Thiruvananthapuram:  Widespread rain is likely to continue in the state. The Central Meteorological Department has informed us that there is a possibility of heavy rain in Kerala till Thursday. A yellow alert was announced today in 9 districts.

Yellow alert today in Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod districts.
Widespread rains are caused by a cyclonic system over southwest Bihar and adjacent areas, another cyclonic system over the central part of the south Bay of Bengal, and a low-pressure area from the south Bay of Bengal to south Tamil Nadu.

As there is a possibility of isolated heavy thundershowers over the hilly areas, vigilance similar to the orange alert should be observed in the hilly areas which have received heavy rains in the past few days. People in low-lying areas, river banks, and hilly areas prone to landslides should be extra cautious as the rains continue in areas that have received heavy rainfall in the past few days.

Thiruvananthapuram: The weather forecast says widespread rain is likely in the state today. A yellow alert was declared in 6 districts.
The northern districts of the state have received heavy rains in the last few days.

Yellow alert in Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Palakkad, and Malappuram districts. The Meteorological Department has announced that rain will continue in Kerala till Wednesday. A red alert has been declared at the Idamalayar dam after the water level rose due to heavy rains.

At present, the water level in Idamalayar dam is 163.5 feet. According to the rule curve, when the water level reaches 164 feet, the shutters of the dam will open. At present the water level in the Periyar river is low.

Kozhikode: One more suspect was arrested in Kozhikode parallel telephone exchange case. Abdul Ghafoor, a native of Kozhikode Beypore, was arrested.

Meanwhile, the district crime branch has received information that the Kozhikode gang leader has helped the people including Abdul Ghafoor, a native of Beypore, to go into hiding. It is also said that this gang leader is used to resolve the dispute in the real estate transactions of the accused. It was this gangster’s gang who guarded the house of the accused in the case of the murder of Shaba Sharif, a local doctor in Mysuru.

He is a companion of Abdul Ghafoor, a native of Beypore. This gangster is known as the mediator in many financial transaction disputes in the city. He also has connections with some high-ranking officials.

Kochi:  Murder in Kochi. A young man was beaten to death in Netter. The incident happened around one o’clock at night. Ajay, a native of Palakkad, was killed. The incident took place in King’s Residency Oyo Room on Nettur Market Road.

Police arrested Suresh, a native of Palakkad, in the incident. The police said that Ajay’s affair with Suresh’s wife was behind the murder. Ajay Kumar was an employee of a financial institution.

Thiruvananthapuram: Vehicle pollution test rates have been increased. The new fee for two-wheelers is Rs 100 for BS-6. For others, the old rate of Rs 80 will continue. The new fee for petrol and CNG auto-rickshaws is Rs 110.

No increase up to BS3. The new fare for diesel auto rickshaws (BS4 and BS6) is Rs 130. Rs 110 (six months) for diesel cars up to BS3 and Rs 130 (one year) for others. The fee for medium and heavy vehicles is Rs 180 (one year). The old rate was 150.

BS-4 category two and three-wheeler certificate duration has been reduced to six months. Other BS-4 vehicles, including diesel auto rickshaws, will have a one-year validity period.

All BS-6 vehicles will get one-year validity. The validity of the calibration certificate issued by various agencies to the testing centers has been extended to six months.

The South Indian Bank Ltd. (SIB) hereby issues clarification on some media reports concerning incidents in the Bank’s ATMs, located in Ernakulam City and its vicinity.

The miscreant/s were reported to have obstructed the machine’s cash dispensation mechanism by placing an object, just in front of the shutter for seemingly blocking the cash. When customers left the ATM premises, the miscreant removed the object and took out the dispensed money.  

We understand that these kinds of incidents have been reported in some other bank ATMs also in other cities in different states.

As soon as these stray incidents were reported in our ATMs, the Bank took necessary measures to prevent such incidents and forthwith filed a Police complaint before the PS Kalamassery. The Bank had also filed a complaint before the Director General of Police (DGP) and before the City Commissioner of Police, Ernakulam, requesting to nab the culprit/s involved, at the earliest.  SIB is pleased to inform you that the police have shown great alacrity and arrested the miscreant involved in the stray incident/s on 26-08-2022 and thus averted the repetition of such incidents in other Bank ATMs.

We would also like to inform that all the complaints received from the customers connected to this incident have been duly attended to and the Bank has refunded the amounts. Additionally, the Bank has proactively identified such incidents and without waiting for the customer complaints, refunded the amounts involved. The Bank is committed in extending best possible co-operation to the Police in their investigation.

Kochi: Widespread ATM fraud in Kochi.  The thief stole money from 11 ATMs of South Indian Bank.  A quarter of a lakh of rupees was lost from the ATM in Kalamasery alone.  The investigation has been intensified to nab the fraud gang.

The evidence of the fraud that took place on the 18th and 19th of this month at South Indian Bank’s ATMs in Kochi has come out.  The thief will first observe the ATMs where there are no customers.  Then, inside the ATM, a special device is attached to the part where the money comes from.  Then the customers coming here from outside the ATM will be monitored.  But the customers who come to withdraw money will return from here when they are not able to get the required money after the procedure.

The method of theft is that the thief goes inside, shakes the device and steals the money.  ATMs in Kalamasery and Tripunithura parts have lost the most money.  Customers who lost money would first approach the bank with a complaint and then report the information to the police.  The police collected the CCTV footage of the thief taking the money without covering his face.

The initial conclusion of the police is that there are more people in the fraud group.  The case is being investigated under the leadership of the Commissioner.  At the same time, the officials conducted an inspection of the ATMs under the bank in case of fraud in many places.