Kerala

Controversy

The presence of MLA Anil Akkara in the hospital soon after Swapna’s admission has also created controversy.

File Photo : PTI

Controversies continue to erupt in the Kerala gold smuggling case after accused Swapna Suresh was admitted to the Thrissur Medical College Hospital on September 7. A day after she was hospitalised, KT Ramees, another accused in the case, was also admitted in the same hospital following a stomach ache. But it was clarified that they both were admitted in different wards. There were allegations that Swapna used the phone of some nurses in the hospital. However, the nurses said that they didn’t give their phone to the accused and that there was constant police presence near Swapna. “There were three policewomen inside the ward and two officers outside the ward. Without their permission nobody can enter. Also, we gave the keys to all the rooms to the police on the first day itself. Even medicines were given in the presence of the police,” the nursing superintendent told the media on Tuesday. Another allegation was against Congress MLA Anil Akkara who reached the hospital two hours after Swapna was admitted. However, the MLA said that he reached the hospital just to check who all were visiting. He said that there were chances for manipulations in the case, so being an MLA he was being vigilant. “I’d done a Facebook live as soon as I saw the news that Swapna was shifted to the hospital. I’d warned that her safety was at stake while she was in the hospital. I contacted a National Investigation Agency (NIA) officer and informed him about this. I had also sent him my live video,” the MLA said. He also alleged that there were some doubts about the visit of AC Moideen, Minister for Local Self Government, who attended a function in the hospital. The MLA alleged that a secret meeting was held in the hospital under the leadership of the minister. Another controversy over Swapna’s treatment is that some of the police officers allegedly took a selfie with Swapna in the hospital. There are reports that six women police officers took selfies on their phone. Media reports also said that senior officials warned the women officers over this issue. The policewomen themselves revealed the selfie to their colleagues. That is how the information was leaked and higher officials reportedly warned them. Meanwhile, Swapna will undergo an echocardiogram on Tuesday as she was admitted following chest pain. An endoscopy test will be done for Ramees.

Body 2:

Opinion

Why take online trolling and memes so seriously? Because jokes like these only normalise the violence against women.

Sowmya Rajendran

Actors Saikumar and Manya as married couple holding a pineapple in viral Vasu Annan meme based on the Malayalam film Kunjikoonan

There is often no rhyme or reason for why things go viral on the Internet. While a lot of trends are harmless fun, sometimes, what's being enjoyed by a large number of people ends up reiterating a toxic idea in popular culture. The latest in this line is the 'Vasu annan' meme fest on Malayalam social media. Vasu annan, played by Saikumar, was the villain in the 2002 Malayalam film Kunjikoonan starring Dileep, Navya Nair and Manya. In the film, Vasu attempts to sexually assault Manya's character Lakshmi and she ends up dying while trying to escape from him. According to a Facebook post put up by Manya, the memes began with Vijay Sanal, who runs the popular YouTube channel 'Sanal editz'. Sanal often mixes up dialogues, music and visuals from different films to create funny videos. His 'Vasu annan' video shows edited scenes from Kunjikoonan to suggest that Vasu and Manya's character Lakshmi are attracted to each other. The song played in the background is 'Uyirin Uyire', a romantic number from the 2003 Tamil film Kaakha Kaakha, starring Suriya and Jyotika. Watch: Troll video of 'Vasu annan' and Manya In the original song, Suriya runs after Jyotika and in the 'Vasu annan' video, Sanal has used visuals of the villain running behind the woman as he tries to sexually assault her. Needless to say, this is in extremely poor taste in a country where a rape is reported every 15 minutes according to National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data. The number of unreported rapes is likely to be way higher, considering the social taboos that the survivor has to confront. Even if we let the 48-second video pass, the fact that it has spawned a large volume of rape jokes cannot be ignored. Scores of memes show Lakshmi and Vasu happily married or in romantic positions. Sometimes, they're also pictured with their 'kids'. On YouTube, there are several videos celebrating Vasu annan and his 'rise' on social media. Several have also shared posts with lines and hashtags like 'Respect Vasu annan' that celebrate the character, including people from the Malayalam film industry like director Omar Lulu. The target of a rape joke is not the perpetrator who has committed a crime. It is almost always the victim/survivor. What does the rape joke in the Vasu annan context tell us? In patriarchal societies, the shame of sexual assault falls on the victim/survior and not the perpetrator. A man who has 'touched' a woman in a sexual way is considered to have laid his claim on her body, and it is she who is supposed to have become 'impure'. Such ideas are ingrained to an extent that it's not uncommon for even courts in India to ask the survivor if she wants to marry her rapist. Sexual harassment has often been romanticised and glorified in cinema. In fact, it has traditionally been viewed as an acceptable form of courtship. By making Vasu annan the hero, the sexual assault scene in the original film has been turned on its head to present a "romantic" couple. Why take online trolling and memes so seriously? Because jokes like these only normalise the violence against women and make it harder for survivors to speak up. The joke is on them, and we as a society are colluding in silencing them. What we consume as popular culture defines who we are, and the 'rise of Vasu annan' gives an accurate portrait of our unapologetic rape culture.

Body 2:

Agriculture

The organisation has around 30 stable European buyers for its products each year.

Haritha John

While crops that bring money will be given protections easily, people often forget about lesser-known native medicinal plants. With this thought in mind, fourteen farmers in Wayanad district came together to safeguard indigenous medicinal plants in 1991. Little did they know that their charitable organisation would turn into a celebrated spice exporter around the world. Vanamoolika, a cooperative with mostly women employees, has become a go-to source for many international food producers, including gourmet retailers and chocolatiers, for high-quality spices, rice varieties, coffee and other organic certified products. The organisation has around 30 stable European buyers for its products each year. The group has trained around 250 women in the district to cultivate and market medicinal plants. "Initially the aim was to give awareness to people in cultivating and protecting the medicinal plants. Later, there was an excess in quantity and we helped the women to market them. Since ours was a charitable society, there were limitations in marketing. We also didn't compromise on quality. We sold only organically cultivated plants and plant products. So with our cost of production, we couldn't compete in the domestic market," PJ Chackochan, one of the founders and managing director of the organisation, narrates. The group then decided to launch another company, Indian Organic Farmers’ Producer Company (IOFPC), and received licenses for marketing and export. In 2009, they started exporting cocoa to Switzerland. The buyer company trained a few IOFPC members on how to process good quality cocoa for chocolateries. "We had few students internees from European countries then. They introduced us to many other firms. If we provided good quality premium products, there would be more buyers," Chackochan said. Vanamoolika exports coffee, cocoa, pepper varieties, turmeric, tiny green chillies (kanthari), pomelo fruit peel, nutmeg mace, clove, ginger, cinnamon, Malabar tamarind (Kudampuli), lemongrass and holy basil (Thulasi). Among the rice varieties exported are Wayanadan Thondi and Gandhakasala rice. He noted that many European chefs visited the organisation directly and ordered their products. “We have a long-term relationship so they continue to order from us," Chackochan said. Recently, Vanamoolika was in the spotlight after Rebel City Distillery in Cork, Ireland, owned by Robert and Bhagya Barrett, launched their first product – Maharani, a gin brand which used spices sourced from Vanamoolika, including pomelo fruit, cassia and nutmeg mace. "The couple had visited us, I have also suggested some combination spices that can give a unique aroma. Now we provide them the products," Chackochan said. Vanamoolika products are getting popular in European countries that Chackochan said Chackochan even retailers have started ordering from them. What makes Vanamoolika stand out is that they don't compromise in quality. They also provide products as per the demands of the buyer. "There is no point in producing something as per choice. We need to produce what the buyer demands. We export the rice varieties to the buyers in the month of December only if they order in June. We cultivate according to their demands. Purely organic certified and no compromise in that," Chackochan says, noting the challenges of maintaining the standards for European food producers. Moreover, transparency in the prices is another important feature of the organisation. Buyers are clearly informed of the farmers’ charges, production cost and profit margins. "We charge high prices because the production cost is high. Also we don't get a big profit for the same reason. Due to this, we don't have demand in the domestic market. We can easily source products from the local market, but next year we would lose our buyers," he said. He added that the organisation pays the farmers well and that they value their efforts the most. "Farmers will cultivate crops meeting their standard only if they get profit. So we make sure that they are paid well," he said. Vanamoolika sources their products from around 450 registered farmers. “We closely monitor these farmers. We buy products only from them. We have our field staff to assist the farmlands. We also arrange get-togethers for our buyers where they can also visit these farms," Chackochan said. Aside from a few field staff, all others employees in the organisation are women. Additionally, around 250 women benefit from Vanamoolika herbals, as they sell plant-based medicines. They conserve around 700 medicinal plants and there are 60 products on the market under the brand.

