THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A tragic end 32-year-old Sanalkumar was allegedly murdered by former Neyyattinkara DySP Harikumar on November 5. Sanalkumar died after he was pushed in front of a speeding car by Harikumar following an altercation. Later, Harikumar, the main accused in the murder of Sanalkumar, was found dead hanging at his family house in Kallambalam on the outskirts of the city on November 13. Sanal’s wife Viji and their two sons are currently protesting before the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram as the State government has refused to pay any compensation.
City bids adieu to Balabhaskar
The city was inconsolable when it lost renowned violinist Balabhaskar who died on October 2 after being critically injured in the September 25 car accident that claimed the life of his two-year-old daughter Tejaswini Bala as well. His wife Lakshmi was also severely injured. The family was returning after offering prayers at Thrissur when their car crashed into a tree.
A close call
It was a rescue of unparalleled lines. A visitor to the city zoo had jumped into the open enclosure of lioness Gracy and crawled his way towards the big cat. The presence of mind of the zoo authorities, the daring act by zookeepers and the attitude of the two and a half-year-old lioness helped save the man's life. The man identified as A Murugan jumped the 15-foot trench and advanced towards the lioness on all fours. Timely intervention averted the danger.
High-profile case
The rape and murder of the Lithuanian tourist who had arrived in the city early this year had sent shock waves across the state. The tourist's murder left an indelible blot on the city's much-celebrated tourism landscape. It was for the first time that Kovalam, the state's prime tourism destination, was witnessing a tragedy of this magnitude and it rocked the city. The 33-year-old tourist who arrived in Kerala for ayurvedic treatment went missing from Kovalam on March 14. A month and a few days later, on April 21, her highly decomposed and headless body was found from a mangrove forest near Thiruvallam.
Filmy extravaganza
The 23rd International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2018 was held from December 7 to 14 in the city. The festival was held on a low-key note. There was low turn-out this year as the ticket fee was hiked. 2018 also saw the launch of an exclusive carnival of movies for children- the International Children’s Film Festival of Kerala (ICFFK).
Indian team outclasses the Windies
The city welcomed the India and West Indies ODI match after a period of 30 years. The city's sporting spirit reached its zenith when India won the ODI match over West Indies at Greenfield Stadium. Ravindra Jadeja became the Man of the Match and this was India's eighth consecutive bilateral ODI series win against the Windies.
Tying the knot
Indian cricketer Sanju Samson from the city married his longtime girlfriend Charulatha on December 22. The private ceremony was attended by family and close friends. The duo has known each other since graduation at the Mar Ivanios College.
Escaping the fire
A massive fire at the Manvila Industrial Estate on October 31 brought to focus the need to upgrad fire safety system in the city. A multi-storeyed building and a huge storage of raw materials and plastic products were completely destroyed. Timely intervention of the Fire Brigade, police and the district administration helped to avoid spread of the fire.
A matter of pride
Lakshmikutty Amma, popularly known as the grandmother of the jungle, received the Padma Shri award in January 2018. The 75-year-old from the Kallar region has helped cure more than thousands of people. She had also won 'Nattu Vaidya Ratna Award' instituted by the Kerala government in the year 1995.