Thiruvananthapuram: "Never be defeated, Never give up", said Pranjal Patil, the country's first visually challenged woman IAS officer, as she assumed charge as the Sub Collector of Thiruvananthapuram here on Monday.

"...we should never be defeated and we should never give up because with our efforts all of us will get that one breakthrough which we want", the 30-year old Kerala cadre officer told mediapersons here.

Patil, who hails from Ulhasnagar in Maharashtra, had lost her vision when she was just six years old.

She cracked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination in 2016 and secured 773rd rank and improved her ranking to 124 the next year.

Patil was appointed Ernakulam Assistant Collector during her training period.

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Mangaluru: Punjalakatte Police have busted a fake currency racket near Pandavarakallu in Badagakajekkaru village of Bantwal taluk, arresting two persons and seizing counterfeit notes and other materials worth about Rs 7.96 lakh, Deccan Herald reported.

According to police, Sub-Inspector Rajesh K.V. received credible information on May 1 that two persons were allegedly transporting and storing counterfeit currency in a car at Koominadka near Pandavarakallu with the intention of circulating it for financial gain.

Acting on the tip-off, the police team raided the location and detained Mohammed Sameer (28) and Mohammed Irfan (26). Another accused, Rasheed Kundadka, managed to escape from the spot.

Police seized five bundles of counterfeit Rs 500 notes with a total face value of Rs 2.38 lakh. They also confiscated three mobile phones worth Rs 57,000 and the car allegedly used in the crime, valued at around Rs 5 lakh.

The total value of the seized items is estimated at Rs 7.96 lakh.