Body 2:

Coronavirus

More Covid First Line Treatment Centres will be built across the state and the Covid Brigade of health workers will be enhanced.

TNM Staff

A number of beds are arranged in several rows in a hall with different colour bed sheets on them

A Covid First Line Treatment Centre in Kerala

A genetic study of COVID-19 patients was recently conducted in the northern districts of Kerala in collaboration with the Institute of Genomics and Integrated Biology under CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research). The study will be extended towards the rest of the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. The rate of the spread of the coronavirus was very high, according to experts. “The elderly should especially be more cautious as they are more susceptible to the virus and this will in turn increase the number of deaths due to the disease. The Break the Chain campaign (to ensure physical distancing, sanitization of hands and wearing masks) should be made more stringent and efficient. So far the public transport buses had been fewer and all establishments had not been open. Now with more buses and shops opening, there will be more people on the road and there will likely be an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state,” the CM warned. On Monday, the state reported 2,540 new cases and 2,110 recoveries. Fifteen people with COVID-19 have also died. There are now 39,486 active cases in the state. More Covid First Line Treatment Centres (CFLTCs) are being planned in the state to meet the increased number of patients. These are meant for asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms. They will be provided free food and accommodation and the direct supervision of a physician. Specialists will be available on telemedicine. As of now only half the facility is used across the state. “At present, 194 CFLTCs with 26,425 beds are operational with 50% occupancy. A total of 1,21,055 beds will be set up in 1,391 CFLTCs across the state in different phases,” said the CM. Another measure to control the spread is to expand the Covid Brigade formed by the state to support the functioning of CFLTCs. The Covid Brigade includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and other health workers who will primarily be serving districts where there is a shortage of health workers. They have been active in Kasargod, with the first brigade group consisting of 26 people, including six doctors. As of Monday, 13,577 medical professionals have registered as volunteers for the Covid Brigade. The CM requested more people to join the force since the cases were increasing. Those who are interested can register online on the Covid Jagratha Portal. Watch: Earlier report on Kerala opening FLTCs Also read: First phase of Konni Medical College in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta becomes functional

Body 2:

Kerala Gold Smuggling

Many protesters suffered serious injuries after the police used grenades and lathi charge to disperse them.

TNM Staff

Scores of protesters - men and women - seen holding up Youth Congress flag and fists in the air, raising slogans against Minister KT Jaleel. Many are seen wearing masks.

All images by Korah Abraham

Protests demanding the resignation of Kerala Minister KT Jaleel began on Friday after he was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the first time in connection with his links with the UAE Consulate and gold scam accused Swapna Suresh. Four days on, the protests against him intensified on Tuesday when hundreds of workers of Congress Youth, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Yuva Morcha raised slogans outside the Kerala Secretariat. Meanwhile, the law enforcement agency said the probe against Jaleel is not over yet. The ED summoned Jaleel on Friday to investigate if he violated the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, by accepting food kits and copies of Quran from the UAE Consulate. He was coordinating with the Swapna Suresh and the UAE Consulate General in Thiruvananthapuram for these transactions. The ED has reportedly registered an enforcement case information report (ECIR) against the Minister and others in the gold smuggling case, which is a matter of routine. On Tuesday, the protests turned violent and many party workers were seriously injured. A huge posse of police was deployed in front of the Secretariat. The protesters kept pushing up against the barricades and tried to enter the Secretariat. The police used grenades, tear gas shells, water cannons and lathi-charge to disperse the protesters. It after this that the protesters stopped the stir, which lasted for more than three hours. According to visuals from the protest site, Legislative Assembly Members, KS Sabarinathan and Shafi Parambil, were also beaten by the police. MLAs Shafi Parambil and KS Sabarinathan with other protesters While the protesters said they will continue to fight until the resignation of the minister, the state's CPI(M) leaders have informed that KT Jaleel will not resign. On Monday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also said that that the resignation was unnecessary. Meanwhile, ED Director SK Misra told TNM that the investigation in the case is still on and that Jaleel may be summoned again on the issue. Jaleel was questioned over his links with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Consulate and the gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh. Earlier, on Friday, Jaleel first denied reports of him being questioned by the ED. He went to the ED office in a private vehicle to avoid media attention. Later, after he confirmed, the opposition parties and its youth wings started protesting against him, seeking his resignation. Read: Gold smuggling case: ED questions Kerala Minister KT Jaleel Meanwhile, Jaleel continues to maintain that he has no connection in the gold smuggling case and that he brought the Holy Quran copies from UAE to distribute in Kerala. Watch: The protest in front of the Secretariat on Tuesday

Body 2:

Controversy

The incident took place on Sunday when Youth Congress workers protested against KT Jaleel, demanding his resignation.

TNM Staff

A police man can been seen pinning a man to the ground. The man is seen in white mundu and black shirt. The police man is wearing in a black face mask and hand gloves. Both the police official and the man have held on the former's baton.

