The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 15, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

INL to work for DMK defeat

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Feb. 14. The Indian National League (INL) State unit has decided to work for the defeat of DMK candidates in the Lok Sabha election.

The general council, which met here today, under the chairmanship of the national president, Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait, criticised the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for its refusal to accommodate the INL in the Democratic Progressive Alliance. The meeting felt that it was the INL which worked for the alliance in the State. But its claim was ignored by the DMK.

The party authorised Mr. Sait and the State president, A.M. Abdul Khader, to take a final decision on its stand in the election.

`Minority interests ignored'

Talking to newsmen later, Mr. Sait said the DMK by refusing a seat to the INL, had ignored the interests of minorities. The DMK's argument that it had allotted one seat to the Muslim League could not be justified as it was the INL which represented a majority of the community in the State. Party workers were agitated at the DMK's attitude which showed its "opportunistic policies."

While a section of the workers favoured an alliance with the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, others were for floating a third front along with Puthiya Tamizhagam and the Dalit Panthers. All these factors would be taken into consideration before a final decision was taken, said Mr. Sait. Meanwhile, the Marumalarchi Muslim League decided to support the DMK front.

Fatal fall into borewell

By Our Staff Reporter

Dharmapuri Feb. 14. The body of a three-year-old boy, who fell into a 605-foot borewell at Adhiyaman Kottai here yesterday, was taken out today. Ajith fell 18 feet into the well while playing. Fire service and police personnel made efforts to rescue him. A health team offered emergency assistance. A team of nurses was put on standby with intravenous fluids.

Oxygen from cylinders was supplied through the narrow well. A giant excavator was brought and a hole dug near the well for the fire service personnel to make a parallel entry. But after digging 11 feet, the excavator developed a snag. Another excavator and two compressors for drilling were pressed into service. The fire service personnel continued the rescue efforts till late night.

The Joint Director of Health, B.T. Subramaniam, said "The boy died of shock and suffocation as he fell from a great height."

Post-mortem was done and the body handed over to the boy's relatives.

Tatkal applications for exam

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Feb. 14. The Directorate of Government Examinations will issue `tatkal scheme applications' from February 25 to March 3 for private candidates appearing for the higher secondary examinations. They will have to pay an examination fee (Rs.85 for the H category, Rs.635 for the HI category and Rs.187 for the HP scheme), besides Rs.1,000 as a special scheme fee. The fees are payable by demand drafts drawn in favour of ``the Director of Government Examinations, Chennai 6''.

The applications can be got from the offices of the Directorate in the DPI complex, College Road, Chennai 600 006, all Chief Educational Officers, the Joint Director (Education), Pondicherry and all regional Deputy Directors of Government Examinations.

The filled-in forms should be submitted personally at the Directorate here by 5 p.m on March 3, says a release from the Director, C. Palanivelu. The special scheme applications will not be accepted if they are submitted by post or any other manner. The photograph on the application form/hall ticket should be attested by only the headmaster or principal of the school in which the candidate studied.

Chennai only centre

All ``tatkal scheme' candidates will have examination centres only in Chennai. Once the applications are submitted, they will be scrutinised and the hall ticket and other details furnished the same day.

2 die after collision

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE Feb. 14. Two persons including a school student died of burns and four others were injured following a collision between two motorcycles near the Chitode weekly shandy in this district last evening. Udayakumar (40) of Rayarpalayam, Erode, was riding a motorcycle, with four school students, when the vehicle and the other driven by Kulandaivelu, dashed against each other. The vehicles were gutted and the riders thrown away. Venkataraman, a student, Kulandaivelu, and two others sustained burn injuries. Venkataraman died on way hospital and Kulandaivelu died after admission.

Lorry mows down 3 women

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUCHI Feb. 14. Three women were knocked down dead by a speeding lorry at Pinnavasal near Lalgudi today.

Nallammal (70), Mariyayi (75), and Ammakannu (50), of Pinnavasal were waiting for a bus, when the lorry proceeding to Kallakudi hit them while negotiating a curve near a bridge. All the three were killed on the spot. Raghu (8), a school student was admitted to the K. A. P. Viswanatham Government Medical College Hopsital with injuries. The lorry driver, R. Sivakumar, of Ammapettai in Thanjavur district was held.

Temple desecrated

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGERCOIL Feb. 14. The Bhadrakali temple at Melparai, near here was desecrated and idols were found damaged yesterday. According to the police, the miscreants on Thursday night broke into the temple in the Eraniel police limits, broke the stone images of Bhadrakali and Ganesh before fleeing.

Three held with Brazil currency

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE Feb. 14. The Bhavani police arrested three persons this morning for possession of Brazil currency equivalent to Rs 2.50 crores. According to the police, on specific information, a team went to Bhavani Pandara Appichi temple, where it saw Kumaresan (30), Mahadevan (25) and Kumar (29), all belonging to Bhavani, standing with a bag. The police examined the bag and found nine bundles of Brazil currency. The police are verifying whether the currency is genuine or duplicate and how the three came by it.

