Page 46 - Kerala

NSG arrives in Kerala after twin blasts rock prayer meet in Kalamassery

"A total of six people are critically ill. Every possible treatment and support is being provided," Kerala Health Minister said

Kerala IED blasts: Another woman dies, death toll rises to 2 in Kochi

Two women died and 51 persons were injured, some seriously, in multiple blasts at a Christian religious gathering in a convention centre near this port city on Sunday morning, sending shockwaves across Kerala. The blasts took place at an international convention centre in Kalamassery where hundreds of followers of the minority Christian group Jehovah's Witnesses had assembled on the concluding day of a three-day-long prayer meeting. A few hours after the incident, a man claiming to be a member of Jehovah's Witnesses, surrendered before police in Thrissur district of the state, saying that he carried out the multiple blasts. Police has registered an FIR against unknown persons under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC as well as provisions of the Explosives Act and the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Later in the day, state Health Minister Veena George said that of the 51 injured, 30 were admitted in various hospitals in the ...

Kerala Blast: Ministers visits Kalamasery's Medical College, meets injured

One person died and several others were injured after multiple explosions took place at a prayer meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses in Ernakulam's Kalamassery at around 09.00 am

Those who foster violence must be dealt with iron hand: Mallikarjun Kharge

Multiple explosions took place at a prayer meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Kalamassery area of Kochi at around 9:00 am

Blasts in Kerala shake minority Christian group Jehovah's Witnesses

: Jehovah's Witnesses, whose prayer meeting in Kochi was marred by devastating bomb blasts on Sunday in which one person died and 52 others are seriously injured, is a Christian religious group that traces its origins to 19th century America. According to historians, Jehovah's Witnesses was considered an offshoot of the International Bible Students' Association, founded by Charles Taze Russell in Pittsburgh in the year 1872. Unlike mainstream Christian denominations, Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in the Holy Trinity (God, the Father; God, the Son - Jesus; and God the Holy Spirit) but worship Jehovah as the "the God of the Bible and the Creator of all things". Followers of the group see Jesus Christ as the son of God, and not God himself. They learn from the teachings and examples set by Christ; hence they consider themselves Christians. The group follows certain strict social mores, which forbid them from receiving blood transfusions and prevent married couples from divorcing,

Man puts out video message claiming responsibility for Kerala blasts

A man claiming to be a member of Jehovah's Witnesses put up a video message on a social media platform claiming responsibility for the multiple blasts at a Christian religious gathering at Kalamassery here on Sunday morning. Identifying himself as Martin in the video, which was aired on various TV channels, the man alleged that he took the decision as the teachings of the organisation were "seditious." No one from the organisation has reacted to his allegations. Meanwhile, a person claiming to be a member of the religious group told a TV channel that no such person was part of their organisation presently. The man said that everyone must have come to know about the bomb explosions and the serious consequences that followed. "What happened there I do not know exactly, but I know it (blasts) happened and I am taking full responsibility for the same," he said in the video which is no longer available on the social media platform. He said he was making the video to tell people why he

IED device caused blast at convention centre in Kerala: State Police chief

The blast at a convention centre in Kerala on Sunday that claimed one life and injured 36 others was caused due to an improvised explosive device (IED), state DGP Shaik Darvesh Saheb said. The State Police Chief told reporters here that according to the preliminary probe the blast occurred due to an IED. "We are examining it," he said. "This morning at 9.40 am approximately, there was an explosion in Zamrah International Convention Centre in Kalamassery in which one person died and 36 people are undergoing treatment as per our information," the DGP said. However, there were conflicting reports about the number of blasts as state Ministers V N Vasavan and Antony Raju said there were two blasts, while Congress MP from Ernakulam, Hibi Eden, said there were multiple blasts according to one of his friends who attended the convention. "What they have told us is that there were two blasts according to the initial findings," the ministers said. On being asked whether it was a terror atta

