Kozhikode: Two teachers of MS Solutions have been taken into custody by the Crime Branch in the question paper leak case. The teachers, Jishnu and Fahad, have been taken into custody. Both were taken into custody on Wednesday morning after they reached their residence in Koduvally. The action is being taken after they failed to appear for questioning despite being ordered to do so.

Meanwhile, the owner of MS Solutions, Muhammad Shuhaib, is still absconding. The Education Department had found that MS Solutions had leaked the question papers of public schools in the last three quarterly examinations and had given them through the YouTube channel.

It was also found that students had cheated in the Onam exam in the Koduvally area, where the YouTube channel has its office. The students were finding answers to questions they got from YouTube and bringing them. Based on the complaint, the Koduvally AEO conducted an investigation and informed the Director of General Education through the Thamarassery DEO.

From March 1st, registration certificates will not be printed for vehicles registered in the state. Instead, the Motor Vehicles Department has announced that a digital RC will be issued.

The Motor Vehicles Department has announced that as part of the digitalization of registration certificates, it has decided to digitize services related to vehicle hypothecation. Therefore, banks and authorized financial institutions need to be connected to the Parivahan portal of the Motor Vehicles Department.

The Motor Vehicles Department also announced in a press release that hypothecation services related to vehicle registration certificates will be available only from banks or financial institutions connected to the Parivahan portal from March 1, 2025.

The state government had already taken a decision in this regard. The State Motor Vehicles Department had already initiated the steps to eliminate the printing of driving licenses and issue them only in digital form.

The Central Meteorological Department has issued a high temperature warning in the state. It has been announced that the temperature is likely to rise by 2 °C to 3 °C above normal in isolated places today and tomorrow (05/02/2025 & 06/02/2025). The warning states that hot and uncomfortable weather is likely due to high temperature and humid air.

In the event of high heat being reported in the state, the State Disaster Management Authority has issued cautionary instructions for the public.

High heat can cause several serious health problems including sunstroke, heatstroke, and dehydration. Therefore, the public should follow the following instructions.

A student hanged herself at the Perumbavoor Vengoor Rajagiri 
Viswajyothi Arts and Applied Science College. The deceased has been identified as Anita Binoy (21), a third-year BBA student. The body was found hanging from the window in the ladies’ hostel room. A suicide note was also found at the scene. The incident came to the attention of the hostel residents at around 7 am. The police reached the spot and conducted a detailed inspection. After they were not allowed to enter the college compound, locals protested outside the gate.

Kochi: The High Court has ordered the demolition of two towers in the flat complex built for soldiers in Vyttila. Towers B and C should be demolished and a new one should be built. The High Court has ordered the eviction of the residents and the demolition of the towers. The court order was issued on a petition filed by the residents stating that the flats are unsafe.

The apartment has three towers. The flats were built in 2018 for military officers and retired military officers. Observing that it is not safe for residents to continue living in the two towers of the dilapidated flat, the court directed the Army Welfare Housing Organization to demolish the two towers and build a new one.

The court also directed the formation of a committee headed by the District Collector to demolish the flats and build a new one. The court has also ordered that the residents of the flats be paid monthly rent until the demolition work is completed.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led Transport Democratic Federation (TDF) will go on strike in KSRTC from midnight today, raising various demands. The one-day strike will begin from midnight today (Feb 3) raising 12 demands. KSRTC CMD Pramoj Shankar had held discussions with the organization leaders to avert the strike. However, the TDF, an alliance of INTUC unions, has announced that it will not withdraw from the strike until the issues are resolved.

The TDF is on strike demanding that salaries and pensions be paid on the first day of every month, DA arrears be fully cleared, government orders be issued for salary revision agreements, expired voter registration be conducted, drivers’ special allowances be paid properly, new buses be purchased for KSRTC, harassment against the mechanical section be stopped, Swift Company be merged with KSRTC, duty surrender be allowed without any category difference, privatization of nationalized routes be stopped, NPS and NDR arrears till date be cleared and the amount withheld be paid every month, and corruption be investigated by vigilance.

Meanwhile, KSRTC CMD has issued a Dias non circular. The government has instructed the management to deal strictly with the strike. Officers must be at work on the day of the strike. Leave should not be granted except on the basis of a medical certificate issued by a medical officer not below the rank of civil surgeon. It has been instructed to use temporary employees to provide maximum services, to keep temporary employees who do not show up for work, and not to resume work without the permission of the chief office.

Thiruvananthapuram: The one-time tax arrears settlement scheme, which aims to pay off motor vehicle tax arrears with concessions and avoid liability and legal proceedings, will end on March 31. Vehicle owners who are unable to pay the tax after paying the tax till March 31, 2020, can use this opportunity.

From April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2024, only 30 percent of the total amount including tax, additional tax and interest can be avoided by paying only 30 percent for transport vehicles and only 40 percent for non-transport vehicles. Tax arrears till March 31, 2020 have been completely waived.

There is a facility to settle the arrears at the RTO/Sub-RT offices where the vehicle is registered. Registration certificate, insurance certificate and receipt of payment of Motor Workers Welfare Fund subscription are not required to pay the tax under the scheme. If the registered owner is unaware of the vehicle, or if the vehicle is stolen, dismantled, or destroyed, the tax liability up to March 31, 2024 can be paid under this scheme.

If the vehicle is found to be operating on the road for any reason, it will be exempted from further tax liability, subject to the condition of paying tax from April 1, 2024. Detailed information is available at the Motor Vehicles Department offices.