Thiruvananthapuram, June 15 (IANS) In a state with 4.5 million unemployed youth, a story in a Kerala newspaper about the shortage of a hangman attracted hundreds for the job. But sadly for them, the police had no such requirement!

 
 Additional Director General of Police Alexander Jacob, currently in charge of the Jails Department, said he got many calls and also a few written applications from unemployed youths that they were willing to take up the job of a hangman.
 
 "There was nothing wrong with the news item that appeared because the fact of the matter is that the last of the traditional hangmen who worked here came from Nagercoil (near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border) and that family has ceased to exist," Jacob told IANS.
 
 "Those who read the news item got it wrong and felt that the Kerala Police was looking for a hangman," he added. 
 
 "The news item said that it has been more than two decades since someone was given the capital punishment in letter and spirit and since then, there has been no hangman either to do the job as currently there are nine convicts who have been awarded capital punishment," Jacob added.
 
 Of the nine, "one has applied to the president for clemency while the rest have filed appeals against the punishment given to them by the lower courts," he said.
 
 "But the fact of the matter is that we are not looking for a hangman, that's for certain and I have to disappoint those who evinced interest," Jacob added.