​Kozhikode: Writer held for insulting' talk

Kozhikode: A casteist remark has landed noted short story writer Santhosh Echikkanam in trouble. The Sahitya Akademi award winner was arrested by the Kasaragod police on Saturday based on a complaint. He was later released on bail.

According to complainant Chamakochiyil Balakrishnan of Echikkanam, Santhosh had made a derogatory remark against the backward Mavilan community to which Balakrishnan...

Kozhikode: belongs. The writer, during a discussion on his story titled ‘Panthibhojanam’ organized by a book publisher based in Kottayam a few months ago, had said that some persons belonging to the lower caste became elites when they gained fame and money. Balakrishnan, who produced a video clip of the speech along with the complaint, said the speech was insulting to him and the community.

Santhosh surrendered before investigating officer Kasaragod SMS DySP Pradeep Kumar on Saturday morning after his attempt to seek anticipatory bail from the High Court failed.

Santhosh, who was arrested under sections of the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act, was produced before a magistrate in Kasaragod and was granted bail.

Santhosh has penned several books, including ‘Ottavathil’ and ‘Komala.’