India: Scribe's widow given govt job

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 4 (PTI): The Kerala government on Wednesday issued order appointing widow of a senior journalist, who was killed after being hit by a car driven by IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman, at the Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam university in Tirur.

Jaseela, 32, a commerce graduate, would be posted as an assistant at the universty, the order stated.

The state cabinet had earlier given the nod for the appointment which would be in accordance with her qualification.

A financial aid of Rs 6 lakh had also been sanctioned to the family of K M Basheer.

Basheer(35), the Thiruvananthapuram bureau chief of Malayalam daily "Siraj" was killed on the spot when the luxury car driven by the IAS officer, allegedly in an inebriated condition, had hit him in the wee hours of August 3.

Venkitaraman, who was serving as the survey director, was arrested hours after the mishap.

He is presently under suspension.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe into the case.