‘Words Can Heal or Harm’: Grand Mufti Urges Leaders to Shun Communal Rhetoric at Kerala Yatra in Kannur

Kannada and Tamil television actor Nandini CM has reportedly died by suicide at a paying guest accommodation in Bengaluru, shocking the television industry. She was 26.

Kengeri Police have registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR No. 76/2025) under Section 194 of the BNSS Act, 2023. The incident is believed to have occurred between 11:16 pm on December 28, 2025, and 12:30 am on December 29, 2025. It was reported to the police the same day at around 9:15 am.

The incident took place on the second floor of the PG in Kengeri. According to the FIR, Nandini completed her PUC in Ballari in 2018 and later enrolled in an engineering course at RR Institute, Hesaraghatta. However, her interest in acting led her to discontinue regular college attendance and pursue acting training in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

Since 2019, she had acted in several Kannada television serials and had been residing in PG accommodations in Bengaluru. She moved to the Kengeri PG in August 2025.

Following her father’s death in 2023, Nandini was offered a government job on compassionate grounds but reportedly declined, choosing to continue her acting career. This reportedly caused disagreements at home.

On December 29, around 3:45 am, Kengeri Police informed the family that Nandini had been found hanging in her PG room. The family reached Bengaluru at approximately 8:00 am to gather details about the incident.

Police said that on the evening of December 28, Nandini had visited her friend Puneeth’s house and returned to the PG around 11:23 pm, locking her room from the inside. When Puneeth tried calling her later without success, he alerted the PG manager, Kumar, and the in-charge, Kiran, around 11:50 pm. When they forced the door open, Nandini was found hanging from the window grille using a veil cloth. Emergency services and police arrived, confirming her death on the spot.

The family stated that Nandini had expressed in her diary her desire to continue acting and her reluctance to take up a government job, mentioning that her feelings were not understood by them. Based on this, the family has no suspicions or allegations against anyone regarding her death.

Further investigation is underway by PSI Hanumantha Hadimani of Kengeri Police Station.

As the year draws to a close, Mount Kenya witnessed a remarkable achievement by Ayaan Mendon, an eleven-year-old mountaineer from Mangaluru, who successfully summited the peak, adding another milestone to his growing list of high-altitude accomplishments.

Despite his young age, Ayaan has already completed climbs that many seasoned trekkers aspire to. His mountaineering journey includes Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp, and an attempted ascent of Aconcagua. Having begun his climbing pursuits at the age of six, Ayaan continues to progress steadily, guided by careful planning, training, and required permissions.

Ayaan’s journey is driven by passion rather than pressure. He undergoes regular physical training and approaches mountaineering with discipline and quiet determination. Outside the mountains, he leads a balanced childhood—enjoying outdoor activities, sports, and nature, while also indulging in age-appropriate interests such as gaming and learning new skills. His routine reflects a balance between ambition and a healthy childhood.

Family support has played a key role in shaping his journey. Speaking about his inspiration, Ayaan says his parents motivate him to challenge himself while remaining grounded. Their encouragement has helped instill discipline, resilience, and respect for nature—qualities that define his approach to climbing.

More than a physical feat, Ayaan’s ascent of Mount Kenya stands as an example of perseverance and focus. His achievement highlights what consistent effort, guidance, and self-belief can accomplish, even at a young age, and places Mangaluru on the global mountaineering map once again.

The Kerala Yatra, organised by the Kerala Muslim Jamaat under the theme “With Humanity,” was launched with great fervour in Kasaragod on New Year’s Day, carrying a strong message of unity, coexistence, and social harmony.

Addressing a large gathering at a reception in Cherkala, the Grand Mufti of India, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, said collective efforts are vital to pass on Kerala’s progress, values, and achievements to future generations. He described Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama as the defining force behind the renaissance, survival, and moral character of the Kerala Muslim community.

In his inaugural address, the Grand Mufti noted that Samastha had provided clear direction and organisational strength to the community, enabling it to move forward as a disciplined and constructive social force—benefits that, he said, had positively influenced other communities as well.

Recalling the region’s spiritual history, he spoke about Malik Ibn Dinar and his companions, describing them as truthful, noble, and deeply spiritual figures. The history of Kasaragod, he said, is enriched by their legacy of coexistence and purity. Malik Ibn Dinar, who illuminated the spiritual path of the northern region, symbolised harmony and mutual respect, a tradition warmly embraced by the local rulers of the time and one that must be remembered and preserved.

Elaborating on the message of the Yatra, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad emphasised that Islam stands for love and compassion, teaching believers to treat all people with goodness. He asserted that every religious community has the right to live and propagate its ideals without harming others, cautioning against attempts to sow hatred and hostility. “We must never forget our shared humanity,” he said, adding that acts of goodness should never be judged by caste or class, as peace and progress remain the foremost needs of any society.

Touching upon the upcoming centenary of Samastha, the Grand Mufti announced that the organisation is moving ahead with major action plans. Initiatives such as the Islamic University (Jamiathul Hind)—which integrates Islamic scholarship with modern education—have already been implemented. He appealed to all humanitarians to support Samastha’s extensive work in education and charity to ensure its benefits reach every section of society.

The Yatra commenced with a grand reception at Ullal Dargah, where Samastha President E. Sulaiman Musliyar and Yatra Committee Chairman Sayyid K.S. Attakoya Thangal Kumbol handed over the Yatra flag to the procession leader, the Grand Mufti, amid chants from hundreds of activists. The Cherkala inauguration was presided over by Sayyid K.S. Attakoya Thangal Kumbol and formally inaugurated by E. Sulaiman Musliyar.

The event drew a distinguished gathering, including Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran, Karnataka Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader, Rajmohan Unnithan MP, several MLAs, Swami Vivekananda Saraswati of the Chinmaya Mission, and Father Mathew Baby Marthoma.

The Kerala Yatra will traverse the state with scheduled stops at Kannur Collectorate Ground (January 2), Nadapuram (January 3), Kozhikode Muthalakulam (January 4), Kalpetta (January 5), Gudalur (January 6), Areekode (January 7), Tirur (January 8), Ottapalam (January 9), Chavakkad (January 10), Ernakulam Marine Drive (January 11), Thodupuzha (January 12), Kottayam (January 13), Pathanamthitta and Kayamkulam (January 14), and Kollam (January 15). The journey will culminate in a grand finale at Putharikandam Maidanam, Thiruvananthapuram, on January 16.