Kundarki from the SP while its ally RLD retained one. The Samajwadi Party, which had four of these seats, retained Sishamau and Karhal.

As the results came in, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said it was a testament to the people’s unwavering faith in the successful leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“This victory is the result of the security, good governance and public welfare policies of the double-engine government and the tireless hard work of dedicated workers,” Adityanath said on X.

The ruling BJP won five of the seven seats in Rajasthan, wresting three from Congress and one from the RLP. The Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) and the Congress retained one seat each.

In a boost to the Bhagwant Mann-led government, the ruling AAP in Punjab wrested Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak and Chabbewal Assembly segments from the Congress, which ousted AAP from Barnala.

The ruling NDA in Bihar swept the bypolls to four Assembly segments, retaining Imamganj (HAM) and wresting from the INDIA bloc Tarari (BJP), Ramgarh (BJP) and Belaganj (JD-U), receiving a boost ahead of the Assembly elections due next year.

The TMC trounced the opposition in West Bengal, retaining five seats and wresting Madarihat from the BJP, further cementing its political dominance in the state despite the ongoing protests over the RG Kar incident.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the results of the byelections would help her work for the people.

“I would like to thank and congratulate the ‘Maa, Mati and Manush’ from the bottom of my heart. Your blessings will help us work for the people in the coming days. We all are common people and that is our identity. We are not zamindars, but the custodians of the people,” she posted on X.

The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya also got a boost as party candidate and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s wife Mehtab Chandee Agitok Sangma wrested the Gambegre seat from Congress.

The Congress won the byelections to all three Assembly seats in Karnataka, wresting one each from the BJP and its ally JD(S). In Kerala, it retained the Palakkad Assembly seat while the ruling LDF maintained its hold in Chelakkara Assembly seat.

Giving credit to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s leadership as well as the five guarantees for the Congress party’s success, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said it was a prelude to the 2028 Assembly election where the party would once again win.

The BJP long with its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) won all five Assembly constituencies in Assam.

The AGP and UPPL retained the Bongaigaon and Sidli (ST) constituencies, respectively. The BJP retained Behali and Dholai (SC), and wrested Samaguri from the Congress.

The ruling BJP wrested the Vav Assembly constituency in Gujarat from the Congress and retained the Raipur City South Assembly seat in Chattisgarh and Kedarnath Assembly seat in Uttarakhand.

In Madhya Pradesh, BJP retained the Budhni seat, where byelection was necessitated following the resignation of former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, but suffered a setback as state minister Ramniwas Rawat lost in the Vijaypur Assembly seat with the Congress retaining the seat.

Rawat had won the seat on a Congress ticket in the 2023 Assembly polls but then switched over to the BJP, which made him forest minister in the Mohan Yadav government. He had won from Vijaypur in Sheopur district as a Congress candidate in 1990, 1993, 2003, 2008 and 2013 as well.

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) candidates Aditya Golay and Satish Chandra Rai were Saturday elected unopposed in the bypolls to Soreng-Chakung and Namchi-Singhithang Assembly constituencies, officials said.

The assembly bypolls were held in nine seats in Uttar Pradesh, seven seats in Rajasthan, six seats in West Bengal, five seats in Assam, four seats each in Punjab and Bihar, three seats in Karnataka, two seats in Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, and one seat each in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Meghalaya.

PTI

New Delhi: The counting of votes for the bypolls to 46 Assembly seats in 13 states and in the Lok Sabha segments of Nanded in Maharashtra and Wayanad in Kerala, a crucial electoral exercise since the parliamentary polls in April-May, will begin at 8am Saturday.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is making her poll debut from Wayanad, a seat that was earlier represented in the Lok Sabha by her brother, Rahul Gandhi.

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the counting of the votes polled in the three bypolls in Kerala — Wayanad Lok Sabha and the Palakkad and Chelakkara Assembly seats. In Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi was pitted against Communist Party of India (CPI) veteran Sathyan Mokeri and BJP’s Navya Haridas.

The Assembly bypolls were held in nine seats in Uttar Pradesh, seven seats in Rajasthan, six seats in West Bengal, five seats in Assam, four seats each in Punjab and Bihar, three seats in Karnataka, two seats each in Madhya Pradesh and Kerala and one seat each in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Meghalaya.

The Meerapur, Kundarki, Sisamau, Katehari, Phulpur, Majhawan, Ghaziabad, Karhal and Khair seats went to bypolls in the crucial political battleground of Uttar Pradesh November 20. While the results will not directly impact the composition of the 403-member state Assembly, the contest is being seen as the first major face-off between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its political rivals since the Lok Sabha election.

