Crocodile, snakes take over Kerala's flooded homes
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 21: People returning to their flood-battered homes in Kerala from relief camps were are being greeted by snakes and other reptiles and insects.
At Chalakudy in Thrissur district, a man who returned on Monday night to check the condition of his house was stunned to see a new occupant -- a crocodile.
Taken aback, he and his neighbours quickly caught the crocodile and bound it with ropes.
Thrissur is one of the most affected districts -- the others being Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Malappuram and Wayanad -- in the worst flooding in the state in nearly a century.
The disaster has killed some 370 people, left over a million people homeless and caused unprecedented destruction to both private and public property.
Musthafa, a snake catcher, is a busy man in Malappuram. Since the waters began to recede in the past two days, he has caught over 100 snakes from homes.
"It's quite natural that when floods come, snakes come with it and so do other insects from overflowing ponds and rivers. People who return to clean up their homes should be careful and not put their hands into shoes, under cracked tiles or in wet firewood," he said.
A hospital in Angamaly in Ernakuam district is treating 52 persons for snakebites.
Reports from Pathanamthitta said that several people who came to clean their homes fled after seeing the snakes.
The Kerala government has announced that adequate anti-venom drugs have been provided at all the affected places.
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Cash-for-query case: SC stays Delhi HC order on sanction for CBI to try Moitra
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New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a part of the December 2025 order of the Delhi High Court permitting the Lokpal to consider granting sanction to the CBI to file a chargesheet against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in the alleged cash-for-query scam.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to Moitra, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and BJP MP and complainant Nishikant Dubey on the Lokpal's plea against the high court order.
On December 19, 2025, the high court had set aside an order of the Lokpal granting sanction to the CBI to file a chargesheet against Moitra in the alleged cash-for-query scam.
"The learned Lokpal is requested to accord its consideration for grant of sanction under Section 20 of the Lokpal Act, strictly in accordance with provisions thereof as construed hereinabove, within a period of one month from today," the high court had said in para 89 of that judgement.
The CJI-led bench stayed the para 89 of the high court judgement while issuing notices on a batch of pleas related to power and procedures enumerated under Section 20 of the Lokpal Act.
The cash-for-query case pertains to the allegation that Moitra asked questions in the Lok Sabha in exchange for cash and gifts from a businessman.
The high court verdict had come on a plea by Moitra challenging the November 12, 2025, order of the Lokpal granting sanction to the CBI to file the chargesheet against her.
The Lokpal then moved the apex court after the high court set aside its order.
