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Monday, Jan 10, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Youth murdered

By Our Staff Reporter

TUTICORIN JAN.9. A 27-year-old youth, Narayanan, was murdered at Tiruchendur near here this evening. The police said they are on the lookout for Sakthivel on charges of murdering the youth.

Suicide alleged

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin Jan.9. A 23-year-old girl committed suicide at Ettayapuram in the wee hours of today, setting fire on her. The Ettayapuram police are investigating.

Wires stolen

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin Jan.9. Unidentified persons stole electric wires of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board from North Silukenpetti near here today.

The police said a case was registered based on a complaint from Karan Singh, Assistant Engineer, TNEB, that 2,246 metres had been missing since January 6. The Thattaparai police are investigating.

Two held on stealing charge

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin Jan.9. Ponnudurai and Murugan were today arrested here on charges of stealing iron pipes on Saturday.

The police said the arrest was made on the basis of a complaint lodged by Paul Raj that three iron pipes belonging to him were missing from Velayudhapuram area falling under the Kovilpatty east police station limits.

The accused were remanded to judicial custody.

Infant body found

By Our Staff Reporter

Ramanathapuram Jan.9. A one-day-old female body was found dead today at Chathirakudi, 15 km from here.

Sources said it was an act of female infanticide.

Two arrested

By Our Staff Reporter

THENI JAN.9. Paraman (26) and Easwaran (21) were arrested on charges of stealing air conditioner from the Theni Government Hospital today.

Acting on a complaint, the police filed a case and arrested the duo when they attempted to sell the air conditioner in a market. They were remanded to judicial custody.

Relief materials

By Our Staff Reporter

Karaikudi Jan.9. Relief materials collected by all service organisations, schools and colleges have been sent to Nagarcoil in four lorries for distribution to tsunami victims.

The president of the Rotary Club of Karaikudi, A. Thenappan, said a group of volunteers had accompanied the lorries to assist in the distribution work.

National flag to fly half-mast

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI JAN. 9. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today announced that the National Flag would fly at half-mast in the State on January 12 as a mark of respect to tsunami victims.

In a statement here, she said that as the Centre had conceded the State's request in this regard, the National Flag would fly at half-mast at the Secretariat and other places on January 12.

As announced, the Cabinet would meet at 10.30 a.m. on that day and adopt a condolence resolution after observing two minutes' silence. Homage would be paid at the same time at all educational institutions, Government offices, public sector undertakings and private establishments, she said.

Reopening of schools

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI JAN. 9. Most of the schools in tsunami-hit Nagapattinam district will reopen on Monday, said Santha Sheela Nair, Rural Development Secretary and Relief Commissioner in charge of the district.

To facilitate smooth functioning of schools, the affected people, now camping in schools, would be relocated in the nearby relief camps such as community halls and places of worship, said a release by the Press Information Bureau this evening.

Attendance in the relief camps was on the decline as many people had moved over to the houses of their relatives. Subsequently, the number of the camps went down from over 80 to 30 in Nagapattinam. Temporary shelters would be made ready so that those at the camps could go there before Pongal, Ms. Nair said.

Tirukkural conference

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI JAN. 9. The Tamil community in the United States is to organise a two-day international Tirukkural conference in Columbia in July this year.

Talking to presspersons here on Saturday, the conference organiser, R. Prabhakaran, said this year's annual Tamilar Tiruvizha would have a day-long discussion and analysis on Tirukkural. Scholars, students and others from other regions in the U.S., Malaysia, Sri Lanka and some European countries were expected to participate.

"We, who have spent decades in the U.S., are dutybound to teach the traditional values, culture and literature to the next generation," Mr. Prabhakaran said, adding, "we have not adequately popularised classical works like Tirukkural." He was of the view that most of the translated versions of Tirukkural did not convey the full meaning and implications to its new readers. Only conferences like this would help its overseas readers to understand it in proper perspective, he said.

Tamil scholar T. Murugarathanam lauded the efforts of Tamils settled abroad and said it reflected the concern of uprooted parents to teach the best of Indian culture and tradition to their wards. Now Tirukkural must be given its due place among the younger generation, he said.

They expected universities and government agencies such as the University Grants Commission to help scholars from India to participate in the conference.

3 killed in car-bus collision

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin Jan. 9. Three persons were killed on the spot and three others injured when a car collided with a State transport corporation bus at Kurukkusalai, near here, last night.

According to the police, the incident happened at 11 p.m. on Saturday when the car coming from Madurai to Tuticorin collided head-on with the bus plying on the Tuticorin- Chennai route.

The deceased were Dora (60), Maria Michel Francis (36) and the car driver, Balakrishnan (58). The injured Shobiya (33), Greria (6) and Alan Smith (6), were admitted to a private hospital here.

The bus driver, Abdul Muthuleep (49), was arrested.

2 fatally hit by bus

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUNELVELI JAN. 9. Two persons, including a two-year old girl, were killed in a road accident near Ambasamudhram today.

The police said G. Velu (57) of Pallakkaalputhukudi under the Pappakudi police station limits was returning home with his granddaughter, M. Meenakshi (2) on a cycle after visiting his daughter-in-law, who gave birth to a baby boy recently. When he reached the Ambai Arts College, a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus, proceeding from Sankarankovil to Ambasamudhram, knocked down the cycle, killing Mr. Velu and Meenakshi on the spot.

Man beaten to death

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI JAN. 9. A 36-year-old man died after he was allegedly beaten up by villagers at Puthanampatti in the district on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Tamizharasan of Kottathur, near Thuraiyur.

The incident occurred when Tamizharasan went to Puthanampatti to support his friend, Sasikumar, who went to the village after having been asked by the locals to come there for his alleged involvement in a minor theft.

The police said Sasikumar, also hailing from Kottathur, had allegedly stolen two onion bags from a shop at Puthanampatti a few days ago. Later, he handed over the bags to the owner. When Sasikumar went to Puthanampatti on Saturday for talks in connection with the theft case, a wordy duel broke out and the villagers allegedly hit him. When Tamizharasan argued in support of Sasikumar a section of villagers allegedly hit him with sticks. Tamizharasan died on way to the bus stand. The Pulivalam police have registered a case and are conducting an enquiry with the villagers. Sasikumar was admitted to the Tiruchi Government Hospital.

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