Why are you not suspending him? Kerala HC pulls up State over inaction against cop in Dalit student suicide case
The Court asked whether higher-ranking police officials were attempting to protect their colleague from disciplinary action. The Kerala High Court on Monday questioned the State over its failure to suspend Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sudheer Kallan despite a finding of serious procedural lapses in the arrest of an accused in the case concerning the suicide of Dalit dental student Nithin Raj. Justice A Badharudeen said police’s negligent approach had initially led to the release of the prime accused Dr M Kodanda Ram, a Kannur Dental College professor. “Why are you not suspending him? The report states that there are serious procedural lapses coupled with a careless and negligent approach in the investigation by the police personnel who arrested him. The preparation of the arrest-related documents resulted in the release of the accused. Even after finding all this, he has not been suspended?” Justice Badharudeen orally asked. The Court was hearing the plea fled by victim’s parents, who have been seeking clarity on the investigation and circumstance surrounding the arrest of Dr. Ram. Nithin Raj, a dental college student in Kerala, died by suicide on April 10 after jumping from a building near the college. Before his demise, Raj is alleged to have faced caste-based harassment from the faculty at the dental college. The police registered a case for abetment of suicide and offences under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST Act) and arrested the prime accused, Dr. Ram. However, his initial arrest had been declared illegal by a trial court after the police failed to furnish mandatory grounds of arrest to the accused. He was subsequently re-arrested by the Crime Branch. Today, Special government pleader Rasheed C Nooranad told the Court that following a preliminary enquiry by Superintendent of Police of Wayanad, the State Police Chief has recommended disciplinary proceedings against DSP Kallan. However, he added that the disciplinary proceedings would be initiated only after the completion of a proposed enquiry by a panel of officers. Justice Badharudeen questioned the need for another enquiry when an oral enquiry has already found serious lapses in the arrest. The Court further asked whether higher-ranking police officials were attempting to protect the DSP. The judge made it clear that the government should take necessary action rather than wait for the Court to direct every step. “I don’t have an opinion that the government is not bonafide. The remedies available to the accused let him avail those, you (government) do your job. The job of police is to arrest. Court’s job is to take decision when such action is challenged,” Justice Badharudeen remarked. The Court in its order today, recorded that the officer had committed serious lapses but no immediate action was being taken by the State and instead a panel of competent enquiry officers is slated to be appointed. It directed the State Police Chief to consider the enquiry report and pass necessary orders while also directing that the proposed panel be constituted within one week. The matter will be heard next on August 17. Praisy Thomas Courtesy : Bar and Bench Note: This news is originally published on https:/barandbench.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Adivasi-Dalit convention seeks justice for Jogi, Muthanga violence victims
Adivasi-Dalit convention and Declaration of Rights held at Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad on Sunday. Bommi Amma of Cheeral, the oldest surviving participant in the Muthanga struggle, inaugurated the gathering Bommi Amma, the oldest surviving participant in the Muthanga agitation, inaugurating the Adivasi-Dalit gathering at Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad on August 9. Bommi Amma, the oldest surviving participant in the Muthanga agitation, inaugurating the Adivasi-Dalit gathering at Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad on August 9. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement As part of intensifying protests demanding a comprehensive inquiry into the death of Yogi (Jogi), who was reportedly killed in police firing during the 2003 Muthanga land agitation and the alleged human rights violations in connection with the stir, an Adivasi-Dalit convention and Declaration of Rights were held at Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad on Sunday (August 9) on the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The gathering was inaugurated by Bommi Amma of Cheeral, the oldest surviving participant in the Muthanga struggle. Several people who participated in the land stir shared their experiences at the meeting, organised by the Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha (AGMS) and the Ambedkarite Democratic Front (ADF). In the evening, a cultural procession was taken out