A screen grab from Manorama News

Social media has been abuzz with criticisms ever since a picture of a police official squatting over a Youth Congress worker surfaced. In the picture, reportedly clicked by Manorama News, a police official can be seen pinning the man, identified as Antony, to the ground in order to allow Kerala Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel's convoy to pass through. The incident took place on Sunday evening in Kochi. Many social media users termed it police brutality, while some equated the scene with the unfortunate incident of George Floyd, a black American man, who was killed in Minneapolis during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. In the incident, Derek Chauvin, a white policeman, knelt on Floyd’s neck for a few minutes, which eventually caused his death. Many others have disagreed and said such a comparison was unwarranted. A group of Youth Congress workers took to the streets on Sunday evening and protested against Jaleel demanding his resignation after he was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the gold smuggling case. As protesters blocked Jaleel’s convey in the middle of a highway in Kochi and waved black flags, the policemen could be seen moving them away as the traffic was also being held up. While some protesters were chased away by the police manning the roads, Antony fell down and when he was trying to get up, a police officer saw to it, he was pinned to the ground, till Jaleel's convoy passed. Even after the convoy, the police official could be seen squatting over him. It was only after Antony's colleagues came rushing towards him that the official let go of Antony. Similar protests took place along the road as Jaleel’s convoy passed by and the workers waved black flags at him. In one of the visuals, Jaleel could be seen waving at the cameras and protesters. Watch: Protesters wave black flags at KT Jaleel's convoy at various locations on Sunday State Congress vice-president and two-time former legislator PC Vishnunadh said it was indeed shameful for the Kerala police for what happened. "Just see the cruelty that was shown to one of our young activist Antony, who turned into a victim of police high-handedness, as literally a replay of what happened in the US was played out," said Vishnunadh. Young Congress legislator VT Balram also took to his Facebook page and posted the picture with the caption, 'Citizen and Pinarayi government'. പൗരനും പിണറായി സർക്കാരും Posted by VT Balram on Monday, September 14, 2020 (With inputs from PTI)

Body 2:

Controversy

Parents have been protesting outside the Al Ameen school in Kochi over fee issue for many days now.

Neethu Joseph

Police officer grabbing shirt of a parent protesting to reduce fees in a Kochi school.

For more than two weeks now, scores of parents of students studying in the Al Ameen Public School in Edapally have been holding protests and demanding a reduction in the fees. However, the standing protest on Tuesday was disrupted by the police who manhandled parents in a bid to remove them from in front of the school. Multiple videos from the spot show around 15 parents including a woman standing outside the school with placards in their hands. Soon, a policeman tried to remove one of them and another parent objects. The issue then escalates and a police officer can be seen pushing a parent into the jeep. He and other parents object and repeatedly say that they were protesting peacefully and have a genuine demand. The policeman who gets agitated all of a sudden keeps saying ‘we will take one of you with us’ and grabs another parent. The worried parent tries to escape the policeman’s clutches. The policeman runs behind the parents, manhandles him and pulls him by the shirt in a bid to drag him into the police vehicle. Many parents can be heard protesting and saying that the police cannot remove just one person and says they should all be arrested instead. In the videos, the policeman can be heard issuing veiled threats that the protest cannot continue. It is unclear why the police decided to stop the protest, in the videos they can be heard saying that they were following a court order. The parents however seem to be unaware of any such order. A source said that the police were tipped off that members of a political party would be part of protest. The parents, many of whom are gulf returnees, had been demanding a 50 percent reduction in fees due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation. Talking to TNM, parents stated at least three of them have been injured in Tuesday’s tussle with police. “Since the past 17 days, a group of 15 to 20 parents have been protesting in front of the school everyday for half an hour. Though most days there was some police presence there, on Tuesday, the police team was led by a Sub Inspector. And straightway he started to pull one of the parents towards the jeep. Seeing this, others resisted. At least three of us have sustained injuries. One parent even has a fracture on his leg,” Shameena Siddique, parent of two students studying in the school, says from a private hospital in Kochi. Shameena, who has been taken into custody with two other parents alleged that she was hit on back by one of the police officers. The parents also alleged that school officials have withheld the answer papers of a recent examination for students (Class 9 to 12) who haven’t paid their fees. “At least twice, we have approached the management asking for an amicable meeting to solve the issue. But they behaved very rudely with us asking us to take our children elsewhere if we cannot pay the fees,” says Kalam, one of the parents. According to the parents, the annual fee for class seven is Rs 24,348. “The only reduction they announced was three percent, which amounts to Rs 300 in the case of a class seven student,” said Kalam. Meanwhile, Elamakkara police officials who took the three parents into custody told TNM that details of the case cannot be disclosed at the moment. Though an official said arrests have been registered, he did not mention under which sections the arrests were made. Al Ameen school is run by the Al-Ameen Educational Trust, owned by film producer AA Siyad Koker. The school has been in controversy before when it terminated a teacher who exposed misappropriation of teachers salaries.

Body 2:

Coronavirus

The Thiruvananthapuram District Medical Officer issued a number of advisories to pregnant women in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases.

TNM Staff

Thiruvananthapuram District Medical Officer (DMO) has asked all pregnant women in the district to remain in ‘room quarantine’ as the number of COVID 19 cases sees an increase. DMO KS Shinu said that pregnant women should remain in a room with an attached bathroom and proper ventilation. Pregnant women have also been advised not to be in contact with people who go out. The DMO stated that those who take care of pregnant women should wear a mask. Pregnant women are advised not to visit any functions and avoid visitors at home. They have been asked to exercise indoor and advised to have nutritional food and plenty of water. Pregnant women can visit hospital only if it is really necessary, said the DMO. If they face any health issues they have to inform the health workers and follow their instructions. The DMO said that special facilities have been arranged in the district for pregnant women. Women who are below seven months pregnant should consult at Peroorkkada ESI Hospital and those who are in the last months of pregnancy, until their delivery, should consult at Poojappura Women and Child Hospital. Women with other complications will be taken care at SAT Hospital in the district. These facilities can be used by pregnant women who do not have COVID-19. Women from containment zones and those whose primary contact has tested positive for coronavirus should go to hospital only after doing the COVID 19 test. As of Tuesday, 5120 people are under treatment for coronavirus in Thiruvananthapuram. Sixteen health workers had tested positive for the coronavirus in Kerala on Tuesday. More than 24,500 people are under treatment in Kerala. So far, 70,921 patients have recovered from the disease. A total of 385 deaths have been reported from the state due to the coronavirus. Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state will conduct a genetic study on COVID 19 patients. The study will be conducted in collaboration with Institute of Genomics and Integrated Biology, New Delhi.

Body 2:

Politics

"Can my daughter or son or family be labelled corrupt because of pure allegations?" Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan asked.

