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Saturday, Jun 12, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Declared `proclaimed offender'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI JUNE 11. The judge of the Designated Court No.II under TADA (P) Act, S. Baskaran, has declared Velu alias Boopalan of Srinivas Manthoppu, Dharmapuri, an accused in a bomb blast case, as a "proclaimed offender."

The case pertains to an explosion on the railway track between Dharmapuri and Palacode railway stations on October 5, 1992, resulting in damage to the track.

The police submitted that Velu had committed offences punishable under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) IPC read with Section 3(2), 4, 5 and 6 of TADA (P) Act, Section 150(2)(a) of the Railways Act and 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.

He was stated to be absconding. Velu was abstaining from attending courts from February 7, 2003, the police said. The court said the accused should appear before the Designated Court or the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) `Q' branch CID, Tirupathur or the DSP of the special unit in Chennai on or before June 22.

Ilavarasan produced in court

By Our Special Correspondent

VILLUPURAM JUNE 11. Suba Ilavarasan, leader of the banned Tamizhar Viduthalai Iyakkam, was produced before the Ulundurpet Magistrate Court here today, in connection with the November 10, 2002, electricity tower blast case.

Gandhi, magistrate, posted the case to June 15.

Amid security, Ilavarasan was allowed to talk to his wife, Kaviarasi, for a few minutes. Later, he was escorted to the Poonamallee prison near Chennai. The police said Ilavarasan and his accomplices — Manivannan, Arul, Arjunan and Packiaraj — were reported to have attempted to blast the pylon at Thoppaiyankulam near Ulundurpet in a bid to disconnect power supply from Neyveli to Karnataka protesting against the "refusal by Karnataka to release the rightful share of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu."

Court permission for TNLA leader

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI JUNE 11. The Special Court for TADA cases here has permitted the Tamil National Liberation Army (TNLA) leader, Maran, to visit his native village for a day.

S. Bhaskaran, special judge, granted the permission to Mr. Maran who pleaded that he was not able to meet any of his relatives at the high-security Poonamallee prison where he was lodged since February 2001. Mr. Maran will visit his native Mullankudi village, near Anaikkarai in Tiruchi district, for a day between June 15 and 28. Mr. Maran faces two cases — the Kullanchavadi police station attack case, and the other relating to damage caused to a Gandhi statue at Vizhupuram.

Re-postmortem ordered

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM JUNE 11. A re-postmortem examination was conducted today on the body of remand prisoner Venkatachalam of Vadukapatti, who died in Salem Government Medical College Hospital on Wednesday night under mysterious circumstances. Accusing the police of causing the death of Venkatachalam, who was arrested for allegedly selling toddy, his relatives and members of the Tamil Nadu Nadar Peravai refused to accept his body after the post-mortem exanation.

They took out a procession to the Collectorate and submitted a petition demanding a judicial enquiry into his death. The Salem Collector, A. Sukumaran, ordered re-postmortem in the presence of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and the Salem RDO, P. Kannusamy, as per Section 151 of the Police Standing Order. Doctors performed the postmortem examination again in the evening. Based on the report, action would be taken, said the Collector. Later, the relatives and friends accepted the body.

Selected for World Bank project

By Our Staff Reporter

THENI JUNE 11. The G. Usilampatti panchayat in Andipatti taluk has been selected for implementing the World Bank-funded Tamil Nadu Empowerment and Poverty Reduction Project in the district, the Theni Collector, Sunil Paliwal, said today. In a release here, he said the State government selected one village panchayat each in Theni, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Cuddalore and Perambalur districts for implementing it as a pilot project. This project would be extended to other parts of the State.

A sum of Rs. 40 lakhs would be spent in G. Usilampatti panchayat for providing basic amenities, poverty reduction programme, health scheme and income generation schemes. Infrastructure development works had already been taken up.

Annadanam in more temples

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI JUNE 11. Annadanam scheme of the State government, now available in 162 temples, will be extended to nine more temples from June 14, according to an official release. The temples are Sri Agastheeswarar Temple, Villivakkam, Chennai; Sri Vadaranyeswarar Swamy Temple, Thirvalangadu, Tiruvallur; Sri Vilvanatheeswarar Temple, Katpadi, Vellur; Sri Kadu Hanumantharaya Swamy Temple, Darapuram, Erode; Sri Neelivaneswarar Temple, Tirupaingili, Mannachanallur, Tiruchi; Sri Muthumariamman Temple, Tiumayam, Pudukottai; Sri Sowriraja Perumal Temple, Tirukannapuram, Nannilam, Tiruvarur; Sri Chokkanatha Swamy Temple, Aruppukottai, Virudhunagar; and Sri Suyambulinga Swamy Temple, Uvari, Tirunelveli.

The scheme, providing free noon meal to devotees, was first introduced by the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, in 63 temples on March 23, 2002.

Subsequently, it was extended to 162 temples. Now nine more temples are added to the scheme, the release said.

Buffaloes sacrificed

By Our Staff Reporter

KARUR JUNE 11. Seven buffaloes were sacrificed at a temple festival at Kulakaranpatti near Thogamalai in the district on Thursday.

Sources said seven out of the 63 buffaloes brought to the Durgai Amman Temple were sacrificed after rituals. The rest were auctioned, the sources said.

The `Oorali Goundars' celebrate the ritual at the temple once in seven years. This year, the festival was being held between June 8 and 12.

Youth murdered

By Our Staff Reporter

PERAMBALUR JUNE 11 . A 27-year-old youth was allegedly murdered by an unidentified group of persons near the new bus stand here. The deceased has been identified as S. Tirumurugan of Melapuliyur.

The police said the murder was a sequel to a wordy duel that broke out between two groups in a liquor shop close to the bus stand.

