This town in Kerala has been working for Israeli police

Team Udayavani, Oct 19, 2023, 1:58 PM IST

Kannur: While political leaders worldwide express their views on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, an intriguing story emerges from a quaint town in northern Kerala. For the past eight years, thousands of skilled tailors and workers at Maryan Apparel Pvt Ltd have been diligently crafting uniforms for the Israeli Police Force.

Kannur, renowned for its traditional handlooms and textile exports, witnesses the production of light blue, long-sleeved uniforms for the Israel Police Force, courtesy of Marion Apparel. But the collaboration goes beyond clothing—this unit also manufactures the double-pocket shirts and pants for the Israeli army, complete with the distinctive emblems adorning the uniform sleeves.

Thomas Olikall, a Kerala businessman based in Mumbai, owns this uniform manufacturing facility, boasting an estimated 1,500 skilled employees. In a recent interview with a Malayalam newspaper, Thomas, hailing from Thodupula in Idukki district, revealed that the Israeli police had reached out to his company even after the conflict began, requesting more uniforms.

The demand for these new uniforms has surged this year, with the first batch set to be exported in December. Thomas emphasized the need for cargo pants and shirts suitable for police training.

Over the past eight years, Maryan Apparel Pvt Ltd has consistently supplied one lakh uniforms to the Israel Police, a source of pride for Thomas and his team, who take satisfaction in supporting a robust police force like Israel’s.

Regarding the export of uniforms, representatives from the Israel Police Force visited Mumbai for discussions, followed by senior officials’ inspection of the Kannur factory, scrutinizing the designs and quality. Thomas shared that he stayed in Kerala for approximately ten days during these consultations.

This company’s reach extends beyond Israel, as it manufactures and exports uniforms to various countries globally, serving armed forces, police departments, security personnel, and healthcare workers. Their portfolio even includes uniforms for schoolchildren, supermarket staff, and medical professionals’ coats.