Kerala blast: Amit Shah speaks to Kerala CM; NSG, NIA teams being sent

One person died and over 20 were injured in a blast at a convention centre in Kalamassery here on Sunday morning, police said. An officer of Kalamassery police said the cause of the blast or whether there was more than one was not confirmed. The blast reportedly occurred at a convention centre of a Christian group. He said a call was received around 9 am about the blast and seeking police assistance. Visuals of the incident on TV channels showed fire rescue and police personnel in large numbers evacuating people from the site. Disturbing visuals of the blast inside the convention centre showed multiple fires inside the hall as people were screaming in fear. Hundreds of people were seen outside the convention centre post the explosion.

Kerala blasts: Veena George puts hospitals on alert, orders staff to return

In the explosions that took place in the morning hours, one person died and many were feared injured, during the prayer meeting at a convention centre in Kalamassery

ICMR detects Nipah virus presence in bats in Wayanad: Kerala govt

The Kerala government on Wednesday said that the ICMR has informed them about the presence of the Nipah virus in bats in the Wayanad district of the state, but there was no need to panic. State Health Minister Veena George said that the Indian Council of Medical Research gave this information based on its studies of the bat samples collected by it. "ICMR has said that it has found the presence of the virus in bats in Wayanad. It is a continuation of the ecosystem there," she said. The Nipah virus outbreak this year was in Kozhikode district, which neighbours Wayanad, and six persons were infected, of whom two had died. George said there was no need for the public to be afraid or panic as the information was being conveyed only to create awareness and to make people cautious and vigilant. She said that healthcare activities in connection with the virus were being coordinated and training was being provided to healthcare and medical professionals on how to deal with suspected cases

Kerala LIFE mission case: ED attaches assets worth over Rs 5 crore

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said it has attached assets worth more than Rs 5 crore in connection with its ongoing money laundering probe into an alleged scam in Kerala's LIFE Mission, which was meant for providing homes to flood victims. The properties attached include residential premises in the name of Santhosh Eappen and immovable property and bank balances in the name of Swapna Suresh, the federal agency said in a statement. The total value of these properties is Rs 5.38 crore, it said. It alleged that a conspiracy was hatched by Sarith PS and Swapna Suresh, former employees of the UAE consulate, with "active support" of M Sivasankar, a former principal secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Sandeep Nair and others. This was done, the ED said, to "generate commission as bribe" from the funds donated by Red Crescent by awarding the LIFE Mission project to Unitac Builders and Developers and Sane Ventures LLP run by Santhosh Eappen "without following ..

Over 13 Sabarimala pilgrims injured as bus overturns in Kottayam, Kerala

More than 13 Sabarimala pilgrims were injured after a bus they were travelling in was involved in an accident in Kottayam district on Wednesday morning, police said. The accident occurred at Kanamala, near Erumeli, they said. The pilgrims, hailing from Kolar in neighbouring Karnataka, were proceeding to the hill shrine located in Pathanamthitta district. A senior official said as many as 43 people, including 40 pilgrims, were in the vehicle when it overturned after the driver lost control of it. Over 13 people suffered injuries, he said. Four injured pilgrims were rushed to the government medical College here, he said, adding that four persons were taken to the general hospital and some other accident victims were admitted to a nearby private hospital, the official added.

Rains continue to lash Kerala, orange alert in 4 districts; trains delayed

After a brief lull in the morning, rains continued to lash Kerala on Monday, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert in four districts of the state. The IMD issued an orange alert in the districts of Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki for the day. It also issued a yellow alert in eight districts of the state. An orange alert means that very heavy rainfall of 11 cm to 20 cm is likely, and a yellow alert means there could be heavy rainfall of between 6 and 11 cm. The IMD also predicted that thunderstorms with moderate rainfall and gusty winds are likely to occur at one or two places in Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts of the state. Earlier in the day, the IMD said there were cyclonic circulations over coastal Tamil Nadu and its neighbourhoods as well as over the Lakshadweep area, adjoining the Southeast Arabian sea and the Kerala coast. Under their influence, light to modera

