Thrissur: Film and documentary director and cartoonist KP Shashi (64) passed away on Sunday.

He passed away in a private hospital in Thrissur.

His film ‘Ila Yum Mullum’, which deals with the lives of Malayali women who are vulnerable to social and psychological violence, has won a National Award. Other notable films are Resisting Coastal Invasion, America America, Living in Fear and Development at Gunpoint. The 2013 documentary Fabricated was a big talk.

He started as a cartoonist in the 70s while a student at JNU. He worked as a cartoonist in the Free Press Journal in Mumbai. He is one of the founders of Vibgyor Film Festival.

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Chikkamagaluru: Five activists of BJP and Bajrang Dal were arrested by the Sakharayapatna Police for alleged murder of Congress activist and Sakharayapatna Gram Panchayat member Ganesh Gowda (38) on Friday night, following a fight over a banner.

Three of the arrested men, Sanjay, Bhushan and Mithun, are known to be BJP members.

An argument broke out between two groups in Sakharayapatna of Kadur taluk two days ago regarding a banner for observation of ‘Datta Jayanti’. The argument continued and intensified into a fight on Friday night near a bar in the village. Shortly later, at around 10:30 pm, a group of eight miscreants on motorbikes is learned to have stopped Gowda, who was traveling in a car on the Kalmurudeshwara Mutt Road and attacked him with lethal weapons.

A seriously injured Gowda reportedly died on the spot.

One of the suspects, Sanjay, was also injured in the attack and is being treated at the Chikkamagaluru Mallegowda District Hospital.

Sakharayapatna Police have registered a case and are investigating.

Chikkamagaluru Superintendent of Police Vikram Amte has said that, as precautionary measure, security has been beefed up in the village.

“While four special teams have been formed for investigation, five of the suspects have already been taken into custody. We are still probing the incident,” he added.