Kerala's intervention; ruling and opposition party leaders' joined effort to save Arjun's life

KOZHIKODE / THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala intervened after Arjun's family came forward to complain that although the GPS and mobile phone tower location of the lorry driven by Arjun was reported to the rescuers, the search was not being carried out efficiently.

Arjun's family had filed a complaint with the Karnataka Police, but they were not even ready to file an FIR. The relatives were informed that it is not possible to move the soil due to unfavourable weather. On Thursday, the relatives lodged a complaint with MK Raghavan MP and the Chief Minister's office. With this, the intervention became stronger and the rescue operation intensified.

The accident happened on the 16th when Arjun was coming from Karwar with wood in a lorry. A big hill fell on the national highway. On the 7th Arjun's wife's brother Jitin and other relatives went to Angola. Manaf, the lorry owner from Mukkam, Kozhikode, also reached the spot.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, Transport Minister Ganesh Kumar, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal and Kozhikode MP MK Raghavan intervened in the matter. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed the rescue operation to be intensified. Until then, the soil was removed using two earthmoving machines.
The Chief Secretary is in regular contact with the local District Collector and Superintendent of Police as per Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's instructions. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sent an email to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Union Minister Suresh Gopi and Minister KB Ganesh Kumar assessed the situation with officials at the scene.
Revenue Minister K Rajan informed that KSDMA Member Secretary Shekhar Kuriakose has been appointed for coordination.

Opposition Leader VD Satheesan called Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on the phone.

An urgent message was sent to the Karnataka government from the Chief Minister's Office, State Emergency Operations Center and KSDMA on Thursday evening and was contacted yesterday morning too. Minister Ganesh Kumar said that he contacted the Karnataka Transport Minister, spoke to the Revenue Minister and also spoke to Arjun's relatives. MVI Chandrakumar, AMVIs Arunraj, M Sudheesh and driver Manoj were sent from Kasaragod to the incident site, 280 km away.

Minister PA Muhammad Riyaz also spoke to Arjun's family members. MK Raghavan visited MP Arjun's house.