KOCHI: 2001
Kadalundi train tragedy
The Mangalore-Chennai Mail derailed on June 22 while crossing a bridge over the Kadalundi River. Four coaches plunged into the river, leaving 59 people dead or missing and injuring around 300 others.
2002
Marad massacre
Marad in Kozhikode witnessed severe communal violence in the early 2000s. Tensions first escalated in January following a minor dispute over water at Marad beach, which led to riots that killed 3. The situation worsened on May 2, 2003, when armed assailants carried out a retaliatory attack on the beach, killing nine and injuring several others.
2003
Marad massacre
Marad in Kozhikode witnessed severe communal violence in the early 2000s. Tensions first escalated in January following a minor dispute over water at Marad beach, which led to riots that killed 3. The situation worsened on May 2, 2003, when armed assailants carried out a retaliatory attack on the beach, killing nine and injuring several others.
2004
Indian Ocean tsunami
The Indian Ocean tsunami, caused by a massive undersea earthquake near Sumatra, struck India’s southern states. Dec 26 remains a day of deep sorrow for coastal communities, with Kerala’s initial death toll at 163. The figure rose in the subsequent days.
2005
Kalamassery bus burning
On September 9, a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus was set on fire in Kalamassery, allegedly in protest against the prolonged detention of PDP chairman Abdul Nazar Madani in the Coimbatore serial blast case.
2006
P J Joseph resigns
Minister P J Joseph resigned following allegations of misconduct on a flight, a major scandal of the year.
2007
Wagamon SIMI camp
The banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) ran a covert training camp at Thangalpara, Wagamon (Idukki) from December 10 to 12, where participants were trained in weapons handling and bomb-making ahead of the 2008 Ahmedabad blasts.
Madani released from jail
Abdul Nasser Madani was acquitted in Coimbatore serial bomb blasts case and released from prison on August 1, after nine-and-a-half years. His release saw an unusual political unity in Kerala, with CPM, Congress, and IUML backing him.
2008
Kashmir recruitment case
The case began with a call from Kashmir to Kannur, uncovering a plot to recruit Kerala youth for Lashkar-e-Taiba via Indian Mujahideen. Four recruits were killed by forces. Key accused Thadiyantavide Nazeer, Sarfaraz Navas, and E T Zainuddin and seven others, received life sentences.
2009
Thekkady boat capsize
A boat carrying 78 tourists capsized in the Thekkady lake, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on September 30, killing 45 tourists, primarily from Delhi, Kolkata, and other Indian cities.
2010
HC bans roadside public meetings
The Kerala High Court banned roadside public meetings, citing obstruction of traffic and risks from vehicles hitting crowds, on June 23.
2011
Sabarimala stampede
Over 100 pilgrims were killed in a stampede triggered by a runaway jeep at Uppupara while returning after witnessing Makarajyothi on January 14.
Soumya raped and killed
On the night of February 1, Govindachamy tried to rob Soumya, 23, on Ernakulam-Shoranur passenger train. When she resisted, he smashed her head and threw her out of the train. He jumped out and raped her. She died in the hospital on February 6.
Vallarpadam terminal inaugurated
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated India’s first International Container Transshipment Terminal at Vallarpadam, Kochi, on February 11, a major PPP project with DP World.
2012
T P Chandrasekharan murdered
In a landmark incident in Kerala politics, T P Chandrasekharan, who broke away from the CPM to float the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), was murdered at Vallikkunnu near Vadakara on May 4. Local CPM leaders were arrested and convicted in the case.
Kochi-Muziris Biennale launched
India’s first international contemporary art festival, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2012, was launched on December 12, transforming historic venues in Kochi and Muziris into art spaces.
Malayalam University inaugurated
The Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University at Tirur was inaugurated on November 1.
2013
Solar scam
The year saw a major political scandal involving Team Solar which leveraged links allegedly to the CMP to scam investors, leading to high-profile allegations, including sexual assault against top ruling front leaders.
2014
Controversial liquor policy
In a major decision that kicked up a political storm in the state, the then CM Oommen Chandy decided to shut down 730 bars in Kerala. A masterstroke from the veteran leader, aimed at silencing critics within the Congress and the UDF, the decision had far-reaching consequences. What followed was the infamous bar bribery scam, where allegations came up against the then finance minister KM Mani and the then excise minister K Babu, which rocked Kerala’s bipolar politics for many years.
2015
Solar airport
Kochi airport became the world’s first airport to be fully powered by solar energy with the inauguration of a dedicated solar plant.
2016
ISIS recruitment
A wide network of Islamic State operatives in Kerala was unravelled following an investigation into the disappearance of 21 persons from Kasaragod and Palakkad. It emerged Shajeer Mangalassery from Kozhikode and Abdul Rashid Abdulla from Kasaragod, had recruited the Keralites for the terror outfit.
Puttingal tragedy
In the wee hours of April 10, 2016, a fireworks incident at the Puttingal temple in Kollam’s Paravur left 111 people dead and over 350 injured. Several houses were also damaged. A year later, the state government appointed a judicial panel to probe the incident.
2017
Actor abduction & assault
On the night of February 17, a Malayalam actor was abducted while on her way to Kochi and sexually assaulted inside a moving car by a six-member gang. The shocking incident triggered an investigation that spanned three years and a trial that continued for another five. On December 8, 2025, the trial court convicted six persons and acquitted four, including actor Dileep who was accused of conspiracy.
