RSS activist dies by suicide, after BJP denies local body poll ticket
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): An RSS activist allegedly died by suicide here on Saturday, claiming that he was denied a BJP ticket for the upcoming local body elections, police said.
The deceased, Anand K Thampi of Thrikkannapuram, was found hanging in a shed on his residential premises in the evening.
According to police, Thampi had hoped to contest as the BJP candidate from the Thrikkannapuram ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
He became upset after discovering that his name was not included on the BJP's Thiruvananthapuram candidate list, they said.
However, local BJP leaders claimed that he never approached them seeking a ticket, and his death should not be linked to the denial of a ticket.
After he could not find his name in the BJP's candidate list, he announced on social media that he would contest as an independent.
Police said he sent a WhatsApp message to his friends, making allegations against RSS and BJP leaders, and declared that he intended to end his life on Saturday afternoon.
In his message, Thampi claimed he had informed RSS activists of his desire to contest the election.
He alleged that he was denied a ticket due to the interests of some local leaders associated with the sand-smuggling mafia.
He also claimed that after he decided to contest as an independent, his friends began distancing themselves from him, which upset him.
Later, Thampi attempted suicide by hanging in the shed of his house.
After seeing the message, his friends rushed to his residence and took him to a hospital, but he died by evening.
BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar said he was shocked to learn about the incident.
"I checked with the district president, who said his name was not in the shortlist received from the ward. But we will examine the incident," he said.
BJP leaders in the district denied that Thampi had ever approached them seeking a ticket.
They said Thampi’s death could not be linked to the denial of a seat.
They added that the other allegations he made would be examined.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leaders said that Thampi approached them seeking support to contest in the election after the BJP denied him a ticket.
According to them, the party leaders in the district attended a meeting with Thampi at his hotel on Friday evening.
After the meeting, Thampi decided to take Shiv Sena membership and was engaged in campaigning on Saturday morning. Police have launched an investigation.
A case will be registered based on his relatives' statements, officials said.
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Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