PTI

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday lashed out at BJP state chief K Surendran, for raising "baseless allegations" against the former's family in the LIFE Mission (Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment) project 'kickbacks' matter. Vijayan, when asked about the BJP chief's allegations, said Surendran has been raising allegations without any basis and without any sense of decency. “Shouldn't there be a sense of basic decency? Shouldn't he say what his statements are based on? Should one just issue statements on a whim?" Pinarayi asked. At a press meet on Monday, Surendran alleged that the investigation agencies should probe and interrogate Vijayan's daughter and said his family members were allegedly involved in securing kickbacks in the Life Mission project."Pinarayi Vijayan is not like Surendran. I'm used to opposing corruption. That habit has helped me keep my head high whenever there are allegations against me. When someone sees that I rule without corruption, such allegations will arise. Can my daughter or son or family be labelled corrupt because of pure allegations?" Pinarayi asked. The Life Mission project was envisaged by the state government for construction of free houses for homeless poor in the state and at least 2.26 lakh houses had been built and handed over to homeless people in the state under the project so far. Surendran has alleged that the fire incident at the state secretariat was intended to remove the evidence against the chief minister's office in the gold smuggling case. However, the state government had rebutted this allegation and said none of the files were destroyed as the filing was under the e-filing system since long back. The Opposition parties have been alleging that the prime accused in the gold smuggling case was involved in securing commissions with relation to the Life Mission project. Also Read: Kerala CM Pinarayi rebuts BJP’s claim on ‘fake signature’ on government order

Body 2:

Study

A study conducted by DISHA, an NGO, shows that at least 140 youngsters in the age group of 13 to 18 had died by suicide during the period of January 2020 to June 2020 .

PTI

Image for Representation

After a study showed that at least 140 teenagers died of suicide in Kerala, allegedly over trivial reasons in the last six months, the state Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the Social Justice Department to examine the effectiveness of its suicide prevention measures. In his direction to the Director of the department on Monday, SHRC chairman Antony Dominic also sought a report on the initiatives taken to prevent suicide by youngsters."As per a complaint received by the panel, a study conducted by DISHA, an NGO, shows that at least 140 youngsters in the age group of 13 to 18 had died by suicide during the period of January 2020 to June 2020," a commission release said. The study said that family disputes, troubled love affairs, failure in examinations, issues over mobile phones and two-wheelers were among the major reasons for the suicides."Thiruvananthapuram district has the highest number of suicides with 22 youngsters having taken the extreme step, followed by Malappuram with 20 suicides," the SHRC said. The complaint said that the ineffectiveness of "village child protection councils" has resulted in the rising number of suicides among youngsters. The release said the SHRC asked the Social Justice Department to review the effectiveness of the suicide prevention measures being taken up by it and sought a report. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had in July said instances of suicidal tendencies were being witnessed among children and termed it as an "extremely serious social issue.""Since March 25, when the national lockdown was imposed, 66 children, below 18 years of age, have ended their lives due to various reasons," Vijayan had said. To help the children facing issues relating to mental pressures, 'Chiri,' a tele-counselling initiative was initiated by the government under its Our Responsibility to Children Programme (ORC), a planned community intervention that connects with Children and Young people between the age of 12 -18 years. The health department had launched "Ottakalla Oppamund" (You are not alone, we are with you) programme to help children facing any kind of mental distress and to stop the suicidal tendencies among them. A committee headed by Fire and Rescue Services DGP R Sreelekha had also been constituted to conduct a study on suicides by children in the state. Also Read: 66 children die by suicide in Kerala since March 25

Body 2:

Nun Rape Case

The trial in the Kerala nun rape case will begin on Wednesday and since an allegation of rape is involved, the trial will be conducted in camera.

PTI

Bishop Franco Mulakkal

A local court in Kerala's Kottayam has restrained the print and electronic media from publishing any matter relating to the trial in the alleged rape of a nun by Bishop Franco Mulakkal, without its permission. Additional Sessions Judge Gopakumar G issued the order, restraining the media from publishing any matter relating to the trial and procedures of the case, including discussions about the evidence tendered by the witnesses, without the court's previous permission. The order was passed on a petition by Mulakkal, seeking in camera trial, alleging that the prosecution had leaked to the media a part of the 161 Statement of a witness before the preliminary start of the case and the media had started a discussion pertaining to various aspects of it. The Judge said there was nothing on record to show that the prosecution had shared the 161 Statement (statement of witness recorded by police) to the media."The statements of the witnesses are information falling within the public domain. Such statements have to be distinguished with the statement given by a victim. The bar is only in revealing the identity of the victim."There is no law that absolutely prohibits publication and discussion about the statement made by a witness other than the victim", the court held, adding the part of the prayer seeking action against the prosecution cannot be allowed. The court had framed charges against the accused on August 18 this year and the trial of the case has commenced. Since an allegation of rape is involved, the trial has to be conducted in camera, the court observed. Pointing out that proliferation of the media and the increased competition among the visual media had accelerated coverage of the news, but often at the risk of its accuracy and quality, the court said the opportunity afforded through the visual media to make lengthy discussions about matters over which the panelist and moderators have no direct knowledge, has made the situation "more grim"."The common man often misapprehends their comments as true words. Even before the commencement of the trial,a strong public opinion is created against a person,which severely affects the presumption of innocence available to him", the court held. Observing that a criminal trial should as far as possible be made free from all sources of pre-judging, outside the due process of law, the court noted that any widespread perception of guilt or innocence without any objective evaluation of the materials available is nothing but a threat to fair trial. In the said circumstances, taking recourse in the power conferred under Section 327(3)of the CrPC, the court passed the order of restraint. The Supreme Court on August 5 had directed Mulakkal to face trial, dismissing his plea,seeking discharge in the case. He had challenged the July 7 Kerala High Court order, dismissing his discharge plea. The High Court had asked the deposed Bishop of Jalandhar diocese to stand for trial in the case, registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the nun. The rape case against the Bishop was registered by police in Kottayam district. In her complaint to the police in June 2018, the nun had alleged that she was subjected to sexual abuse by the bishop between 2014 and 2016. The Special Investigation team which probed the case, arrested the Bishop and charged him with wrongful confinement, rape, unnatural sex and criminal intimidation. Also Read: How the sisters supporting Kerala rape survivor nun are standing up for each other

Body 2:

COVID-19

With the addition of the new cases, the infection count has surged to 1,14,033 while the death toll has climbed to 466 with 12 fatalities.

PTI

COVID-19 representation image of health worker doing test

Image for Representation

Of the 3,215 COVID-19 cases reported in Kerala on Tuesday, 3,013 were infected through contact while 2.08 lakh people are under observation in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. With the addition of the new cases, the infection count has surged to 1,14,033 while the death toll has climbed to 466 with 12 fatalities. Of late, there are reports of casual approach towards the pandemic from various quarters, Pinarayi told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. As many as 5,901 people were found not wearing masks today (on Tuesday) and cases were registered against nine persons for violating quarantine protocol, he said. The samples of 2,532 people returned negative today, and 31,156 are presently under treatment. At least 82,345 people have recovered from the infection so far. Of the 3,013, who were infected through contact, the source of infection of 313 is not yet known. In the capital district, of the 656 new cases, 626 were through contact. Eighty-nine health workers, 31 of them from Kannur alone, were among the infected. Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest jump in positive cases-- 656, while Malappuram accounted for 348, Alappuzha 338, Kozhikode 260, Ernakulam 239, Kollam 234 and Kannur 213. The hilly district of Idukki reported 29 cases, the least and Wayanad 64. Twelve recent deaths were confirmed to be due to COVID, raising the toll to 466, Pinarayi said. Of the fresh positive cases, 43 had come from abroad and 70 from other states. Pinarayi said 2,08,141 people are presently under observation in various districts and 22,627 are in hospitals, including 2324 admitted today. In the last 24 hours, 41,054 samples have been tested and so far 21,98,858 have been sent for testing. A total of 10,05,211 people have returned to the state, including 6,24,826 (62.16%) from other states.

