Malappuram Boat Tragedy: Death Toll climbs to 19, rescue operations underway
Malappuram: At least 19 people, most of them children, died when a houseboat with around 30 passengers aboard it overturned and sank near Tuvalthiram beach at Tanur area of Malappuram district in Kerala on Sunday evening.
Although the number of casualties in the accident was not clear as of now, reports claimed at least 19 people had died in the tragedy while news agency ANI reported 18 casualties.
According to sources to the News Agency PTI, ten people have been admitted to nearby hospitals, both private and government.
Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman, who is coordinating the rescue operations along with Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas, said more than 11 people died in the accident and most of them were children who had come for a ride amid ongoing school vacations.
"More victims are believed to be trapped under the boat and have to be brought out. The boat had overturned. The reason for it is not yet known. Police will be investigating it," he told PTI.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF.
In a tweet, the PMO said, “Pained by the loss of lives due to the boat mishap in Malappuram, Kerala. Condolences to the bereaved families. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakhs from PMNRF would be provided to the next of kin of each deceased: PM Modi."
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan issued a statement condoling the deaths and directed the Malappuram District Collector to carry out a coordinated emergency rescue operation.
Fire and police units, officials from revenue and health departments and locals from Tanur and Tirur areas of the district were involved in the rescue operation, the statement said.
According to the police, the incident occurred around 7 PM.Those fished out of the water were admitted to nearby private and government hospitals, it said. The exact cause of the accident was not known at present, police said.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
