Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government has decided to appoint retired IPS officer B Sandhya as the Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority member secretary. The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting convened on Thursday.

Sandhya, who belongs to the IPS batch of 1988, was the IG of the Armed Police Battalion, Traffic, Ernakulam and Thrissur ranges and Crime Branch. Subsequently, she became the ADGP in charge of Armed Police, Modernisation, South Zone and Training. She also served as Director General of the Kerala Police Academy. During superannuation, Sandhya was the Director General of Fire and Rescue Services.

The cabinet meeting has also decided to provide Rs 5 lakh each to the families of three people who died in blasts at a religious gathering in Kalamassery in Kochi on October 29. The Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund will be utilised for the purpose.

It was also decided to grant compensation to those who lost their lives due to bee, hornet and wasp attacks in the state. An amount Rs 10 lakh will be granted for the families of those who were killed in an attack that happened within a designated forest area and Rs 2 lakh for those killed in attacks outside the forest.

The meeting also decided against the proposal for an early release of Prakashan, who was convicted of sexually exploiting and murdering a differently-abled woman. The cabinet approved the proposed guidelines to allow remission of sentences to convicts, who were sentenced for up to 10 years and have no criminal history, if they have completed half their prison terms.

It was also decided to establish a Special Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Kollam for the trial of cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act.