Body 2:

COVID-19

As many as 470 inmates and 10 staff of the Poojappura Central Prison had been tested positive for the virus.

TNM Staff

Image for Representation

The Central Prison in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, which grappled with COVID-19, has become free of the virus now. The final group of 42 inmates who remained COVID positive returned negative on Tuesday. A total of 470 inmates and 10 staff, had been tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the prison when the first round of tests was concluded. The prison reported its first COVID-19 case on August 10 when two inmates tested positive. The inmates had symptoms of fever. A rapid antigen test was soon conducted for the other inmates in the following days. A total of 59 inmates in the seventh block of the prison were tested positive in the test first. A COVID-19 death was also reported from the prison when a prisoner in his 70s died on August 16. The inmates who were tested positive included both remand and convicted prisoners. The assumption was that the virus was transmitted from some of the inmates who had gone to hospitals. The COVID-19 patients in the prison were taken care of inside the jail itself, with setting up of special facilities for them. They were isolated in the prison blocks. The prison is estimated to have between 900 and 1000 inmates. In the second round of testing, majority of the prisoners tested negative. Also Read: Kerala reports 3215 new COVID-19 cases, 3013 patients infected through contact

Body 2:

Election

Chellanam 20/20, started by a group of local people, is aiming at the local body polls which is just months away.

Neethu Joseph

Over the years, Chellanam, a coastal village in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, has been in the spotlight for one reason -- coastal erosion. Protests, varying from small to large were staged, voicing their unmet aspirations for a secure seawall for the village and over the years it has now culminated into something which will possibly be a challenge for the political parties in the region. A recently formed people’s group named ‘Chellanam 20/20’, is aiming to contest the upcoming local body polls, to be an alternative to the political parties who have failed to address the issues of Chellanam residents. The group has been formed inspired by ‘Kizhakkambalam Twenty20’, a corporate social responsibility group of Anna-Kitex Group of Companies, which won the local body polls in Kizhakkambalam panchayat. This is the only non-political firm which runs a local body in the state and probably in the country too. Though the Chellanam 20/20 has no such backing of corporate groups, the years of disappointment by various parties which have ruled the coastal panchayat, has culminated into a huge support base for the group. Chellanam 20/20 is aiming at the local body polls which is just months away. Within a few months, the team which kick started by reaching out to people through social media and otherwise, in the past two months, is moving forward organised, creating ward level groups and people’s representatives. Talking to TNM, Charles Biju aka Pavizham Biju, who initiated the formation of the group, says that the uprising is the result of years long disappointment of people. “Congress and CPI(M) have ruled alternatively over all these years. People are fed up with the political parties. Our sole demand, construction of a safe sea wall, has not been met. This year, sea erosion was the worst in the past many years. Even people who used to support CPI(M) and Congress have now extended their support to us,” says Biju, who is also the president of Chellanam 20/20. He also adds that the group is aiming to give people corruption free governance. Read: Demand to construct seawall: Protest in Kerala’s Chellanam enters 300th day “We have already selected representatives from each ward. When the Election Commission announces the polls officially, we will also make selected representatives official,” he added. Notably, representatives are selected to each ward as per the choice of people in that particular ward, says the Biju. The group also claims that it will only choose educated youngsters as their candidates for the polls. “Though Chellanam is part of Kochi, this coastal village has not seen any changes since the past many years, except the increasing issue of coastal erosion. There has been no development here. We are overwhelmed and excited to see the response of people,” says Merlin Antony, who is part of Chellanam 20/20. The group’s ward level committee’s are also working ground level, going from house to house, taking an account of their grievances. Though the local body polls, which were supposed to be held in November, have been postponed due to the COVID-19 situation, it is sure that Chellanam will be one of the highlights in Kerala’s electoral scenario this time, and it will not be due to coastal erosion. Read: ‘Trapped between COVID-19 and sea erosion’: Kerala boy writes moving letter to President Kovind Watch visuals of flood in Chellanam:

Body 2:

Social

Saurav Kishan, who knows the lyrics to 800 Rafi songs, has earned praise from celebrities for his covers.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

Man in a yellow T shirt and headphones singing into a mic

It was eight years ago, when Saurav Kishan was 15 years old, did he decide to turn into a Mohammad Rafi expert of sorts. He crooned a rendition of Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki, an evergreen hit by the legendary singer Rafi, at a reality show in Kerala. He was discovered by late music director Johnson, who realised that the boy is a near perfect sound-alike of the music legend. A playback singer who worked in the Hindi film industry, Mohammad Rafi was one among the greatest and most influential singers of his generation. He was best known for his voice as well as his range of songs, which include fast numbers, patriotic songs and romantic numbers, qawwalis, bhajans, classical songs and others."I happened to sing the song at Gandharva Sangeetam and after listening to me, Johnson sir asked me to focus only on Mohammad Rafi songs and nicknamed me Chhota Rafi," Saurav tells TNM. Since then, Saurav, who is referred to by this nickname in his hometown of Kozhikode, has been focusing on learning Rafi songs. Chale The Saath Milke pic.twitter.com/wZloJiUybd — Saurav Kishan (@SauravKishan3) September 12, 2020 But last week, the 23-year-old’s talent finally broke the internet after a Twitter user posted songs sung by him. The video, in which he sings Teri Aankhon Ke Siva from the 1969 film Chirag got 41,000 likes, nearly 8000 shares and 1000 quote tweets. He became a viral sensation in one day. Subsequent videos where he sings Chaudhvi Ka Chand from the 1960 film of the same name, also has also thousands of retweets. Chaudavin ka Chand by Saurav pic.twitter.com/CIxP0R98tX — Judish Raj (@JudishRaj) September 11, 2020 The young singer's songs were even praised by celebrities such as Anand Mahindra who said, “We have been waiting for decades for a new Mohammed Rafi. It sounds as if we may have to wait no longer... I couldn't switch this clip off…”. Playback singer and music composer Shankar Mahadevan too shared the song and showered praises on the 23-year-old's flair. Look at this talent !! What a voice ! So happy to hear him sing like this !! https://t.co/E92issk8Lw— Shankar Mahadevan (@Shankar_Live) September 13, 2020 We have been waiting for decades for a new Mohammed Rafi. It sounds as if we may have to wait no longer... I couldn’t switch this clip off... https://t.co/QhM3koPlVE — anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) September 12, 2020 Chaudavin ka Chand by Saurav pic.twitter.com/CIxP0R98tX — Judish Raj (@JudishRaj) September 11, 2020 A gramophone and a music loving grandfather Speaking to TNM, Saurav, who is a 5th year medical student in China's Xinjiang province, says that his passion for music was ignited by his grandfather, a homeopathy doctor, who used to play Rafi, Kishor Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar on his gramophone, while consulting patients. “I was drawn to Rafi after listening to these songs at an early age,” he says. At the age of three-and-a-half, Saurav gave his first concert on Doordarshan TV while being trained in Carnatic, Hindustani and light music. A Rafi expert “My gurus are Pratapan sir who taught me Carnatic music and Bijai Sursain who trained me in Hindustani,” he adds. But it was only after his interaction with music director Johnson did the 23-year-old seriously focus on Rafi’s music. He can now sing 800 Mohammad Rafi songs without a lyrics sheet. “When I look at the lyrics and sing, I cannot feel the soul of the song and I don't feel confident. Usually I imagine the song when I sing it, as I learn the songs by watching videos of Rafi sir,” Saurav adds. While he believes that each of the songs is a gem, his personal favourite is Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar from the 1961 film Hum Dono, which the young singer describes as “hauntingly beautiful”. So similar is his voice and singing style to Rafi's that Saurav was even complimented by Shahid Rafi, the eldest son of the legendary singer. He could not help but say, "You sound so much like my father”. Kabhi Kudh Pe pic.twitter.com/zKNubYtgmN — Saurav Kishan (@SauravKishan3) September 12, 2020 "We were at Fazal Gafoor's daughter's wedding and he had a private concert for his guests with me. It was here that Shahid sir sang Aane Se Uske Aaye Bahar before me. I was nervous and I sang Bahaaro Phool Barsao right after he finished," Saurav recollects. However, after his song, he recalls Shahid Rafi coming over to him and patting his back for his performance. "We stayed in touch ever since," Saurav adds. The 23-year-old has been giving regular recitals across Kerala. He has performed multiple times at Thrissur's Regional Theatre, Kozhikode's Tagore Hall and other prominent venues. Every year the Mohammad Rafi Foundation also invites him to sing on the birth and death anniversary of the singer, setting up a stage at the Kozhikode beach."People ask me how I am able to sing like him. I just tell them that I am not anywhere close to him. I am just a huge fan trying to do 100 percent justice to his songs," Saurav adds. Apart from old Hindi songs, the 23-year-old also enjoys English retro songs. He is a fan of Elvis, Jim Reeves, Kenny Rogers and Don Williams and also does their covers. Elvis for a change pic.twitter.com/9YWyq1QfRN — Saurav Kishan (@SauravKishan3) September 14, 2020