through the town under the leadership of the Adi Shakti Summer School, followed by a public meeting at the Municipal Town Hall. It was inaugurated by ADF State working chairperson K. Ambujakshan. AGMS general secretary P.G. Janardhanan made the Declaration of Rights. The resolution demanded a fair investigation into Jogi’s death, implementation of the direction issued by the National Human Rights Commission calling for a comprehensive inquiry into the human rights violations during the Muthanga agitation and adequate compensation for all those affected by the violence. Sivan Yogi, son of Jogi, and others attended. The Muthanga land agitation has returned to the limelight after the Kalpetta Principal Sessions Court, on July 31, acquitted all the accused who stood trial, including social activist M. Geethanandan, in the case relating to the murder of police constable K.V. Vinod. However, the court convicted Geethanandan and three others on other charges related to the case and sentenced each to five years of rigorous imprisonment. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Adivasi-Dalit groups to hold rights declaration, gathering for fresh push for justice in Muthanga case
Adivasi and Dalit organisations are demanding a comprehensive inquiry into the death of Yogi (Jogi), who was reportedly killed in police firing during the 2003 Muthanga land agitation and and the alleged human rights violations in connection with the stir Adivasi and Dalit organisations will intensify protests demanding a comprehensive inquiry into the death of Yogi (Jogi), who was reportedly killed in police firing during the 2003 Muthanga land agitation and the alleged human rights violations in connection with the stir. An Adivasi-Dalit gathering and Declaration of Rights will be held at Municipal Town Hall in Sulthan Bathery (Jogi Nagar) on Sunday (August 9) on the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Bommi Amma of Cheeral, the oldest surviving participant in the Muthanga struggle, will inaugurate the gathering at 9 a.m. Sivan Yogi, son of Jogi, will preside over the event. 2003 Muthanga land struggle: two decades later, all accused who faced trial in constable murder case acquitted; Geethanandan, three others convicted in related offences Cultural procession The programme is being organised by the Muthanga Solidarity Committee, a collective of several organisations and individuals led by the Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha (AGMS) and the Ambedkarite Democratic Front (ADF). Participants in the Muthanga struggle will share their experiences at the meeting. A cultural procession will subsequently be taken out through the town, followed by a public meeting at Jogi Nagar (Town Hall) at 4 p.m. ADF State working chairperson K. Ambujakshan will inaugurate the public meeting, while AGMS general secretary P.G. Janardhanan will make the Declaration of Rights. The Muthanga land agitation has returned to the limelight after the Kalpetta Principal Sessions Court, on July 31, acquitted all the accused who stood trial, including social activist M. Geethanandan, in the case relating to the murder of police constable K.V. Vinod. However, the court convicted Geethanandan and three others on other charges related to the case and sentenced each to five years of rigorous imprisonment. In a joint statement issued on Saturday, the organisers said the programme was being held against the backdrop of nearly 25 years of struggles by indigenous communities for land, control over natural resources, self-governance and justice. They said that under the agreement reached following the historic Kudilketty Samaram in 2001, the government was bound to distribute between one and five acres of land to landless Adivasis. However, the failure to implement the agreement led to the Muthanga agitation, during which Adivasi families erected huts on their “ancestral land” inside the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary in Wayanad and launched a “peaceful” protest. The subsequent police firing on and attack against the protesters, allegedly carried out without negotiations or warning, shocked the conscience of the world, the organisers said. Jogi, who was killed in the firing, was yet to receive justice as no proper investigation had been conducted into his death, they said. The organisers also alleged that around 55 people, including an eight-month-old child, died later after being subjected to police atrocities. They further said that even a direction issued by the then National Human Rights Commission to conduct a comprehensive probe into the alleged human rights violations, including those against women and children, was not implemented. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Tushar Gandhi appealed to Satheesan and Chennithala, whom he described as personal friends, to follow the Congress high command’s line.