Death of ADM: protests intensify in Kerala, his brother files a complaint and the funeral will take place on Thursday | Onmanorama News

Kannur: Protests continue to intensify across Kerala after the tragic death of Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Kannur, Naveen Babu K. ​​Several political parties have demanded strict action against the district panchayat president of Kannur. Kannur, PP Divya, accusing him of pushing Naveen to commit suicide afterwards. she allegedly humiliated him and accused him of corruption during his farewell meeting on Monday.

Brother files a complaint
Naveen’s brother Praveen Babu filed a complaint with the Kannur city police, demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the ADM’s death. He demanded that a case be filed against Divya and gas station owner Prashanthan TV.

Funeral Thursday
Naveen Babu’s body was received by his family early Wednesday morning. The mortal remains will be kept in the mortuary of a private hospital and will be taken to the Pathanamthitta collectorate at 10 am on Thursday for public homage. The funeral will be held later today at his residence in Malayalappuzha. Revenue Minister K Rajan is expected to be present and pay his last respects.

Tax employees on mass strike
In response to Naveen’s death, Kerala revenue employees will stage a mass strike on Wednesday, abstaining from their official duties. They demand a thorough investigation into the incident and immediate action against Divya.

Congress, BJP hartal in Malayalappuzha
The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared a work stoppage in Malayalappuzha panchayat on Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., demanding a police probe into Divya’s actions and her removal as district panchayat president from Kannur. Protest marches were held in various areas of Pathanamthitta on Tuesday.

Opposition marches towards Divya’s residence
The Youth Congress and Yuva Morcha take out protest marches to Divya’s residence in Irinave, Kannur. Protests were also held outside the Kannur district panchayat office on Tuesday. The BJP has called for a hartal in the Kannur Corporation limits, while the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) plans to stage a protest at the Collectorate on Wednesday. Divya has so far refrained from commenting on the allegations. The police provided security at his residence to avoid any escalation.

Minister Rajan defends ADM
Revenue Minister K Rajan described Naveen as an “honest and competent” officer, noting that the government had never received any complaint against him. “He was someone to whom we could entrust responsibilities,” the minister said on Tuesday. He added that he had sought a preliminary report from district collector Arun K Vijayan on the incident. The minister also urged political leaders to exercise restraint in their public interactions.

The incident
Naveen Babu was found dead at his official quarters in Kannur on Tuesday morning, just a day after Divya, a prominent CPM leader, allegedly hosted his farewell event and accused him of taking a bribe to approve a gas station in Chengalayi panchayat. Naveen had been transferred to his home district, Pathanamthitta, just six months short of his retirement from the Finance Ministry.

According to reports, Divya, who was not invited to the event, accused ADM of delaying the approval and implied that he had taken a bribe. She reportedly promised to reveal the proof within two days. After Naveen’s death, the fuel station owner Prashanthan TV also claimed to have paid Rs 98,500 to ADM on October 6 in exchange for a NOC, which was issued on October 8. He said he sent a WhatsApp complaint regarding the incident to the chief minister on October 8. October 10, under the leadership of Divya.

Protests and demands for accountability are intensifying, with ADM’s death drawing widespread attention and sparking outrage across the state.