Chasing stories is in itself enriching. And journalists often get more than what they bargained for. Here, our reporters share their experiences en route the news journey
No entry for Black!
President Ram Nath Kovind was slated to reach Central University of Kerala for its 5th convocation at 3.30pm on December 21. Students and teachers were excited. The early birds trickled into the convocation tent by 10.30am. By noon, an assistant professor walked up with the convocation robe in his arm. But a police officer stopped him. “You cannot enter the president’s venue carrying a black cloth.” The surprised teacher said, “This is a convocation robe. I’m supposed to wear this.” But the officer, who may have seen several street protests, would have none of it. “No black permitted inside,” he stood his ground. Soon more students and teachers queued up wearing black gowns! And the officer’s seniors stepped in to allow everybody in.
George Poikayil
Sorry, wrong number!
Often, especially in Covid times, details for a story are received over the phone. There lies the danger. While inquiring about an attack on a woman aboard a train, I rang up an ‘officer with the railway protection force’. I raised my doubts and shot off queries, in rapid succession. The person on the other side, quite encouragingly, heard me out patiently. After nearly three minutes, he told me calmly: “I would have been very happy to provide the information were I the right person!” Sometimes, there are multiple contacts with identical names, and in a hurry, you end up dialling the wrong person. After apologising profusely, I rebuked myself for having wasted valuable time.
Anu Kuruvilla
Reporting, of a different kind
Makochi in Kokkayar was clouded in gloom following a devastating landslide. A search was on for the missing, even on the second day. Television reporters were busy with live updates while photographers were on their toes to capture any development that may happen. As a few bodies were recovered from the debris, a middle-aged man carrying a diary ran to the rescue workers and began asking for details. A murmur rose among the journalists on the ‘ill-mannered’ act. “Who is he? From which media house?” Though a feeling of dismay was in the air, the person continued his work, talking to the kin of the deceased, and noting down points. It wasn’t until a few hours later that the identity of the person was clear -- the additional district magistrate. He was deputed by the district administration to take stock of the situation. Soon the journalists were approaching him for verified information.
M Arun
Night stay? No, thanks!
Going to the forest settlement of Gavi on an assignment requires at least a day. I made many friends there over the course of a few trips. Once, it was raining heavily and my acquaintances invited me to stay in their layams (line houses) located in valleys. So I decided to stay overnight. Elaborating on their life in Gavi, they told me that leopards and tigers would at times pass over the rooftops of the layams at night. “Don’t panic,” they said. One person told me there is a place nearby known as Anachal where elephants would sometimes open the doors of their layams using their trunks at night. Hearing all that, I didn’t have to think twice before asking the time of the next bus to Pathanamthitta town. Fortunately, I got the last bus of the day, and my friends in Gavi couldn’t stop laughing.
Sajimon P S
Broken secret
When the second lockdown was imposed, even religious places were asked to remain closed temporarily and not to conduct mass prayers. During the period, this correspondent, along with a photographer, happened to visit a rural area close to Mukkam town in Kozhikode district. It was getting dark. And the entire village looked deserted. We moved into a small bus-waiting shed to file some of the photographs taken earlier. While we were working in the dim light of our mobile phones and laptops, we saw a group of people walking down the road purposefully. The camera stopped them in their tracks, embarrassed. “Please don’t put us in trouble,” went the refrain. Due to the strict restrictions, they had taken to offering prayers at night in secrecy.
Pooja Nair
Serving state, NRK style
Wooing investors to Kerala? Not easy. Changing the ‘business unfriendly’ perception would perhaps take time. But what if well-planned attempts to attract investment suffer setbacks from the most unexpected quarter? Industries Minister P Rajeeve shared one such instance, as narrated by Technopark founding CEO G Vijayaraghavan. The investor meet organised by the state government in Singapore was smooth initially. After the usual pitch of unique advantages, like quality of living, connectivity, setting and workforce, the floor was opened for questions. And a Malayali stood up, and lambasted the state government! He ended his lecture wondering how the government hopes to attract investment when it can’t run KSRTC properly.
Rajesh Abraham
Obedient leader
While on the Congress beat, this correspondent stumbled upon an interesting little sequence from an eyewitness. Congress president Sonia Gandhi convened a meeting of MPs at the parliamentary party office in Delhi after the winter session of Parliament on December 22. When Kerala MPs called on her, she noticed that one of them was not sporting a facemask though he wore his trademark shawl around his neck. Given the Omicron threat, with one MP from Uttar Pradesh having tested positive, the Congress president reminded him about a mask. He promptly went out of the room to get one for himself. Another Kerala MP — known for his sharp tongue — was busy recording these exchanges on his mobile phone. Instantly, Sonia Gandhi reprimanded him. And the leader tucked the phone into his pocket, like an obedient schoolboy.
Cynthia Chandran
A futile wait
The opening of the Cheruthoni dam shutters in Idukki has become a closely watched affair ever since the 2018 flood. This year too, when the shutters were raised on October 19, an alert was issued for a possible inundation of areas downstream of the Periyar. Journalists reached Aluva for spot reports. By 10.30am, hundreds of people were waiting with bated breath for water to rush in. Government officials camped at the nearby guest house and updates were live on TV. But even as hours ticked away, the river continued to flow calmly. No amount of staring led to a rise in water level! Finally, around 7pm, a visual media reporter shouted aloud: “Has anyone seen the water released from the dam? The police have issued a look-out notice!”
Ajay Kanth
Illus: Soumyadip Sinha
Design: vinu sebastian