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson and president of the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation, Tushar Gandhi, has urged the state government to withdraw the FIRs and charge sheets filed against students who protested in solidarity with the Delhi protest. In his letter to Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Tushar Gandhi said he was “unpleasantly surprised” that Kerala Police had booked protesting students. “This does not behoove the progressive state of Kerala, and even more so, a government led by the Congress party,” he said in the letter. He noted that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi had backed the students’ movement. They had condemned the “brutal oppression” unleashed by the Union government and the Delhi Police. Action against students in Kerala, where the UDF government is in power, was “disgraceful,” he said. “Let me not remind you that the Congress was born out of the spirit of satyagraha; one expects much better from a Congress-led government, invoking the Congress party’s roots in the Satyagraha movement,” he said in the letter. Tushar Gandhi appealed to Satheesan and Chennithala, whom he described as personal friends, to follow the Congress high command’s line. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Kerala Crime Branch Arrests Absconding Dental College Professor From Karnataka In Student’s Death Case
Police said the accused avoided using mobile phones and frequently changed locations across different states before he was finally tracked down in Kodagu. Kannur: The Kerala Crime Branch has arrested the absconding prime accused in the death case of first-year BDS student R L Nithinraj of Anjarakandy Dental College in Kannur district in Kerala. Dr M K Ram, a faculty member of the college, was taken into custody from a hideout in Kodagu, Karnataka, after being on the run for several months. The accused was apprehended late on Sunday and brought to Kannur on Monday, where he is being interrogated by the Crime Branch. Dr Ram’s anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Supreme Court on July 13. Earlier, the Kerala High Court had also dismissed his bail application on June 19. Following the high court order, the Crime Branch had attempted to arrest him in Andhra Pradesh, but he allegedly managed to evade the police before approaching the apex court. After the Supreme Court refused him anticipatory bail, a special team led by Crime Branch Inspector Sreejith Koderi intensified the search. Investigators said the accused avoided using mobile phones and frequently changed locations across different states before he was finally tracked down in Kodagu. Reacting to the arrest, Nithinraj’s father Y Rajan, a daily wager, said the family welcomed the development but maintained that complete justice would be achieved only after all those allegedly responsible were brought to book. “We will get justice only when every accused in the case is arrested and punished,” Rajan told reporters. Nithinraj, a resident of Aryanad in Thiruvananthapuram district, died by suicide after jumping from the medical college building on April 10. His family alleged that the Dalit student had been subjected to sustained harassment by faculty members over his caste and skin colour. Fellow students also alleged that he faced repeated body shaming and mental harassment. Based on the complaint, police registered a case against Dr Ram and others under charges including abetment of suicide and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Following protests by students, the college management dismissed Dr Ram from service. The investigation is now being conducted by a special Crime Branch team under the supervision of State Crime Branch SP K V Venugopal. While Crime Branch DySP Sudheer Kallan is probing the circumstances leading to Nithinraj’s death, DySP Jeevan George is investigating another angle involving alleged harassment by online loan recovery agents. According to investigators, Nithinraj had borrowed money through a loan app to meet educational expenses and fund his mother’s medical treatment. When he defaulted on repayments, recovery agents allegedly threatened him and contacted his teachers and others, causing severe mental distress. The case was initially investigated by the local police before being transferred to a special investigation team headed by the City Police Commissioner. Following objections raised by the family over the probe, the investigation was later handed over to the Crime Branch. Officials said the custodial interrogation of Dr Ram is expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances that led to the student’s death. Courtesy : ETV Bharat Note: This news is originally published on https:/etvbharat.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Ramnarayan Baghel Murder Case | The family will receive an additional compensation of ₹8.25 lakh in the lynching case of a Dalit migrant worker in Kerala, but shortcomings in the police investigation have exacerbated the trouble!
