Tuesday, 25 March 2025: A wrap of news and developments in Kerala— A KSRTC bus crashed into mango pickers in Kozhikode, injuring three. Kerala Assembly Speaker criticized KT Jaleel.
Published Mar 25, 2025 | 2:07 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 25, 2025 | 2:07 PM
Accident. (iStock)
Synopsis: In Tuesday’s news wrap of Kerala—A KSRTC Swift Deluxe bus crashed into a group picking mangoes in Kozhikode, injuring three, one critically. An investigation is underway. Kerala Assembly Speaker criticized MLA KT Jaleel for disrespecting time limits during a debate. The state will launch a comprehensive anti-drug campaign in April. Immigration officer Megha Madhu, 25, was found dead, suspected suicide.
A KSRTC Swift Deluxe bus rammed into a group of people who were picking mangoes from a fallen tree branch on the road at Ambayathod near Thamarassery in Kozhikode district.
The accident, which occurred around 5 am on Tuesday, 25 March, left three people injured, one of them critically. The injured have been identified as Aramukku Gafur (53) from Ambayathod, Bibieesh (40) from Perumanna in Kozhikode, and Sathish Kumar (42) from Edavannappara.
They were initially given first aid at Thamarassery Government Taluk Hospital before being shifted to Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. Gafur’s condition is reported to be critical.
According to reports, Bibieesh, who was on a scooter with his friend, and Sathish Kumar, who was in a car with another passenger, had stopped to collect mangoes when the bus, travelling from Bengaluru to Kozhikode, crashed into them.
Locals and passengers rushed to the scene and carried out the rescue operation before the Thamarassery police arrived to manage the situation and restore traffic flow. An investigation into the incident is underway.
Assembly Speaker AN Shamseer sharply criticised MLA KT Jaleel for not adhering to time limits during a discussion on the private university bill.
The Speaker stated that Jaleel showed a lack of respect for the chair by refusing to stop his speech even after multiple warnings.
Despite repeated requests, Jaleel continued speaking, prompting the Speaker to turn off his microphone. Shamseer made it clear that Jaleel does not hold any special privileges in the assembly. The incident led to a brief commotion in the House.
The state government is set to roll out a massive anti-drug campaign in April, consolidating existing initiatives and involving various departments, institutions, and sections of society.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the plan during a high-level meeting held at the Assembly complex on Monday.
A blueprint for the campaign will be developed under the leadership of the Chief Secretary, with inputs from multiple departments.
To formulate a detailed action plan, a meeting of experts, student and youth organizations, representatives from the film, cultural, and media sectors, and teacher and parent organizations will be held on 30 March.
The campaign will prioritize early awareness, starting from lower primary classes, and promote sports activities to keep children engaged. Measures will be taken to ensure hostels and public spaces remain drug-free, with intensified inspections and stronger police and excise enforcement.
Local governments will be tasked with shutting down illegal drug-selling outlets, and modern equipment, including sniffer dogs, will be deployed. Authorities will also work to curb online drug sales and enhance monitoring at airports, railways, ports, and state borders.
Ministers and senior officials, including the State Police Chief and Excise Commissioner, participated in the discussion, outlining their respective department’s initiatives.
A young Immigration Officer was found dead on the railway tracks between Pettah and Chakka in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday morning.
The deceased has been identified as Megha Madhu (25), a resident of Karaikkakuzhi, in Pathanamthitta. Megha, who worked in the immigration section of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, had reportedly left the airport after completing her morning shift.
The incident occurred around 9:30 am, and police suspect it to be a case of suicide. Sources indicate that she is an IB official. It’s learnt that her colleagues informed the police that Megha had been facing mental health issues in recent times.
The Pettah police have launched a detailed investigation into the matter. Her body was shifted to the hospital for further procedures.
Joseph Mar Gregorios will be installed as the Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Church on Tuesday in Lebanon, assuming the title Baselios Joseph.
The ceremony, led by Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, will begin at 8:30 pm IST at St. Mary’s Patriarchal Cathedral in Atchaneh, near Beirut. Due to the ongoing civil war in Syria, the event is being held in Lebanon instead of the Patriarch’s official seat in Damascus.
Lebanese President Joseph Khalil Aoun or his representative is expected to attend, along with metropolitans of the Syriac Orthodox Church. A global synod will convene the next day. Many Jacobite Church followers from Kerala, including those settled abroad, have travelled for the occasion.
Dignitaries such as Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis, Joseph Mar Barnabas, and representatives from the Indian Central and State Governments will participate. Delegates from the Vatican and other Christian denominations will also be present.
The installation coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation of Mary, a date also marking Mar Gregorios past ordinations as a deacon and priest.
