Daily News Dose: Two mishaps involving newly launched KSRTC-SWIFT buses reported in 3 days | Apr 14, 2022

Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. I'm your host, Princy Alexander, and these are the major news stories of the day

India Meteorological Department predicts normal rainfall during Southwest monsoon in India this year

Two accidents involving KSRTC Swift reported in three days, one dead

Dileep's lawyer levels allegations against DGP Sandhya, ADGP Sreejith, gives complaint against duo 

Kerala Govt moves SC against HC order in corruption case against Jacob Thomas

Man rescued by actor Surabhi dies at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital

Producer of film 'Yaathra', Joseph Abraham passes away

India is likely to witness normal rainfall during the southwest monsoon season this year, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday. Normal to above-normal rainfall is most likely over many areas in the northern part of peninsular India, central India, along the foothills of the Himalayas and some parts of northwest India.

Below normal rainfall is likely over many parts of northeast India, some parts of northwest India and southern parts of the southern peninsula. In 2021, the country received "normal" rainfall during the four-month southwest monsoon season from June to September. It was the third consecutive year that the country recorded rainfall in the normal or above-normal category.

 Even before news of an accident on its first day of service could subside, another one of the SWIFT buses of the KSRTC was involved in an accident which led to the death of an elderly person. The incident happened at 5:05 am near Malaya Junction in Kunnamkulam here on Thursday.Though earlier reports carried that it was the bus that hit Tamil Nadu native Paraswamy, CCTV visuals have confirmed that it was in fact a pickup van that hit him first as he was crossing the road. The impact had Paraswamy thrown to the road and unable to escape the path of the SWIFT bus in time. The rear wheel of the bus ran over Paraswamy's legs. Though locals rushed him to Mulakunnathukaavu Medical College Hospital, the 65-year-old succumbed to injuries shortly after. Both the pickup van and the bus sped on after the accident. The KSRTC driver had earlier told police that he was unaware of the incident. After viewing CCTV visuals, police have also said that perhaps the driver's statement is true given that it was the rear wheel that ran over Paraswamy. On Tuesday, a SWIFT bus had collided with a lorry at Kallambalam in Thiruvananthapuram.The frequency of these accidents also had KSRTC Chairman and Managing Director Biju Prabhakar alleging that the string of accidents was part of foul play by rogue parties. 

The counsel for actor Dileep, accused in the actress assault case, has complained that DGP B Sandhya and ADGP S Sreejith were fabricating cases against the actor and the defence lawyers. Lawyer Philip T Varghese has given the complaint to the state Home Secretary. The lawyer complained that ADGP Sreejith was fabricating false evidence in the cases at the behest of DGP Sandhya. 

The Kerala government has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Kerala High Court order quashing the FIR against former Director General of Police Dr Jacob Thomas in connection with a purchase when he served as the Director of Ports Department. The High Court had passed the verdict last November while allowing a petition by Thomas challenging the FIR registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB). The retired IPS officer had been accused  of proposing a tender for the purchase of a Cutter Suction Dredger without the approval of the technical committee. The FIR alleged that he accepted the bid of M/s IHC Merwede, Holland, in 2012, without obtaining a revised administrative sanction from the government. However, the court observed that the allegations in the FIR did not reveal commission of an offence by the petitioner under Section 13(1)(d)(ii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. 

The man, who was rescued by national award-winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi on Tuesday night, passed away on Thursday. Pattambi native Mustafa was under treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Mustafa, who had set out in a jeep in search of his mentally disturbed wife and their child, had collapsed on the road on Tuesday after complaining of chest pain. He was accompanied by a younger child and two of his friends, who couldn't drive. It is understood that Surabhi who had been driving home after an Iftaar was the first person to stop and enquire about the situation. She alerted the control room and even accompanied them to the medical college. The man's wife and their eldest child was found by the Medical College Police. The cops fed them and rang up the man, who by then had been roaming the town in search of his missing family. The police managed to pass on the information, but his phone's battery died during the conversation and soon he collapsed. Once the man had been admitted, Surabhi came to know that the woman and child were at the police station and drove the youngest child there. 

Malayalam film producer Joseph Abraham who bankrolled some blockbusters like ‘Olangal’, Yaathra’, ‘Oomakuyil’ and ‘Koodanayum Kattu’ dies. He was 74. The funeral will be held on Saturday. The ace producer was undergoing treatment for cancer for some time. Joseph who was known as Jose Prakattu ran the production house Prakkatu films. He had even won the title of Mr. Kottayam in the 1970s. Joseph was one of the youngest producers in Malayalam cinema then.

That brings us to the end of this episode. Be sure to come back tomorrow. As always, thanks for listening to Daily News Dose