At a time, when Kerala is trying to limp back to normalcy with help from the donations, two government officials who had participated in the distribution of the donated goods have been arrested for embezzling the relief materials.
Kerala witnessed one of its worst floods in over a century. The incessant rainfall which lashed the southern state from the first week of August triggered flash floods and landslides and killed over 400 people from more than eight districts.
This embezzling incident took place in in Wayanad, one of the worst affected districts in the state. According to a senior police official the two accused, who have been identified as S Thomas and MP Dinesh, were nabbed after a complaint was filed by another senior government official, reported IANS.
According to the complaint registered, the duo were stopped by residents at a relief camp in Panamaram village located in the north region of Wayanad, when they were loading the relief materials into a vehicle.
Thomas and Dinesh claimed that they were moving the materials to another camp in the village. However, the residents did not believe them and alerted the police. The accused officials were arrested on Friday (August 24). On being interrogated, the police found out that they were lying.
On one hand, officials are being condemned for being corrupt even during a crisis, while on the other hand, students of the Cochin University of Science and Technology are being lauded for participating in the relief work.
University students will be given grace mark for participating in relief work. [Student volunteers manage and take stock of packed relief material for flood victims at SMV School, Trivandrum's largest relief material collection centre.]MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/Getty Images 
University students will be given grace mark for participating in relief work. [Student volunteers carry packed relief material for flood victims at SMV School, Trivandrum's largest relief material collection centre in Kerala].MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/Getty Images
In fact, the college had decided to honour the student volunteers, who helped with the relief work of housing 4,000 people, by awarding them grace marks, reported The News Minute.
Around 10 camps had been set up outside the university and residents of North Paravur, Varappuzha, Koonammavu, Kalamassery, and Aluva were lodged there.
