Temple officials go missing after illegal fireworks show kills scores

April 10, 2016

Kollam (Kerala), Apr 10: Top officials of the Puttingal Devi temple in Kerala have reportedly gone missing after an illegal fireworks show left over 100 people dead early on Sunday, police sources said.

Temple

The police have registered a case of culpable homicide against senior temple officials. An media correspondent tried to reach them on their mobile telephones but they were switched off.

A case has also been registered against the father-son duo of Surendran and Umesh who had organised the fireworks display. Both are being treated at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.

The fireworks show is an annual event held during the Malayalam month of Meenam, which falls in April, in the temple located in the coastal town of Paravur, about 60 km from Thiruvananthapuram.

A resident close to the temple said that till last year the fireworks display involved a competition between two groups.

"This time permission was not granted but a pamphlet circulated on Saturday mentioned prizes for the best fireworks show," said the resident, who did not want to be identified by name.

According to him, the fireworks would normally begin to be exploded around 10.30pm the previous night, by when all rituals associated with the temple get over and the shrine is closed for the night.

Elephants are part of the temple celebrations but these are moved out of the area before the firecrackers are exploded.

The fireworks show begins around 11pm and goes on till about 4am the next morning, said another devotee. Sunday's tragedy occurred about 30 minutes before the show was to end.

"The fireworks display of this temple is quite popular and it attracts lots of people from nearby areas. There were around 15,000 people both in and around the temple complex on Saturday," said the resident.

Some residents claimed that concrete pieces went flying after a huge quantity of firecrackers stored in a building exploded with a roar after a spark from a firecracker hit the structure.

One concrete piece reportedly hit a two-wheeler driver a kilometre away.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

•    Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

•    State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

•    Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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