Kerala News Highlights: 'Not answerable to criminals...' Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on senate meeting row

4.15 PM: Accused in custody collapses and dies in Malappuram

An accused who was remanded in Tirur, Malappuram collapsed and died today. The deceased was Abdul Rasheed.  The accused, who was remanded in the POCSO case in Tirur sub-jail, felt chest pain in the afternoon. He was then taken to Tirur district hospital, but after the doctors said that there was no problem, he was taken back to the sub-jail. The accused collapsed in the jail at night and was again taken to Tirur District Hospital where he died. Rasheed, who was remanded in the case of molesting a girl in a private bus, was brought to Tirur sub-jail on Friday evening.

---

3.30 PM: Kerala weather update: As the summer season is about to begin in the state, the temperature is rising steadily. The Central Meteorological Department has informed that the temperature is likely to rise in three districts of the state today and tomorrow. Today and tomorrow (February 18 and 19, 2024), Kozhikode district may experience a maximum temperature of 37°C and Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur districts will experience a maximum temperature of 36°C (3 to 4 degrees Celsius above normal), the Central Meteorological Department has informed. The warning was issued at 1 pm today.

---

2.30 PM: Lok Sabha polls: UDF to field MP Premachandran from Kollam

Sitting MP Premachandran will contest as the UDF candidate from Kollam in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) state secretary Shibu Baby John made the official announcement here on Sunday. 

---

1.45 PM: Fire breaks out at GST office in Ernakulam Collectorate

A fire broke out at the GST office in Ernakulam Collectorate today. The photostat machine was gutted in the fire. Preliminary information says that the cause of the fire was a short circuit. The fire department extinguished the fire.

---

1.15 PM: 'Not answerable to criminals...' Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on senate meeting row

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has again come up with a 'criminal' reference. The Governor targeted Higher Education Minister R Bindu, and without naming her termed her a 'criminal'. The governor remarked that he was not there to answer the criminals. Khan also clarified that the minister has no authority to participate in the senate meeting. He said that the violation of the law will be dealt with legally. The Governor's response to the higher education minister's statement that she has the legal right to participate in the Kerala University Senate meeting. He was talking to media after a function at the ISKCON temple in Pallichal, Nemom today.

---

12.50 PM: Alarming surge: Kerala's MVD warns of rise in accidents caused by minor children driving vehicles

The Motor Vehicles Department said that minor children are driving vehicles and the accidents caused by it are increasing in Kerala. According to MVD, the latest accident statistics are alarming. Due to how harshly the revised legislation punishes this offence, even people who are aware of the amendments to the Indian Penal Code and the Motor Vehicle Act will never engage in such conduct.

Alarming surge: Kerala's MVD warns of rise in accidents caused by minor children driving vehicles

---

12.20 PM: Will transform Kerala into educational hub, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Kerala should pay more attention to the higher education sector. Students should be able to achieve what they have achieved in the field of general education in the field of higher education. 41 of the top 200 colleges in the country are in Kerala. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan explained that the aim is to make Kerala a hub in the field of education in the face-to-face program held with Kozhikode students. 

---

11.45 AM: Elephant ran amok in Kollam after drunken man tries to touch during temple festival

An elephant that was brought for 'ezhunelippu' ritual at Chirakara Devi temple ran amok after a drunken man tried to touch it during the festival. The elephant Chirakkara Devanarayanan, was brought under control after it ran for about 100 meters.

---

11.15 AM: Accused sentenced to 60 years in prison for sexually assaulting, impregnating minor in Thiruvallam

An accused was sentenced to 60 years in prison and a fine of Rs 1,50,000 in the case of sexually assaulting a minor girl and impregnating her. Vineeth, a native of Thiruvallam's Kalladi region, was convicted by the Neyyattinkara fast-track court. The incident related to the case took place in 2017. In the case registered by the Thiruvallam police, the prosecution produced 18 witnesses and 25 documents.

---

10.50 AM: 'Rahul Gandhi is a tourist...' Union Minister V Muraleedharan on Congress MP's visit to Wayanad 

Union Minister V. Muraleedharan has condemned the delay in visiting the constituency by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi despite three people being trampled to death by wild elephants in Wayanad. "Rahul Gandhi is a tourist. Rahul should not go to his constituency as a tourist," he said.

---

10.15 AM: Two killed after car falls into pit in Kasaragod

Two people were killed when their car went out of control and fell into a ditch on the Kasaragod Periya National Highway. The deceased have been identified as C Rajesh (38) and Raghunath (57), natives of Thayannur Chapparapadav. The accident happened at one o'clock this morning while returning after the Theyyam festival in Periya. There were four people in the car. The two others, Rahul and Rajesh were also injured. They are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mangalore.

---

9.45 AM: Two-wheeler loses control after hitting divider; woman killed in Kollam

A woman died in a two-wheeler accident on the Kallambalam National Highway. Srilakshmi (28) died at Vaigaland in Kallampalam Mullamangalam in Kollam. The accident occurred while returning from the Paripalli temple festival with her husband and children. The incident happened at 11.30 last night. The accident happened when the vehicle went out of control and hit the divider that was temporarily built for the development of the national highway. Srilakshmi's two children, aged one-and-a-half and six years, were also injured in the accident. Srilakshmi was rushed to a private hospital with serious neck injuries but could not be saved. The accident happened in the permanent danger zone. 

---

9.15 am: Parents commit suicide after daughter elopes with boyfriend in Kollam

A couple committed suicide after their daughter eloped with her boyfriend. Unnikrishna Pillai (52) and his wife Bindu (48), a native of Pavumba, died. Both took their lives after taking too many pills. Although admitted to the hospital, Bindu succumbed to death on Friday night and Unnikrishna Pillai this morning.

---

9.00 AM: Pulpally conflict: Police book over 100 people during hartal

The police registered a case in the clashes during the hartal in Wayanad to protest against the killing of two people in a wild animal attack. The FIR was registered by the Pulpally police. The case is against 100 identifiable people. Sections 283,143,147,149 of the IPC have been imposed. The case is for attacking the forest department vehicle and assaulting the officials.

---

8.20 AM: Tiger attempts to kill calf in Pulpally

A tiger caught a calf tied up in the stable of Eldos in Ashramkolli, Pulpally of Wayanad district.  The tiger had run away when the family heard the sound. The tiger accidentally fell into a cow dung pit, however it escaped into the bushes. Last day, a calf was bitten and killed by a tiger in the neighborhood of this house.

---

8.10 AM: Rahul Gandhi arrives in Wayanad to visit families of wildlife attack victims

Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has arrived in the district and will visit the houses of the deceased victims of the wild jumbo attack.  Rahul is coming to Wayanad after taking a short break from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Rahul Gandhi will visit the houses of Ajeesh and Paul who died in the elephant attacks. According to information provided by Congress sources, after staying in the constituency till noon today, he will return to Prayag Raj at 3 pm.