Passing-out parade for DSPs

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Feb. 14. The 17th batch of directly-recruited Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) passed out at a parade at the Police Training College at Ashoknagar here on Friday.

The batch comprised six women and 15 men. The recruits, who completed one year of basic training, will be sent to the districts for a six-month practical training.

The Additional Director-General, Law and Order, S. Venkatakrishnan, who took the salute, said the recruits would have to keep in view the changing police role, from more of policing earlier to service-orientation now. Against this background the training included human rights and gender sensitisation. The Additional Director-General (training), Letika Saran, and the Deputy Inspector-General, Training, S.R. Jangid, were present.

Inspector suspended

By Our Staff Reporter

Tirunelveli Feb. 14. A police inspector has been placed under suspension on charges of detaining ``a woman in a police station for more than two days''. According to police sources, Mohammed Hussain, detained Saraswathi and three others without registering any case against them for two days. Following a complaint, Mohammed Hussain was placed under suspension.

Chief Conservator shifted

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Feb. 14. G. Kumaravelu, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests (Research and Training), transferred and deputed to the Tamil Nadu Forest Plantation Corporation, Tiruchi, for appointment as Managing Director, vice R.Sundararaju, IFS, reverted to forest department and posted in the place of Dr.Kumaravelu.

Natyanjali

By Our Staff Reporter

Thanjavur Feb.14 . Natyanjali will be held at Adhikumbeswaraswamy Temple at Kumbakonam for three days from February 18 to 19, according to G. Rangaswamy Moopanar, president of the Natyanjali Committee. Eminent and budding bharatanatyam artists would give performance and pay their obeisance to the Lord Kumbeswara. The Natyanjali is organised on the lines of the Natyanjali of Chidambaram. The Sangeetha Nataka Academy, South Zone Cultural Centre, Chennai Nrithyodaya, Chidambaram Natyanjali, City Union Bank and Kutcheribuzz.com arrange programmes in the Natyanjali festival.

Aradhana

By Our Staff Reporter

Thanjavur Feb.14 .The 258th aradhana of Sri Narayana Theertha Swamigal will be held at the saint's brindavan on the banks of the Kodamuruti river at Thirupunthuruthi in Thanjavur district from February 26 to 28, according to a release issued here by the Narayana Theertha Swamigal Aradhana celebration committee.

Music programmes will be held for three days. Born in Andhra, Sri Narayana Theertha Swamigal travelled to south and got rid of his severe stomach pain after worshipping Lord Krishna of Varahur. He sang Krishna Leela Tharangini in praise of Lord Krishna. He attained `jeevasamadhi' under an evergreen mango tree on the banks of Kodamuruti at Thirupunthuruthi. Aradhana is organised every year by the celebration committee at Thirupunthuruthi.

Train timing

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUCHI Feb.14 . The train No. 715 Thanjavur-Tirunelveli passenger will arrive at Tiruchi Junction at 1-40 p.m. and will leave at 2 p.m., instead of 1.55 p.m. with effect from February 15, according to a Southern Railway release issued here today.

Mettur level

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI Feb.14 . The level in the Mettur reservoir stood at 30.97 feet today. The inflow was 220 cusecs and discharge nil.

Boy found dead

By Our Staff Reporter

VIRUDHUNAGAR FEB.14 . A 16-year-old boy was found dead with bleeding head injuries behind a rice mill along the Mettupatti-Thalavaipuram road this evening.

The victim was identified as Manikandan, a construction worker of Mettupatti. The body was removed to the Rajapalayam Government Hospital. The Seithur police are investigating the case.

Held with gun sans licence

By Our Staff Reporter

THENI FEB.14 . The `Q' branch police today arrested Annanji (31) of Sivalingapuram near here on the charge of holding a single barrel gun without any valid licence. They seized the gun from him. Later, the accused was handed over to police. A case has been registered.

Robbery in post office

By Our Staff Reporter

THENI FEB.14 . An unidentified gang broke open a locker in the Royappanpatti post office last night and robbed Rs.14,000. Acting on a complaint, the police have registered case and are investigating.

Forum directive to BSNL

By Our Staff Reporter

SRIVILLIPUTTUR FEB.14 . The Virudhunagar Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited was directed by the Virudhunagar District Consumer Redressal Forum recently to pay Rs.5,000 compensation to a factory-owner, for its failure to provide phone connection even five years after submitting application.

In his petition, S.A. Ganesan complained that he paid Rs.2000 as registration fee in January 1998, seeking a new line for his factory at Vetrilai Oorani near Vembakottai. He said many others, who applied after him, had been given connection, even as they paid just Rs.1000 towards registration fee under a concessional scheme.

When the case came up for hearing, the forum directed the BSNL to give new connection immediately and imposed a fine of Rs.5000, which should be adjusted in phone bills.

Medical camp

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGERCOIL FEB.14 . Free medical camps being conducted by the State Government through the Health department have helped to bring the medicare to the doorstep of the sick and the aged, the State Health Minister, N. Thalavai Sundaram, said.

He was inaugurating a one-day medical camp at Marungoor near here today.

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