Body 2:

Coronavirus

The Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) had sought to relax quarantine norms for specialised and essential workers as it was delaying the infrastructure projects in the state.

Neethu Joseph

A group of migrant workers waiting along a roadside without following physical distancing

Image for representation

The Kerala government has issued an order stating that migrant workers in the state can engage in work, even if they have COVID-19 and are asymptomatic. The order states that such asymptomatic migrant labourers can work in “areas exclusively marked” for them. As per the order, if migrant workers are found positive for the coronavirus, they should be segregated from others. “If they are asymptomatic positive, then they may work in the areas exclusively marked for the work to be done by the asymptomatic positive workers by taking all precautions,” states the order issued by Satyajeet Rajan, Additional Chief Secretary of Labour Department. The order was issued based on the direction of the Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) Alkesh Kumar Sharma IAS due to delay in infrastructure projects in the state. As per the guidelines, asymptomatic workers should be accommodated separately as per the guidelines followed by the COVID-19 First Line Treatment Centres. It also adds that, if the asymptomatic migrant workers develop symptoms, like fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of smell or breathlessness, after testing positive, then they shall be referred to a COVID-19 hospital or DISHA. Such an order has been issued despite multiple instances being reported of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients falling seriously unwell and in some cases dying. In many such cases, even in Kerala, deceased people have been later reported to have COVID-19, in the test done posthumously. A few studies, which studied the clinical patterns of asymptomatic patients, have shown that many persons sustained damage to the lung, including minor lung inflammation, despite not presenting with any symptoms. Migrant workers engaged in infrastructure projects often have laborious tasks with increased exposure to dust and other particulate matter, which could probably prove harmful to the lungs of a person with COVID-19. However, according to KP Kannan, a social activist and development economist, it is either COVID-19 or poverty for these migrant workers. “I am not aware if the health department was consulted on this or about the health complications involved. But, it is either a situation of ‘die of COVID-19’, which is a small probability, or ‘die of poverty’ for these guest workers. We have reached a situation where people will start to feel the pinch, disregard all precautions and just go for work because they want to live,” said Kannan, who has done research on labour and employment. People working closely with the migrant workers also points out the impracticality of allotting separate areas for such workers in the field. “I am not sure how this will be practical to demarcate special zones for such patients in work areas. But there is clearly a desperation on the part of migrant workers to come back to Kerala for work. The months-long lockdown has affected them severely. It is not sure how far this new regulation will be considered as a deterrent by the workers,” said Benoy Peter, Executive Director of the Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development. The order further states that migrant workers coming to the state shall be in quarantine for 14 days, at a place decided by the contractor of the project. In case, if the migrant labourers have reached the state without doing a COVID-19 test, they “may undergo testing on the fifth day using antigen test at cost to the contractor”. The technical teams, technical officers or consultants, who come to Kerala as part of the projects will also have to undergo the quarantine guidelines. If the workers are found negative, they can continue work by still following the physical distancing protocol and and be confined to the work site and place of stay. Notably, the guidelines remain the same for those migrant workers who are not employed under a contractor. That is, such migrant workers will also have to undergo quarantine and also have to undergo COVID-19 test. There is no clarity on whether the government will provide testing for these workers. Watch how migrant workers struggled to go back home when lockdown was imposed:

Body 2:

Civic issues

The residents blame the waterlogging on the closing of a sewer for the construction of the elevated highway on the Kazhakkuttam-Kovalam bypass.