Kerala: IMD issues 'Orange' alert and flood warning

Heavy rains have once again lashed Kerala. IMD has issued an orange alert in 4 districts including Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki. Watch the video to learn more

Heavy rains lash Kerala, orange alert in 4 districts, landslides reported

As heavy rains continued to batter Kerala, landslides and flooding were reported from many parts of the state, especially its southernmost district of Thiruvananthapuram, which was severely affected by waterlogging in several areas on Sunday. According to visuals shown on TV channels, the heavy rains since Saturday led to waterlogging and flooding of streets, roads and low-lying areas of Thiruvananthapuram district. The Technopark colony in Kazhakootam, a suburban area in the district, saw water entering homes leading to people being evacuated from homes, as per the visuals. Water entered hundreds of homes in the district and in some areas there were also incidents of landslides, according to the visuals. Visuals also showed cars almost submerged while rescuers evacuated people from homes in inflatable boats to camps in some parts of Thiruvananthapuram. State General Education Minister V Sivankutty, who visited the flooded areas, said in a Facebook post that the rains since the ..

Indian caregivers confident about safety, evacuation under govt radar

The latest data on the population of Overseas Indians maintained by the Ministry of External Affairs updated in February, 2023 shows 12,467 Non Resident Indians in Israel

Kerala touch adds power to Israel police's combat gear in war against Hamas

A relatively lesser-known company, Maryan Apparel Ltd from Kannur district, has been providing uniforms to this esteemed force, recognised as one of the top police departments globally, since 2012

Cong demands probe into 'backdoor appointments' in KILA, seeks resignation

: The opposition Congress on Wednesday levelled corruption charges against Labour Minister V Sivankutty over appointments made in the state-run Kerala Institute of Labour Administration and urged the state government to order a probe into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment. The Congress accused the minister of appointing party cadre in various posts in KILA violating a 2019 cabinet decision that no appointment should be made there without prior permission. The government should immediately dismiss all those who have been appointed through "backdoor channels," Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan said. The Congress' criticism comes amidst reports by a section of the media that Sivankutty allegedly intervened for the regularisation of a woman DYFI leader working in KILA. "The minister who has committed a violation of oath is not entitled to continue in office, even for a moment. If there is a little bit of political decency and dignity left, Sivankutty

Kerala CM urges EAM Jaishankar to ensure safety of Indians in Israel

As the war between the Hamas militant outfit and the Israeli defence forces continues, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to intervene and ensure the safety of Indian citizens in Israel. Expressing concern over the plight of Indian nationals in Israel, Vijayan said that around 7,000 of them are from Kerala and the continuing hostilities were putting them to extreme hardship and their family members were in a state of extreme anxiety. "I request your goodself to intervene in every possible manner to ensure the safety of our citizens in Israel," the CM said in his letter dated October 9. The surprise weekend attack by Hamas on Israel has claimed nearly 1,600 lives. A Kerala-based woman working as a caregiver in Israel was also seriously injured in the Hamas attack and is presently hospitalised.

Kerala's liquidity strained, seeks Centre's intervention over borrowing cap

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Saturday said the state's liquidity position was severely stressed due to the reduction in the annual borrowing limit and sought the intervention of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman into the issue. In a letter written to the union finance minister, Balagopal said the liquidity stress got aggravated specifically because of the cut in the annual borrowing ceiling for the financial years 2022-23 and 2023-24. He said Kerala has been relying on its own sources of revenue for meeting the expenditure during recent years, unlike many other states. Balagopal said the decision of the Union Government to include the borrowing of institutions like KIIFB (Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board) and lower the annual borrowing limit of the state with retrospective effect was causing severe liquidity stress for Kerala. "I write this letter to invite your kind attention to the issue of liquidity stress being faced by Kerala due to the reduction