Page 59 - Kerala

Greed, official apathy cause of never-ending boat tragedies: Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday said a deadly cocktail of callousness, indifference, greed and official apathy was the cause of the never-ending boat tragedies occurring in the state

Kerala police constitutes special team; murder case against boat owner

Two days after a fatal boat mishap had claimed 22 lives in this north Kerala district, murder charge has been slapped against the owner of the vessel who was caught from nearby Kozhikode, police said here on Tuesday. Malappuram district police chief Sujith Das S, who is heading a special investigation team constituted to probe the incident, said the arrest of the accused was recorded and he would be produced before a local court within 24 hours. The owner was facing charges of operating the vessel without a licence. Talking to reporters here, Das said IPC Section 302 has been slapped against the boat owner and the investigation is progressing considering it as a murder case. "So, we will submit a report in the court as an offence under IPC 302," the officer said. He said the police are yet to confirm the total number of staff, who were present in the boat when tragedy struck the vessel. "Its driver, Dineshan, is absconding. We are trying to get more details about the other employ

Kerala boat incident: Time to fix accountability for 'man-made' tragedy

In the words of Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan, "this was a man made tragedy which could have easily been avoided"

The Kerala Story' producer should be hanged in public: NCP leader Awhad

NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Jitendra Awhad has said The Kerala Story' producer should be hanged in public. They have not only tarnished the image of Kerala but have also insulted the women of the state, Awhad said. They had said 32,000 women from Kerala had gone missing and joined the terrorist group ISIS, but the real figure is three, Awhad told a news channel. The film is peddling fiction and the producer should be hanged in public, the NCP leader said.

Kerala HC terms Tanur boat accident as 'haunting'; initiates suo motu

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday termed as "shocking" and "haunting" the boat accident at Tanur area of Malappuram district two days ago that claimed 22 lives, including 15 children, and initiated a PIL on its own to find out why the authorities allowed the vessel to operate by allegedly flouting rules. A bench of Justices Devan Ramachandran and Shoba Annamma Eapen said their "hearts were bleeding" and they "underwent sleepless nights" after seeing the lifeless bodies of the children. The court said the accident happened as a result of "the deadly cocktail of callousness, greed and official apathy." The court said it was initiating the petition on its own to ensure that such an incident does not happen ever again. The bench noted that such boating tragedies were happening in the state with "frightening regularity" since 1924 when Kerala lost Mahakavi Kumaranasan, one of the triumvirate poets of Kerala, when a boat from Kollam to Kottayam sank at Palana. The boat capsized near an .

The Kerala Story: All you need to know about the raging controversy

The Kerala Story box office collection: Since its release, the movie has collected Rs 37.03 crore in India

LIVE: Internet ban in Manipur till May 13, CM says high-level inquiry soon

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Kerala boat tragedy: Owner who was on the run arrested from Kozhikode

A day after the boat accident that claimed the lives of 22 people at Tanur in Malappuram district, the Kerala police on Monday arrested Nasar, the owner of the ill-fated boat, Atlantic, from Kozhikode

11 boat accidents in Kerala in the last10 decades claimed over 200 lives

Eleven boat tragedies, including the one at Tanur in Malappuram district of Kerala on Sunday, has claimed over 200 lives in the state in the past 10 decades. Following is the chronology of boat tragedies starting from 1924 to the one on May 7, 2023 that claimed 22 lives: * 1924: 24 persons drowned when a boat from Kollam to Kottayam sank at Palana. Mahakavi Kumaranasan, one of the triumvirate poets of Kerala, died in the tragedy. * March 19, 1980: 30 lives were lost when a ferry carrying pilgrims of a local church at Kannamaly in Kochi sank. * September 25, 1983: 18 persons died in a boat tragedy while they were returning after a church feast in Vallarpadam area of Ernakulam district. * July 27, 2002: 29 people died when a heavily loaded A53 boat of the Kerala Water Transport department, which left from Muhamma in Alappuzha, capsized in the Vembanad Lake near Kumarakom in Kottayam district of the state. The deceased included 15 women and a nine-month-old baby, besides several job

Kerala govt orders probe into boat tragedy that claimed 22 lives

A day after the tragic tourist boat accident that claimed the lives of 22 people including women and children, Kerala government on Monday announced a judicial probe into the matter and decided to give a compensation of Rs ten lakh to the kin of the deceased. Addressing the media here after visiting Tirurangandi Taluk hospital and the Kunnummel family which lost 12 members, Vijayan termed the accident as a "tragedy" and said the government will bear the expense of those under treatment. Vijayan announced the probe and the compensation after an all-party meeting held at Tanur in which senior opposition leaders also participated. "The all-party meeting has decided for a judicial inquiry in this matter. The probe will cover the technical issues related to the boat's safety among other matters. A judicial commission comprising technical experts will be formed. A Special investigation team of the Kerala police will also probe the matter," Vijayan told the media. He also announced a ...

Terrorism which is without ammunition: Nadda on 'The Kerala Story'

"There's a new type of terrorism which is without ammunition, 'Kerala Story' exposes that poisonous terrorism. This kind of terrorism isn't related to any state or religion..."