A Dalit migrant worker from Chhattisgarh was murdered seven months ago by a mob after being branded a “Bangladeshi.” Thrissur – Ramnarayan Baghel’s family has received a major relief in their fight for justice. The district-level monitoring committee has made a historic decision to award them an additional ₹8.25 lakh in compensation, in addition to the previously approved amount. Earlier last year, the Kerala government had announced a grant of ₹30 lakh to Ramnarayan’s family. While the additional compensation decision will provide relief from financial hardship, the family is concerned by the court’s findings of flaws in the ongoing police investigation. During a recent press conference in Thrissur, Baghel’s family appealed to the Kerala government to ensure that the investigation into Ramnarayan’s alleged mass murder is not derailed, that the investigation be expedited, and that all culprits be brought to justice. The family stated that they were deeply saddened by the court’s finding of deficiencies in the police chargesheet, which was evidence of repeated lapses in the investigation. They stated that the court’s finding of deficiencies in the chargesheet was evidence of repeated lapses on the part of the police during the investigation, and that it was deeply concerning that the police had shown such negligence in such a serious case. The family demanded that the Kerala government and police conduct the investigation in a manner that ensures justice and that such a brutal ethnic massacre does not occur again in the state. They stated that the government should intervene to expedite the legal process and immediately appoint a special public prosecutor, as demanded by the family. The family also urged the police to address all deficiencies in the chargesheet already filed in court and submit a new, legally correct chargesheet as soon as possible. Addressing the media, Ramnarayan’s wife Lalita Baghel, his mother Shyamabai Baghel, brother Shashikant, Justice for Ramnarayan Baghel Action Council President K. Sivaraman, and convener Advocate K.S. Nisar, member M. Sulaiman Palakkad, and Advocate Nikhil Chandrasekaran, who is also the family’s lawyer, reiterated that ensuring a fair investigation and punishing the accused is essential not only for justice in Ramnarayan’s case but also to prevent such crimes in the future. The case was registered under Section 103(2) of the Indian Penal Code, the first in Kerala since the enactment of new criminal laws criminalizing mob lynching. A case was also registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Tragic Incident That Shamed Kerala It is noteworthy that on December 17, 2025, Ramnarayan Baghel, a 31-year-old Dalit migrant laborer from Karahi village in Sakti district, Chhattisgarh, was allegedly beaten to death by a mob in the Walayar area of Palakkad district, Kerala. Baghel had come to Kerala in search of employment and was suspected of theft in the Attapallam area of Walayar. The attackers called him “Bangladeshi” and began brutally beating him. According to the post-mortem report, he had over 40 serious injuries on his body, including repeated blows with sticks and batons on his head, face, chest, and back. Ethnic and Identity Groups Police arrested five people in connection with the case, including four BJP workers. Two more accused were later arrested. The case was registered under Section 103(2) of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes mob lynching, and is the first such case in Kerala. A case was also registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Legal hurdles in providing compensation to migrants under the SC/ST Act The Action Council, which provides legal assistance to Ramnarayan Baghel’s family, welcomed the decision of the district-level monitoring committee to award the family an additional compensation of ₹8.25 lakh (approximately $8.25 million) in addition to the previously approved amount. The committee made this decision at its meeting on July 2nd after considering an application submitted by Ramnarayan’s mother through the Action Council. Discrimination and Identity Relationships According to the Action Council, this decision also removed a legal hurdle that typically faced individuals from outside Kerala receiving compensation under the SC/ST Act when they faced caste-based atrocities within the state. The Action Council called this decision a historic milestone in the fight for justice and demanded that this benefit be extended to all victims of caste atrocities in Kerala. The family stated that the government’s prompt approval of compensation in Ramnarayan’s case and the release of funds under the SC/ST Act should become the norm in all cases of atrocities against Dalits. They credited the Action Council’s continued intervention with prompting the government to take swift action. However, they stressed that compensation alone cannot erase injustice. They said this is the first case registered under Section 103(2) of the IPC, which criminalizes mob lynching, in Kerala since the implementation of new criminal laws. They urged the government to ensure that all the accused are punished to prevent such incidents from happening again. The Action Council also demanded that senior police