2018 Nipah
The first-ever outbreak of the Nipah (NiV) was reported in Kozhikode on May 19. Believed to be tranferred from fruit bats, the virus has killed 22 people since. The government and the then health minister, K K Shailaja, were lauded for their efforts to keep the outbreak contained. Nurse Lini was a martyr who put her life on the line to treat the infected patients.
Sabarimala women entry
In September, deluge-hit Kerala was rocked by a Supreme Court ruling terming the ban on the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple as unconstitutional. The order triggered widespread protests, particularly by the BJP and tensions simmered in Kerala for months.
Kannur airport inaugurated
With the inauguration of Kannur International Airport by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu, the number of international airports in Kerala rose to four.
Two women enter Sabarimala
Close on the heels of the SC ruling, Kanaka Durga and Bindu Ammini became the first women below 50 in decades to enter the Sabarimala hill shrine. The development sparked widespread protests.
Flood
2019
Kochi Metro inaugurated
The Kochi Metro was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 17. The metro is integrated with the Kochi Water Metro that serves as a transport system for suburbs along the city’s rivers. It is the first metro system in the country that connects rail, road and water.
Ockhi wreaks havoc
A cyclonic storm developed near the Southern coast of Sri Lanka moved northwest and wreaked havoc upon the coastal towns of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep on November 30. Kerala reported 75 deaths, while 141 went missing.
Days of torrential rain resulted in what would become one of the biggest natural calamities the state ever faced in the 21st century. Kerala received a rainfall of over 850mm, more than double its usual 420mm, filling reservoirs and overflowing rivers. The deluge claimed nearly 500 lives while countless others went missing. In the days that followed, debates broke out whether the disaster was natural or man-made.
Koodathayi murder
In October, Kerala woke up to a shocking revelation: Jolly, a woman from Koodathayi in Kozhikode, was arrested for the murder of six of her family members, including her first husband, Roy Thomas, using cyanide. The crime took place over 14 years since 2002. The case is currently under trial
K M Mani passes away
Former minister and KC(M) chairman K M Mani passed away on April 9, a demise many termed marked the end of an era. Soon after his death, a power tussle broke out within the party, between his son Jose K Mani and confidante P J Joseph, leading to a split.
Kavalappara landslide
59 people were buried alive in a landslide that hit Kavalappara in Pothukal panchayat near Nilambur on the night of August 8. In a search that spanned 19 days, only 48 bodies could be recovered
2020
Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS- CoV-2 virus, brought the world to a standstill. In India, Kerala reported the first case, in a Thrissur student who had returned from China’s Wuhan, the epicentre of the pandemic. Kerala recorded 68,981 excess deaths, while the state officially reported 44,235 deaths.
Gold smuggling through diplomatic channels
The seziure of 30kg of gold worth nearly Rs 15 crore at the Thiruvananthapuram airport, from a bag meant for delivery to the UAE Consulate in the capital, blew the lid off a clandestine global smuggling network. The NIA stepped in booking four persons, Sarith Kumar, Swapna Suresh, Fazil Fareid and Sandeep Nair. More arrests followed. The case had wide political ramifications after the involvement of M Sivasankar, the principal secretary to the CM, came to light.
Kozhikode airport crash
An Air India Express flight with 190 people on board from Dubai skidded off the runway at Kozhikode airport and crashed, killing 21 people.
2021
Historic successive term for Pinarayi govt
Bucking the trend of Kerala selecting LDF or UDF every alternate assembly election, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government returned for a second successive term in the state with a thumping majority, winning 99 out of 140 seats
2022
Vizhinjam protest
Fishermen and the Latin Catholic Church protested against Adani Group’s seaport project at Vizhinjam, citing environmental and livelihood concerns. The protest continued for nearly 150 days. In November, there was a sudden escalation, leading to violence.
INS Vikrant commissioned
INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier built by Cochin Shipyard, was commissioned by the Navy
Govindan new CPM state secretary M V Govindan took over as CPM state secretary following the demise of incumbent Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
2023
Brahmapuram fire
A major fire broke out at the Brahmapuram waste dumpyard and raged for nearly 12 days, choking Kochi and its suburbs. A 70-year-old with respiratory illnesses passed away after his condition deteriorated from the toxic fumes.
Water Metro launched
KMRL launches India’s first Water Metro in Kochi, providing major water connectivity for many and also catching the fancy of tourists
2024 Chooralmala and Mundakkai landslide
In July, Wayanad experienced the most devastating landslides that wiped away two villages, Chooralmala and Mundakkai, leading to over 231 deaths.
First BJP MP from Kerala
Suresh Gopi scripted history by winning the first seat in the Lok Sabha for BJP in Kerala.
2025 Sabarimala gold theft case
News of alleged misappropriation and melting of gold from the Sabarimala temple’s gold-plated idol panels and door frames shocked the state. A Kerala High Court- formed SIT uncovered a conspiracy by Travancore Devaswom Board officials and key accused Unnikrishnan Potti.
UDF victory in local body polls
In a striking comeback, UDF recorded a decisive victory in the two-phase local body elections winning four out of six corporations, seven district panchayats, 54 municipalities, 79 block panchayats and around 505 grama panchayats.
COMPILED BYSasidharan Nair M K, M P Prasanth & Anish DESIGN Devan Thiruvazhiyode