Kerala tourist boat accident: Death toll rises to 22, eight under treatment

Twenty people, including women and children, were killed when a houseboat with more than 30 passengers on board capsized and sank near the Thoovaltheeram beach in the Tanur area of this Kerala district on Sunday, the state government said. Sports Minister V Abdurahiman said 20 deaths were confirmed on the basis of information from various hospitals where those pulled out from the water and inside the boat were admitted. Four persons in critical condition have been admitted to a Kottakkal hospital here, Abdurahiman said. Of the 20 bodies, 15 have been identified, the minister added. "The boat is being hauled ashore and more bodies are expected to be recovered from inside," he told PTI. Abdurahiman said many of those who died were women and children who had come for a ride amid the ongoing school vacations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the deaths and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each victim. "Pained by the loss of lives due to the boat mis

BJP woo Christians in Kerala but target them in Manipur: CPI(M) leader

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP are trying to woo Christians in Kerala but that community is now "being hunted" in Manipur, said MV Govindan, the Kerala unit secretary of the CPI(M). Addressing reporters here, Govindan said it is the BJP's agenda to create a rift on communal lines and thousands are being affected as a result. "Manipur is ruled by the BJP. They claim that they have huge support among the northeastern states and the Christians there. However, the people, including the elected representatives, are stranded. "Narendra Modi and BJP are trying to woo Christians in Kerala but people of that community are being hunted in Manipur," Govindan said. He said the Left government in Kerala is taking all steps to bring home Keralites stranded in Manipur. Govindan claimed that even elected representatives are not safe in Manipur and referred to news reports in which an MLA's son claimed that the politician was stranded there. "Many prominent persons are affected due to t

'The Kerala Story' is not just a film, it exposes faces: Anurag Thakur

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday said that 'The Kerala Story' is not just a film and it exposes people who want to lure girls into the path of terrorism."'The Kerala Story' is not just a film. There are some people who want to lure girls into the path of terrorism, and their face has been exposed in this film," said Thakur.Referring to the political parties opposing the film, he alleged that they support PFI, terrorism and ISIS."Some political parties are opposing it. If they are protesting then they support PFI, terrorism and ISIS," said Anurag Thakur.Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda will attend a special screening of the movie on Sunday in Karnataka's Bengaluru where he is campaigning for the party for the upcoming Assembly polls.The BJP chief will attend the screening at 8.45 pm in the Garuda Mall.Taking to Twitter, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president Tejasvi Surya said, "'The Kerala Story' is an important movie documenting &

Kerala should give importance to virology research: NITI Aayog member

Kerala should give more importance to virology research since the state faces a higher risk of virus-related incidence compared to other parts of the country, a NITI Aayog member has said. NITI Aayog member Vinod Kumar Paul was speaking at the inauguration of the Department of Biotechnology - Scientific Infrastructure Access for Harnessing Academia University Research Joint Collaboration (DBT-SAHAJ) at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) here on Saturday. He said Kerala is expected to be the entry point of various viral diseases and also urged the state to make efforts in geriatric care. Paul said the initiatives made by Kerala in the health sector could be followed by the rest of the country. Lauding the initiatives of RGCB in virology research, Paul said the institution has to design additional programmes in the field urgently. "Considering the demographic transition-related health challenges faced by Kerala, the state should make more efforts in the area of geriatr

ASAP Kerala enters agreement with US based tax agency to employ EA students

: The state-run ASAP Kerala has entered into an agreement with US-based tax services company H&R Block to ensure employment for those who complete the Enrolled Agent (EA) course, introduced for the first time in the state. The Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) Kerala is an undertaking of the Higher Education Department, that focuses on upskilling students and the community to enhance their employability. According to the agreement, H&R Block will provide employment to those studying EA course along with or after their studies. The memorandum of understanding was signed between ASAP Kerala CMD Usha Titus and H&R Block India Vice President MD Hariprasad K in the presence of Higher Education Minister R. Bindu at her chamber at the secretariat here recently, an official statement said. Those who successfully complete the course would be eligible to represent taxpayers in countries like US, Canada, Australia and file their tax returns staying in India, it said. This

BJP organises special screening of 'The Kerala Story' in Thiruvananthapuram

BJP arranged the special screening today morning at 11.20 at Aries Plus Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram

Various outfits protests against controversial movie 'The Kerala Story'

Various youth outfits in Kerala on Friday staged demonstrations against the screening of controversial multi-lingual movie 'The Kerala Story' which hit theatres across the country today. Activists of the Nationalist Youth Congress (NYC), the youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party, and the Fraternity Movement staged a protest in front of a local theatre in Kochi, the commercial hub of the state. Holding placards in their hands, the NYC protesters raised slogans in front of the theatre demanding a ban on the movie, which they alleged to have portrayed the southern state in a bad light. They were later removed from theatre premises by the police. A group of activists of the Fraternity Movement, including women, marched to the theatre in Kochi alleging that the movie was a bundle of lies and was part of the Sangh Parivar's divisive agenda. They tried to jump the barricades placed on the road near the theatre but the police personnel stopped them. They later staged a sit-in on th

Federal Bank Q4 profit up 67% at Rs 903 cr; posts highest operating profit

Kerala-based lender's net interest income grows 25% to Rs 1,909 cr

The Kerala Story triggers high alert in Tamil Nadu ahead of movie release

Intelligence issued a high alert in Kerala before releasing "The Kerala Story" on May 5. Many Islamic groups called for a protest against the movie's release