officials investigate whether there were any lapses in the investigation and demanded that everyone involved in the crime be prosecuted and given the maximum punishment under the law. The family stated that they expect a fair, transparent, and professional investigation, leaving no room for allegations of negligence or bias on the part of the police. They stated that they would soon meet with Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and other officials to present their demands and vowed to continue their struggle until justice is achieved. Initial allegations of delay, but later, the government bowed to public pressure It is noteworthy that initially, allegations of delay and procedural lapses in the investigation were raised in this case. The family stated that key legal provisions were implemented only after sustained public pressure, while the appointment of a special public prosecutor and other measures sought by the family also took time. Following protests and memorandums, the Kerala government implemented the mob-lynching provisions under the Indian Penal Code, began implementing the Supreme Court’s Tehseen S. Poonawala guidelines, and granted compensation to the
Foundation stones laid for Dalit families’ homes at Pariyathukavu
Higher Education Minister Roji M. John inaugurating the foundation stone-laying ceremony for homes to be built for seven Dalit families under the Paryathukavu Unnathi project on Thursday. Higher Education Minister Roji M. John inaugurating the foundation stone-laying ceremony for homes to be built for seven Dalit families under the Paryathukavu Unnathi project on Thursday. | Photo Credit: R.K. Nithin Higher Education Minister Roji M. John on Thursday laid the foundation stones for houses of seven families belonging to a Dalit settlement at Pariyathukavu near Malayidamthuruth, close to Kizhakkambalam in Ernakulam. The houses are being funded by the State government as part of their rehabilitation on the same land. “Supporting marginalised sections of society is the policy of the State government, and the function exemplified this commitment,” Mr. John said after laying the stones. The Minister attributed the successful outcome to a collective effort involving Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, ministers, the district administration, and a team of legal experts led by the Advocate General. The government will continue to support the families beyond the construction of houses, he said. Presiding over the function, Kunnathunadu MLA V.P. Sajeendran handed over the cheque for the advance amount to the building contractor. Benny Behanan, MP, attended. Each family will be provided with a 1,000-sq.ft. house, to be completed under government supervision within a year through sponsorship. The houses will have three bedrooms with attached bathrooms, a dining hall, a living room, a sit-out, and a kitchen. All seven families have been allotted five cents with road access. The dispute was amicably resolved last month after the family of the late Kannatt Sankaran Nair, who had won ownership rights over the land through a prolonged legal battle, agreed to allot five cents each to the seven families residing in the settlement within the 2.69 acres of disputed property. It was also agreed that the government would withdraw the cases registered against those who had protested during the 15 attempts to evict the families following a Supreme Court order The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Where are the Gandhi siblings? Why Wayanad landslide has put Rahul, Priyanka in the line of BJP fire
Where are the Gandhi siblings? This is the question the BJP is asking after leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not visit the constituency following the July 7 landslide that claimed eight lives. Priyanka is the sitting MP, while Rahul was elected from Wayanad twice in 2019 and 2024. The BJP has reminded the Gandhis of Rahul’s promise that Wayanad would have “two MPs”, one official and one unofficial, when he was passing over the baton to Priyanka. A week after the tragedy, the BJP’s charge is that Wayanad effectively has neither. The ‘part-time politicians’ charge The BJP has accused the Gandhi siblings of being “part-time politicians” and treating Wayanad as a constituency of political convenience. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi cited Rahul’s defeat in the family bastion of Amethi in 2019 to argue that Wayanad had provided him political ground at a difficult moment. “When Rahul Gandhi was unsuccessful in saving his political ground on his family seat, Wayanad provided him with political ground,” Trivedi said. “When he left that seat and gave it to his sister Priyanka, Rahul Gandhi said Wayanad would have not one, but two MPs. And today, both the so-called MPs are absent from the scene.” BJP spokesperson Tuhin Sinha sharpened the attack, calling Rahul and Priyanka “political tourists”. He alleged that Rahul had used Wayanad for his political survival after losing Amethi and abandoned it once he won Rae Bareli. He also claimed that Priyanka could leave if a more convenient seat became available. Why Wayanad matters Wayanad has a special connection with the Gandhi siblings. Priyanka Gandhi represents Wayanad in the present Lok Sabha while Rahul Gandhi won from here twice. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Wayanad elected Rahul Gandhi for Lok Sabha with an impressive margin of over 12 lakh votes. This victory was significant and important for Rahul’s political career as the people of Amethi, from where the Gandhi scion was winning since 2014, had rejected him. Rahul had lost the election to BJP’s Smriti Irani. Wayanad victory ensured Rahul’s continued presence in Lok Sabha. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi again won from Wayanad though with a reduced margin. However, since Rahul also won from Rae Bareli, the traditional Congress stronghold in Uttar Pradesh, he vacated his Wayanad seat. And that paved the way for the electoral debut of his sister Priyanka Gandhi in the ensuing bypoll. She won the November 2024 by-election by a landslide, securing 65% of the vote share and outperforming Rahul’s previous victory margin. So, their no-show in Wayanad has given the BJP enough ammunition for political attack. Beyond Wayanad: Where is Rahul? The Wayanad attack is part of a larger question the BJP has raised over the past few days: Where is Rahul Gandhi? Rahul has remained out of public view for nearly three weeks. His last major public appearance was at the launch of the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ student outreach initiative in Kota on June 17 amid the controversy over alleged irregularities in NEET. The next planned event is on July 17. BJP claims that Rahul travelled abroad on June 22. The Congress has not responded to these claims. BJP IT department head Amit Malviya questioned the secrecy surrounding Rahul’s programme. “Rahul Gandhi’s foreign trip between 22 June and 13 July remains shrouded in mystery. Where did he go? Who did he meet? Who sponsored his travel and stay?” he said in a post on X. The timing has made the absence politically significant. The Congress is grappling with factionalism in Punjab ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, while preparations are also due for the Monsoon Session beginning July 20. As leader of the opposition, Rahul will be central to the party’s floor strategy. Wayanad has now added another issue to that list. Congress pushes back The BJP’s attacks prompted a strong rebuttal from the Congress. Pawan Khera, chairman of the party’s media and publicity department, rejected the charge of insensitivity and defended the decision not to visit Wayanad while rescue operations were under way. “If there is a natural disaster, why should there be a VIP visit? There should be a VIP visit only to flag the gaps before the government, if it is insensitive in addressing the concerns of victims and their woes. Right now, the government in Kerala is active, relief measures are under way, and there is no need to disrupt those measures,” Khera said. “Those questioning the absence of Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi must understand that VIP visits are meant to flag gaps and missing links. There is no such need,” he added. Both Rahul and Priyanka had responded to the tragedy through posts on X. Rahul described the news as “deeply distressing”, offered condolences and appealed to Congress and UDF workers to extend all possible assistance. Priyanka said rescue efforts were under way and chief minister V D Satheesan was monitoring the operation. She said she was coordinating with the district administration, ministers, local party functionaries and relief agencies, and urged UDF workers to help without hampering rescue work. The Congress’s argument is that the absence of a physical visit should not be equated with a lack of involvement. What commentators say Political commentators, however, said the presence of an elected representative becomes especially important when tragedy strikes their constituency. “People expect their MLA and MP to be with them when a tragedy hits them, particularly when it is because of natural causes. It is unfortunate that Waynad MP did not visit the place even after a week has passed. Is it only that you want vote of people and there is reciprocal commitment?” Kerala-based political commentator Damodar Prasad told TOI. “People’s representatives are bound to be there to oversee the relief work. The absence alienates the people’s representative from them. The great lessons one should learn from Nehru, Indira and Rajiv is in their sensitivity to be amidst the people in their crisis,” he
South states join hands to crack down on drug trafficking
