Kerala

Threat

The customs official reportedly said that his post, on a closed Facebook group, was meant for his colleagues who face and withstand such forces.

TNM Staff

Customs Cochin Airport/Facebook

The Commissioner of Customs at the Cochin International Airport, Sumit Kumar, recently wrote a post on a closed Facebook group alleging that he frequently receives threats from smugglers and their abettors, but that he will not be cowed down or pushed into “tacit inaction”. “Friends I deal daily with smugglers inside and out of my formation and their friends/abettors in and out of uniform. I get direct or indirect threats, pressures, to get into passive mode. However since I am not careerist or office seeker and almighty, my parents, family have given me far more than I need, I am largely immune to such person and threats. I want to tell these enemies of the nation that I am grandson and son of freedom fighters and acclaimed public servants who gave all for the nation and the constitution that all public servants are sworn to uphold. Like submariners in ocean, I dive deep, I dive silent, and I go for the kill. You can get me transferred, kicked out of my charges, even take my life, but you cannot buy my silence and/or push me into tacit inaction. I will hit with all the power and terminate your anti-national activities with extreme prejudice. I have Mataram protecting me as an angel 24/7. Jai Hind (sic),” he reportedly wrote in a closed Facebook group. When PTI contacted Sumit Kumar, he reportedly said that the post was meant for his colleagues, who face and withstand such forces. Last Wednesday, customs officials intercepted an Afghan national on suspicion and later, to their shock, discovered that he was carrying US dollars and Saudi riyals equivalent to Rs 10.86 crore. Yousuf Muhammed Siddique had travelled from Delhi to Kabul 17 times in the last two months. On Tuesday, his flight, which was going from Delhi to Kabul via Kochi, developed a technical snag. It didn’t take off from Kochi that evening and passengers were offloaded and provided accommodation at nearby hotels. When Yousuf was checking in the next day, he was caught. Most of the currency was in US dollars. The seizure is believed to be one of the biggest in the country. In the last three months, Cochin International Airport has reported a total of 91 seizures that resulted in the recovery of 21.24 kilograms of gold. Earlier, the Customs Commissioner had ordered the arrest of the CEO of Plus Max, the agency which runs the duty-free stores at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, as part of an investigation into alleged customs duty evasion.

Politics

The KPCC president made the comments at a venue where MLA VT Balram and senior Congress leader VM Sudheeran were present.

TNM Staff

The row over Congress in Kerala giving up their Rajya Sabha seat to Kerala Congress (M) seems to have not settled down completely as of yet. On Sunday, KPCC President MM Hassan said at an event that ideals without discipline are like a body without a soul. He made the comment at an event in Thrissur held to pay respects to senior Congress leader KP Viswanathan. With MLA VT Balram and senior Congress leader VM Sudheeran being present at the event, Hassan's comment was seen as a jibe at the duo, who had been vocal about their disagreements with the party's decision to give up the RS seat to KC (M). "Discipline is most important for family life, political life and social life. Ideals without discipline are like bodies without souls," Hassan said. Especially with the party even contemplating disciplinary action against the 'rebel' MLAs including Sabarinathan, Balram and several others, Hassan's 'discipline' comment did not go unnoticed. Soon after Hassan's address, MLA Balram left the venue without making a speech. Sudheeran too left the venue soon after, but after addressing the audience. AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy also attended the event. The coming together of the Congress leaders at a single event happens at a time when there have been loud disagreements over the RS seat row. At the event, Oommen Chandy said as soon as he held the mike that he will not say anything controversial this time around, and that the journalists won't get anything out of him. Trouble began in the party ever since one of the state's three Rajya Sabha seats that had fallen vacant was suddenly "gifted" to the Kerala Congress (Mani) faction that was an ex-ally of the UDF. A day after the seat was offered, KC (M) announced its return to UDF fold after a gap of two years. Outgoing Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien, who was apparently hoping for a fourth term in the upper house, was upset that Chandy had given the seat away.

Social Media

Popular screenwriter Deedi Damodaran took to Facebook to share the story behind her and her siblings' names.

TNM Staff

Growing up, Deedi Damodaran was fed up of her peculiar name. But years later, the popular screenwriter from Kerala took to Facebook to thank her father for the name he had given her. Her father T Damodaran's love for football and the Brazil team saw him naming his eldest daughter after Didi, a Brazilian footballer who took part in the World Cup in 1954, 1958 and 1962. (Waldyr Pereira (8 October 1928 – 12 May 2001), nicknamed Didi was a Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder or as a forward). Damodaran (who passed away in 2012), also known as Damodaran Master was a big name in the Malayalam film industry and had scripted some of the evergreen hits of Malayalam cinema. He had also made many movies with directors IV Sasi and Priyadarshan, movies that redefined Malayalam cinema in many ways. Damodaran's love for the Brazilian team also led to him naming his two younger daughters by the name Vava and Garrincha, two Brazilian players from yesteryear. (Edvaldo Jizídio Neto, commonly known as Vava, was widely considered one of the best strikers of his generation. Manuel Francisco dos Santos (28 October 1933 – 20 January 1983), was known by the nickname Garrincha. In a Facebook post on Sunday, which was observed as Father's Day across the world, Deedi shared the story of how her father had named all his three daughters after football players. "For me, the World Cup signifies my father. I have only watched the football games in Kozhikode, in which my father was the referee. I grew up knowing about other games through the commentary on his Akashvani radio. The names of his three children is the result of our father's immense love for football. Brazilian players Didi, Garrincha and Vava were his favorite players. His love for those players began way before we were even born, and so I became Didi and my younger sister was named Vava. My father wanted to name my youngest sister Garrincha. But by then, the majority of us in the family had decided that we will not have one more child named after a Brazilian player. I was by then fed up with my peculiar name," Deedi wrote in Malayalam. However, it seems iike Deedi's dad had his way and the third child was nicknamed Garrincha."My father marked me with the name Didi. Today, when Brazil team is playing, I am sure he would be watching the game, sitting somewhere in the gallery in Russia. He is there in the team's every move," Deedi wrote.

