Kerala landslides: Elderly tea stall owner in Kollam donates earnings, pension to relief fund
Kollam (Kerala) (PTI): Amidst businessmen, celebrities and institutions offering lakhs and crores of rupees to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, an elderly tea stall owner from this south Kerala district selflessly donated her meagre earnings and welfare pension towards helping those who lost everything in the devastating landslides that hit Wayanad and claimed 190 lives.
Subaida, from Pallithottam in Kollam district, who runs a small tea shop to make ends meet for herself and her husband has donated Rs 10,000 to the CMDRF.
The amount comprises the meagre earnings from her tea stall and the welfare pensions received by the couple.
"I had taken out the amount from the bank a few days ago to repay the interest of a loan. But then we saw on the TV that contributions were being sought from everyone to help those who lost everything (in the Wayanad landslides).
"My husband immediately asked me to go and give the money to the Collector. He said the interest payments can wait as giving aid was more important. So I went and deposited the money at the collectorate here. I cannot go to Wayanad and help out," she told a TV channel.
Subaida further said that if she just accumulated the money and something happens to her, then neither can the interest be paid nor can anyone be helped using the amount.
"It is better this way," she added.
This is not the first time she has selflessly given away money to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF).
She had earlier sold off her four goats to donate money for flood relief efforts, she said.
However, there are many who criticised her selfless action, she said.
"Ever since people heard about what I did, many came here and said why have you given your money to the crooks? They said I could have given money to people here. Is it more important to give money to people here or help those there (in Wayanad)? she asked.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