The officials agreed to hold periodic coordination meetings and exchange intelligence to track narcotics movement and dismantle drug syndicates. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Building on the success of Kerala’s flagship anti-drug campaign, Operation Toofan, five southern states, one Union Territory and central enforcement agencies have decided to set up a permanent interstate coordination mechanism to crack down on narcotics trafficking across the region. The decision was taken at a meeting of the police brass from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry and top officers of the central enforcement agencies, chaired by Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. The meeting also decided to appoint nodal officers of SP rank or above in all southern states to facilitate real-time intelligence sharing and ensure swift action against interstate drug trafficking networks. Central agencies, including the Narcotics Control Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Customs and Railway Protection Force, will also nominate nodal officers to strengthen inter-agency coordination. The officials agreed to hold periodic coordination meetings and exchange intelligence to track narcotics movement and dismantle drug syndicates. Speaking to media after the meeting, Chennithala said the interstate mechanism would soon launch joint operations to choke major routes used for trafficking narcotics into the state. Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala unveiling a banner during the Inaugural function of Operation Toofan : The Narco Hunt the state wide anti narcitics campaign at Government Cotton Hill GHSS in Thiruvananthapuram .Shashi Tharoor MP and General Education Minister N Shamsudeen are also seen. Surveillance against online, courier services to be stepped up Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge would visit Kerala on July 15 for follow-up discussions, he said. He said Kerala Police’s specialised anti-drug unit, the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF), will be upgraded into a dedicated anti-narcotics task force in all 20 police districts. Headed by DySPs, the permanent units will be strengthened with additional personnel and vehicles. Two more special NDPS courts would soon be established in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam, while the Centre’s proposal to set up 10 additional NDPS courts in Kerala would also be implemented to expedite the disposal of narcotics cases, the home minister said. Surveillance and enforcement would be stepped up against online platforms, courier services and “drop” delivery models, which are increasingly being exploited by drug traffickers, he said. The government would also launch a joint crackdown by the health department and police on the abuse of prescription medicines to curb the misuse of pharmaceutical drugs sourced through medical stores. Officials from neighbouring states said Operation Toofan has already curbed the flow of narcotics into Kerala. Chennithala said the next phase would focus on sealing all major entry points, including state borders, roads, buses, trains, airports and waterways, to prevent drug trafficking. Joint action lFive southern states to establish a permanent anti-drug coordination mechanism under Operation Toofan lState and central agencies to appoint nodal officers for real-time intelligence sharing lPeriodic coordination meets and intelligence exchange to continue lDANSAF to be strengthened as a dedicated anti-narcotics force in Kerala’s 20 police districts lCentre’s proposal to establish 10 NDPS courts in Kerala to be implemented; first in T’Puram & Ernakulam lEnhanced surveillance on online platforms, courier services and drop deliveries used for drug trafficking lNext phase to target all entry routes- road, rail, air, waterways and state borders Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Kerala government sets up expert panel for Wayanad landslide debris removal
The panel was formed following a meeting chaired by Chief Minister V D Satheesan with Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and PWD Minister P K Basheer. THIRUVANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government has constituted a three-member expert committee to inspect the Wayanad tunnel and township project sites and submit recommendations for the safe removal of debris accumulated following a landslide. Seven bodies have been recovered from the site of the Wayanad landslide, which occurred on 7 July. The decision to form the panel was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister V D Satheesan with Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Public Works Minister P K Basheer on Friday, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office. The committee will include Dr Santhosh G Thampi, professor at NIT Calicut; Dr Jude Emmanuel, environmental scientist at the Directorate of Environmental and Climate Change; and a representative from the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS). An order issued by the Disaster Management Department said the panel would visit the tunnel and township project sites and assist the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in carrying out the safe removal of debris. For the tunnel project, the debris will be transported to disposal sites identified by the Public Works Department (PWD). For the township project, the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will identify suitable locations for depositing the material. The committee has also been asked to prepare a brief action plan with necessary safety measures for debris removal, which will be followed by the PWD and PIU. The government has directed the panel to inspect the sites and submit its report at the earliest. The Wayanad District Collector has been instructed to provide all necessary support to the committee. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights