At least three including children dead in tragic houseboat accident in Kerala
Malappuram (Kerala), May 7: At least three persons, including children, died when a houseboat with several passengers capsized near Ottumpuram beach at Tanur area of Malappuram district in Kerala on Sunday evening.
According to the police, preliminary information received from the accident site indicated that there were around 25 passengers on the boat, out of which three persons died, while around 10 have been admitted to nearby private and government hospitals.
It said the incident occurred around 7 pm.
Although the number of casualties in the accident was not immediately clear, reports claimed at least six people had died in the tragedy while news agency PTI reported three casualties.
Police also said rescue operations with the help of several ambulances, fire services personnel and voluntary workers were ongoing and more details would be available later.
The exact cause of the accident was not known at present, police said and added that efforts were on to bring the capsized boat to the shore.
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CPIM's M A Baby frontrunner for general secretary post, Bengal leaders back AIKS' Dhawale
Madurai (PTI): Former Kerala minister M A Baby appeared to be the frontrunner for the post of CPI(M) general secretary with the Politburo backing him, even as leaders from West Bengal backed All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) president Ashok Dhawale.
According to sources, many leaders backed Baby at a meeting of the Politburo, the highest decision-making body of the CPI(M), on Saturday night.
However, leaders from West Bengal, including Nilotpal Basu, Tapan Sen, Ram Chandra Dome and Md Salim, put their weight behind Dhawale, the sources said.
Dhawale initially proposed Salim's name but Salim said he wanted to continue as the secretary for West Bengal, where the CPI(M) is working to regain foothold. The leaders from the state then proposed Dhawale's name.
The final decision on the general secretary will be taken after the new Central Committee and Politburo are decided on Sunday.
Many of Baby's supporters gathered at the venue of the ongoing party congress, held once every three years, in Sitaram Yechury Nagar here and raised slogans backing him.
Several top leaders of the Politburo are likely to step down as they have crossed the age of 75.
According to the sources, members said during the Politburo meeting that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should get another extension.
Vijayan, 79, was given an extension in the last party congress as well.
Brinda Karat (77), Subhashini Ali (77), Prakash Karat (77), Manik Sarkar (76), Suryakant Mishra (76) and G Ramakrishnan (75) are among the Politburo members who have crossed or reached the age limit of 75 set by the party.
The 24th party congress of the CPI(M) began on April 2 and will end on Sunday.
