Tamil Nadu   

Briefly

Bomb threat turns

out to be hoax

MADURAI: Threat of explosions in vital establishments here, including the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, turned out to be a hoax on Wednesday. The airport authorities received a letter on Tuesday saying explosions would be triggered at eight places on July 26. Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad personnel conducted a thorough search of the temple, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court premises, railway station, district court campus, airport and a few bus stands. The baggage of passengers at the station and bus stands was frisked. "The bandobust arrangements are continuing in sensitive areas. We do not want to take any chances. Vehicle checks and night patrolling have been intensified," Superintendent of Police T.S. Anbu said.

A special team was formed to probe the source of the letter posted from Coimbatore. It was written by a supporter of the banned Al-Umma, police sources said. — Staff Reporter

Jayalalithaa's poser

to Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa on Wednesday demanded a public debate on properties of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and his family members. In a statement, she said she was prepared to send a panel to quiz Mr. Karunanidhi. She asked whether he would be able to answer queries raised in the presence of presspersons. "A straight answer is required. Can he suggest a suitable date? I am ready even to telecast it [the debate] live. Are you ready?" What she had asked him to divulge in her previous statement was about the details of movable and immovable property, bank deposits, shares and cash in hand of all his family members. But, Mr. Karunanidhi had stated that he had made public his assets at the time of filing nomination for the Assembly elections. He had also said his son and nephews were paying income tax. Ms. Jayalalithaa said she had been regularly paying Income Tax since she entered the film industry in 1964. — Special Correspondent

Vijayakant moves court

MADURAI: Actor Vijayakant, president of Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam, has moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court to quash a criminal case pending against him before the Judicial Magistrate-II at Srivilliputtur. Admitting the petition, Justice R. Regupathi dispensed with his appearance before the Magistrate and ordered notice to the complainant, P. Mariammal, proprietor of Selva Nandhini Pictures based in Virudhunagar, represented by her power of attorney, S. Balaraman. The complainant had alleged that the actor had cheated her to the tune of Rs. 26 lakh, which he promised to pay towards compensation for the loss incurred in screening his movie, `Narasimha' during 2001. However, the actor denied the allegations in his petition. — Staff Reporter

Jewellery workers

seek houses

CHENNAI: The All-India Gold and Silver Jewellery Workers and Unorganised Union has appealed to the State Government to provide houses free of cost or make available land at affordable cost to the workers. On Wednesday, S. Vijayakumar and M. Selvam, secretary and treasurer of the union, wanted the Government to constitute a welfare board for goldsmiths, include a jewellery worker as a member of the Legislative Council, set up a cooperative society for procuring gold and silver in huge quantity, and announce a goldsmith protection programme. It also sought the Chief Minister's intervention to include Viswakarma under the Most Backward Classes and direct the Electricity Board to provide concession to jewellery workers. — Special Correspondent

Woman commits suicide

Nagercoil : A 25-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide, consuming poison at Vallankumaravilai near here on Wednesday, following love failure, the police said.

Two fatally knocked down

Nagercoil : Two persons were killed in a road accident at Kuzuthurai here on Wednesday.

According to the police, Gilbert (23) and Sinu Packiya (18) along with three others were returning home in a car after attending a marriage, when their car and a lorry coming in the opposite direction dashed against each other.

They died in the Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital.

Nine detained under Goondas Act

Tuticorin : Nine persons were detained under the Goondas Act in the last two days ending on Wednesday.

Superintendent of Police John Nicholson said Muniyandi (55), Subramanian (32), Jega Veera Pandian (36) and Velmurugan (29) indulged in illegal sand mining.

Subramanian and Khulam Khader sold pirated and pornographic video compact discs. Ganesan, S.S. Singh and Mayandi were arrested for rowdyism.

Three arrested

Tuticorin : The police on Tuesday arrested three persons at Tiruchendur on charges of possessing six litres of toddy with them.

The arrested were Ayyadurai (32), Chinnadurai (39) and Dharmalingam (50).

PDS rice seized

Ramanathapuram : Flying squad and food cell officials on Tuesday seized 17 bags of ration rice meant for Public Distribution System at Sayalkudi. The Tahsildar, Ramachandran, said the team conducted the surprise raid based on a tip off. — Staff Reporter

Fast observed

ERODE: About 250 women members of self-help groups from Bhavani on Wednesday observed a fast near the Municipal Office here demanding that the district administration and the Women Development Department conduct fresh election to the post of panchayat-level federation in charge. They said that the election was scheduled to be conducted on July 13, but the Women Development Department had announced that the election was postponed. But, later without any information the election was conducted and the block-level federation in charge and the taluk-level federation in charge were elected by some members. So, fresh election should be conducted for the posts, they said.