Saritha S Balan

Waterlogged house in Kerala's Kazhakuttam in Thiruvananthapuram

Sixty-eight-year-old Ambika breaks down while she describes the plight of living in a waterlogged house. She is just back home after using the toilet at a neighbour’s place. The toilet at her home is unusable as it’s inundated with water. “I eat only once a day and drink glucose the rest of the time to avoid using the toilet as much as possible. I’m on medication for some physical ailments,” she says. Ambika’s husband died six years ago and the couple have no children. She owns one of the six houses that gets inundated every rainy season in Thiruvananthapuram’s Kazhakkuttam. The state witnessed heavy rains in the past few days owing to the cyclone on the Andhra coast, just a couple of weeks following the southwest monsoon. Ambika lives alone in the house. “When the water gushed into my house, I got really scared. It also got me mentally down as I have no one to call for help,” she says. Water has now begun receding from her house but the toilet and kitchen are still flooded. But it’s not the same for Bindu who lives in the same neighbourhood. Her entire house and premises are still waterlogged. She wears boots to get to the gate from her house. Anyone visiting her has to negotiate waist-deep water to reach her house. “We’ve been living here for long, for about 40 years. We’ve been facing this problem for the last 10 years, it has become worse in the past couple of years,” she says. Rakhi, another resident of Kazhakkuttam, has been facing the same issue. Anyone visiting her has to negotiate a flooded road and an extension of the road that leads to Bindu’s house. Unlike Bindu’s family, Rakhi, her husband, two children (4 and 11) and her mother-in-law have shifted to her parents’ place after their house flooded. These houses are located in Kazhakkuttam’s Palace Nagar in Thiruvananthapuram. Kazhakkuttam is known as the techno city as the IT park – Technopark – is located here. Palace Nagar is just a stone’s throw from the service road attached to the Chakka-Kazhakuttam stretch of the Kazhakkuttam-Kovalam bypass. An elevated highway is being constructed on this bypass. The residents say that a sewer through which water used to flow earlier was filled up for the construction of the highway, which has aggravated the waterlogging. “The water has septic tank waste, food waste from the hotels nearby, and even fish. It’s probably water from the nearby Thettiyar (a stream), or else where is the water coming from? It has now become tougher for us during the pandemic as the mental stress of living in an inundated home is huge now. None of us other than my husband steps out now even to the nearby junction which is 5 minutes away, negotiating the water is beyond us,” Bindu says. The family buy water cans as the well water is not usable. “It’s not affordable for us with the limited family income,” she says. Rakhi’s family moved to her parents’ place when the well water stored in their tank got over. “Till then we somehow managed to live on the first floor of the house,” she says. The toilets at the houses are not usable too, adding to their misery. The flood water also carries with it venomous snakes. “Even when we disinfect and use the toilets after the water recedes, it still causes itching,” says Ambika. “There are snails too in the flooded water, since I’m not afraid of snakes I managed when snakes entered the house,” she adds. The waterlogging is in a 500-meter radius in which the houses, a restaurant and a 14-storey under construction apartment are located. Bindu’s house is located on the border of both the Kazhakkuttam and Attipra panchayat. “We lodged a complaint with both, but no one seems to be able to address our problems,” she says. Her son was ill recently. “See I have to wear boots to come out of the house, so you can imagine how it’s for us when someone at home falls sick,” she says. Rakhi had contracted leptospirosis in the previous flood. “We can’t afford living in a rented house now, so we shifted to my home. I’ve even filed a complaint with the district administration. The solution is to rebuild the sewer, but what we need immediately is for the water to be pumped out,” she says. The premises of her house is flooded too and the well is submerged. “It takes a huge toll on our mental health too, the shifting and the house cleaning every time, dealing with snakes and the waste that the water carries,” she says. Water enters houses, residents of Palace Nagar in Kazhakuttam in distress. pic.twitter.com/tt4mup7JnE— Saritha S Balan (@Sarithasbalan) September 16, 2020 Also Read: After Kitex, Chellanam 20/20 to contest local body polls in Kerala

Body 2:

Justice

Nimisha Priya’s family alleged that she received the death penalty because she was not given any legal aid in Yemen.

TNM Staff

The international action council initiated by members of NRI group Loka Kerala Sabha has written a letter to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan. The letter seeks his assistance in Indian nurse Nimisha Priya’s case. The council was set up to help Nimisha, who is sentenced for death in Yemen. They have sought help from the CM asking to provide directions and other assistance required to transfer the ‘blood money’ that can save her from the death penalty, as per Yemeni law. Hailing from Kerala’s Palakkad, Nimisha has been jailed since 2017 in Yemen over the murder case of a Yemen national. Her family alleged that she was sentenced with the death penalty because she did not receive any legal aid in the country. Recently, a higher court in Yemen upheld her sentence. From jail, Nimisha recounted to TNM the grave adversities she underwent, which led to the murder. The action council, consisting of Loka Kerala Sabha members and social workers in Yemen, are trying to negotiate with the family of the deceased man to accept ‘blood money’ to save Nimisha from the death sentence. “The apprehension whether the Yemeni family and their tribe will accept the blood money or not still persists. The action council is aimed to crowdsource this huge amount of money, which is unbearable for the humble family of Nimisha, once the Yemeni family accepts this. Social workers in Yemen are trying to help us in the negotiation with the family. We request you to give the necessary guidelines which will be required to transfer this fund to Yemen once we collect it for Nimisha,” the letter to the Kerala CM states. Nimisha’s husband, their seven-year-old daughter and her mother live in Kerala. The family has even lost their house in trying to help Nimisha, the letter adds. The action council has also asked Pinarayi Vijayan to take up the matter with the union government and to ensure their help when the transfer is required.

Body 2:

Interview

Kavya Prakash speaks about making a film based on Unni R’s story.

Cris

A young woman in pink salwar and dark blue shawl around her head stands in front of a green mosque

Something about the way Unni R narrated the story had her hooked. Kavya Prakash listened attentively as this man, whom she found enigmatic and highly intellectual, told the story of Vaanku, which is about a young girl’s dream to call the azan. Kavya had graduated in visual communication, specialising in films and advertising, but was not looking to make a feature film just yet. Until Unni’s story fell on her lap and then she had to make it into a film. Shabna Mohammed, a Ponnanikaari (native of Ponnani in Kerala), wrote the script and Kavya directed it, all – she would say half a dozen times – with the guidance of Unni. “It was all organic. He was visiting dad’s office when I met him,” Kavya says. Dad is VK Prakash, renowned director of Malayalam films as well as an experienced ad filmmaker. Unni, known for his unconventional and fantastical story writing in Malayalam, has had several of his works adapted to films – Leela, Charlie, Munnariyippu among them. Kavya has made a few ad films too, and then assisted directors like Mridul Nair and Prakash Varma. “I wasn’t then looking for a story to direct. But the way Unni sir narrated the story was really interesting. What I really loved about it was that every person could connect to this element. At one point in everyone’s life there would be this one thing that you really want to achieve. It is that basic human emotion that attracted me to the subject,” Kavya says thoughtfully. Kavya Prakash Making sure it won’t hurt anyone She makes it really clear. The subject is sensitive and the team took many months to finalise the script, to make sure it does not hurt anyone. The heroine of the story – Raziya – is not rebellious, Kavya stresses. “The reason she wants to give the azan is more spiritual. She is a very calm, mature, intelligent girl, way wiser than her years. For her, azan is a spiritual way of connecting to a higher force that she adores.” The film is not about gender disparity, Kavya says. “The idea of a girl giving azan is frowned upon. But the film is not to challenge gender disparity. It is more based on the character’s love and devotion towards the Almighty. It is her innocent desire to connect to a higher force through a simple means. We are trying to talk about the emotion behind it rather than the constraints put down by society.” Towards the end of 2018, a school play called Kithab, adapted from Vaanku, led to a row when Muslim organisations protested against the staging of it and called for a ban. Unni had then come out saying that his story was not the same, there were differences in the adaptation. Read: SDPI protests against school play in Kerala claiming it hurts religious sentiments Kavya has not watched the play but is not worried about any such reaction. “The way we treated the film is very subtle and it talks about a person’s undying love for a higher force rather than showing any negative aspect of any religion. It is a sensitive subject and we were utmost careful. Unni sir was there, constantly giving us guidance on the right way to go about it. Moreover, the movie’s trailer and songs are out and we have received nothing but love for it.” Women’s perspective It is a novel combination of three women right in the thick of things – two young women scripting and directing and a third even younger one playing the lead. Anaswara Rajan, known for her performance in Udaharanam Sujatha and Thanneer Mathan Dinangal, is playing the teenage lead of the film, Raziya. “I think when a woman writes about female perspective, the emotion behind each scene is more credible and relatable. Each scene that Shabna wrote and I envisioned with her has maneuvered the script in a way that every emotion is relatable to every girl across the globe. I would say it boils down to basic human emotion, which is very gender neutral,” Kavya says. Shabna and Kavya had Anaswara in mind even in the final stages of the script. She had become the character in their head. Although there were some initial hiccups, finally they worked out a way for Anaswara to do the lead. Viewers are going to see a whole new range to Anaswara, who has already proven her talent with her first few films, Kavya is sure. The crew is a mix of young and old, new and experienced. Music director, art director, editor and of course the writer are highly experienced while Shabna, Kavya and most of the actors are young and new. Noted actor Vineeth is in the trailer, playing Anaswara’s dad. Watch: Trailer of the film “There were the obvious challenges that every first timer faces but this is also a very difficult subject to deal with and we had to be very careful about how we treated it, without hurting anyone. It was also a challenge working in a new environment – the film was shot in Ponnani and Punnayurkulam. It’s a very beautiful place. I had interactions with the local people there. Shabna is from Ponnani and she was very particular about getting the dialect right,” says Kavya. This was essentially their film, Shabna’s and hers, that’s what VKP told them when he kept away from all of it. “He said, this is yours and Shabna’s and you have to be under the guidance of Unni sir. He handed us over to the right hands. We were like a seedling given to Unni sir, whose presence was very calming for my nerves. But he too gave us our space. In the end, he loved the film and called my dad to congratulate him. Dad has not yet seen the film.” They are not planning to release it on any online streaming platform as of now. The producers Sirajudheen and Shabeer Pathan prefer a theatrical release, and so they are waiting for theatres to open again. Also read: 'Women have legs': Rima, Parvathy, Ahaana and others stand by Anaswara