Tirumurugan and his friend, Senthilkumar, who reportedly entered into an argument with a group, were attacked with lethal weapons. They were admitted to the K.A.P.Viswanatham Government Medical College Hospital in Tiruchi, where Tirumurugan died today.

The Perambalur police have registered a case.

Policeman injured

By Our Staff Reporter

PUDUKOTTAI JUNE 11 . A police head constable sustained minor injury when a detonator seized at Viralimalai in the district a few days ago exploded while it was being defused today.

The incident occurred in an open space near the District Police Office here. The injured head constable was treated as an out-patient in the Government Hospital here, the police said.

Some detonators were seized while being transported illegally in a van at Viralimalai last month following which a case was registered by the local police.

When one of the seized detonators was being defused using battery in the presence of Scientific Officer, it exploded. The head constable, attached to the Armed Reserve, who was standing a few metres away, sustained injury in his left ear after some small stones hit him, the police said.

Held with fake passport

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI JUNE 11. Sheik Allaudin (24) of Vasantha Nagar, Lalgudi, was arrested by the Airport Police on Thursday for attempting to travel to Riyadh with a forged passport.

In another case, Fathima Beevi (30) of Kovilpatti near Manapparai was arrested for attempting to travel to Kuwait with a forged ECNR (Emigration Check Not Required) seal on her passport.

Mettur level

By Our Staff Reporter

Tiruchi June 11 . The level in the Mettur reservoir stood at 38.85 feet today. The inflow was 1,855 cusecs and the discharge 50 cusecs.

Boy drowned

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE JUNE 11. A boy was drowned while taking a bath in the Bhavani on Thursday evening. The police said that Yuvaraj (18), son of Nachimuthu of Kurumbapalayam, had gone to bath in the river after playing cricket with his friends on the banks of the Bhavani. The body was recovered after two hours.

Yuvaraj had just completed plus-two.

Killed

By Our Staff Reporter

Krishnagiri June 11. A 35-year-old man was killed on the spot when the auto he drove collided with a private bus at Hosur on Thursday. The police said Rajappa was on his way to the local market when the auto crashed with a private bus bound for Hosur. The Hudco police have registered a case.

Handed over

By Our Staff Reporter

Dharmapuri June 11. A newborn girl was handed over to the authorities at the Dharmapuri General Hospital here on Thursday. Hospital sources said Palaniammal, wife of Ashokan, had given birth to a baby girl a few days ago. As the couple already had two daughters, they handed over the baby to the Cradle Baby centre.

Enquiry section

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM JUNE 11. Periyar University has opened a special enquiry section to redress the grievances of students of its affiliated colleges.

According to a statement from its registrar, the section, established by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. T. Balakrishnan, will function on all working days between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the university premises. Students can contact the section over phone number: 0427-2346022.

Agriculture fair

By Our Staff Reporter

Coimbatore June 11. Discussions on cultivating organic crops and obtaining certification for organic farm produce will be the highlights of `Organic Agri Fair 2004', to be organised here on June 12 and 13.

The event is being jointly organised by the Organic Agriculture Scientific Society for Integrated Services (OASIS) and the Indian Society for Certification of Organic Products (ISCOP) at the Dr. T. V. Sivanandha Memorial Hall at Tatabad.

Leaves for Delhi

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE JUNE 11. A team of 10 textile manufacturers and traders led by the president of Erode Handloom Cloth Merchants Association, R.S. Nataraja Mudaliar, left for New Delhi last night to meet the Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram.

They would give a memorandum seeking withdrawal of the ten per cent Central Value Added Tax (CENVAT) on textiles.

Residents block road for laying road

By Our Staff Reporter

Nagercoil June 11. The residents of Kursadi, Thevasagayam Mount and Perumalpuram near Aralvaimozhi staged a road roko on the busy Nagercoil-Tirunelveli national highway for more than 50 minutes today, urging the district administration to lay road on the banks of the Poigaikalvai.

According to sources, the administration had evicted encroachments from the banks of the channel after giving assurance to the people that immediate steps would be taken to lay road for their benefit. However, the officials failed to fulfil their promise.

However, the residents withdrew their agitation, after revenue officials assured to lay road at the earliest.

Fisherman drowned

By Our Staff Reporter

Nagercoil June 11. A fisherman died when a `vallam' turned upside down in mid-sea owing to the rough weather today.

According to the police, Anthony Pillai (60) of Marthandamthurai near Kollencode ventured into the sea for fishing in a vallam along with three more fishermen. While they were waiting for the catch after casting nets, a giant wave hit their vallam. When the vallam capsized, he got head injuries and fell into the sea. The remaining three others recovered the body of Anthony Pillai.

The police have registered a case and are investigating.

189 family cards seized

By Our Staff Reporter

Nagercoil June 11. In a surprise raid, revenue officials seized 189 family cards from two public distribution shops last night.

On a direction from the Collector, K. Chellamuthu, a flying squad team conducted raid in the Mayakulam and Mangaleswari fair price shops. In the Mayakulam ration shop, the officials found 118 family cards without any valid reasons. They also found 71 cards from the Mangaleswari ration shop. Most of the cards were manipulated. The Collector ordered the officials concerned to take stringent action against the salesmen.

Computer training

By Our Staff Reporter

THENI June 11. The Theni Collector, Sunil Paliwal, said computer software training would be given to Adi Dravida students in the Thangamuthu Polytechnic during 2004-2005.

In a release here, he said Adi Dravida students, who had passed or failed in the Plus-Two examination, were eligible to join the course. The age limit is 13-30 years. Those interested may apply along with xerox copies of community certificate, income certificate, ration card and transfer certificate, on or before June 15, 2004 to the District Manager, TAHDCO.

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