"kerala"

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar warned against the misuse of AI-generated deepfakes during election campaigns while announcing Assembly poll dates for Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, where 17.4 crore voters are eligible to cast ballots.

As Kerala prepares for the Assembly election schedule announcement, the ruling LDF appears ahead in candidate selection and seat-sharing discussions, while the Congress-led UDF is still negotiating with allies and finalising its list of candidates.

Actor Mammootty faced widespread criticism after asking CPI(M) district secretary K Rafeek to step aside during a Wayanad landslide relief visit, sparking a social media storm. The actor clarified privately, but outrage and political backlash continue in Kerala

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Sivagiri Mutt at Varkala during his two-day trip to Kerala and paid homage at the samadhi of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru. He earlier attended a centenary event marking the Guru’s meeting with Mahatma Gandhi.

A temple festival elephant turned violent near Nooranad in Alappuzha, injuring its mahout and damaging several parked vehicles. Wildlife officials later tranquilised the animal and moved it away. The injured mahout is undergoing treatment at Kottayam Medical College, police said

In Kasaragod, Kerala, the Sree Poobanam Kuzhi Temple hosted a community Iftar during the Brahmakalashotsavam festival, reflecting religious harmony. Local Muslim residents, unable to attend previous feasts due to Ramadan, shared dates and meals in the temple courtyard

Palayam Imam VP Suhaib Maulavi urged Muslims to open mosques and homes for Hindu devotees during the Attukal Pongala festival, promoting interfaith harmony and fraternity amid ongoing debates over the “Kerala Story 2” movie

During Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Kerala’s ten-month-old Aalin Sherin Abraham as the state’s youngest organ donor. Her parents donated her organs, giving life to four children, and Kerala honored her with a state funeral

A cat stranded atop a pillar near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Metro Station in Kochi was rescued after multiple attempts by Fire and Rescue Services and SPCA with support from Kochi Metro Rail Limited. The feline, nicknamed Subash, was shifted to rehabilitation

Tantri Kantarar Rajeevar was granted bail by the Kollam Vigilance Court in the Sabarimala gold theft case, with the court noting no prima facie evidence linking him to the theft, marking a setback for the SIT

The National Investigation Agency arrested Moitheenkutty, a Malappuram resident, at Nedumbassery airport for alleged arms training linked to the banned Popular Front of India, ending his four-year absconding and advancing the ongoing probe

A Youth Congress leader, Suhail Ansari, was taken into custody in Pathanamthitta after a 35-year-old woman was found dead at her husband’s home in Kadambanad. Police cited a suicide note naming him; interrogation is underway

CII welcomed the Union Budget proposal to establish dedicated rare earth corridors in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. The initiative aims to boost mining, processing, research, and manufacturing, strengthening India’s leadership in rare earth magnets and critical minerals

An abandoned newborn was discovered at a wayside eatery in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, triggering a police probe. The infant was rescued, given medical care, and authorities launched efforts to trace parents and ensure protection under child welfare laws promptly nationwide 

A man’s suicide after viral Instagram harassment allegations sparked outrage in Kerala, raising concerns over social media vigilantism, police lapses and due process. Police booked abetment to suicide as probes, human rights inquiry and political criticism intensified

H5N1 avian influenza has been detected in crows in Edakkanam, Iritty, Kannur, prompting local authorities to issue alerts and strengthen precautions, though no domestic birds are affected and culling is not required at this stage

A 16-year-old girl from Karuvarakundu, Malappuram, reported missing on Thursday, was found dead on Friday in an isolated area near Thodiyapulam. Injuries suggest murder. Police are questioning a minor boy and have launched a detailed investigation

Kerala court grants three-day police custody of expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in a sexual assault case. Protests erupted outside the court and hospital by CPI(M) and BJP youth activists. The case involves alleged rape and criminal intimidation, registered under IPC sections 376 and 506(1)

Kerala police arrested 25-year-old Roshidul Islam from Assam for allegedly spreading extremist content online and promoting religious hatred. He reportedly had international contacts and attempted to procure AK-47 rifles from Pakistan. Investigation is ongoing in Thrissur’s Kaipamangalam area

A 45-year-old man, Robin Thomas, was killed in a drunken brawl in Marykulam, Idukki. His friend, Sojan, allegedly attacked him with a stone following an argument. Sojan has been arrested, and a murder case is under investigation