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Friday, Dec 24, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Chain snatched

TUTICORIN DEC. 23. A woman was robbed while she was returning home after offering prayers at a temple at Chidambara Nagar, situated in the heart of the town, on Wednesday evening.

The police said a case has been registered on a complaint from Shenbagavalli that an unidentified person snatched away the 10-sovereign chain she was wearing.

One killed

TUTICORIN DEC. 23. Kovilpitchai (46) of Vallanadu died when the motorcycle he was riding dashed against a car near Pakkapatti bridge, falling under Murappanadu police station limits on Wednesday.

The victim suffered serious injuries and succumbed a in a private hospital. Murappanadu police are on the look out for the car driver.

Youth held

TUTICORIN DEC. 23. The police arrested a 20-year-old youth for allegedly stealing a grinder kept outside a shop at Kayathar on Wednesday.

Ayub Khan was arrested on a complaint from one Mohideen Pitchai, that the grinder was missing since Wednesday morning.

Demonstration

NAGERCOIL DEC. 23. Residents of Sarakkal Vilai, Vallan Kumaran Vilai, Irulappapuram and Chinna Vannan Vilai held a demonstration in front of the Collectorate here on Thursday, protesting against acquisition of land by the housing board.

Leaders of various political parties, including the district secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, K. Suresh Rajan, the district secretary of the Congress (East), Jeyapal, participated.

CPI demo

TUTICORIN DEC. 23. Demanding waiver of agriculture loans issued to farmers, about 70 workers belonging to the Communist Party of India staged a demonstration in front of the District Cooperative Bank premises here today.

Seven-year jail for robbery

PONDICHERRY DEC.23. The Pondicherry chief judicial magistrate, K. Damodharan, yesterday sentenced three persons from Salem district in Tamil Nadu to seven-year rigorous imprisonment in an April 2002 case of robbery.

The prosecution case is that Khader Moideen, Fakrudeen and Shanker, along with Bharatkumar and Babu, posing as telephone staff, entered the house of Sivaraj at Ilango Nagar, tied up his wife, Surya, who was alone, and made away with silver vessels and gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs. 1 lakh. The prime accused, Khader Moideen, is said to be involved in 25 cases in various districts of Tamil Nadu in identical crimes. The judge sentenced him, Fakrudeen and Shanker to three-year RI under Section 347 of the Indian Penal Code (for wrongful restraint) read with Section 34; for another seven-year RI under Section 450 (trespass with intent to commit offence) read with Section 34 and another seven-year RI under Section 395 (robbery) read with Section 34.

All the three sentences would run concurrently with the imprisonment imposed in a sessions case by an Erode fast track court. The judge acquitted Babu and Bharatkumar for want of evidence.

TASMAC shop staff suspended

By Our Special Correspondent

CUDDALORE Dec. 23. Nine superintendents of the TASMAC-run Indian-made foreign liquor shops in the district have been placed under suspension for allegedly indulging in malpractices.

An official release said the TASMAC regional manager, C. Rajkumar, Tiruchi, had ordered the suspensions, following complaints that the superintendents had mixed water with liquor by tampering with the bottles and sold the beverages in excess of the marked prices. These superintendents were serving in the shops at Vriddhachalam, Ko. Chathiram and Kumaramangalam.

Maudhany refuses medical aid

Coimbatore Dec. 23. The Kerala-based People's Democratic Party leader, Abdul Nasser Maudhany, an undertrial in the Coimbatore serial blast case at the Central Prison here, refused to accept medical aid today, when a 14-member medical team attempted to attend on him for treatment relating to replacement of his artificial limb.

Maudhany was arrested in 1998 on charges of aiding and abetting Al-Umma allegedly behind the February 14, 1998 blasts which claimed 58 lives besides leaving nearly 200 injured. The undertrial had on various occasions moved the Special Court for Bomb Blast cases, the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court seeking bail and permission for admission to a private hospital for replacing his artificial limb, which according to him was long overdue.

The State Government promulgated a movement restriction order stating that his shifting from Coimbatore would affect the pace of the trial. It deputed a team of doctors and technicians from the Artificial Limb Centre at K.K. Nagar in Chennai. When the medical team including eight persons from Coimbatore and six from Chennai including doctors, technicians and paramedical staff visited Maudhany this morning, he according to prison sources reportedly refused to avail himself of the medical aid stating that he would wait for the ruling of the Supreme Court in the bail application and on his petition seeking medical aid in a private hospital.

`Do not amend Patents Act'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Dec. 23. The People's Health Movement today staged a demonstration in the city demanding that the Centre should not amend the Patents Act 1970 "in the interest of profits of multinational drug companies."

Alleging that the Government was avoiding a debate in Parliament and outside on the proposed third set of amendments to the Act in the face of international pressure, the demonstrators urged that there should be no ordinance incorporating the proposed amendments to enable grant of patent protection to drugs as distinct from patents for processes of making drugs. They also called for steps to check rise in prices of essential medicines.

Posted to Finance Commission

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI DEC. 23. In a minor shuffle effected by the State Government today, K. Shanmugam, who is on reversion to the State cadre, has been posted as Member-Secretary, Third State Finance Commission. He will replace Ashok Dongra.

According to an official release, N. Dhananjayan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, will replace Pradeep Yadav, as Inspector-General of Registration. Mr. Yadav will be appointed the Executive Director of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation in place of Md. Nasimuddin, who is holding additional charge. The post will be equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of `Director of Social Welfare' as per the IAS (Pay) Rules, 1954. The services of Mr. Dongra have been placed at the disposal of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board for appointment as Managing Director, in place of Ambuj Sharma, who is holding additional charge.

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