Caught Drunk Driving? Know Kuwait's Tough New Law
Attempting to Drive While Intoxicated: Anyone caught attempting to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs faces a fine ranging from KD 1,000 to KD 2,000 and imprisonment of one to two years.
Causing Property Damage While Intoxicated: Offenders who drive under the influence and cause damage to public or private property may be fined KD 2,000 to KD 3,000 and jailed for one and a half to two years.
Causing Injury or Death While Intoxicated: Those who cause injury or death while driving under the influence face fines of KD 2,000 to KD 5,000 and imprisonment of two to three years.
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The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
How a cook's brutal murder led to death penalty of a Chennai toddy shop owner in 1940
Trigger warning: the following article has references to physical violence and torture. Reader discretion advised. On Irusappa Gramani Street at Triplicane in Chennai lived Shanmugasundara Gramani, a man who gained notoriety in the area after he allegedly threatened picketers outside his toddy shop with a gun during a protest in 1938. His presence alone was enough to instil fear among locals, as he was infamous for violence both in public and private and was a 'known delinquent' (KD). However, it was for the brutal murder of a cook at his residence that he was arrested and finally executed in 1940. On May 7, 1939, The Hindu reported that an inquest was held at the General Hospital mortuary on the body of a woman exhumed from the Barbers' Bridge burial ground. The inquest began around 3 p.m. and continued until midnight. According to the report, the body was identified by some domestic workers employed at the residence of Shanmugasundara as that of Narasammal, a co-worker who had gone missing in early April that year. Medical evidence presented during the inquest revealed broken shoulder blades, a skull fracture, and a broken neck bones. Shanmugasundara and his wife Saradambal were then taken into the custody of the City Crime Branch. Ill-treatment of workers Shanmugasundara's household employed several domestic workers, who referred to him as both appa (father) and thambi (younger brother). He was reportedly known to forcibly tattoo his domestic workers, a practice rooted in caste-based domination. The working conditions were harsh; the workers often left after short stints as he was known to beat them for even minor faults. Narasammal was employed as a cook at a salary of ₹10 per month. She was around 40 years old, and was assisted in the kitchen by another cook named Lakshmi. Narasammal had told the latter that she was from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, and that her husband, who was mentally ill, lived with his sister in Kilpauk. Eight days after beginning work, Narasammal attempted to quit, citing her inability to stay up late at night and wake up early in the morning. However, Shanmugasundara sent his men to search for her. Within a few hours, one of them brought her back. His wife Saradambal reportedly slapped Narasammal and scolded her, saying, 'Is this why you took ₹10 in advance, just to run away on the eighth day?' She then took back some of the moneyfrom Narasammal. Following this incident, Narasammal remained in service. The fateful night Shanmugasundara had a daily routine that included consuming overnight-soaked green gram paste and rice congee (kanji), followed by a hot water bath. On the day following the Aruvathimoovar festival in Mylapore, he found there was no rice kanji left in the house. Angered by this, he summoned Lakshmi and struck her three times with a cane, demanding to know why she had failed to prepare the kanji. She remained silent out of fear. He then called for Narasammal, who could not come immediately, as she was occupied with other tasks. When she was brought before him, he beat her with the cane. During the assault, he tripped her, causing her to fall hard onto the brick flooring. She began bleeding from the mouth. He then ordered her to wash the blood from her face and clothes. Narasammal complied, rinsing herself at a nearby tap, and then went to the backyard to change her clothes. After finishing his bath, Shanmugasundara instructed a worker named Durgan to bring him unsplit casuarina sticks. Narasammal's killing According to witness Lakshmi, she later heard the sound of a severe beating, 'like that of a bullock being beaten.' She also heard cries of 'ayyo'. These cries were coming from the backyard. Shanmugasundara later instructed Durgan to fetch a rope, one end of which he tied to Narasammal's hair and used it to torture her. He then ordered the domestic workers to drag her near a window, even as blood was seen oozing from her head. The following day, at around 10.30 a.m., Narasammal began pleading for water. However, nothing was given to her. When Lakshmi attempted to help her, Saradambal told her to mind her own business, claiming that Narasammal was faking her condition. Around 3 p.m. that day, one of the servants found Narasammal dead, her body covered with a gunny bag. Later that night, around midnight, the body was moved to the backyard, where it remained for four days. The workers attempted to hide traces of the incident by sprinkling ashes over the bloodstains at the spot where she had fallen. However, by the next day, a foul smell began to emanate from near the latrine in the backyard. The murder came to light two weeks later, when one of the workers visited the home of Shanmugasundara's father-in-law in Chintadripet. A visitor there noticed an injury on the worker's body and asked about it. It was then that the truth about what had occurred in Shanmugasundara's house began to emerge. The investigation and arrest Police arrested Shanmugasundara, his wife Saradambal, and Thangavelu, a peon at the Mylapore burial ground. The case was initially heard at the George Town Police Court, which later committed it to the Criminal Sessions of the Madras High Court. Shanmugasundara was charged with the murder of Narasammal on April 2, 1939. His wife Saradambal was charged with aiding in the disposal of the body by having it packed and removed to the burial ground. Thangavelu was charged with assisting in the illegal removal and burial of the body, with the help of cemetery workers. According to witness testimony, a corpse wrapped in a gunny bag and sent by Thangavelu, allegedly described as the body of a person affected by leprosy, was buried at night. Defence's argument The trial began on January 2, 1940, and concluded on February 7. Justice Mockett presided over the proceedings. Nugent Grant, counsel for Shanmugasundara, argued that the woman Narasammal never existed. During the trial, it emerged that the prime witness Lakshmi had initially told the police, prior to Shanmugasundara's arrest, that no one named Narasammal had worked in the house and that no murder had occurred. However, after the arrest of the accused, Lakshmi gave a second statement to the police in which she contradicted her earlier account and confirmed the presence and death of Narasammal in the household. While answering questions from the counsel, Lakshmi deposed that when the police first questioned her about Narasammal's murder, she denied her existence as she was afraid of being beaten by Shanmugasundara. At the end of the trial, Shanmugasundara was found guilty of murdering Narasammal, and was sentenced to death. The second accused Saradambal was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment for causing the disappearance of evidence related to the murder. The third accused Thangavelu received three years of rigorous imprisonment for the same offence. Following the verdict, Shanmugasundara submitted a clemency petition to the then Governor. Among the grounds he cited were that public opinion had been prejudiced against him due to the circulation of several pamphlets portraying him as an inhuman and cruel individual. He also claimed that a large family was financially dependent on him and appealed for the death sentence to be commuted. However, his petition was rejected, and he was hanged in July 1940.
Kuwait Times
a day ago
- Kuwait Times
Kuwait revives co-op Kuwaitization plan with new online hiring system
KUWAIT: Kuwait's Ministry of Social Affairs announced Thursday that it will open online applications for supervisory positions in cooperative societies starting July 27, as part of the country's broader Kuwaitization strategy aimed at placing more citizens in leadership roles across key sectors. The move comes nearly a year after the ministry temporarily suspended earlier initiatives to Kuwaitize the sector. For the first time, candidates will be required to take an electronic exam on September 9, organized in cooperation with the Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST), according to the ministry's Acting Undersecretary Dr Khaled Al-Ajmi. 'In a first since appointments in co-ops began, the ministry will require applicants to take an electronic test,' Al-Ajmi told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), adding that passing with a score above 80 percent is mandatory to qualify for the in-person interview stage. The exam will count for more than 80 percent of the final evaluation, while the interview will account for 15 percent. The decision is part of a wider national effort to prioritize citizens for employment and address what officials have described as the country's 'demographic imbalance.' In 2023, the ministry launched its first round of Kuwaitization efforts in co-ops, posting supervisory jobs in five co-ops — Nuzha, Qortuba, Faiha, Jabriya, and Qadisiya — for positions such as directors, deputy directors, and department heads. A special committee was assigned to oversee the process. However, sources noted that turnout was lower than expected, citing job security concerns. Since then, the ministry has been working to expand the scope of the Kuwaitization initiative. In July 2024, it introduced a new vision that included general roles such as legal accountants, procurement clerks, and store managers. In January 2025, Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of State for Family and Childhood Affairs Dr Amthal Al-Huwailah announced the formation of a new committee tasked with overcoming obstacles in hiring Kuwaitis. Al-Ajmi emphasized that the new electronic test is intended to ensure fairness and transparency in the hiring process. 'The goal is to enhance transparency, equal opportunity, and job justice in selecting candidates,' he said, noting that a free, optional training course will be made available for applicants to prepare. Salaries for the available supervisory positions range from KD 1,000 to KD 2,000 depending on the role and its responsibilities, Al-Ajmi added. Assistant Director-General of the Public Authority of Manpower Musaed Al-Mutairi confirmed that the authority has activated a digital system to register and advertise vacancies submitted by co-ops. The job opportunities will be published through the 'Fakhrona' platform dedicated to hiring Kuwaiti nationals. Applications can be submitted via the authority's online portal or through the Sahel app, Al-Mutairi told KUNA. He added that cooperative societies are a promising space for young Kuwaitis to gain leadership experience, thanks to their community-focused and administratively flexible nature. — Agencies
Arab Times
2 days ago
- Arab Times
Not Declaring Gold, Cash at Kuwait Airport Could Cost You Everything
KUWAIT CITY, July 19: The Center for Government Communication (CGC) announced the regulations that travelers must adhere to for carrying cash and valuable items while traveling, reports Al- Seyassah daily. On its X account, the center explained that, according to the Customs Inspection Procedures Guide, travelers must declare cash amounts equivalent to KD 3,000 or more, whether in foreign or local currency, upon departure or arrival. Valuables such as watches, jewelry, and high-value devices should be carried in hand luggage along with their purchase receipts. Also, gold in all its forms must be declared. Travelers must prepare an outgoing customs declaration upon departure. Upon arrival in Kuwait, they are required to declare any gold and present the purchase receipts. The center warned that failure to declare gold may result in arrest or confiscation of the money or gold. It urged travelers to complete the customs declaration form when departing from Kuwait International Airport. The center stated that further details are available on the official website of the General Administration of Customs (GAC).
