Kerala News Today: KSU protest march to Minister R Bindu's residence turns violent; education bandh tomorrow

4.10 PM: KSU protest march to Minister R Bindu's residence turns violent; education bandh tomorrow

Following a confrontation between Kerala Students Union (KSU) members and police on Monday during their protest march to Higher Education Minister R Bindhu's official residence over the alleged election sabotage at Sree Kerala Varma College in Thrissur, tensions in the state capital persisted for an hour. In response, KSU declared a statewide education strike in protest of the police action that had harmed multiple activists, including women. Protesters started to march to the minister's official house from the DCC office in Thiruvananthapuram. The protesters tore down a poster that was part of the Keraleeyam event and stopped the car belonging to CPM leader P P Chitharanjan, MLA. 

Afterward, police erected barricades close to the minister's home to keep KSU activists out. When the police used water cannons to prevent the activists from scaling the barriers, there was an altercation between them. Eventually, the police utilised force and lathi-charged the workers. A number of workers sustained injuries and were hospitalized.
 

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3.40 PM: KSEB worker dies of electrocution while changing insulator in Thrissur

A KSEB worker died of electrocution from the 11 KV line at Kaipamangalam. Thambi (45), a resident of Azhikode died.  The accident happened around 12:30 in the afternoon near Chentrapinni Chirakal Church. He was struck with a shock while trying to change the insulator of the 11 KV line.

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3.15 PM: Kerala rain update: Orange alert withdrawn, Yellow alert in 7 districts

The IMD has again revised the rain alerts in Kerala. A yellow alert has been sounded in 7 districts including Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram.

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3:00 PM: Stray dog attacks student in classroom at Palakkad

A stray dog attacked a student sitting inside the classroom at Mannarkkad School in Palakkad. A 6th-grade student was bitten by the dog. 

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1.10 PM:  Kerala rain update: Orange alert withdrawn, Yellow alert in 5 districts

The IMD has predicted the chances of heavy rainfall in Kerala today. The orange alert previously issued has been withdrawn. However, a yellow alert has been issued in Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Idukki, Palakkad and Malappuram districts. The prohibition on fishing continues along Kerala, Karnataka and Lakshadweep coasts. A cyclonic circulation exists in the southeast Arabian Sea off the coast of Kerala. It will become a low pressure by Wednesday.

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1.00 PM: Chief Secretary fails to appear at HC citing 'busy' for Keraleeyam programme

Kerala High Court on Monday severely criticised the Chief Secretary on contempt of court petition related to KSRTC pension distribution. The Chief Secretary did not appear today despite being instructed to attend. The Chief Secretary informed that he could not appear in court citing 'busyness' in the Keraleeyam programme. Justice Devan Ramachandran criticized the Chief Secretary's action as embarrassing the court. The court expressed displeasure with the affidavit submitted by the Chief Secretary.

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12.45 PM: Surgeries at Neyyattinkara General hospital halt after power outage

Surgeries at Neyyattinkara General Hospital were halted after the power supply to the operation theater was interrupted. 11 patients did not undergo surgery after a malfunction in the substation installed in the hospital. The replacement generator also did not work. No surgeries, including scans, will take place at the hospital for three days.

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12:23 PM: Amid increasing sale of drugs, Thrikkakara municipality to enforce restrictions on hotels during night

The Ernakulam Municipal Corporation is preparing to shut down all hotels and business establishments from 11 pm to 4 am. The municipality informed that the new action is in the context of increasing the sale of intoxicating drugs.

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11:46 AM: Woman doctor, child injured in car accident in Thiruvananthapuram

A woman doctor and her daughter were injured in a car accident in Thiruvananthapuram. Dr. Reena (45), a native of Vamanapuram and a doctor at NIMS Hospital, and her daughter Sharon (15) were injured. The accident happened when the car went out of control and hit the mini crane. The incident happened around 4 a.m. today. 

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11.15 AM: Kalamassery blast: Prime accused Martin Dominic sent to 10-day police custody

The Ernakulam District Sessions Court on Monday sent prime accused Martin Dominic in the Kalamassery blast to 10-day police custody. The police said that the accused's international connections need to be investigated. Martin reiterated that he does not want a lawyer and has no complaint against the police.

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10:56 AM: Two migrant workers found dead in Muvattupuzha; police confirms  murder

Two migrant workers were found dead in Muvattupuzha on Sunday. The Ernakulam police have confirmed the deaths of non-state workers in Muvattupuzha as murder. A dog squad is investigating the incident. The suspect in the incident, Gopal, left the state. The deceased have been identified as Mohantho and Deepak Sharma, workers of the timber mill 

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10:43 AM: Kerala man gets life imprisonment for murdering wife in US

A man was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering a nurse from Kerala in South Florida. The deceased has been identified as Merin Joy (27). Merin was stabbed 17 times by her husband, Philip Mathew (37). He has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole by the Broward County Court in Florida, USA. 

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10.15 AM: Woman loses finger in wild boar attack in Palakkad

A woman identified as Sulochana, lost her finger in a wild boar attack in Palakkad. The local people are very scared after the wild boar bitten off the finger of the woman who went to collect firewood.

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10.00 AM: Kerala govt to appeal High Court over fireworks ban at odd hours in religious places

Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan said that he will appeal at the government level on the fireworks ban order at odd hours in religious places. He said that the fireworks are part of the culture.

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9.30 AM: Celebrating Kerala at the cost of crores while 55 lakh pensioners await arrears

As the state government is holding Kerala celebrations in the capital with huge budgets, around 55 lakh people in the state are waiting to get their welfare pension, which has been delayed for four months. Many of the poor people living on welfare pensions are struggling for food and medicine for the day. The reason given by the government for the huge arrears in the welfare pension is that the borrowing limit has expired and the consortium of cooperative banks has denied loans.

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8.45 AM: Kerala to receive widespread rainfall today; Orange alert in 2 districts

Kerala will receive widespread rainfall today and the IMD has sounded an orange alert in 2 districts including Ernakulam and Palakkad. At the same time, a yellow alert has been sounded in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Thrissur, Malappuram and Wayanad districts.

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8.16 AM: Kalamassery blast: 61-year-old woman dies taking the death toll to 4

The death toll in the Kalamassery blast has risen to 4 after the death of a 61-year-old woman this morning. The deceased has been identified as Molly Joy, a resident of Kalamassery. She suffered 80 per cent burn injuries. 

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8.12 AM: 8 positive cases of Zika virus confirmed in Kannur

Health Minister Veena George said that when the Zika disease was confirmed at the District Court in Thalassery, prevention activities were intensified in the area. So far, 8 positive cases of Zika virus have been confirmed.