- Staff Reporter

Goods wagon derails

ERODE: A goods oil tanker derailed here on Tuesday night.

According to Railway officials, a goods train with 60 oil wagons was proceeding to Ernakulam from Salem. When the train entered platform No. 1 in the Erode Railway Junction, one of the wagons derailed. The Railway officials visited the spot and cleared oil from the wagon on Wednesday morning. Following the accident, train services were delayed for a few minutes.

- Staff Reporter

Two tractors with

sand seized

ERODE: The police have seized two tractors with sand. According to the police, the villagers of Kuttipalayam near Bhavani stopped a tractor, which was carrying sand.

Three persons who were travelling in the vehicle, however, ran away. On information, the police seized the vehicle. Similarly, the Bhavani police during night patrol noticed a tractor with sand at the Jambai Nalliampalayam Road junction. Even as the police stopped the vehicle, the driver escaped.

- Staff Reporter

Takes charge

ERODE: N. Baliah, former Public Relations Officer, Cuddalore, on Wednesday assumed charge as the Public Relation Officer, Erode, in place of M.R. Lingam, who has been posted as Cuddalore PRO.

- Staff Reporter

Three get life term

DINDIGUL : The Fast Track Court awarded life sentence to Kulandaivelu alias Velusamy (59), his sons K. Dhandapani (32) and Shanmuga Nadhi (24) in a murder case here on Wednesday.

The prosecution said Velusamy and Dhandapani and Shanmuga Nadhi had a wordy duel with Samayaraj of Velayuthagoundanur on April 22, 2002 over removal of fence near a farm path.

In a fit of anger, they assaulted Samayaraj with a wooden pole. He died on the spot. The Eriyode police arrested them. The court imposed a fine of Rs.500 each to the accused. Later, they were lodged in the Madurai prison.

PDS rice seized

Ramanathapuram : Flying squad and food cell officials on Tuesday seized 17 bags of ration rice meant for Public Distribution System at Sayalkudi.

The Tahsildar, Ramachandran, said the team conducted the surprise raid based on a tip off.

The Virudhunagar food cell police have filed a case.

Water level

MADURAI : The water level in the Periyar dam stood at 123.20 feet (136 feet) with an inflow of 560 cusecs and a discharge of 1038 cusecs.

The level in the Vaigai dam was 48.64 feet (71 feet) with an inflow of 645 cusecs and a discharge of 41 cusecs.

The combined Periyar credit stood at 4197 mcft. Thaniyamangalam recorded 16 mm of rainfall followed by Idyapatti that received 4.6 mm. — Staff Reporter

BPL list displayed

Coimbatore: Copies of the list of Below Poverty Line families in the district have been displayed at the panchayat offices. A press release from the district administration has said that those who had been left out should contact the Block Development Officer before August 12 for inclusion of their names in the list. If the list had the names of people who were not eligible for inclusion, the officer could be informed of this also, the release said.

Grievances meeting

Coimbatore: The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) will hold a grievances redressal meeting for consumers on July 29 at the office of the Superintending Engineer, in Tatabad at 4 p.m. Consumers in Mettupalayam, Seeranaickenpalayam, K. Vadamadurai and Avanashi can attend the meeting to present their problems before the authorities, a release from the TNEB has said.

Workshop

Coimbatore: A workshop on "Statistical Process Control" will be held at the Karl Kubel Institute for Development Education on July 28 and 29.

Managers, engineers, supervisors in the areas of design, production, operations and maintenance can participate, a press release from the institute has said. For further details and registration, contact: U. Rajnikanth, Corporate Training Officer, on mobile phone number 94426 36093 or 0422-2658747, 2658905, 2658138.

Development work inspected

PUDUKOTTAI: Collector S. J. Chiru inspected the progress of various development work being executed in Pudukottai union on Tuesday.

Mr.Chiru inspected the work taken up under the Namadhu Gramam scheme, including the construction of an Anganwadi centre at Ayyampatti being constructed at a cost of Rs.1.25 lakh and the horticulture plantations being raised at Manaviduthi.

World Population

Day

PUDUKOTTAI: The student community, members of self-help groups and voluntary organisations should strive to create awareness among the masses of the need for checking the population growth, Collector S. J Chiru has said.

Speaking at a seminar organised in connection with the World Population Day here on Wednesday, he called for a public campaign on the issue.

He stated that the population of district was around 15.19 lakh which went up from 14.59 lakh in 2001.

The Collector distributed prizes to the winners of elocution contests organised in connection with the event.

Mettur level

TIRUCHI: The level in the Mettur dam stood at 111.68 feet against its full level of 120 feet on Wednesday.

The inflow was 12,306 cusecs and the outflow 21,992 cusecs. — Staff Reporter

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