KALLIYOT (KASARGOD): Life-size cutouts of Kripesh and Sarath Lal P K in yellow kurta and white mundu welcome the huge crowd trooping in to see Kripesh’s new house. The glass nameplate fixed to the wall of the veranda reads Kichu’s.This house was his dream, said Kripesh’s father Krishnan, tears of joy and loss rolling down his face. On Good Friday, the family moved into the beautiful house. The housewarming was attended by young Congress leader and Ernakulam MLA Hibi Eden - the family’s benefactor - his wife Anna Linda, their little daughter Clara, Congress state vice president V D Satheeshan, UDF candidate Rajmohan Unnithan, DCC president Hakkim Kunnil, scores of friends, wellwishers and Congress sympathisers.
When Kripesh, 19, and his bestie Sarath Lal, 24, were murdered allegedly by CPM supporters on February 17, newspapers carried the photograph of his dilapidated hut perched on the rocky terrain.
The image moved people of the state. Eden immediately announced he would build a house for Kripesh’s family. “The fund was committed by a former KSU activist who is now working in a European country,” he said. The donor wished to remain anonymous, he said.
Eden, who is now a UDF candidate for the Lok Sabha election, said he included the project in ‘Thanal’, his housing scheme for flood-victims of the state.The pace of the construction wowed the people of Kalliyot and also civil engineers.The foundation stone was laid on March 3 and the family moved into the new house on April 19 - in 46 days. “It is a spacious and beautiful house,” says Ramachandran, a civil engineer who runs Monarch Constructions in Kannur.
He came from Pazhayangadi to be part of the moment. Ramachandran said he was in the industry for decades but could never build a house in just a short period. “The best part is there is nothing left undone. Hibi has handed over a completely done house,” he said.The 1,200-sqft house - with three bedrooms, three toilets, hall, living room and kitchen - was built for `19 lakh. Bhaskaran Kalliyot, 57, the mason who built the house, is equally impressed. “We completed the structure in 10 days. In my 40 years as a mason, I have not built such a big house in such a short span,” he said.
Akhil K, an engineering student, was also in the crowd. His father P T Rameshan, 50, was killed allegedly by CPM supporters one year ago in Cheemeni. “I’m so happy for Kichu’s family. Hope they also get justice,” he said. “The accused in my father’s murder case are all out on bail,” he said.
Eden said Noah Group of Kochi was the consultant for the project. “They usually build budget houses for Thanal for `5.8 lakh. So, we tapped them for this project too,” he said.Under Thanal, he has completed 15 houses and 15 houses are under construction.For Eden, who turned 36 on Friday, Kichu’s was his birthday gift to Kripesh’s family.