Students in Chamrajanagar walk 14 KM everyday to schools as village lacks bus connectivity
Mysuru: More than 50 school and college students from Pachedoddi, a remote village near Hanur in Chamarajanagar district, are walking 14 km every day to attend classes due to the absence of bus services and a motorable road. The situation, reported by The New Indian Express, has turned their daily commute into a physically demanding routine.
Students trek 7 km each way to reach educational institutions in Ajjipura, Ramanapura and Hanur. Their route cuts through forested stretches and uneven mud paths that become dangerous during the monsoon. The area falls under the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Division, where wild animal movement is common, adding to the students’ risk.
According to the report, the long walk leaves many students exhausted by the time they reach school, affecting their concentration in class. “Our parents brought this issue to the notice of authorities, but in vain. We have now written to the chief minister,” a student told TNIE.
Residents say that ministers, local representatives and officials have visited the village multiple times over the years, promising to address the lack of connectivity. However, the requests for a proper road and regular bus service remain unresolved.
Students have even recorded a video documenting their daily ordeal and posted it on social media in the hope of drawing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s attention. As per the report, the effort has not yet yielded a response.
Despite the challenges, the students of Pachedoddi continue to make the long journey each day in pursuit of their education.
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Malayali expats express safety concerns in Kerala after prominent NRI businessman’s abduction
Jeddah: The abduction of expatriate businessman V. P. Muhammed Ali has caused concern among the Malayali community in Jeddah, where he has been a prominent figure in business and social circles for nearly five decades.
Muhammed Ali, originally from Poongode in Kalikavu, Malappuram, runs several business ventures in Saudi Arabia, other Gulf countries and Kerala. He is the Managing Director of Jeddah National Hospital and the Rayan Medical Group. News of his abduction has unsettled Gulf-based Malayalis, many of whom regard him as an important supporter of the expatriate community.
The incident occurred on Saturday around 6.30 pm while he was travelling to Kochi Nedumbassery Airport to return to Jeddah. As his vehicle reached Arangottukara on the Malappuram–Palakkad district border, an Innova car reportedly intercepted his vehicle. A group of unidentified men allegedly threatened him at gunpoint, forced him out and pushed him into their car before speeding away.
He was taken to a house in Kothakurissi in Palakkad district and kept captive. In the early hours of Sunday, he managed to escape while his abductors were asleep and reached a nearby mosque for help. Local residents took him to a hospital, where he is undergoing treatment for injuries, including facial wounds.
The motive for the abduction is not yet clear. Muhammed Ali is involved in a case pending before the Supreme Court related to a college in the Nilgiris, and his relatives suspect that individuals connected to the dispute may be behind the kidnapping. Police have intensified the investigation, but the lack of arrests has led to frustration among expatriates.
Malayalis in Jeddah say the incident raises broader concerns about safety in Kerala, particularly for businesspersons and investors. They have urged authorities to ensure the immediate arrest of those responsible and take strong legal action in the case.
