Death of ADM: Hartal in Kannur and Malayalapuzha, revenue employees to protest after taking mass leave

KANNUR: Widespread protests will intensify today in Kannur demanding action against the culprits in connection with the death of ADM Naveen Babu. The Youth Congress and Yuva Morcha have announced a march to the house of accused district panchayat president P P Divya in Irinave today.

Kannur DCC president Martin George is continuing his satyagraha in front of the Kannur Collectorate demanding that a case be filed against Divya. A hartal called by BJP started in Kannur Corporation limits in protest against the incident. The hartal is from 6 am to 6 pm. The revenue department employees will take a mass leave today to protest demanding action against the accused.

The body of Naveen Babu was handed over to his relatives late last night after the post-mortem procedures at Pariyaram Medical College Hospital. CPM Kannur district secretary M V Jayarajan, CPM state committee member T V Rajesh, RSS leader Valsan Thillankeri and others paid their respects when the body was in Pariyaram Medical College.

Naveen was found hanging in his quarters at Pallikunnu in Kannur yesterday morning. A send-off function was held on Monday in the presence of the district collector for Naveen, who was transferred to his hometown Pathanamthitta with seven months left to retire. Divya's stinging words were related to giving NOC to a petrol pump started by T V Prasanthan at Chengalaigai in Sreekandapuram. Divya came uninvited and raised allegations of corruption against him. She accused Naveen of corruption in giving sanction to a petrol pump in Chengalai. She left the stage saying that Naveen Babu should not work like this in the place where he was going and refused to stay for the presentation of a memento, saying she did not wish to stand for it.

Naveen was supposed to catch the train at 9 pm on Monday night to take over as Pathanamthitta ADM. His wife and children came to Chengannur railway station to receive him, but he was not in the train. They then informed the driver of Kannur and the collector. He was found hanging when the driver and the gunman reached the quarters. The post-mortem report said the death occurred around 4 am yesterday.

He is the son of retired headmaster late Kittan Nair and late retired teacher Ratnamma, also a member of the Malayalapuzha Grama Panchayat. His wife is Konni Tehsildar Manjusha. His children are Nirupama, doing PG in Konni CFRD College after her engineering and Niranjana, who completed her plus two. His siblings are K Praveen Babu (high court Advocate) and Sheela, a retd teacher.