Naveen Babu had just returned from a holiday trip to Rameswaram

Naveen Babu, Kannur ADM, who ended his life in official quarters had returned from home after a family trip during the Puja holidays. Together with his wife Manjusha, daughters Niranjana and Nirupama, he had gone to Trichi where his niece Sushama lives with her family. All of them then went to Dhanushkodi and Rameswaram. For his family, the news of his death is yet to sink in.

"He returned to Kannur, very happy. I have never seen him complain of any kind of work stress. This really shocked us. They planned the trip during Puja holidays and all of them were really happy," said Somasekharan Nair, brother-in-law of Naveen Babu. He was recently transferred to Pathanamthitta. A day ago, he told his family that he had reserved a ticket in Malabar Express and he would arrive around 2 am at Chengannur.

His wife and daughters waited for him at the station. Even after the train left, he wasn't found. They waited for almost half an hour at the station, trying to reach him on phone. Manjusha, Additional Tahasildar, Konni, then rang up his driver in Kannur who then alerted the police. When they reached the quarters, his phone could be heard ringing from inside. The police broke open the door and found him hanging in the bed room.

"We don't know what happened. He was such a happy person. We know that he is someone who doesn't commit anything in an illegal manner. His superiors always spoke highly of him. Whenever we met during family gatherings, he was very pleasant," said Somasekharan Nair, a Gulf-returnee. Naveen Babu has a sister Sabeena, a retired school teacher and his brother Praveen Babu is an advocate.
Praveen Babu and one of his friends have left for Kannur.