FIFA World Cup

Shaiju’s commentary during Cristiano Ronaldo’s 87th minute free kick goal against Spain in the World Cup game will leave you laughing even as you hang on to the edge of your seat.

Korah Abraham

Shaiju Damodaran/ Facebook

“Na vanthuten sollu...thirumbi vanthuten sollu.” Rajinikanth’s famous dialogue from the movie Kabali, was heard by scores of people who were glued to their TV sets on the night of June 15. But this time, it was not Rajini saying it, but a man fondly referred to by fans as the “superstar of Malayalam sports commentary” – Shaiju Damodaran. And while he was referring to Cristiano Ronaldo – it was a fitting dialogue, as Shaiju himself has ‘arrived’ in the imagination of India. Malayalam football commentator Shaiju’s commentary during Cristiano Ronaldo’s 87th minute free kick goal against Spain in the World Cup game is energetic, throaty, passionate – and is bound to leave you laughing even as you hang on to the edge of your seat. His commentary-at-a-yell is something that Malayalis are now so used to, that many say, English commentary seems boring by comparison. But while Malayalis have known, loved and loved to hate Shaiju for a while now, his commentary was a novelty for the rest of India, and the clip went viral on social media with even people who do not speak or understand the language sharing it. Shaiju Damodaran Among those who were fascinated with Shaiju’s commentary was the Mahindra Group executive chairman, Anand Mahindra. “Ok that’s it. I’m switching to this channel with commentary in Malayalam. No, I don’t understand the language but I don’t need to – these guys are so pumped up that they make the English and Hindi commentators sound tame!” he tweeted. Sports statistician Mohandas Menon shared: “Cristiano Ronaldo’s third (hat-trick) goal against Spain in #FIFAworldcup2018 with Malayalam commentary. Enjoy!” Ok that’s it. I’m switching to this channel with commentary in Malayalam. No, I don’t understand the language but I don’t need to—these guys are so pumped up they make the English & Hindi commentators sound tame! pic.twitter.com/yWqApVx6jp— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 16, 2018 Cristiano Ronaldo's third (hat-trick) goal against Spain in #FIFAworldcup2018 with Malayalam commentary. ENJOY! pic.twitter.com/JvUYXVLaqO— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) June 16, 2018 Shaiju Damodaran is a familiar voice for football fans in Kerala for the passion and energy he brought into the field of commentary, especially when Kerala Blasters played in the Indian Super League (ISL). Ever since the inception of ISL in 2014, Shaiju has become a household name in the state, as many football fans tune into Asianet movies just to listen to Shaiju’s commentary. While many love his commentary, others say it’s less commentary and more theatrics. Either way, he does draw in the numbers. Shaiju has a career spanning over two decades in the field of sports journalism. Speaking to Asianetnews.tv in an interview in 2015, Shaiju said that apart from being a cricketer in the past, it was his two decade stint as a sports journalist that helped him shape his career as a football commentator. When asked about whether he likes to be known as a sports journalist or as a sports commentator, Shaiju told Asianet news, “Once a journalist, always a journalist.” But he also went on to add that the love he received from the people because of sports commentary is more than what he would ever have received as a journalist. Apart from being a commentator in the ISL, Shaiju has also given his voice for the popular Sevens Tournament in Kerala’s Malabar region. Shaiju’s voice was also heard in the match sequences in the Malayalam movie Captain, a biopic of former Kerala football captain VP Sathyan. In 2017, when the Under 17 FIFA World Cup was held in Kochi, Shaiju worked as the venue media manager. Audiences in many states are in fact lapping up commentary in vernacular languages. Abraham, a football fan from Thiruvananthapuram says that unlike English commentary, local fans are able to connect with the game better when they watch a match in their local language. “The best part about Malayalam commentary is that even the non-football watchers like me watch the games just because it is entertaining and also because the commentators explain the game in a way that a common person can understand,” says Maryanne, a recently-converted football fan from Bengaluru. And why not, considering Shaiju peppers his commentary with references from movies and popular culture – which the fans find amusing and entertaining at the same time.

FIFA World Cup

Check out some of the fan anthems that celebrate their love the game.

TNM Staff

Every four years, when the FIFA World Cup comes around, Kerala’s love affair with the ‘beautiful game’ gets revitalised with fans finding novel ways of worshipping their football idols. And it’s no different this time around. From painting their homes and vehicles with the hues of their favourite team to taking out giant posters and rallies in the names of their teams – extravaganza seems to be the norm. Also read: World Cup frenzy: Kerala man paints his house, vehicles in Brazil colours And now, to add to Kerala’s vibrant ways of expressing its love for the game, there are some super groovy fan anthems too! For instance, check out this one called ‘Football’s own country’ by Studio Mojo, which has beautiful visuals that show people from different ages and identities playing and celebrating football. The video begins with a single line on a black screen which sets the tone for the sentiment in the song – “This is not a game, this is serious.” The song then talks about the myriad emotions people feel when they touch ball, watch the players. The playground becomes a site of celebration and “throbs with life”. Watch it here: Speaking to TNIE, the Bengaluru-based Studio Mojo’s Radhakrishnan Ramachandra said that the ‘Mallu Football anthem’ is a tribute to the sport’s ardent fans. Shot and edited within a week, it was launched online by Mollywood actor Prithviraj recently. The song has been sung by Anna Katharina Valayil, who also lent her voice to the hit single ‘Appangalembadum’ in the National award-winning Ustad Hotel. She has also written the lyrics. Also read: Didi, Vava, Garrincha: How a Kerala football fan named daughters after Brazilian players And this is not all. Another video called the ‘FIFA World Cup Malayalam song’, uploaded by ‘The Gramaphone Music Band’ and featuring Swapna Chittezham celebrates the state’s love for football. The song describes the beauty and intricacies of the sport, the rhythm and the cheer it brings. It even features an adorable section where a small boy in an Argentina jersey speaks about football. Watch it here: Also read: How Brazil, Argentina became favourites in Kerala’s timeless love story with football FIFA anthems aside, fans in Kerala are going to new lengths to support their favourite teams too. For instance, check out this massive poster that many Brazil fans are carrying together. https://twitter.com/Raghuvp99/status/1008409690001174528 But then there were others who even put together a video. The tune seems to be rather similar to ‘Aluma Doluma’ from the Ajith-starrer Vedalam, but the lyrics are quite their own. The song is an ode to the “strength of the yellow squad” and praises Brazil’s star player Neymar. Watch here:

Transportation

If successful, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said, the government would roll out 300 electric buses throughout the state.

TNM Staff

Syed Shiyaz Mirza

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) rolled out its first electric bus on Monday, making Kerala the sixth Indian state to run the service. KSRTC will carry out a trial run for 15 days starting from Monday, out of which 8 days will be in Thiruvananthapuram and 7 days in Ernakulam, following which it will conduct services in Kochi and Kozhikode. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in his Facebook post on Monday said that if the services are successful, they will roll out around 300 electric buses for service throughout the state. “Electric buses are in line with the sustainable development concept of Kerala that the government is considering,” said Pinarayi in his post. During the trial runs, the services will operate in various terrains, including high ranges and local conditions. A teaser demo was held at Pappanamcode workshop in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, where the KSRTC chairman and managing director Tomin J Thachankary introduced the bus. “The bus will be charged at night, so there won’t be any difficulty of overloading due to the e-bus charging. It requires between four-five hours to get fully charged,” said Thachankary to the New Indian Express. The buses by the Hyderabad-based Gold Stone Infratech Ltd. (GIL) will be given for the trial run to the state, free of cost. An E-bus that is fully charged can cover a distance of about 350 kilometres. The electricity consumption for one kilometre will be about 1.5 to 1.8 kwh. Some of the salient features of these battery electric vehicle (BEV) buses are reduced noise pollution, air suspension for better ride comfort, disc brakes with anti-lock braking system, kneeling mechanism for persons with disabilities, senior citizens and pregnant woman, CCTV cameras and GPS tracking.

Police

Vijayan made the remarks in the Assembly in reply to a submission by Congress legislator K.S. Sabarinath.

IANS

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday made it clear that senior police officials won't be allowed to use policemen for their personal work. Vijayan made the remarks in the Assembly in reply to a submission by Congress legislator K.S. Sabarinath. Vijayan pointed out that this practise first began during the British Raj and still prevailed seven decades later."The matter is now being seriously looked into. Strict action will be taken," said the Chief Minister."The basic human rights of all people will be protected and we promise that the state government will not tolerate any violation." Around 2,000 policemen are currently deployed by officials at their homes, and often they end up doing menial work. Additional Director General of Police Sudesh Kumar, the chief of the Kerala Armed Police Battalion, was shunted out on Saturday following complaints of bad behaviour and violation of rules by him and his family members. It was alleged last week that Kumar's daughter and wife misbehaved with the driver of his official vehicle -- policeman Gavaskar. Kumar's daughter is accused of abusing Gavaskar and hitting him with her mobile telephone after he reportedly came late to pick them up. He is now warded in the Medical College Hospital. MLA Sabarinath said Gavaskar and his family hailed from his constituency."It has now surfaced that the lady hit Gavaskar seven times with her mobile under his eye and on his neck... It was only after 10 hours that the police took a statement from him while the police went and took her statement first," he said. Vijayan told the Assembly that that a Crime Branch officer was probing the case."There will be no undue delay in the probe," he added after Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the case should not be allowed to drag on indefinitely. Read: 48 hours after daughter booked for alleged assault, Kerala ADGP Sudhesh Kumar removed

Death

The death toll due to the landslide now stands at 14.

TNM Staff

One more body has been recovered from Thamarassery in Kozhikode after a landslide wrecked havoc and claimed several lives last week. The death toll due to the landslide now stands at 14. The body has been identified as that of Nafeesa. Nafeesa's husband Abdu Rahiman and sons Jaffer and Muhammad Jasim's bodies were unearthed earlier this week. Members of two other families also passed away in the landslide. Rescue efforts and unearthing of bodies began on Thursday. Those dead in the landslide have been identified as Karinchola Hassan, his wife Asiya, daughter Nusrath, Nusrath's daughters, Rinsha Mehrin and 1 and a half year old Ripa Mariyam, daughter-in-law Shamna, Shamna's daughter Niya Fathima, and Hassan's and Asiya's youngest daughter Jannath, according to a Manorama report. On Saturday, the bodies of three people were recovered, including that of a four-year-old, who went missing from Kattippara, a small village in Thamarassery Churam. Meanwhile, the body of one of the two people who were missing following heavy rains at Nilambur in Malappuram was recovered on Saturday. The district administration had earlier banned heavy vehicles just after the landslide occurred. District Collector UV Jose was quoted as saying that while the travel ban on the ghat road applies to all vehicles, KSRTC buses will ply. According to Mathrubhumi, KSRTC buses from the Thamarassery side will continue to operate till Chippilithodu. From the Kalpetta side they will operate till the 29th mile. Passengers have been asked to walk the 200-meter distance between the two stops in the ghat. Heavy rains had triggered flash floods and landslides in several places in rural Kozhikode on Thursday. A red alert has been issued in Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod and Palakkad till June 18.

Crime

Vijayakumar hacked Fahad to death when he was on his way to school along with his sister and a friend.

TNM Staff

A man who hacked to death the 8-year old boy of his neighbour in 2015, was sentenced to life imprisonment by Kasargode Additional Session Court 1 on Monday. Judge Sasikumar PS also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict Vijayakumar (37). If the convict doesn’t pay the penalty, he would have to serve the imprisonment for an additional three years. The deceased was Mohammed Fahad, a class 3 student of Government Higher Secondary School at Kalliot near Periya in the district. The Crime The crime happened on July 9, 2015 at around 8.45 am, when the boy was hacked with a machete. Fahad was on his way to school, along with his sister Shahala and friend Abdul Anas. Vijayakumar suddenly sprang before them when they reached Chandamullu and hacked Fahad on his neck. There were six deep injuries on the boy’s back and he died on the spot. Fahad is the son of Abbas and Ayisha and Vijayakumar is the family’s neighbour. Fahad was born with club foot and was also a victim of pesticide endosulfan’s aerial spraying. Vijayakumar was a coconut plucker and he committed the crime ‘to punish the boy’s father’. Though Vijayakumar is said to be an RSS worker and it was initially reported that the crime was prompted out of communal an political enmity, the prosecution cited the convict’s vengeance towards the boy’s father as the reason for the crime. Fahad's father Abbas told media that he was not happy with the verdict and would appeal against the quantum of punishment. According to Public Prosecutor P Raghavan, Fahad was attacked from behind. Though the prosecution sought capital punishment for the convict, the court didn’t see it as a ‘rarest of the rare’ case. The court sentenced the convict to life term under section 302 of the IPC and one month simple imprisonment for wrongful restraint under section 341 of the IPC. The then Circle Inspector U Preman had investigated the case. The prosecution produced 20 witnesses, 25 documents and 11 pieces of evidence before the court. Read: Kerala starts trial run of electric buses in Thiruvananthapuram

Crime

Krishnakumar Nair later claimed that he was drunk when he issued the death threat.

TNM Staff

screenshot

A Dubai-based Malayali who threatened to kill Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was arrested from the New Delhi airport on Monday. 56-year-old Krishnakumar Nair arrived at the New Delhi airport from Abu Dhabi on Monday evening when he was arrested by the Delhi police. He was later handed over to the Kerala police who has booked a case against the man. Earlier this month, Krishnakumar Nair did a Facebook live video from UAE where he threatened to kill CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Krishnakumar Nair, in his live video which went viral, said that he is planning to return from the Middle East to kill Pinarayi. Announcing that he was an RSS sympathiser and a former member, he also passed casteist and derogatory remarks on the Chief Minister and his family. In his video, Krishnakumar said that he had gone to the Gulf to amass wealth to plot the murder. “I get Rs 2 lakh per month as salary for my job as senior rigging instructor. I will buy daggers. Once we decide to kill, we will do that," he had said. Krishnakumar, who worked with the Abu Dhabi-based Target Engineering Construction Company, also said that he planned to come back to Kerala to execute the murder. A few hours later, Krishnakumar came up with another video in which he apologised to Pinarayi and his family members, saying that he was under the influence of alcohol when he made the previous video. However, he came up with another Facebook post the following day announcing that he had lost his job after the death threat he made against the Chief Minister. “God has punished me for the mistake I’ve done,” he said in the post. “I’m willing to accept any punishment that the law gives for the crime that I have done,” said Krishnakumar. He went on to say that he had been an RSS sympathiser ever since he was young and that he would continue to be an RSS sympathizer till his death.

Child Rights

Activists allege that there are attempts to hush up, and out of court settlements, to save the accused in child assault cases.

Saritha S Balan

Image for representation only

Do all the cases registered under The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) in Kerala end up in convicting accused? Do all of them even reach trial? Well, according to activists and others working in rescuing and rehabilitation of sexual abuse survivors, the answer is no. There are many factors that stand in the way to ensure a fair trial, and thus punishment, for the accused. These include attempts to hush up cases, out of court settlements, and influencing the survivor’s family, who in most cases are downtrodden and vulnerable. The more serious allegation activists raise is that members of many district level Child Welfare Committees (CWC) send back the survivors to their homes even when the accused are family members. Perception that family stands beyond everything There are many instances of making the survivors stay at their homes even if their relatives are the accused. “Even when the father is the accused, the child would be sent with her mother to the same home. In some cases, even fake records would be created to show that a house is rented, and the child is sent there. What prompts the CWC officials to do this is their perception that family stands beyond everything and it is the ultimate shelter for girls,” an activist says. The same happened in a few cases where mothers were the accused. “In Idukki, a mother sent her two daughters to a person, who wanted to sexually abuse them. Even in that case the child was sent back to the house. The survivors are even be sent to live with their brothers, who are just 18 or 19 years old. In some cases, the survivors, after they turn 18, would land in the clutches of the accused themselves,” the activist said. Another activist said that in cases where the families are vulnerable, it is easier to influence them. “There is even a group of lawyers who act as mediators between the children’s families and the accused. In cases in which the accused are rich and powerful, the lawyers would mediate, make the survivors poorer and receive money from the accused. The accused find it easy to evade punishment by giving money,” the activist added. CWC acts subjectively “Members of the CWC act subjectively. Their religion even comes in the way of taking decisions, such as when rehabilitating the survivors in Nirbhaya homes. Their morality sometimes beats reality. A Chairperson of a CWC in a northern district acts with upper caste prejudice and looks at the tribes, from among whom POSCO cases are widely reported, with apathy,” a source said. PE Usha, Mahila Samakhya Society project director echoes this opinion. “Yes, they act subjectively. It’s high time that the CWCs should be strengthened. Trials in the POCSO cases are particularly crucial.” Usha says that there are 5,000 pending POSCO cases in the state from all districts. In the 48 cases in which the survivors were housed in the Nirbhaya homes under Mahila Samakhya Society, the accused were punished in 45 cases. It’s the CWC which refers cases to Mahila Samakhya, while the role of rescuing the children are done by ChildLine. “Even ChildLine can’t rescue all the children who are subjected for sexual abuse. Once someone asked me are all the children, whom Childline care for, from underprivileged families? And he was right,” the source added. Many opine that one solution was to set up fast track courts that deal with crimes of a sexual nature, an element that Kerala does not have currently.

