Pathanamthitta: Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu's funeral will be held on Thursday at 3 pm at his residence in Pathanamthitta's Malayalappuzha. His mortal remains was taken in a procession to the district collectorate by 9 am for the public to pay their respects. Afterwards, the body was brought to his home for the final rites.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George, Revenue Minister K Rajan, Vizhinjam Seaport MD and former Pathanamthitta District Magistrate Divya S Iyer and former Ranni MLA Raju Abraham were also present at the collectorate.
Naveen was found dead at his official quarters in Kannur on Tuesday morning. It was alleged that he took his own life following humiliation and accusations of corruption by Kannur District Panchayat president P P Divya during his farewell meeting on Monday. His body was brought to Pathanamthitta by Wednesday noon, accompanied by Kannur district collector Arun K Vijayan and CPM’s Kannur district secretary M V Jayarajan.
Rights panel takes case
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has initiated a case based on a complaint by lawyer V Devdas, seeking action against P P Divya. Judicial member K Byjunath notified the district administration, directing the District Collector and Police Chief to investigate and submit a report within two weeks. The Commission will review the case on November 19 at a sitting in the Kannur government guest house.
Petroleum traders demand vigilance probe
The All Kerala Federation of Petroleum Traders has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, calling for a Vigilance inquiry into issuing No Objection Certificates (NoCs) for petrol pumps in the last seven years. The federation highlighted widespread corruption in the process, which allegedly worsened after the authority to issue NoCs was granted to Additional District Magistrates (ADMs). However, they clarified that Naveen Babu was known to be an honest officer.
Opposition protests
The Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held protests across the state on Tuesday, demanding action against P P Divya and her resignation. Demonstrators marched toward her residence in Kannur but were stopped by police barricades about a kilometre away. Several Youth Congress members were taken into custody. In response to the incident, a hartal was also observed on Wednesday in the Malayalappuzha panchayat.
Statewide strike by revenue officials
Revenue officials across Kerala went on strike on Wednesday, abstaining from their duties in protest. Several officials also held demonstrations at the Pathanamthitta district collectorate.
Naveen Babu was found dead at his official quarters in Kannur on Tuesday morning, just a day after Divya, a prominent CPM leader, allegedly gatecrashed his farewell event and accused him of accepting a bribe to approve a fuel station in Chengalayi panchayat. Naveen had been transferred to his home district of Pathanamthitta, with only six months left before his retirement from the Revenue Department.
According to reports, Divya, who was not invited to the event, accused the ADM of delaying the approval and hinted that he had taken a bribe. She allegedly promised to reveal evidence of this within two days. After Naveen's death, fuel station owner Prashanthan TV also claimed that he paid Rs 98,500 to the ADM on October 6 in exchange for an NoC, which was issued on October 8. He said he sent a WhatsApp complaint about the incident to the Chief Minister on October 10, under Divya’s guidance.
Naveen's brother, Praveen Babu, lodged a complaint with the Kannur City Police on Wednesday, demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the ADM's death. He has called for a case to be registered against Divya and fuel station owner Prashanthan TV.