New Delhi (PTI): The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday congratulated the "people of Keralam" as the Union Cabinet accepted the proposal to officially rename the State of Kerala.

In a statement, the CPI said the decision represented the "culmination of a longstanding and democratic demand of the people of Kerala, rooted in the state's linguistic heritage and collective self-respect."

"The name Keralam is intrinsic to the Malayalam language and reflects the civilisational continuity and cultural identity of the region. Correcting this colonial-era anglicisation is an affirmation of India's multilingual and federal character," the Left party said.

It said the Kerala Legislative Assembly had unanimously adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in June 2024, urging the Union Government to effect this change.

"This resolution was the expression of a broad political and social consensus within the state, cutting across sections and reflecting the popular will of the people," it said.

"The Party places on record the consistent and principled efforts of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which spearheaded this demand both within the state and at the national level. The LDF Government's initiative in formally moving the Assembly resolution and pursuing the matter with the Union Government demonstrates its commitment to safeguarding Kerala's linguistic and cultural identity within the constitutional framework," the statement read.

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal of the Kerala government to change the name of the state to Keralam, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its first meeting at Seva Teerth, the new PMO complex.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.

The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.

The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.

The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.

"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.

On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.

Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.

"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.

Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.

During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.

The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.

Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.

Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.

A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.

Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.

"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.

Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.