Body 2:

Controversy

By opposing the CBI probe, the government is sending the message that they support the murderers of Kripesh and Sharath Lal, say the families of the two men who were hacked to death last year.

Neethu Joseph

Youth congress workers Kripesh and Sharath Lal murdered in 2019

“We only ought to be fighting those people who brutally murdered our son, but now, we are fighting the state government,” says Sathya Narayanan, father of 24-year-old Sharath Lal who was hacked to death along with 22-year-old Kripesh, in Kerala’s Kasaragod district in February 2019. The families of the two Youth Congress workers, who managed to secure an order from the Kerala High Court for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the murder case, are outraged as the state government is against a probe by the central agency. Having moved a single Bench and a division Bench in the Kerala High Court, the state government has now approached the Supreme Court, opposing the CBI probe. Out of 14 people arrested in relation to the case, reportedly six, including the key accused, are part of the CPI(M), which leads the LDF government. “Who is the government supporting? They are not with the victim. The government has clearly given a message that they are with the murderers,” Kripesh’s father, Krishnan, tells TNM. We only want those who killed our sons to be punished as per the law, whoever it is, adds Krishnan. “If the government has no involvement and has nothing to hide, why are they opposing an investigation by the CBI?” asks Krishnan. He cites the alleged custodial death of Pathanamthitta farmer Mathai wherein the state government readily accepted the family’s plea for a CBI probe. The families stated that they had not, in the first place, asked the government for a probe by the Crime Branch. “We approached the High Court after realising that the Crime Branch was not conducting a fair probe. After the murder, the police here had been doing a good job. We were satisfied with how it was progressing. But then, even without our request or demand, the case was transferred to the Crime Branch. Some local CPI(M) leaders, who we had accused to have been part of the conspiracy, became just witnesses in the case,” says Sathya Narayanan. It was in October 2019 that a single-judge Bench of the High Court ordered a CBI probe, slamming the Crime Branch and calling it a “callous probe”. The court quashed the charge sheet submitted by the Crime Branch. Further, a division Bench of the court, which considered the state government’s appeal, upheld the CBI probe, but asked the trial court to consider the charge sheet of the Crime Branch as well, along with the CBI’s future reports. Meanwhile, the state government has come under fire from the Opposition with the Congress alleging that top lawyers, being paid from the state's exchequer, have been hired for appeal against a CBI probe. An RTI filed by a Kannur native had reportedly revealed last month that the government spent Rs 88 lakhs as legal expenses in appealing against the CBI probe in the case. In March, when Congress MLAs raised the issue in the Kerala Assembly, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had responded harshly saying there was nothing new in going for appeal. “The state has not yet handed over the case diary or other documents to the CBI, despite the order of HC… Kerala government has from the beginning stood with the culprits in the case… Crores will be lost to the state’s exchequer by this legal battle in the Supreme Court. The government should back off from this move denying justice to the family of Kripesh and Sarath Lal,” Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala wrote on Facebook on Saturday. The families of both the men on Tuesday filed a contempt of court petition against the Kerala police for not handing over the case diary to the CBI, despite court orders. Meanwhile, Law Minister AK Balan defended the government 's action, stating that the High Court had upheld the charge sheet filed by the Crime Branch. "The structure of the Crime Branch case is such that the accused will get punishment. So our prayer in court (Supreme Court) is that it should take a stand to allow the Crime Branch in continuing the probe," said AK Balan. Read: 'It was political’: Kin of slain Youth Congress workers allege vendetta behind murders Watch visuals of people in Periya reacting to the murder:

Body 2:

Cops take selfie with Swapna Suresh in hospital, nurses accused of giving her phone

'Vasu annan' memes: Sexual assault is being romanticised on social media in Kerala

How this Wayanad spice exporter gained popularity among European food producers

Genetic study on COVID-19 patients to be done across Kerala

Protests in Kerala demanding KT Jaleel's resignation, ED says probe not yet over

Kerala cop pins Congress worker to ground during protest, pic sparks outrage

Cops caught on video manhandling parents holding protest against Kochi school

Pregnant women advised to remain in ‘room quarantine’ in Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala CM lashes out at BJP state chief for ‘baseless allegations’ against his family

After 140 teenagers die by suicide in 6 months, Kerala Human Rights body seeks report

Kerala court restrains media from publishing trial of rape case against Bishop Franco

Kerala reports 3215 new COVID-19 cases, 3013 patients infected through contact

Central Prison in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram is COVID-free now

After Kitex, Chellanam 20/20 to contest local body polls in Kerala

Meet Kerala’s ‘Chhota Rafi’: 23-year-old Saurav Kishan's songs go viral on Twitter

In questionable move, Kerala says asymptomatic migrant workers with COVID-19 can work

Septic waste and snakes inside homes: Residents of Kazhakkuttam in distress

‘Save Nimisha’: Group helping Indian nurse on death row in Yemen writes to Kerala CM

‘Vaanku’ is about spirituality more than rebellion: Director Kavya Prakash

‘Govt not with victims’: Family of Youth Congress workers killed in Periya tells TNM