Kasaragod: CBI implicates former MLA, others as accused in murder of 2 Youth Cong activists

News Network
December 2, 2021

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Kasaragod, Dec 2: In what comes as a big blow to the ruling CPI(M) the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the Periya double murder case, on Thursday implicated former Uduma MLA and party's district secretariat member KV Kunhiraman and four other party workers for the crime.

The CBI had on Wednesday arrested five of its party members in connection with the crime. This was the CBI's first ever arrest in the case after exactly a year from taking over the case from the state crime branch as per the directions of the Kerala high court which was ratified by the apex court.

Three among the five arrested on Wednesday were 'prosecution witness' in the charge sheet filed by the crime branch. The CBI has filed its charge sheet with ten new accused including former MLA and four others. The crime branch which probed the case earlier had in their charge sheet implicated 14 accused in the crime.

The party has been denying any role of its leaders or cadres in the crime.

According to sources, the arrested were the party's Echiladukkam branch secretary Rajesh alias Raju, Reji Varghese, Surendran alias Vishnu Sura, who is a friend of first accused A Peethambaran; Sastha Madhu, paternal uncle of fifth accused Giji and M Hariprasad.

The prosecution case which the local police and the then Crime Branch wing of Kerala had investigated was that a group of people, in connivance with local CPI (M) leaders, hacked to death the two Youth Congress workers in Periya in Kasaragod district- Kripesh and Sarath Lal, on February 17, 2019.

Citing lapses in the investigation by the Crime Branch the parents of the victims had approached the high court seeking a CBI investigation into the case. They alleged that many who were involved in the crime were not listed as accused in the crime. Acting on the petition, a single bench of the court had ordered a CBI investigation on September 30.

Though the state government had appealed against the single bench order, a division bench of the Kerala High court had dismissed the plea by the state government against the order of a single bench directing a CBI probe.

However, the State Government filed its appeal in the apex court against the division bench order upholding its single bench order permitting a CBI probe.

Expressing surprise over the State’s motives behind trying to block the CBI inquiry, the apex court observed shock and anguish over the non-transfer of case diaries to the CBI despite the high court order permitting a CBI investigation.

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 30: A 22-year-old college student succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Mangaluru today, days after she was hit by a goods tempo while crossing a road in Padubidri.

The deceased has been identified as Preksha, a resident of Nadsalu Billitota in Padubidri. The fatal incident occurred as Preksha, who was returning home after completing her examination, attempted to cross the service road towards Mangaluru. She was struck by a goods tempo approaching from the Udupi side, causing her to fall and sustain a severe head injury.

Prompt action from local residents ensured she received immediate first aid before being rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru for specialised treatment. Despite medical efforts, she passed away while undergoing care.

Preksha was a student at Karavali College, Vamanjoor on the outskirts of Mangaluru city. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that she belonged to a financially vulnerable family, having previously lost her father. She is survived by her mother and brother.

A case related to the accident has been registered at the Padubidri police station, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances that led to the collision. The incident highlights the growing concerns over road safety, particularly on busy service roads, and serves as a tragic reminder of the human cost of traffic accidents.

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News Network
November 24,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 24: The original departure time of 11.10 pm was a distant memory for scores of Dammam-bound passengers at Mangaluru International Airport last Friday night, as their Air India Express flight was abruptly cancelled at the eleventh hour, sparking hours of frustration and chaos.

The flight, IX 885, initially scheduled to depart at 11.10 pm on November 22, was subject to two back-to-back reschedules—first pushed to 11.45 pm and then significantly postponed to 1.40 am—before the final, crushing announcement of cancellation was made. For the travellers, many of whom are likely expatriate workers with tight schedules, the last-minute change marked the beginning of a distressing ordeal.

"There was no drinking water, no food, and absolutely no proper guidance. We were left stranded like refugees," complained a stranded passenger.

According to multiple passenger accounts, the airline's ground staff failed to provide adequate support or essential amenities following the cancellation. Complaints poured in about the total absence of drinking water, food provisions, and any reliable guidance from the carrier's representatives. Travellers alleged they were left stranded for a considerable period, with no immediate arrangements or clear communication offered regarding accommodation or alternative travel to send them back home.

The incident has highlighted serious concerns over the carrier's contingency planning and customer service protocols during flight disruptions at one of India's key international gateways. The airline is yet to issue a comprehensive statement addressing the alleged lapse in passenger care.
 

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News Network
November 21,2025

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Local authorities say the Israeli military has expanded the so-called “yellow line” truce demarcation in Gaza City and repositioned its forces deeper into the territory in violation of a ceasefire agreement that came into force on October 10, besieging dozens of Palestinian families.

Gaza’s Government Media Office announced in a statement on Thursday that Israeli forces widened the boundary by shifting the markers, and advanced roughly 300 meters (984 feet) into the neighborhoods of Ash-Shaaf, An-Nazzaz and Baghdad Street.

The move pushed further into civilian areas, trapping families who were unable to flee as tanks rolled forward, it added.

“The fate of many of these families remains unknown amidst the shelling that targeted the area,” the office said, adding that the expansion of the yellow line shows a “blatant disregard” for the ceasefire deal.

On Friday, sources said the Israeli military carried out continued air and artillery strikes inside the so-called “yellow line” east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to the reports, Israeli warplanes and tanks targeted areas within the zone. One Palestinian was reported killed and several others wounded in the strikes, the sources said.

The fresh aggression came only a day after 25 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City and Khan Younis on Wednesday.

The media office reported that Israel has consistently violated the truce deal since its implementation last month, with near-daily attacks by air, artillery and direct shootings.

The office said over 400 violations have been documented. These breaches have resulted in the deaths of more than 300 Palestinians and left hundreds injured.

The Government Media Office in Gaza urged the guarantors of the ceasefire — the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey — to take swift action to halt the ongoing violations and facilitate the delivery of food, shelter materials, medical aid, and infrastructure equipment.

The so-called “yellow line,” set out in the agreement between Israel and Hamas resistance movement, refers to a non-physical partition where the Israeli military repositioned itself when the truce deal took effect.

It has allowed Israel, which routinely fires at Palestinians who approach the line, to retain control over more than half of the Gaza Strip.

International bodies, including the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, the International Association of Genocide Scholars, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B’Tselem, and other rights groups, have concluded that the Israeli war on Gaza amounts to genocide.

In the attacks in Gaza since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 69,546 people and injured 170,833 others, leveling large swaths of the territory and displacing almost all of the population. 

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