Kerala

Infrastructure

On August 9, 2018, the culverts under the Wandoor-Naduvath-Vadakkumpadam road in Malappuram collapsed, causing the stretch to cave in.

Shiba Kurian

The 2018 floods in Kerala had certain moments that are seared into our memories — the NDRF officer running through Cheruthoni Bridge in Idukki with a child seconds before the bridge was submerged, a pregnant woman whose water bag had ruptured and was stranded in a building, being airlifted. But among these, the scene that would give one the chills was a portion of a road in Malappuram caving in, with both sides of the road being separated by the gushing water. Months after the incident, the road has been restored and is serviceable, informed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday. On August 9, 2018, a portion of Wandoor-Naduvath-Vadakkumpadam road in Malappuram, caved in as heavy rains and the subsequent floods pounded various parts of the district. “This is one among the many roads that have been rebuilt on a war footing basis,” the CM announced on his social media pages. The stretch of the road was renovated at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. Remember that sight of a road being washed away in the floods of 2018? That road has been restored and is now serviceable. The Wandoor - Naduvath - Vadakkum Padam road in Malappuram is one among the many roads that have been rebuilt on a war footing basis. pic.twitter.com/cvtGn23Iz6 — CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) February 11, 2019 "In August, the two culverts under the road gave way due to the floods, which caused the road to cave-in. It has never happened before,” recalled the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD) in Malappuram. “We took up the reconstruction of this stretch of the road on September 13 and completed the work, including laying concrete, in December 2018. We have also increased the height and width of the culvert from 1.5 m x 1.5 m to 3 m x 3 m,” he told TNM. The day after the road collapsed and disrupted vehicular movement and rescue operations, a 30-member Military Engineer Task Force, headed by Captain Kuldeep Singh Rawat, had constructed a 40-ft-long improvised temporary bridge using palm trees. Although this allowed people to walk over the bridge, vehicles were still cut off from this path. The Chief Minister also added that the Public Works Department and Local Self-Governments are rebuilding bridges and roads which were destroyed in the floods across the state. “PWD has completed repair works of 4,429 km length of roads; 164 works were completed. A total of 429 works, which extends to a length of 3,148 km, are in the final stages of rebuilding. The construction of designed roads, which are built to last long, is also progressing; 64 of these are under construction,” the CM’s post read.

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Controversy

Meanwhile, Devikulam sub-collector Renu Raj has said she will be approaching the Kerala High Court against the MLA’s derogatory comments.

TNM Staff

“I was upset with the way the sub-collector addressed me, despite my being a people’s representative. This made me react without taking into consideration that she’s a woman,” said CPI (M)’s Devikulam MLA S Rajendran, as part of his half hearted ‘apology’ for his remarks against Devikulam sub-collector Renu Raj. The ruling party MLA was caught on camera insulting the IAS officer, for daring to issue a stop memo to an illegal construction. “She doesn’t have brains. Just because she is an IAS, she is trying to act smart. People who study only to become a collector will only have so much brains,” Rajendran had said, in a video that has been aired on television channels in Kerala. And while he refused to apologise initially – in a debate on Asianet News, the MLA claimed there was no reason for him to apologise – he has now issued a patronising statement, where he has added that he will be taking the matter with the Kerala Assembly Speaker, for the sub-collector was ‘rude’ to him. The ‘rudeness’ was basically a woman bureaucrat standing her ground. “The MLA had called me on the phone and spoke to me a little rudely and said that the construction (of the Munnar Panchayat shopping complex) will take place,” Renu Raj IAS told media channels, “I told him that if it happens, then I will have to take necessary action.” Pressure builds on Rajendran, CPI (M) Even this apology has come after massive pressure: the Kerala State Women’s Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of the issue; CPI (M)’s ally CPI has slammed the MLA; sub-collector Renu Raj has decided to approach the High Court against the MLA; and the CPI (M) has sought an explanation from Rajendran from his remarks; "Two weeks back, we got an order from the High Court that if any construction takes place even after a stop memo is issued, then it should be brought to the notice of the HC,” Renu Raj said. Speaking to Manorama News, Kerala Revenue Minister, E Chandrasekharan – who belongs to the CPI – on Monday said that the incident in which the MLA insulted the sub-collector shouldn’t have taken place. “The action taken by Renu Raj is hundred percent right. Illegal constructions are against the law, even if it is the Panchayat that is doing so,” said the minister. CPI State Secretary, Kanam Rajendran said that Renu Raj was doing her duty by preventing the illegal construction of the shopping complex and there was no need to look at the incident from a political angle. CPI (M) district secretary KK Jayachandran on Sunday said that the party will take action against Rajendran for spoiling the name of the party. “The comments made by the Rajendran will negatively affect the CPM in the upcoming election,” Jayachandran was quoted as saying by TNIE, “He has got involved in the issue without informing the party. I’ve asked for an explanation from him.” The illegal construction The controversial remarks were made by S Rajendran on Friday when a team of revenue officials came to prevent the construction of a shopping complex of the Munnar panchayat, after Renu Raj had earlier given a “stop memo” to the construction, after it was found that the construction was happening without getting the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the district collector. However, MLA S Rajendran claimed that there is no need to get any permission from the revenue department to do construction on panchayat land. When the revenue officials came to prevent the construction of the shopping complex, they were blocked by the MLA and the panchayat president after which the MLA began to publicly insult the sub-collector as shown in the videos. In front of the revenue officials and the gathered public, Rajendran called the IAS officer ‘brainless’, and went on a tirade against her.

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Politics

KPCC chief Mullappally Ramachandran announced his name during the Jana Maha Yatra.

Saritha S Balan

MK Raghavan Facebook Page

Congress leader Mullappally Ramachandran is on a Jana Maha Yatra now. While the Congress may still be contemplating about who to field from other constituencies in Kerala, there seems to be no ambiguity as far as Kozhikode is concerned. During the Yatra- a state wide pre-election campaign led by the state Congress Chief, Mullappally announced the name of MK Raghavan as the candidate for the Kozhikode seat. A former General Secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), Raghavan is the incumbent MP of the constituency. With this, the Congress has decided its candidates for two seats, including Thiruvananthapuram where the candidature of two-time MP Shashi Tharoor is unopposed. This is the first formal announcement on candidature by the Congress and that of any of the candidates belonging to the three political fronts in the state. This is the third consecutive time that Raghavan has been given a ticket from Kozhikode. He defeated A Vijaraghavan, a senior leader of the CPI (M) in 2014 by 16,883 votes. With his defeat, the CPI (M) had suffered a setback in its attempt to wrest the constituency from the Congress. Vijayaraghavan is currently the convenor of the Left Democratic Front. In the 2009 elections, Raghavan won the seat with the lowest margin in the state-838 votes. He secured 3,42,309 votes, which was 42.92% of the total votes polled while his opponent PA Mohammed Riaz - a young leader of the CPI (M) got 42.81% of the votes. The rise of the 66-year old political leader can be attributed to the ‘popular’ image he has cultivated over the years, with his consecutive tenures as an MP. Even before Mullappally announced his name, posters favouring him had begun popping up in some parts of the constituency- in the northern region - on gates, walls and even on coconut trees. “He is the most approachable political leader-more than a panchayat president- in Kozhikode. He will be there at almost all functions across households, be it a wedding or a funeral. The credit for securing Central funds for Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences primarily goes to him and also for the development of the Kozhikode Railway Station that falls in A1 category," a native of Mankav in Kozhikode says."He would spend his MP fund almost fully. He would personally go to government offices for getting things done for people. He would personally make calls, if his quota is full for getting something done he would recommend other people’s representatives to include a particular issue in their quota for which he won’t derive any political benefit,” he adds. How tough the fight this time is for Raghavan would be clear after the LDF and the BJP declare their candidates.

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Crime

Shukoor, an IUML activist, was killed in February 2012 as part of vendetta, the CBI said.

TNM Staff

PJararajan (Left) and TV Rajesh

In a major blow to the ruling CPI (M) in Kerala, its senior leaders P Jayarajan (District Secretary, Kannur) and TV Rajesh, MLA from Kallyiasseri have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, in connection with the killing of Indian Muslim Youth League worker Ariyil Abdul Shukoor in 2012. The CBI in a chargesheet filed in the Thalassery Sessions Court has charged Jayarajan and Rajesh who are accused number 32 and 33 in the case respectively, with section 120 (b) for criminal conspiracy (read with 302 IPC for murder). It was in June 2016 that the Kerala High Court directed a CBI probe in the case following which the CBI had registered an FIR. A Shukoor Abdul Shukoor, a 22-year-old was killed near Thaliparamba in Kannur district- a fortress of the CPI (M)- on February 20, 2012. According to the police charge sheet, Shukoor was murdered as vendetta because he was involved in blocking and attacking a vehicle in which Jayarajan and Rajesh had travelled. The murder happened within hours after the vehicle was attacked. Jayarajan was arrested in August 2012 in connection with the murder and was remanded for 14 days. The arrest had led to protests by CPI (M) activists. The arrest happened after Jayarajan was interrogated for the third time. Jajarajan and Rajesh had been slapped with section 118 for concealing design to commit offences punishable with death or life imprisonment. The CBI in its chargesheet has also said that both the leaders did not try to prevent the killing of Shukoor despite getting information on the conspiracy. The CBI has also said that the accused held a meeting at the Co-operative hospital in Thaliparamba. The CBI probe started after the High Court gave a green signal for it based on a petition filed by P C Aathikka, Shukoor’s mother.

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Investment

K-SWIFT is a cutting-edge software application to simplify and speed up approval of government clearances for those looking to launch enterprises in the state.

IANS

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday launched an online mechanism to ensure clearance to investment proposals within 30 days of the application, while calling for more industrial production to take place in the state. K-SWIFT (Kerala Single Window Interface for Fast, Transparent Clearances), is a cutting-edge software application to simplify and speed up approval of government clearances for those looking to launch enterprises in the state, was unveiled at the ASCEND Kerala 2019 - an initiative of the government to position the state as an investment hotspot. In his address, Pinarayi urged the officials to change their attitude towards entrepreneurs."The 30 day time limit, which is applicable from village to secretariat level, may be reduced to even 15 days in future. You should not have the wrong belief that advent of industries means exploitation of people," he said."Kerala's economy has been consumerist where lots of products have buyers, but not much of production is happening in the state. This has to change. We have to increase MSMEs (micro, small, medium enterprises) in the state. Through them, the government aims to provide jobs to around 50,000 people this year," Pinarayi added. State Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan said ASCEND Kerala 2019 was part of the government's efforts to form an industry network in the state."A new era has dawned upon Kerala's industry sector. Any delay in taking steps in the online applications would attract serious steps against the departments and officials."Specific industrial parks will be set up in private and public sector as per the types of industry. In rural areas, the area limit will be 25 acres. The urban parks will have 15 acres. The government will provide the same facilities to the public sector and private sector parks," Jayarajan added. The meet was to showcase Kerala as a top-notch investment destination, where entrepreneurs from India and abroad can set up a wide array of enterprises in a speedy and hassle-free manner with minimum of bureaucratic interventions.

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Sexual Assault

The accused Imam, Shafiq Al Qassimi, was suspended by the All India Imam’s council on February 5. However, there is not a single police complaint against him yet.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

More than a week after an Imam from Kerala allegedly sexually assaulted a 15-yr-old girl in Thiruvananthapuram, several witnesses have now come forward to divulge shocking details of the incident. The accused Shafiq Al Qassimi, Chief Imam of the Tholicode Muslim Mosque and a member of the Kerala Imams Council, was alleged to have lured a minor girl to an isolated forested region in Vithura in Thiruvananthapuram district, where he then sexually assaulted her. The Imam was caught by a group of women workers who had been in the area and they had confirmed to various media houses that the Imam had brought the child to the forest. Following this, separate probes were launched by members of the Tholicode Muslim Mosque and the Centre for Film Gender and Culture Studies, a Thiruvananthapuram-based group working for gender juctice and child rights. In a 15-minute audio clip accessed by TNM, President of the Tholicode Muslim Mosque, Badusha, revealed how he and other members confirmed the Imam’s involvement in the abuse. “We visited the forest area where the incident is said to have taken place. We also spoke to the women workers who questioned the Imam and other eye-witnesses. They said that an Innova car with the number - KL 18 6 114 - had crossed the area and it had curtains which were drawn shut. With the number, we could confirm that it was his car. Further, the women workers who rushed to the area saw that the girl was wearing a purdah, so that her identity is not revealed. When they questioned the Imam, he lied that she was his wife,” Badusha can be heard saying. It was then that the women noticed the uniform and school badge in the car. He later added that when the workers questioned how a 15-year-old girl could be the wife of a man in his forties, the visibly agitated man started aggressively yelling at the group. “He then grabbed the child, put her inside the car and reversed, only to hit a pole behind the car. We inspected the Imam’s Innova later and have confirmed that the back portion indeed has a dent,” Badusha added in the clip. When the Imam attempted to escape, the women alerted the boys in their neighbourhood, who took their bikes and chased the car. The car, Badusha says, went past Vithura from Peppara (where the incident took place), and there are eyewitnesses confirming this. “We have the numbers of the boys who chased the car. They even revealed that the child was in a compromising position inside the car. They gave us their statements,” Badusha added. In the clip, he also added that the Imam was visibly unsettled when he reached the Tholicode mosque and when he spoke to people gathered there. The Imam stays above the mosque. The Centre for Film Gender and Culture Studies too has spoken to the women witnesses and confirmed the sequence of events. Accused spotted in the forest area previously In another shocking development, Badusha said that the accused Imam had been spotted earlier too at the same location in Peppara - where the assault took place. “It is a very isolated place. People who do not know the place will not be able to access it. When I spoke to a friend, Basheer Mananni, who is also a member of the Tholicode Mosque and who lives near this area, he said that he had spotted the accused Imam there last week as well. He saw the Imam entering the area and then returning after 30 minutes or so. When Basheer invited him to come home, the Imam declined the invite and said he was only visiting because molu (daughter in Malayalam) wanted to see the area,” he said. No case against the Imam Despite the incident being a week old, no police case has been registered against the Imam. The victim and the family too do not want to file a complaint or give their statements. Speaking in the video clip, Badusha says “When the workers found the child, the first thing she did was cry and ask them to not inform the police.” However, Dr Arifa Kurattuchalil, Chairman of Centre for Film Gender and Culture Studies, says that the victim need not be always be the one to file a complaint. “It can be done by her school, the Childline or by witnesses themselves. If we know that the crime has taken place and there are numerous witnesses confirming this, the police too can take suo motu action and book the Imam under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) ,” she said. The victim was initially counselled by Childline authorities and shifted to a shelter home, to ensure that her family did not pressurise her to withhold filing a complaint. However, her family soon came to the shelter home and the girl went back with them. “Many times, minor victims and their families do not want to give their statements due to social pressure. In most cases, culprits go scot free because victims do not want to lodge a complaint. Their families do not want the incident to leak as they fear it would affect the child’s future. Besides, in this particular case, the Imam is an influential man and the religious fear and respect too comes into play. But it is imperative to find a way to circumvent these impediments and book the Imam, as that would make the child feel safer and more likely to give her statement,” Arifa added. The Centre for Film Gender and Culture studies has filed a complaint with the Chief Minister, DGP Loknath Behera and gender advisors in the area. Meanwhile, the Vithura police claim that they investigated the incident but did not register an FIR as the child’s parents did not file a complaint. “A suo motu case can only be taken by the police if an officer is witness to the said crime. In this case, no police officers have witnessed it and hence we cannot act on our congnisance,” said Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP P Ashok Kumar. The accused Imam has also been suspended by the All India Imam’s Council as punishment for his actions. This was communicated via a post on the Council’s Facebook page. However, the council does not mention the reason behind his suspension. Also read: Child abuse in Kerala cinema hall: How staffers exposed the heinous crime

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Sabarimala Temple

Pathanamthitta district police superintendent has requested the district collector to implement section 144 in the areas of Nilakkal, Pamba and Sannidhanam from Tuesday evening till the time the temple closes on the night of February 17.

TNM Staff

As the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala opens on Tuesday evening for the Kumbh masa pooja, the devotees and the officials will be hoping not to witness a replay of the events that took place on October 17, when the gates of the temple opened for the first time after the Supreme Court verdict, allowing the entry of women of all ages to enter the Ayyappa shrine. According to a report by the Times of India (ToI), the Pathanamthitta district police superintendent, T Narayanan has requested the Pathanamthitta district collector to implement section 144 in the areas of Nilakkal, Pamba and Sannidhanam from Tuesday evening till the time the temple closes on the night of February 17. “Considering the untoward incidents caused by various organisations in areas around Sabarimala when the shrine was opened for the Thulamasa puja and the protests over the Supreme Court order allowing entry of women of all ages into the shrine, certain restrictions have been imposed in areas to ensure smooth darshan for devotees,” said an official release, according to Deccan Chronicle. As witnessed during the last few months, the police is reported to have set up an elaborate security blanket in these areas. On Tuesday, the devotees and the media will be allowed to travel from the base camp at Nilakkal to Pamba, only after 10 am. As per the report by Deccan Chronicle, the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Ayyappa temple which will be opened by the Chief priest Vasudevan Nampoothiri will witness several special rituals including, ‘kalabhahishekam’, ‘sahasrakalasham’, and ‘laksharchana’, over the course of the five days. Tantri (head priest) Kandararu Rajeevaru will also be present during these poojas, reports said. With the Supreme Court reserving its verdict on the review petitions regarding the entry of women of all ages into the temple, the police is reported to be anticipating a tense situation since there are reports doing the rounds that certain outfits will be looking to create unrest for political gains. On September 28, the Supreme Court had allowed women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple. This verdict had irked the sentiments of various Ayyappa devotees following which thousands took to the streets to show their resentment against the SC verdict. When the gates of the temple were opened on October 17 for the first time after the verdict, various Hindu outfits and protestors clashed with the police, attacked women journalists and vandalised vehicles in the areas of Nilackal and Pamba.

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Music

‘Lingering Wine’ is the first from from an album called ‘Queerism’, by gender fluid artist and LGBTQ activist Pragya Pallavi.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

As the protagonists in the Lingering Wine music video appear on screen, for a second you think of Ed Sheeran and Brittany Cherry in Thinking Out Loud. But the heteronormativity ends there; as singer Pragya Pallavi woos actor Kani Kusruti with the beautiful Fort Kochi as the backdrop, this sexy queer love song comes to life. Most importantly, without the male gaze. Lingering Wine, the first song from the album Queerism, is co-written by Pragya, a Mumbai based gender fluid artist and LGBTQ activist, and Deepa Vasudevan, a Malayali queer activist from Canada who co-founded Sahyatrika, a Kerala based LGBTQ+ advocacy group. The crew that shot the music video is ‘99% women and queer people’, the makers tell us. And therefore it’s refreshing when Pragya sings, “Forever I will know your kisses like lingering wine,” and Kani raises her hand sensually to reveal unshaved armpits. When was the last time we saw an attractive woman on screen who didn’t cater to patriarchal ideas of beauty? Speaking to TNM, Deepa and Pragya say that the video was shot in Kerala because of their deep connect to the state. I have been living in Kerala for 16 years,” says Deepa, “I have friends and many connections here, not to mention that Fort Kochi is one of the most beautiful places in Kerala. So we decided to take the camera and shoot in various places.” Pragya says that composing a music album wholly dedicated to the queer community came to her as an idle thought initially. Back in 2017 she met with a major accident and was bedridden for about six months. This was when she first toyed with idea of a song and decided to extend it into an Extended Play (EP) later . Pragya’s idle thought bloomed into a full blown nine track album in the next two years – and Lingering Wine is the first song, timed to release just ahead of Valentine’s Day. It speaks about the love between two women; the track combines Jazz and Soul elements and makes for a sensual and romantic song, Pragya says, adding that she has also sung the song. “It was produced by a mostly all women, who also also members of the LGBTQI+ community. There was just one man – the executive producer of the album – but he, too, is a very strong ally. So altogether it was a wonderful experience to work with them. And these people are renowned photographers and technicians mostly from Kerala,” Pragya says. Other than their just released single, the artists will also release the other tracks which deal with several issues ranging from global warming, social justice, suicide prevention to millennial feminism. Interestingly, all songs in the nine track album are of different genres, just like the myriad issues the albums addresses. “Other than Deepa, Dena Gorilik and Sanjay Kumar are the other lyricists who helped add words to the music. It was the result of a lot of people contributing,” Pragya says. Queerism will release its second track before Women’s day (March 8), about gender rights, equality and feminism. “We try to speak about many issues here – caste, creed, colour, gender etc, along with women’s rights. I believe that women are the power. They can do anything they want to,” Pragya says.

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News

In the initial stages, 100 non-food products from the Kudumbashree members will soon be displayed on Amazon.in.

TNM Staff

Image courtesy: Kudumbashree

Kudumbashree products, which come from women entrepreneurs in various parts of Kerala, are now available on Amazon.in. In a test run, five products are being sold on Amazon, and the first order has already come from Himachal Pradesh. S Harikishore, executive director of Kudumbashree, says that soon there will be 100 non-food products on the online shopping site, after an MoU is signed towards the end of the month. The items sold include beauty products, oils, soaps and handicrafts. The products come from women who make them at home throughout the state, and are known for their authenticity and purity. “We started our own portal kudumbashreebazaar.com about a year ago. There are 450 products there from 200 entrepreneurs. We had taught them everything from receiving the orders online and packing the products and taking it to the nearest post office. We have a tie up with the post office,” Harikishore says. Kudumbashree came into existence more than 20 years ago as a woman empowerment and poverty eradication programme of the state government. Their products have been traditionally sold through fairs and festivals, and were later sold at home shops, community marketing networks where products were taken directly to households of consumers. Harikishore says it’s being done effectively in Kozhikode and Kannur districts and will soon be fully implemented in the other districts. A third way to market the products has been through permanent Kudumbashree stalls, which are installed across the state. “And now, the fourth way is online marketing. When we launched our portal last year, we were not able to market it properly. That’s how we thought of displaying it in places such as Amazon which are strong in marketing. We would also be having new online marketing plans.” Amazon had asked for a slight change in the system – the products should be available at a central store rather than multiple homes from where the entrepreneurs pack it themselves. Harikishore’s office in Thiruvananthapuram is now the central store where the products are stored.

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Politics

The Speaker on Tuesday denied permission to the Opposition to move an adjournment motion in the matter.

TNM Staff

The Kerala Assembly on Tuesday witnessed commotion after Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan denied permission to the Opposition to move an adjournment motion over slapping of conspiracy to commit murder charges on CPI (M) MLA TV Rajesh. The Speaker denied it on the ground that there is no precedence to allow adjournment motions over charge sheets. On Monday, the CBI filed a charge sheet at the Sessions Court Thalassery in Kannur in which CPI (M) Kannur District Secretary P Jayarajan and MLA TV Rajesh, representing Kalyasseri constituency in the district, were slapped with conspiracy to commit murder in the sensational Ariyil Abdul Shukoor murder case. Shukoor, a 22-year-old was killed near Thaliparamba in Kannur district on February 20, 2012. Jajarajan and Rajesh have been slapped with section 118 for concealing design to commit offences punishable with death or life imprisonment. The Speaker said that no discussion is needed on an incident which happened years ago.” In the notice for the motion, the connection of the government in the case is not mentioned. There are charge sheets before several courts; but there is no precedence of moving or allowing adjournment motions over it," the Speaker said. The Speaker also said that it is against the rules to move the motion and instead, the Opposition can move it as the first Submission. The motion was moved by Opposition MLAs Sunny Joseph, M Ommer, Mons Joseph and Anup Jacob. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala then pointed at TV Rajesh and said that there is an MLA in the Assembly against whom murder charges have been slapped. “Earlier also, the Opposition had moved an adjournment motion over court proceedings. It happened six years ago and at that time also it was allowed," Chennithala said. However, the Speaker stood firm and moved to the next proceedings of the House. Following this, the Opposition MLAs stormed the well of the Assembly. Some of the MLAs of the ruling front also stood up with arguments against the opposition which led to an unruly situation. The Opposition MLAs squatted at the entrance of the Assembly, which was adjourned later. With this, the nine-day budget session of the 14th Assembly concluded. Read: CPI (M) leaders P Jayarajan and TV Rajesh charged with conspiracy to commit murder

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Crime

The complaint was given by Badusha, President of the Tholicode Muslim Mosque, where the accused had been Chief Imam.

Korah Abraham

Sreedevi Jayarajan

A week after the shocking incident where a 15-year-old girl was allegedly sexually abused by a Kerala Imam in Thiruvananthapuram, a case has been registered against the latter. The case was registered at the Vithura police station in Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, on Tuesday based on a complaint by Badusha, President of the Tholicode Muslim Mosque. This is the mosque where the accused had been Chief Imam before the incident came to light. He was suspended from his position as Chief Imam and from the Kerala Imam’s council in which he was a member, after the incident was reported. “We have not yet filed an FIR. We just received the complaint and hence have not updated the sections,” officers from the Vithura police station told TNM. The decision to file a complaint was taken after the mosque members launched a probe into the incident to find out the truth. However, following the incident, the victim and the family refused to give their statements or file a complaint. Meanwhile, the accused Imam has moved the Kerala high court for anticipatory bail, according to reports. Earlier this month, the accused Imam Shafiq Al Qassimi is alleged to have lured a minor school girl to an isolated, forested area in the district’s Vithura region where he sexually abused her. Several witnesses have confirmed the incident and an audio clip released by Badusha, President of the Tholicode Muslim Mosque, details the accounts of these witnesses, which was revealed after members of the mosque launched a probe. This is the first case that has been registered against the accused Imam and comes over a week after the alleged incident, during which time several witnesses were ready to give their statements. Speaking to TNM, Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP P Ashok Kumar said, “A suo motu case can only be taken by the police if an officer is witness to the said crime. In this case, no police officers have witnessed it and hence we cannot act on our cognisance.” The victim was initially in the care of Childline and was counselled and later shifted to a shelter home. She then rejoined her family who came to pick her up. Chairman of Centre for Film Gender and Culture Studies, a Thiruvananthapuram-based group working for gender justice and child rights, Dr Arifa said that victims and their families hesitate giving a complaint due to social pressures and this is why culprits in many cases go scot free. Their families do not want the incident to leak as they fear it would affect the child’s future. In this case, the Imam is an influential man and therefore the religious fear and respect too might come into play, she said. “It is imperative to find a way to circumvent these impediments and book the Imam, as that would make the child feel safer and more likely to give her statement,” Arifa added. Also Read: ‘He said 15-yr-old was his wife’: Witnesses on sexual assault accused Imam in Kerala

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Politics

Devikulam MLA S Rajendran called sub-collector Renu Raj ‘brainless; but this is hardly the first time a politician has resorted to underhanded tactics while dealing with bureaucrats.

Sandeep Vellaram

In Munnar, the time that bureaucrats spend in their posting is always limited – especially if they’re the kind who are upright and want to uphold the law. Every time an IAS officer has wanted to take strict action against illegal construction and land encroachment in the district, they’ve been shunted out – by a system that’s believed to be backed by the land mafia. And between an officer taking office and them being shifted out is the time when politicians decide to dole out insults, with no respect for either the officers in charge, or the people who voted them to power. The most recent instance of course is that of Devikulam MLA S Rajendran launching a tirade against sub-collector Renu Raj, because she dared to oppose an illegal construction. “She doesn’t have brains. Just because she is an IAS, she is trying to act smart. People who study only to become a collector will only have so much brains,” Rajendran said in public. But Renu Raj is nowhere near the first bureaucrat in Devikulam to lock horns with a politician – or indeed, with Rajendran himself. In 2017, the then-sub-collector Sriram Venkitaraman was threatened that he would be “amputated” and would have to crawl all the way from Munnar for taking action against land encroachment. The verbal abuse was taken a step further against Sriram’s successor, VR Premkumar. Rajendran alleged that Premkumar had passed the Civil Services exam by cheating. Electricity minister MM Mani meanwhile claimed that the IAS officer was “mentally challenged” and under the control of someone else. “We will not approve the actions taken by a lunatic who came from somewhere. The sub-collector has committed something unbecoming of his position,” Mani had said. It’s not just verbal abuse though. In just the last eight years, 14 sub-collectors have been moved out of Devikular, namely, A Shibu, MG Rajamanickam, Kochurani Xavier, S Venkideshapathi, KN Raveendaran, Madhu Gangadar, ET Scaria, D Rajan Sahai, GR Gokul, R Rajeev, Sabin Sameed, NTL Reddy, Sriram Venkitaraman, and VR Premkumar. Of the 14, at least three – MG Rajamanickam, Sriram Venkitaraman, and VR Premkumar – had taken severe action against illegal constructions and land encroachments in Munnar; sources in the revenue department tell TNM that when they began taking action, the land mafia put pressure on local politicians to get them shunted out. “Rajamanickam assumed charge of the Devikulam RDO office in October 2010, and continued till April 25, 2012. In this period, he conducted a thorough study of the land issues in Munnar and Anchunad village areas, and submitted a detailed report to the government pointing out the malpractices going on,” said a revenue department official. In 2017, the then Devikulam sub-collector Sriram Venkitaraman ordered verification of the land records in Anchunad. CPI (M) feeder organisations – Kerala Karshaka Sangam, Karshaka Thozhilali Union, Nirmana Thozhilali Union – conducted protests for 20 days in front of the Devikulam RDO office, demanding that the government withdraw the sub-collector from Devikulam. Finally, the sub-collector himself cancelled the decision to verify the land records. Various enquiry commissions appointed by the state government have pointed out that organised protests have badly affected the land record verification process in Anchunad village. Sriram had also started taking action against the illegal constructions and land encroachments in and around Munnar. “When he began evictions, CPI (M) leaders led by Devikulam MLA S Rajendran openly opposed it, alleging that the interventions by the sub-collector were affecting the tourism sector in Munnar,” said the revenue department official. After Sriram was moved out, VR Premkumar assumed the post. Premkumar continued taking action against illegal constructions and land encroachments. In November 2017, Premkumar cancelled the title deed of Idukki MP Joyce George, whose family owned over 28 acres of land in the proposed Neelakurinji Sanctuary area at Kottakamboor. Joyce filed an appeal against the order and the process is still ongoing. To silence the young officials, MLA Rajendran and the team of leaders led by him seem to resort to verbal attacks to block them from doing their duty. And one of the most ironic things about these developments is that sworn rivals in Kerala, Congress and CPI (M), allegedly are in cahoots when it comes to opposing bureaucrats in the region. “In Munnar, the CPI (M) and Congress are hand-in-glove. In the present case, Congress leader and Munnar panchayath president R Kuppuswami expressed his open support to Rajendran. If a sub-collector or any revenue official takes strict action against the land mafia, they will get him expelled from his post soon,” a revenue department official said.

Body 2:

Controversy

The Collector has said that the Devikulam MLA was hindering the sub collector from doing her duty as well as hurting her mentally.