Initiative

'Onnikkan Onnakam' is an initiative by Human Wellness Study Centre, that attempts to provide social, legal and emotional guidance to young couples.

Megha Varier

Image for representation only

In the aftermath of the murder of Kevin Joseph – killed by his wife’s family days after they got married – a group of people in Kerala have come together to form a collective, in order to provide help to those couples who face resistance and violence from their families. The initiative, called Onnikkan Onnakam (meaning ‘Let’s unite’) has been launched by Human Wellness Study Centre, a collective where people engage in discussions, in order to help such couples. Many youngsters in Kerala who fall in love outside their religion, caste, or social standing, have faced resistance from their families. While some are forced to let go of their relationship and budge to the demands of their families, some others fight to live a life of their choice. And in many cases, there is violence. Speaking to TNM, the coordinator of the initiative Anil Jose says that the murder of Kevin Joseph is what triggered the launch of the initiative. "In the 1970s and 80s, Kerala was a progressive state. We were advancing, leaving behind the shackles of caste and religion. But now, it looks like that we are all walking backwards," Anil says. Anil wants Onnikkan Onnakam to be a support group for unmarried couples who need help. The collective will meet for the first time on June 24, for a one day session, during which lawyers, psychologists and former police personnel will speak to couples."To begin with, these are adults we are talking about. So they should know what their basic rights are. The lawyer will explain all the legal aspects to them – what are their rights, what can they do. The police officers will be able to guide them if they want to approach the police seeking help. A one-on-one session will be held post-noon, in which couples can tell us what exactly they need help in. If they want to move legally, we will help them do so," Anil explains. He says that the team will also meet the parents of the couples and convince them to support the couple. The group plans to meet on the 4th Sunday of every month and the meetings will be held across Kerala. So far, Anil says he has received at least 140 calls in a matter of a week."For some people, the assurance that they have somebody to back them, will itself be enough. There was a young man who got in touch with us, who said that his girlfriend lived with him during the weekends. But he was unsure whether this was right, although he reiterated that the duo will get married soon. I sent him a news item of the Kerala High Court allowing an unmarried couple to live together outside marriage. He was relieved and now knows he isn't doing anything wrong," Anil shares."There's so much that needs to be done," he adds.

Medicine

Delivered on 158th day of pregnancy and weighing just 650 grams, the baby is now a 1 kg infant ready to leave the hospital.

Megha Varier

Kannur natives Satheesh and Sheena were ecstatic when Sheena got pregnant in the end of last year. The teacher couple had waited for long 14 years for a child and at the end of a series of infertility treatment, Sheena conceived for the first time. While the duo felt that their problems had finally ended, little did they know what was in store for them. At the end of March, when Sheena was in her 22nd week of pregnancy, the duo were alarmed when they found that Sheena's fluid had broke. On March 31, at the end of a 24 hour struggle of shifting Sheena from their home in Pinarayi to a hospital in Kannur and again to a hospital in Thrissur, she gave birth to two tiny boys. While one weighed 550 grams, the other weighed 650 grams. 47-year-old Satheesh and 36-year-old Sheena are now preparing to leave Nyle Hospital in Thrissur where their babies had been admitted since their birth. When the couple leaves the hospital in two days, they would carry one healthy baby home. While the baby who weighed 550 grams at birth did not survive and died five days after birth, the doctors and the medical team was successful in nursing the other baby to life. Dr Aloke (Neonatology) of Nyle hospital calls the baby a "miracle baby," adding that babies born prematurely, especially before 27 weeks, hardly survive. "The baby now weighs 1 kg and is completely healthy. We performed a cesarean on the mother and took the babies out. Usually in 22nd week, the chances of the baby surviving is abysmally low. Usually the pregnancy gets terminated. When she was brought in, Sheena was leaking and she had already gone into labour," Dr Aloke explains. Both the babies were put on ventilator and given respiratory treatment. However, only one of them survived. "The first week since birth is the most critical. If a baby survives for a week, then there is hope that it can be nursed to health. We put the baby on ventilator support for 34 days and gave an additional 12 days of respiratory assistance. The baby had breathing difficulties and was in distress. But thankfully, the baby did not have hemorrhage, which is often the case with premature deliveries, that could be fatal," Dr Aloke says. Only Hope Dr Aloke says that the determination shown by the parents was commendable. Satheesh is at a loss of words to describe the months of pain he and his family had undergone. He tells TNM: "After her water broke, when we rushed Sheena to a hospital in Edappal where we had taken the IVF treatment, they suggested that we abort the pregnancy. But then we did not want to do so, we had waited for so long for a child. So we went to Nyle hospital, where the babies were born." When one of the babies did not survive, Satheesh and his wife were immersed in grief. "We lost one of them, but we did not want to lose the other child too. So when Dr Aloke said that he will do his best to save our child, we trusted in him," Satheesh says. A team of doctors including Aloke, Dr Seema, Dr Ramesh, Dr Kavitha and the nursing team attended to the babies.

Human Interest

Kamalasan and Sarojini donated a property worth Rs 3.5 crore – and have asked the govt to use the space as a home for women with mental illnesses and intellectual disabilities.

Haritha John

Kamalasan, Priya and Sarojini.

