Tamil Nadu   

Briefly

232 prisoners shifted to Puzhal prison

VELLORE: A total of 232 prisoners — all convicts — lodged in the central prison here were transferred to the new prison complex in Puzhal near Chennai on Wednesday. After the departure of these prisoners, the Vellore central prison has about 1,400 prisoners.

The prison complex in Puzhal could accommodate 3000 prisoners. It has three prisons, one to accommodate 1250 remand prisoners and undertrials, another to accommodate 1250 convict prisoners and a third one to accommodate 500 women prisoners (both remand and convict prisoners). — Special Correspondent

Salem MLA's daughter traced

Salem: The missing daughter of local AIADMK legislator S. Ravichandran has been traced to Hyderabad and brought back here by a special police team but she refused to go with her parents saying she had ``married'' the person accused of abducting her.

The MLA had lodged a complaint stating that his daughter, aged 17, had been `kidnapped' by one Sivakumar on November 25 last. Commissioner of Police K. Gopalakrishnan said the girl was traced to Hyderabad and brought back here last night. However, the girl denied she was kidnapped and maintained that she went with Sivakumar on her own and had "married" him. As the girl refused to go with her parents, she was lodged at a women's protection centre here, Mr. Gopalakrishnan said. Sivakumar had been arrested and remanded to judicial custody on the charge of kidnapping a minor girl, he said. A cash award of Rs. 10,000 would be given to the special team personnel, he said. Mr. Ravichandran, who represents Salem-1 constituency, said he was ready to marry her off to Sivakumar once she became a major. — PTI

Ban on visitors' entry at airport

CHENNAI: A week-long ban will be imposed on entry of visitors into the Chennai airport, beginning on January 22. The decision to restrict entry of visitors, to both domestic and international terminals, was part of the security arrangements for the Republic Day, sources said. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held on Wednesday, attended by the Airport Director, representatives from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Airlines Operating Committee and other security agencies. — Staff Reporter

Man killed in accident

Nagercoil : A newly married man was killed in road accident on Wednesday.

According to police sources, John Christopher (26) of Palliyadi married Anitha of the same area two months ago. Meanwhile, he was going to Eraviputhurkadai near Marthandam in a motorcycle, when a Kerala Transport Corporation bus coming from the opposite direction dashed against the vehicle, killing on the spot at Eraviputhurkadai.

The police sent the body for post-mortem.

Bishop to be laid to rest today

Nagercoil : The body of Bishop of Kottar Diocese, Leon Augustine Tharmaraj, on Wednesday was taken to his native village Kovalam near Kanyakumari for the public to pay respect to him.

A holy mass and a special prayer were conducted at Kovalam church. Later, his body was taken to St. Xavier's Church. The Bishop would be laid to rest on the premises of the church on Thursday.

All schools and colleges controlled by the Kottar Diocese would remain closed on Thursday. Moreover, fishermen in the coastal areas of the district had not ventured into sea for fishing for the last two days as a mark of respect to the Bishop.

MGR birth anniversary celebrated

Nagercoil : The 90th birth anniversary of the late former Chief Minister, M.G. Ramachandran, was celebrated in different parts of the district on Wednesday.

Garlanding his statues and portraits, distribution of sweets and organising common feasts marked the celebration.

Passengers squat on track in Tirunelveli

TIRUNELVELI : The Nellai Super Fast Express Train suffered detention for about 10 minutes at Tirunelveli Railway Junction on Wednesday after passengers squatted on the rail track protesting the removal of unreserved coaches.

Police sources said one of the two unreserved coaches in the train was removed recently even as excess tickets were sold to the passengers returning to Chennai after Pongal holidays. When the passengers found that there was no space for them in the train, they started boarding the luggage vans, but they were asked to get down, triggering protest from the passengers.

While some of them argued with the railway officials, some others squatted on the track around 6 p.m., forcing railway officials to hold talks with the protestors. After the officials agreed to pay part of the ticket fare, the protestors withdrew their agitation at 6.40 p.m.

Two commit suicide

PALANI : P. Murugeswari and Indirani of Kuppampalayam died after consuming poison in their house at Pappampatti near here on Wednesday.

Their relative Laddu Thai who had consumed poison along with them was admitted to the Palani Government Hospital in a serious condition. The police said the trio, daily wageworkers in a private mill, had consumed poison, owing to a family dispute. — Staff Reporter

Killed in `jallikattu'

PUDUKOTTAI: A. Pitchai (53) was gored to death during `jallikattu' at Rayavaram on Wednesday. Five injured villagers were treated at the Government Hospital. `Jallikattu' was held at 14 places in the district.

Cauvery award: farmers optimistic

THANJAVUR: Farmers of the delta districts of Thanjavur and Tiruvarur are eagerly awaiting the final award of the Cauvery Water River Water Disputes Tribunal on February 5.

They expressed the hope that the award will be fair to all and the States concerned abide by it.

S. Ranganathan, Secretary of Cauvery Delta Farmers' Welfare Association, and V. Durai Manickam, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, spoke. Pon. Kaliyamurthy, a farmer, said that the final award should necessarily be more than the interim award.

Mettur level

TIRUCHI: The level in the Mettur dam stood at 91.38 feet against its full level of 120 feet on Wednesday. The inflow was 520 cusecs and the discharge, 7,985 cusecs. - Staff Reporter

Youth drowns

ERODE: A youth who was bathing a bull accidentally got drowned in the Cauvery River. According to the police, Gnanavel (24) of Kollampalayam, Erode, along with his friend Sathyamurthy was bathing a bull when it started pulling them to the middle of the river. While Gnanavel got drowned, Sathyamurthy managed to escape .

Literacy campaign

ERODE: The district administration organised a two-day Special Literacy Campaign for Women at Bangalapudur Government Higher Secondary School recently. A total of 75 National Service Scheme volunteers from Bangalapudur Government HSS, Koogalure Gandhi Kalvi Nilayam and Francis Xavier HSS participated. The headmaster of the school, P.N. Duraisamy, presided. The NSS Officer, T.D. Devaraj, explained to the students about the campaign. The NSS District Coordinator, G. Paramasivan, told the volunteers to visit the villages and train illiterate women to read bus number, village names and write their own names.

Youth day observed

ERODE: Youth Day was observed recently by the Youth Red Cross and Red Ribbon Club of the Government Boys HSS. The headmistress, Seethalakshmi, spoke about Swami Vivekananda and urged the students to lead a disciplines life.

Celebrated

ERODE: The AIADMK functionaries in Erode district celebrated the 90th birth anniversary of former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran in a grand manner. In Erode, the AIADMK workers garlanded the life-size bronze statue of MGR located at the Government Hospital Junction.

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