Government recognises boat race as sports event

Thiruvananthapuram, July 12 (UNI) The annual Boat race has been recognised as a sports event by Kerala government and the State Sports Council has been taking steps to get it included in the National Games, Sports and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Vijayakumar told the State Assembly today.

Replying to a submission by Mr C K Sadasivan (CPI-M), he said the recognition would come into effect with the forthcoming Nehru Trophy Boat Race.

Mr Vijayakumar said the State Sports Council has been directed to take necessary steps to get the boat race included in the National Games for national and international recognition.

Meanwhile, replying to another submission by Mr N Sakthan (Cong), Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said those responsible for the murder of C Asokan, a peon attached to the Neyyattinkara branch of the Kerala State Financial Enterprise, would be arrested soon.

Fingerprint experts from the Forensic Department were assisting the police to identify the culprits.

Asokan, who was on his way to deposit Rs four lakh of the company with a nearby bank, was found murdered in a tapioca plantation at Pathankallu, near Neyyattinkara, yesterday. A car was also found abandoned near the plantation. The money was found in the car and it was seized.

Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac said steps would be taken to provide relief to Asokan's family.

UNI