The BJP and the opposition parties have accused each other of election malpractices.

While Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has exuded confidence that the bypoll results will be favourable for his party, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has asserted that the BJP will emerge as a clear winner.

In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the BJP won the Phulpur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan and Khair seats, while the SP secured victories in Sisamau, Katehari, Karhal and Kundarki. The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which was an SP ally then, won the Meerapur seat. The party has since switched sides and is now a part of the BJP-led NDA.

While the Congress did not contest the bypolls, it extended support to the SP. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) contested all nine seats independently, while Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) fielded candidates in Ghaziabad, Kundarki and Meerapur. The Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), led by Chandrashekhar Azad, also contested all seats except Sisamau.

A three-tier security arrangement has been put in place for the counting of the votes cast in the seven Assembly bypolls in Rajasthan, an official said Friday.

The Jhunjhunu, Ramgarh, Dausa, Deoli-Uniara, Khinvsar, Salumbar and Chaurasi seats went to bypolls in the desert state November 13.

Bypolls were held in the Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates) and Barnala Assembly seats in Punjab Wednesday. The bypolls were necessitated after the incumbent legislators were elected to the Lok Sabha.

The contest in Punjab is being seen as a litmus test for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, whose government has completed two years and a half in office. The Congress and the BJP are the two other main contenders.

Karnataka witnessed a fierce fight between the ruling Congress and a combative BJP-JD(S) alliance in the bypolls to the Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna Assembly segments November 13.

A good show by the Congress will be seen as an endorsement for both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, while a solid performance by the BJP would mean the silencing of its state president B Y Vijayendra’s critics within the saffron organisation fold.

For JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, it will be a battle of prestige as his son Nikhil is testing his electoral fortunes from Channapatna after tasting defeats in earlier contests. Kumaraswamy vacated the seat after being elected to the Lok Sabha.

Counting of votes will also be taken up for the Raipur City South Assembly bypoll in Chhattisgarh. Polling was held on November 13. The ruling BJP and main opposition Congress were locked in a direct fight in the seat, where the bypoll was necessitated after incumbent BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal’s election to the Lok Sabha.

The Sitai, Madarihat, Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur and Taldangra Assembly segments in West Bengal went to bypolls on November 13. Five of these constituencies are in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) stronghold of south Bengal, while Madarihat remains a BJP bastion in the northern parts of the state. The bypolls were necessitated after the incumbent MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress contested the bypolls separately for the first time since 2021.

Kedarnath in Uttarakhand also went to bypolls November 20. The Assembly seat in Rudraprayag district fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Shaila Rani Rawat in July.

Bypolls were also held in the Dholai, Sidli, Bongaigaon, Behali and Samaguri Assembly segments in Assam, Tarari, Ramgarh, Imamganj and Belaganj in Bihar, Vav in Gujarat, Vijaypur and Budhni in Madhya Pradesh and Gambegre in Meghalaya.

PTI

Kochi: A 51-year-old Malayalam actress who had levelled sexual abuse allegations against several male actors, including CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh, Friday said she was not keen on pursuing her complaints due to “lack of support and protection from the Kerala government”.

The complainant also alleged “carelessness” on the part of the state government and said she was “mentally exhausted” and therefore, not keen on taking the complaints forward.

“I would like to tell everyone that due to the government’s carelessness and lack of protection for a woman who has come forward like this, I have suffered more than I can handle. I am mentally exhausted. They are not helping or protecting a woman.

“Therefore, I do not want to pursue the cases. It is not because I have compromised with anyone,” she told reporters.

She claimed that she was made an accused in a POCSO case following her complaints against the actors, also including Maniyanpilla Raju and Idavela Babu, and the government did nothing to protect her.

“I am innocent. I want justice. I want the POCSO case against me to be probed thoroughly and quickly. If I commit suicide, the government will be responsible for it,” she said.

The Muvattupuzha police had registered the case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, against the woman actor based on a complaint lodged by her relative.

According to the police, the incident occurred in 2014. The relative has alleged that she was a minor at the time of the incident and that the actor was running a sex racket.

The actor had vehemently denied the allegations and claimed that the woman relative owed her some money, and these allegations were to shift attention from her complaint against the high-profile actors.

The actress’ allegations against the actors came in the wake of the disclosure of the Justice Hema Committee report which revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry, prompting calls for action against the guilty.

The Justice Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case.

The complete report was placed before the Kerala High Court which directed that it be handed over to the special investigation team (SIT) that was constituted to probe complaints of sexual abuse in the film industry.

Subsequently, 26 FIRs were registered by the SIT in connection with the revelations in the report.

PTI