Two girls found hanging at SAI hostel in Kerala's Kollam
Kollam: Two sports trainees were found hanging in a room at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel in Kollam on Thursday morning, police said.
The deceased girls, aged 17 and 15, were residents of Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram. They were found around 5 am when the other hostellers noticed that the two had not turned up for the morning training session, NDTV reported.
According to police, repeated knocks on the door of the room went unanswered, hostel authorities broke open the door and found both girls hanging in the room.
The 15-year-old girl was staying in a different room but had spent Wednesday night in the other girl's room. The two were last seen together by other hostel inmates early in the morning, police said.
The 17-year-old girl was an athletics trainee studying in Class 12, while the other one was a kabaddi player and a Class 10 student.
No suicide note was recovered from the room, police said. Further investigation is under way.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
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Yenepoya students hold menstrual hygiene awareness program for children with special needs in Perla
Perla: An awareness programme on menstrual hygiene management for children with special needs was organised at Navajeevana Special School in Perla by the Department of Occupational Therapy, Yenepoya Faculty of Allied and Health Care Professions, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangaluru, in association with the school.
The initiative aimed to promote informed, dignified, and inclusive menstrual care practices for children with special needs by equipping parents, teachers, caregivers, and rehabilitation professionals with practical knowledge and structured guidance.
The event was conducted under the leadership of Dr Dhayanithi K (OT), organising chairperson, with Dr Nevita Saha (OT) and Drs Anas (OT) and Saiyukta Chhetri (OT) as organising members.
In the first session, Dr Nevita Saha explained menstruation as a normal physiological process, outlining its biological basis and emphasising the importance of menstrual hygiene, particularly for children with special needs who require predictable routines and consistent support. The session included demonstrations and reverse demonstrations to help participants understand step-by-step hygiene practices.
The second session focused on managing menstrual discomfort. Occupational Therapy students demonstrated simple exercises to relieve menstrual cramps, including child’s pose, cat–cow rolls, sphinx pose, half frog pose (left and right), hip circles, knee-to-chest exercises and the lying butterfly position. Each exercise was explained methodically to ensure ease of comprehension and practical application in both home and school environments.
As part of the programme, menstrual hygiene kits were distributed to over 25 students. The kits included sanitary pads, panty liners, disposable bags, sanitizer, tissues, wet wipes, extra underwear, a menstrual calendar and an educational pamphlet. The contents were explained clearly to children, parents, teachers, caregivers, and rehabilitation professionals to ensure effective and safe usage.
The programme witnessed active participation from over 30 children with special needs, along with more than 50 parents, caregivers, special educators and rehabilitation professionals participated in the programme. The event was supported by four assistant professors and 15 final-year Occupational Therapy students.
Concluding the event, Participants appreciated the initiative for addressing an important but sensitive topic and emphasised the need for continued awareness, confidence, and overall well-being among children with special needs.