Priya was sitting on a chair outside her house, waiting for us. Her father had told her that somebody would visit her soon. When we reached, Priya offered us a weak handshake. Her father Kamalasan, who made news recently along with his wife Sarojini, when the couple donated property worth Rs 3.5 crore to the Kerala government, invited us inside. The huge two-storey house is built on 5800 square feet of land in East Nadakkavu. The grand outside of the house though turned out to be deceptive; inside, Kamalasan, Sarojini and Priya occupy just about 500 square feet of space, with minimal furnishings. Prominent on the wall is a photo of AK Gopalan, the communist icon of Kerala, hugging CH Kanaran, an elected member of the first Kerala Assembly. Kanaran was the CPI (M) state secretary between 1964 and 1972, and is Sarojini’s father. Like her father, 71-year-old Sarojini, too, is a communist, and so is 77-year-old Kamalasan. And that’s the reason, the couple says, they’ve decided to live a minimal life, and donate their extra wealth. The other reason they gave away a property to the Kerala government: their daughter Priya. The 38-year-old has learning disabilities, and has been living with Schizophrenia since she was 12-years-old. The septuagenarian couple is worried about who will take care of Priya after them. "We can send our daughter to some private institution by remitting lakhs of rupees. But how can we believe them?” Kamalasan asks. “I even asked some of my relatives whether they are ready to take care of Priya – but they were very reluctant. They are interested in my property though,” Kamalasan says. Kamalasan and Sarojini say they have now entrusted the government with their daughter’s care. On June 8, they handed over their property in Kollam of Kozhikode district, worth Rs 3.5 crore, to the Social Justice Department of the Kerala government. Kamalasan had inherited the land – 36,155 square feet – on which he built a two-storey building that can house more than 50 people. The house will now be converted into a home for women with intellectual disabilities, and women living with mental illnesses. The centre will be named after their daughter, the ‘Priya home for mentally challenged women.’ But both Kamalasan and Sarojini say that they did not do this for their daughter alone – but for every woman who is neglected and abandoned because of their disability or their mental health. “I know many people who take care only of their sons. If their daughter is sick, they abandon her completely,” Sarojini says. “We will take care of our daughter until our last breath. After that, she can go to the care home that we’ve donated – or anywhere else she wants to, as she will get our pension amount,” she says, holding on tightly to her daughter. Kamalasan says there are other women who are in more difficult circumstances than Priya. "She has us, she has money. But there are many others who doesn't have these privileges,” Kamalasan says. “Our decision to donate our assets is with them in mind,” he adds. “I am worried about my daughter, but I am equally worried about others, too.” The couple has also decided to donate their property in East Nadakkavu (where they live now) – worth Rs 4.5 crore – as well. "We will hand over this property too, to convert to an institution. I don't believe in any private firms. So mostly, this property will also go to the government as well," Kamalasan says. The Social Justice department has assured Kamalasan and Sarojini that their daughter will have a safe place to stay, whenever she needs it – and for Kamalasan and Sarojini, this is a relief, as well as a reinforcement of their faith in the government. “A proper government is the only resort for people and their problems,” Kamalasan says.

World Cup

One wedding had decor comprising of banners, flex board and hydrogen boards — only in the colours of the Argentinian flag.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

With the FIFA World Cup in progress, football frenzy has taken over everything in Kerala, including the wedding industry. Couples in Kerala are, quite literally, kick-starting their married life with football themed ceremonies. Jobin and Irene from Thrissur recently celebrated their union with an all out Argentina-themed wedding. The couple, who got married in the St. Mary's Church and had their lunch party at the St. Aloysius Wedding Hall in Thrissur, had wedding decor which consisted of blue and white banners, flex boards and hydrogen balloons — colours of the Argentinian flag. “The groom, Jobin, is a huge fan of the Argentina football team. So we designed a fondant cake in the shape of a blue and white football with the sun emblem in the centre, closely resembling the Argentinian flag. Although the base of the cake was sponge, the icing was made with much detailing which included the stitches on the ball to make it look authentic,” says Jinu Paul, founder of Roman Event Planners who executed the wedding. Jinu says that most of the material required for the wedding, such as Argentinian flag balloons, flexes, posters and banners were locally sourced. “The material was easy to access as there is so much fan support for Brazil and Argentina here. So team merchandise will always be available during this season,” he adds. Jobin’s friends also awarded him a replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy to congratulate him. “Blue and white balloons were lined up along the aisle and as the couple walked inside, which were handed to the couple by their friends. The balloons were then released as a bunch by the couple. The wedding feast was also served by around 30 staff and all of them wore Argentina jerseys,” adds Jobin. For newlyweds Monisha and Roshan, who got married on May 27, having a fun pre-wedding photoshoot was a must. The couple roped in Aneesh Thrithalloor, a wedding photographer from a Thrissur-based studio Different Point. Based on Aneesh’s idea, the couple did an exciting and fun-packed ‘Brazil – Argentina’ shoot in Thrissur. “We wanted to do something that would be catchy and I follow the world cup every year. So Aneesh suggested we do a football themed photoshoot,” Roshan told TNM. The quirky photoshoot has captured the couple having fun kicking the ball in the rain. The bride, Monisha, is clad in the Argentinian blue and white while the groom, Roshan, is sporting Brazil’s yellow jersey. While Roshan is following the World Cup, the couple aren’t football fanatics. They hoped that the photoshoot would garner attention. “We planned and executed the shoot and theme from scratch. Since the whole of Kerala is rooting for either Brazil or Argentina, we thought this would make for a great and viral idea for a photoshoot. The shoot as such was incredibly fun and we did it in a garden in Chavakkad, Thrissur,” says Aneesh.

Fraud

Peelianickal is accused in six cases of loan fraud out of which Kerala HC had earlier granted him anticipatory bail in two cases.