Korah Abraham

Sandeep Vellaram

Lending his support to Devikulam sub-collector Renu Raj, Idukki District Collector, Jeevan Babu on Tuesday sent a report to the Kerala Government defending her actions. The Collector has pointed out that Devikulam CPI(M) MLA S Rajendran had publicly humiliated Renu Raj who was merely doing her duty. The Collector, in his report said that preventing a government official from carrying out their duty is an offence under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and that, “the actions of the Devikulam MLA was hindering the sub collector from doing her duty as well as hurting her mentally.” He has also mentioned the fact that there are visuals which shows the MLA publicly insulting the woman official. The Collector in his report, a copy of which TNM has, also emphasises on the fact that according to a Kerala High Court order, constructions near the Muthirapuzha river should only be 50 metres away from both the sides of the river. “At the moment, the constructions are happening with a distance of just 6 metres from the river. During the time of the floods, water had entered the area and it was flooded for almost two weeks,” said the Collector. In his report, the District Collector has also said that according to a Kerala High Court order in January 2010, it was stated that it is necessary to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Revenue Department in order to construct buildings in the Munnar area. “The very day that the sub collector informed the Panchayat that they cannot go ahead with the construction of the shopping complex without getting the NOC from the Revenue Department, the Devikulam MLA came to the Revenue Divisional office and told the sub collector that her decision to stop the construction is wrong and that the construction must happen,” the Collector says in his report. The report states that when the sub collector tried to make the MLA understand that it is not legally allowed to go ahead with the construction, the MLA ignored her words and left. When it came to the notice that the construction is going on despite the “stop memo”, the sub collector, based on the directions received from the District Collector had ordered the Panchayat Secretary to stop the construction work. “It was after this, that the Devikulam MLA reached the spot and ordered to resume the construction work,” stated the Collector. “After getting angry at the officials for trying to stop the construction, the MLA also challenged them as to who is going to stop the construction from happening,” the Collector added in his report. It was following this that the MLA publicly insulted the Devikulam sub collector, by saying, “She doesn’t have brains. Just because she is an IAS officer, she is trying to act smart. People who study only to become a collector will only have so much brains.” This was recorded in various Malayalam news channels.

Body 2:

Floods

The state had earlier declared a moratorium on bank loans in the flood-affected areas.

TNM Staff

In a major relief to people of flood-hit areas in the state, the government has asked bankers to not attach properties in the regions affected by the deluge. The decision, taken in the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday would be placed in the meeting of the State Level Banker's Committee. The state had earlier declared a moratorium on bank loans in the flood-affected areas. In August 2018, during the floods, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had announced a one to one-and-half-year moratorium on the loans of small industrial units apart from a half-year moratorium on housing loans in flood-affected areas. The government decision was in consultation with the State-Level Banker's Committee. It was further decided that banks won’t take margin money on loans of up to Rs five lakh for the reconstruction and repair of houses. Owners of damaged industrial units would also get the benefit. In September 2018, the Cabinet had approved a one-year moratorium on loans and a 20% cut in the state's annual Plan outlay as part of the post-flood rehabilitation and recovery programme. It was also decides to offer moratorium on repayment of agricultural, dairy and education loans availed by flood victims. Project for street vendors The Cabinet meeting also decided to notify the project conceived for protecting the livelihood of street vendors of the state. The notification issued under Section 38 of Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act proposes to provide a separate area for the vendors to conduct their trade, reports the New Indian Express. As per this, municipalities and corporations should find separate areas for street vendors and arrange facilities for them. The aim is to ensure protection for their trade. Legally formed town vending committees will issue certificates to street vendors. The certificates will be issued to those for whom street vending is the livelihood and who don’t conduct any other trade. Idukki Collector backs Renu Raj, says CPI(M) MLA supported illegal construction

Body 2:

Court

TP Chandrasekaharan's wife KK Rema had moved court challenging the frequent parole granted to PK Kunjananthan on political grounds.

TNM Staff

The Kerala government on Tuesday submitted at the High Court that CPI (M) leader PK Kunjananthan, convict in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case, was not given any special privileges on political grounds while allowing parole. K Snehalatha, Under Secretary in the Home Department submitted in a counter affidavit before the court that Kunjananathan was considered a well-behaved prisoner and no complaints had been received against him while in prison. Chandrasekaharan's wife KK Rema had moved court challenging the frequent parole granted to Kunjananthan on political grounds. A prisoner is entitled to ordinary leave for 60 days in a calendar year and well-behaved prisoners are granted such leave in accordance with the prison rules, on their request. It was submitted that the government is vested with the power to extend emergency leave for a maximum period of 45 days at a time, the Hindu reports. He was released on ordinary leave not more than 60 days in a calendar year since his conviction and sentence, which revealed that he had not availed of any ordinary leave in violation of the statutory process, the government submitted. In January the High Court pulled up the government for granting excessive and frequent parole to Kunjananthan. The High Court in responding to the government's contention that he had been let out for medical treatment, stated that if he was not well, it was the duty of the state to give him medical treatment and not to let him out of jail on parole. The court also issued a notice to Kunjananthan and asked the government to file a response in the matter within two weeks. Kunjananthan is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader TP Chandrasekharan aka TP, who floated his own political outfit after parting ways with the CPI (M). The 13th accused in the sensational case, Kunjananthan had been sentenced in January 2014 by a Special Additional Sessions Court in Kozhikode. He has enjoyed over 400 days of parole since he was convicted. .

Body 2:

Technology

Roshy says Artificial Intelligence is a type of technology that can be used in all kinds of fields such as banking, manufacturing, tourism and retail.

Korah Abraham

With the speed at which technology is growing, it won’t be long before driverless cars and robots replicate nearly everything humans do, thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is a system where machines develop human intelligence, enabling them to perform complex human actions such as visual perception, speech recognition and decision-making. AI has percolated every industry. There are AI-driven system, AI-based smartphones, AI-based appliances and the list goes on. While India has also been recognizing the potential of this fast emerging technology, one state is betting big on it – Kerala. Few days ago, Roshy John, Global Head for Robotics and Cognitive Systems at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), submitted a memorandum to Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, to set up a ministry exclusively for AI. “It was a huge setback that both the Union and the State budgets this year had no adequate allocations for AI,” Roshy said in the petition. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), on October 2017, became the first nation to have a Ministry dedicated to AI. According to a report by futurism.com, the UAE’s AI strategy covers development and application in nine sectors: Transport, health, space, renewable energy, water, technology, education, environment, and traffic. Need for an AI Ministry Roshy says AI is a type of technology that can be used in all kinds of fields such as banking, manufacturing, tourism and retail. According to him, a ministry for Artificial Intelligence should be able to do a study on the various jobs and industries in which AI can be used in the state. “There is a lot of scope in the field of AI in the future and it will be good for the govt as a lot of major companies at the moment are now focusing on AI. If the government is able to study the different areas in which AI can be used in the state, it will allow companies to invest in the state, adding income to the government,” Roshy tells TNM over a telephonic conversation. And according to Roshy, the need for an AI ministry is immediate and not something that should come up in the next 5-10 years. Over the years, India has been a breeding ground of job opportunities in the field of BPOs, call centres and other fields related to audio-based communications. “With the arrival of AI, there will be no need for humans to do these jobs,” says Roshy, adding that one of the main impacts of AI will be to take over the responsibility of taking care of redundant work that used to be done by humans before, and thus reducing the burden on the companies to invest on human workforce. “Basically, it will come to a point where the human intervention in most of the simple jobs will be limited,” says Roshy. But what about the loss in employment it could potentially cause? Roshy says that is where the need for the ministry comes in, which will have to rehabilitate those who lose their jobs to AI. “Most of the workplaces will be taken over by AI in the future and it is inevitable. This means that a huge number of people will lose their jobs. Having a ministry will ensure that these people who lose their jobs will be reskilled in various other fields related to AI,” Roshy adds. Experts disagree While Roshy sees an urgent need, several experts in the field of IT and digital journalism that TNM spoke to are not in favour of a separate ministry for IT. Joseph C Mathew, IT advisor to former Kerala CM, VS Achuthanandan, and a current CEO of an IT startup says that he doesn’t feel enthusiastic about this idea of an AI Ministry. “Firstly, taking the current state of affairs in the state, I don’t think this should be one of the concerns of the government. Even from an IT industry perspective, I don’t see anything that requires the push from the Govt. Industrial leaders can decide as to whether they should invest in AI or not, but I don’t think the state government should focus on that right now,” Joseph tells TNM. Devadas Rajaram, a professor of New Media at the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai feels that India hasn’t achieved complete “social media literacy” yet and that having a ministry for AI won’t be of any use at the moment. “It is not clever to have a ministry just for AI because AI is part of an emerging technology. It is feasible in places like UAE because they have the money, even then it is not known to working well there,” he says. Joseph says that AI is nothing but a ‘law of averages’, which means, “creating some intelligence based on the response pattern of other human individuals. That is another way of saying that the future will be designed on the basis of the law of averages.” Joseph says that instead of focusing on establishing a Ministry for AI, the Kerala Government should focus on developing Kerala’s USP, which is man power. “We are into communication technology. The Government should make sure that the workforce gets better skill training in the field that they are strong at,” he adds.

Body 2:

Controversy

When the family attended Friday prayers at the mosque a week after the reception, they were publicly insulted for hosting a ‘vulgar’ wedding.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

From left: Danish Riyaz, groom Abdul Hai, bride Naswa and Danish's wife Fathima

What’s a wedding without some song, dance and pouting for photographs? Well, for the men of the Aloor Mosque committee in Palakkad’s Thrithala village, this idea of fun is not just unacceptable, it also deserves a boycott. Especially if the women at the wedding dare to have some fun. In January this year, the mosque committee punished Danish Riyaz and his family for hosting a wedding reception where women sang and posed for photographs, a practice they claim went against their mosque rules. A boycott was placed on the family for the following reasons: a) Women were allowed to climb on to the dais and pose for photographs. The ladies at the wedding were also allowed to speak over the microphone to bless the newly weds. b) A two piece orchestra was arranged to entertain the guests with music. c) Children were allowed to dance on the stage. Interestingly, the reception which triggered this boycott was held on December 28, 2018 in Edappal in Malappuram district, 13 km away from Aloor. “This was my brother’s wedding party. I knew that our Mahallu (mosque) has some traditional rules which is not followed in most other parts of Kerala, including in our neighbouring village. It was to avoid any conflict with the Aloor Committee that we shifted the wedding reception to Viva Palace in Edappal, Malappuram, which is nowhere close to Aloor or the mosque,” Danish wrote in a Facebook post. Despite shifting the wedding to a different district altogether, the family could not evade the ire of the mosque and were publicly insulted by the authorities. “The next week, when we went for Friday prayers, the chief Khatheeb took to the mic to publicly insult us. He called it a vulgar wedding and said the mosque will no longer cooperate with my family in any matter,” Danish told TNM. The groom, Danish’s brother, was also summoned by the committee and informed about the punishment. The committee members have stopped collecting a monthly fee of Rs 100, for the upkeep of the mosque, from Danish’s family. This fund is usually collected from every Muslim household by Mosque committee members. Further, the family has also been disallowed from entertaining the Ustads of the mosque for lunch, a practice held every three months. To end the boycott, Danish has taken full responsibility of the wedding reception, stating that his family was not aware of the arrangements made for the celebrations and hence, must be exempted from it. “I respect and accept the boycott and will follow any remedial procedures to make amends,” he wrote in his Facebook post. Danish’s brother, too, had written a letter to the committee conveying the same and requesting them to lift the boycott. However, there has been no response from the mosque committee yet, he said. “It has been 45 days since we sent the letter and we have not heard from them. I have now, through my Facebook post, appealed to the Chief Minister, our MLA VT Balram and the State Human Rights Commission, to speak with the committee and help my family. This message has been heard and the police too had visited my house to ask us to contact them if we face any problems,” Danish added. Meanwhile, a committee member of the Aloor Mosque Azeez told TNM that there is no ban on the family as such. “We have stopped cooperating with them temporarily. Since 2010, we have followed a stringent rule where we don’t allow weddings to have musical programmes, dance, alcohol etc. We had informed everyone about this. We had also informed this family before their wedding. Even if they go to another district and celebrate their wedding this rule stays,” he said.

Body 2:

Human Interest

According to reports in some Malayalam dailies, the anganwadi has been functioning in an underground room without enough light or air, but the reality is different.

Saritha S Balan

The Kerala State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights on Monday sought clarification from the Department of Social Justice on reports that an anganwadi was functioning in an underground chamber in Parassala panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram. The anganwadi, according to news reports that appeared in some Malayalam dailies, does not have enough air or light, risking the lives of the children inside. Anganwadis in Kerala function under the Social Justice department. The department staff have been forced to look for another building to shift the anganwadi following the furore caused by the reports. But what is the reality? TNM did a check. The anganwadi is, in fact, spacious and not functioning in an underground room. It is located in the basement of a building, but is more spacious than the rooms in which anganwadis normally function. The strength of the children in the anganwadi is 10 while the minimum required strength is five. There is adequate light, air and enough space for the children to play. There is a spacious kitchen and a bathroom. The entrance to the anganwadi is through a staircase that is narrow, but not too narrow – we found that two persons can comfortably go down at the same time. “There was a raid by the Civil Supplies Corporation in its warehouse in the same building recently. There were some local reporters covering the raid. Some of them might have seen only the entrance, then they went back and wrote reports without actually checking. No one came down to see how we are functioning here nor did they ask us anything. We are shocked; I have been going through a lot of mental stress since the reports came out. It has been 1.5 years since the anganwadi shifted to this building. Not even once has any parent raised a complaint. Now you have come here and seen, right?” asks Sreeja, teacher at the anganwadi. The anganwadi is located at Naduthottam in Parassala town, hardly 4 km from Kaliyikkavila which is on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. It is hardly a 2-min walk from the National Highway that leads to Tamil Nadu. The rent provided by the government for anganwadis in the rural area is Rs 750 per month and for those in urban areas is Rs 3,000. Two anganwadis are functioning in every ward of each panchayat as well as in municipalities and corporations. “Here we have abundant water supply. Normally anganwadis function in rooms that would be maximum 700 sq ft; but here the space is double. Now we are forced to look for another place,” Sreeja rues. “We haven’t slept properly for the past many days. We are not torturing the children here. We are taking good care of them,” helper Sujatha says. Sujatha (Left) and Sreeja “We don’t have any problem in sending our children here, we are content with the facilities,” Anu, a parent who came to pick up her three-year-old daughter, tells TNM. The Child Development Project Officer and Integrated Child Development Service supervisor of the Social Justice department visited the anganwadi on Tuesday. They are also under pressure to look for another building. “But it is not easy with the allotted rent. The anganwadi is near the National Highway in a very convenient location for parents to drop off their children. It is not possible to get another building in the area nearby for the same rent. Some panchayats would incorporate anganwadis in some of their projects to provide extra funds for rent so that rooms or buildings with better facilities can be rented out. In some cases, we have even heard that teachers and helpers contribute to the rent from their salaries. But we don’t have any special assistance and hence need to manage with the funds we have,” says supervisor YS Shereena. She adds, “The news reports say that there is no light in this anganwadi; that is also wrong. It has electricity and has also got a fitness certificate. We don’t know with what intention those reports were published.” Sowmya, another supervisor, echoes Shereena’s opinion. The staff has received a direction from the department’s top officials to shift the anganwadi following the public outrage caused by the reports. “We have written to the panchayat president and secretary to look for another place, which is what we can do,” Sowmya says.

Body 2:

Controversy

The issue of this illegal construction came to the limelight after Devikulam MLA S Rajendran was caught on camera publicly insulting Renu Raj, the Devikulam sub-collector.

Korah Abraham

In what comes as a major blow to the Devikulam MLA, S Rajendran and the Munnar Grama Panchayat, the Kerala High Court on Wednesday has directed the Panchayat and the Panchayat Secretary to immediately stop the illegal construction happening on the banks of the Muthirapuzha river. The issue of this illegal construction in Munnar came to the limelight after visuals of Devikulam MLA S Rajendran publicly insulting Renu Raj, the Devikulam sub-collector, were aired by several Malayalam news channels. Renu had earlier ordered the panchayat to stop the construction of a shopping complex on the given land, much to the dislike of the MLA and the Panchayat members. The MLA had publicly challenged the revenue officials by asking who is going to stop them from constructing the building. The High Court order on Wednesday was based on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by MY Ouseph, a CPI member of the Devikulam Local Self Government. The HC has also ordered the Secretary of the Grama Panchayat, “to show cause as to why they should not be proceeded against for willfully violating the mandates of the court.” The court has also ordered the Government of Kerala, the Idukki District Collector, the Sub Collector, the village officer and the Tahsildar to ensure that no construction is carried out in the particular land and to legally proceed against those persons, who are found to be engaged in any construction activity. This order by the Kerala HC comes a day after the Idukki district collector, Jeevan Babu sent a report to the Kerala government defending the actions of sub-collector Renu Raj and also pointing out that Devikulam CPI(M) MLA S Rajendran had publicly humiliated Renu who was merely doing her duty. The sub-collector had earlier informed the Panchayat that they cannot go ahead with the construction of the shopping complex without getting the No Objection Certificate from the Revenue Department. This irked the Devikulam MLA, who visited the Revenue divisional office to tell the sub-collector that her decision to stop the construction is wrong and that the construction must happen. When the sub-collector sent a group of revenue officials to stop the construction of the shopping complex, they were blocked by the MLA and the Panchayat president. It was during this time that the MLA was seen to publicly insult the sub-collector, saying, “She doesn’t have brains. Just because she is an IAS, she is trying to act smart. People who study only to become a collector will only have so much brains.”

Body 2:

Death

The body was found wrapped in several bed sheets and tied to stones.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

Photo courtesy: Manorama news

On Tuesday, a young woman’s decaying body was found floating in the Periyar river in Aluva, Kerala, making it the second incident within a span of seven months where a body was found in the river’s course in Ernakulam. Reports state that a group of Seminarians from the Vincentian Vidhyabhavan near Aluva’s UC college noticed the floating body when they visited the bathing ghat behind the college on Tuesday evening. “The body was wrapped in several bedsheets. There were stones and concrete bits tied to the corpse which was decaying and it looked a few days old,” an officer from the Aluva East police station told TNM. The officer also added that the woman has not yet been identified. “It is difficult to identify the deceased as the body is already decomposing. The identifying markers as of now are two moles on the face. The toe and fingernails on the body are also neatly trimmed and polished. We suspect it to be that of a woman between ages 25 and 30,” he added. According to reports, the deceased was wearing green track pants and a dark blue vest. The stones and concrete pieces which she was tied to weighed around 40 kilos altogether. The Aluva East police have registered a case of unnatural death following the discovery. However, based on strong evidence of murder and attempt to submerge the body in the water, which is observed from the stones that the body was tied to, the police have decided to update the section to IPC 307 (murder) after receiving autopsy reports. “From initial inspection, we suspect smothering. The body has been sent to the Medical College Hospital in Kalamassery. We are still waiting for the report and based on what is says, the sections will be updated,” the officer added. This is not the first time that the body of a woman has been found floating in the Periyar in Ernakulam. In August 2018, the mortal remains of Anliya Huygens, a 25 year old post graduate student from Thrissur district, was found floating in the Periyar in the Vadakkekara police station limits in Ernakulam. In an 18 page diary found nearly a month after her death, Anliya alleged that she was tortured by her husband and his family post marriage.

Body 2:

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