Kerala’s youngest organ donor laid to rest with state honours
Pathanamthitta (Kerala) (PTI): Kerala bid an emotional farewell to a 10-month-old girl who became the state’s youngest organ donor after her parents consented to donate her organs following her brain death.
She was laid to rest with state honours at Mallappally on Sunday.
Ministers and people from across the state reached the residence of Aalin Sherin Abraham to pay their last respects after her body was brought home this morning for the final rites.
Aalin Sherin was critically injured in a road accident on February 5 while travelling with her mother and maternal grandparents at Pallam near Kottayam on the MC Road.
She was the daughter of Arun Abraham and Sherin Ann John, residents of Mallappally in Pathanamthitta district.
Despite intensive medical efforts, doctors confirmed her brain death on February 12.
With the consent of her parents, the organ donation process was coordinated through the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (K-SOTTO), officials said.
Her heart valve was sent to the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram; her liver to KIMS Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram; and her kidneys to the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram.
Her eyes were donated to an eye bank.
Industries Minister P Rajeev said in a Facebook post on Sunday that the government had decided to accord state honours as a mark of respect to the infant, who, even in death, gave a new lease of life to five people.
“The government views with deep respect the decision taken by the parents, who upheld the noble example of organ donation despite their profound grief. The government also expresses its condolences to Aalin Sherin’s parents and family. Tributes are paid to the child,” he said.
Ministers V N Vasavan, Saji Cherian and Roshy Augustine, along with Congress leader P C Vishnunadh, MLA, paid homage after visiting the child’s residence.
A family member of one of the organ recipients also attended the funeral.
The body was later taken in a funeral procession to St Thomas CSI Church, Nedungadappally, in Kottayam district.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi, representing the Government of India, and Minister Veena George, representing the Kerala government, were present at the church for the funeral ceremony.
In his eulogy, Suresh Gopi said that while the child’s body was being laid to rest, she would continue to live through others following the noble act of saving multiple lives.
He said he had come to pay tribute on behalf of the nation, following the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“His prayers will also be with Aalin, along with the people gathered here,” Gopi said.
He added that the child’s organ donation sends a strong message to Kerala and noted that similar instances had occurred in New Delhi and Odisha, where one-year-old children donated their organs after being declared brain dead.
The funeral ceremony began at the church around 3.30 pm and concluded at about 4.45 pm.
The body was later brought outside the church, where state honours were accorded by police personnel.
By 5 pm, the final rites were performed at the cemetery, where she was laid to rest.
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Bengal polls: TMC seeks removal of Bhabanipur poll official, alleges proximity with BJP's Suvendu
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Kolkata (PTI): The TMC sought the immediate removal of the returning officer for the Bhabanipur assembly constituency in West Bengal, alleging he has proximity with BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari.
In a representation submitted to Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Friday, the ruling party raised objections to the appointment of RO for the Bhabanipur seat in southern Kolkata.
The party alleged that the returning officer has a “documented and close association” with Adhikari, who is contesting from Bhabanipur against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Adhikari is also in the electoral fray from Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district.
According to the complaint, the RO had earlier served as block development officer in Nandigram-II, where his proximity to Adhikari was allegedly visible in public engagements.
The TMC claimed that such an association creates a “reasonable apprehension of bias” and "compromises the neutrality" required for conducting elections.
The party also questioned the RO's current posting as additional director of land records, stating that the position is typically held by more senior officers.
The TMC alleged that his appointment to the role, particularly ahead of elections, raises concerns of “preferential and motivated deployment”.
Emphasising the critical role of a returning officer, the TMC said the official is responsible for key electoral processes, including nomination scrutiny, conduct of polling and declaration of results, and therefore must be “unimpeachably neutral”.
Citing Article 324 of the Constitution and provisions of the Representation of the People Act, the Trinamool Congress argued that the Election Commission is duty-bound to ensure free and fair polls by appointing officers without any perceived bias.
On 24th March, we formally wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner and CEO, West Bengal, flagging serious concerns over the appointment of Surajit Roy as Returning Officer for Bhabanipur.
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) April 3, 2026
We presented clear evidence of his close ties with Suvendu Adhikari from his days as BDO,… pic.twitter.com/i6Rybh4xDt
The party also referred to the Model Code of Conduct, which mandates administrative neutrality, and alleged that the RO's continuation violates these principles.
The TMC representation noted that the Election Commission had earlier sought a panel of three alternative officers from the state government, following a complaint lodged on March 24.
While the state complied, no decision has yet been taken to replace the RO, the letter, signed by senior TMC leaders Shashi Panja, Aroop Biswas, Baiswanor Chattopadhyay, claimed.
Calling the situation "constitutionally untenable" and "electorally dangerous", the TMC urged the EC to take "immediate, reasoned and transparent action to ensure the integrity of the electoral process".