TNM Staff

Facebook / Fr Thomas Peelianickal

Father Thomas Peelianickal who is the executive director of the Kuttanad Vikasana Samithi (KVS) office in Alappuzha, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with an agriculture loan scam in Kuttanad. The District crime branch team led by Dy SP Vijayakumaran Nair arrested him. Police said that as per complaints received by them, Peelianickal had availed loans on behalf of farmers’ self-help groups by allegedly forging documents of several farmers. He is accused in six cases of loan fraud out of which Kerala High Court had earlier granted him anticipatory bail in two cases. Peelianickal’s arrest was recorded at the CB office in Alappuzha on Tuesday evening and he will be produced before Ramankari Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Wednesday. Nair told The Times of India that 14 cases have been registered related to agriculture loan fraud. “As per the evidence we collected, Peelianickal is now accused in only six cases. The investigation is progressing and Peelianickal may become accused in more cases in coming days,” the investigation team said. Veliyanad Block panchayat member and NCP leader Rojo Joseph is the main accused in the case but he is absconding. Background The fraud came to light after Shaji, a native of Kavalam, disclosed that a joint liability group of farmers under Kuttanad Vikasana Samithy took Rs 5 lakh loan from Canara Bank in his name, whereas he was not a member of that group. Following this, he received loan recovery notice from the bank. As per his complaint, the loan was taken by Karshaka Mithra Nel Karshka Joint Liability Group formed under KVS. However, the first case registered against Peelanickal was based on a complaint filed by a woman member of Mithrakari Nel Karshaka Samithi. Peelianickal had allegedly acquired loans by forming self-help groups under various names and forged documents for availing the loans from different banks in Alappuzha. The crime branch discovered that loans were availed by forging the signatures of farmers who were into paddy cultivation at Kuttanad. Read: ‘Not just for our daughter’: Why a Kerala couple donated assets worth crores to the govt

Death

Sreejith brought home a woman he was in love with, but his uncle created a scene saying that the unmarried couple cannot stay at the house.

TNM Staff

Image for representation only

Days after he was publicly shamed for bringing home a woman he was in love with, a Kerala man was found dead in the wee hours of Wednesday. The body of 28-year-old Sreejith, a native of Kollam district, was found by the side of a railway track near Kottarakkara in the district by the police. The police believe it to be a case of suicide. Sreejith’s body was found three days after the young man was publicly shamed for taking the woman he was in love with to his ancestral house in Puthoor. When the duo went to the uninhabited house last Sunday, police say that his uncle created a furore and refused to allow them to enter. Puthoor Sub-Inspector told TNM that Sreejith’s maternal uncle, who lives nearby, refused to allow the couple to enter the house, arguing that it was not right for an unmarried couple to live together before marriage. While media reports stated that Sreejith was a victim of moral policing, the police tried to play down the incident. “It was not a case of moral policing per se. It was his own uncle, who was not in good terms with him, who created a ruckus. This uncle called the station on Sunday afternoon and we went to the scene. When we went there, some 10 other people had also gathered around. When we verified the details, we found that both the man and the woman were over the age of 18, so we told the others that it was not illegal if the duo wanted to spend time together. We dispersed the crowd and returned. Sreejith and the woman too left the scene in the motorbike they came in,” the SI said. After the incident, Sreejith reportedly went back to his sister’s house in Kundara, where he lived. He left home later to go to Kattappana in Idukki district, where he worked at a massage centre. On Tuesday night, he spoke to his sister over the phone to tell her that he was coming back home. “But by 1.30 am, we got a call that there was a body on the railway track, so we went to check. We found it to be of Sreejith. There was no suicide note on the body. We have registered a case of unnatural death,” Kottarakkara police said.

Health

The care would be provided through a joint initiative between the private sector and state government, the Kerala Assembly was told.

IANS

At least 1.50 lakh patients in Kerala who suffer from various ailments will have a better quality of life through palliative care, the government said on Wednesday. The care would be provided through a joint initiative between the private sector and state government, the Kerala Assembly was told. Palliative care is given to improve the quality of life of patients who have a serious or life-threatening disease. Health Minister K.K. Shailaja said even as Kerala boasts of having the best of health care, when it comes to palliative care to those suffering from serious ailments like cancer and other life threatening diseases, there has to be an improved effort to give them an improved quality of life."At present, there are around 1.50 lakh patients suffering from cancer, several other ailments, old age problems and are mostly bed-ridden. It's here, where we wish to provide an improved palliative care," the Minister said."For this, there will be a better co-ordination between the various organisations which are involved in this activity and the state government programmes," said Shailaja. She added that of 1.50 lakh such patients, around 49,000 currently getting benefits of palliative care through various private organisations and the ones in the state government sector."We have already included palliative care in the state owned 232 community health centres. We have decided to appoint a physiotherapist and a nurse in addition to the existing staff so as to benefit those who need palliative care," she said."There are 15 training centres which have the approval of the WHO which gives training to volunteers who are interested in providing service to the suffering," added the minister. She added that it has also been decided that the Ayurveda sector will also be asked to join the new initiative, as Ayurveda too provides elements to improve the quality of life of those who need palliative care. Also read: Hepatitis outbreak in Kozhikode: 84 cases reported so far

Missing person case

Jesna’s family has moved the Kerala High Court seeking a CBI probe into her mysterious disappearance.

TNM Staff

Three months after 20-year-old Kerala student Jesna Mariya James went missing, the police continue to probe the case. On Wednesday, Jesna's family moved the Kerala High Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the BCom student's mysterious disappearance. Jesna's family confirmed to TNM that they have legally raised the need for a CBI probe. The family approached the court with the demand in the wake of the Kerala police investigation failing to produce any leads. Although the family feels that the probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is being carried out in the right direction, the family is dejected that the probe has still not given a useful lead. Meanwhile, more details of the case emerged, with the SIT confirming that Jesna had sent a text message to one of her friends, that she was going to die. This message, say police, was the last message that was sent from her phone before Jesna went missing in March this year. Police have been questioning the friend to whom Jesna had sent this particular text message. Reports stated that the police team recovered a blood-stained cloth from Jesna's house and that they are carrying out an investigation based on this. However, sources close in the SIT told TNM that the cloth was recovered from the bathroom in Jesna's house over a month ago. "We had sent it for forensic examination, but it hasn't given us any leads. The cloth has been washed several times, there's nothing useful we got from it," the source said. Pathanamthitta SP T Narayanan said that the team continues to investigate the case thoroughly. "We are questioning everyone related to the case, we are not leaving out anybody. We are also questioning some people multiple times. At this point, we cannot verify any information, but we are looking into every angle," the SP said. March in Thiruvananthapuram On Wednesday, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala took out a march to the Assembly, demanding a CBI probe into Jesna's disappearance. Jesna's family also took part in the march. "Ninety-one days have passed since Jesna went missing. Kerala police have been degraded. Kerala police is doing the work of bathing dogs and they are even used as midwives. Such things have not happened before. This proves the lack of political will of the government. This is the biggest proof of the political leadership and government’s failure,” Chennithala was quoted as saying. Jesna Maria James went missing on March 22.

Health

As of June 2018, Kasargod has the highest number of Dengue cases in Kerala.

Nishitha Aysha Ashraf

Image for representation only

With the monsoon season entering its third week in Kerala, the number of dengue cases is on the rise across the state. In spite of various preventive measures which the state health department has undertaken since January 2018, they have been unable to curtail the spread of the disease. Dengue outbreak in Kasaragod Kasargod District Medical Officer Dr Dinesh Kumar told TNM, “This year Kasargod has recorded the highest number of dengue cases in Kerala. There is a dengue outbreak in Kasargod” According to sources from Kasargod District Medical Office, since January 2018 the total number of suspected dengue cases in Kasaragod stands at 2434. The number of suspected dengue death is 5. The number of confirmed dengue cases is 328 of which one person died due to dengue. Dr Dinesh explained, “Kasargod has both hilly and coastal areas. Since January 2018 we have undertaken several activities covering all the panchayaths. We made 4 teams headed by the district collector, sub-collectors and additional district magistrate. Hilly areas such as Kodambelur, Balaar, Kinanoor, Karinthalam were given more attention. Until the monsoon season, the dengue cases were under control. But now with the rains, new cases of dengue are being reported from the coastal areas such as Kanhangad, Nileshwaram, Pallikkara, Chengala, Mogral Puthoor. However the number of cases from hilly areas are on the decline this year.” Dr Dinesh added, “This does not reflect that preparation to tackle dengue was inadequate. It has more to do with the seasonal changes that become conducive for breeding of mosquitoes.” A surge in dengue cases has occurred during May and June season. In April there were 20 suspected cases and 1 suspected death while the confirmed cases were only 2. However, in May there were 925 suspected cases and 3 suspected dengue deaths. The confirmed cases were 119 and 1 confirmed dengue death. June has 1399 suspected cases so far and 1 suspected dengue death. As of June 19, the total number of confirmed cases stands at 176. So far no death due to dengue has been confirmed in June. This is much more than what was seen in 2017. In 2017, April had seen 16 suspected cases and 1 confirmed case. May had 126 suspected cases and 34 confirmed cases. There were 103 suspected cases and 45 confirmed cases in June. Malappuram Malappuram also is on dengue alert. The district has reported high number of cases this year. Malappuram District Medical Officer Dr Sakeena told TNM, “ Since January 2018 up till May 19, we have 938 suspected cases and 146 confirmed cases .” Dr Sakeena stressed that the numbers should be seen in relation to the total population of the district. “Malappuram has large population. There are 15 blocks in this district. So the number of suspected and confirmed cases must be seen in relation to the total population of the district.” Dr Sakeena added, “Case fatality rate is low in Malappuram. It is only 0.45%” Usually, higher number of cases are reported from the forest belt in the district. This includes Chungathara, Karinazhi, Kalikavu, Mankada. These areas have more number of rubber plantations and bamboo grooves. “We need area specific activities to address the specific preventive measures. For example, in forest areas the bushes might be needed to be cleared out a bit so that mosquitoes have less hiding spaces. In rubber plantations, coconut shells which are used to collect the rubber milk can become breeding places for mosquitoes during monsoon.” said Dr Sakeena. There is no specific treatment for dengue, which is why the focus of health administrators has been on prevention. In fact, early detection and access to proper medical care can lower fatality rates to below 1%. And the best way to prevent the diseases is by controlling the breeding of carriers – or ‘vectors’ – of the disease, mosquitoes.

I get direct, indirect threats, won’t be cowed down: Kochi airport Customs Commissioner

Congress RS seat row: MM Hassan takes a jibe at young MLAs, preaches 'discipline'

Kerala screenwriter Deedi on how her football crazy father named his kids after Brazilian players

The Shaiju Damodaran moment: The Malayalam football commentator India is raving about

Videos: Celebrate the FIFA fever with these groovy Malayalam fan anthems

Kerala starts trial run of electric buses in Thiruvananthapuram

Senior cops won't be allowed to use police personnel for personal work: Pinarayi

One more body found in Kerala landslide, members of 3 families lost to disaster

Neighbour who hacked 8-year-old to death in Kerala gets life term

Dubai-based Malayali who issued death threat against Kerala CM, arrested in Delhi

Compromises and insensitivity: Why many POCSO accused in Kerala go scot-free

New initiative to help inter-caste, inter-faith Kerala couples

Kerala baby weighing 650 gm, born after 5.5 month pregnancy survives

‘Not just for our daughter’: Why a Kerala couple donated assets worth crores to the govt

Brazil weds Argentina: Kerala couples embrace World Cup-themed weddings

Kerala priest Fr Thomas Peelianickal arrested in Kuttanad agri loan scam

Kerala man found dead days after he was harassed for bringing his partner home

1.5 lakh patients in Kerala to receive palliative care, says Health Minister KK Shylaja

Missing Kerala student Jesna sent text to friend saying she was going to die: Cops

Dengue cases on the rise in Kerala as rains lash the state