The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 23, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Briefly

Prisoner commits suicide

By Our Staff Reporter

Coimbatore March 22. A warder and a head warder have been placed under suspension following the death of a remand prisoner, facing murder trial, who was said to have committed suicide in the Coimbatore Central Prison late last evening.

According to the police, Thangaraj (33) of Bharati Nagar at Kavundampalayam here isolated himself in a block, under renovation.

He hanged himself, with plastic wires (used for packing construction materials). The jail authorities cut the wires and he was administered first aid. But he died on way to hospital.

The Superintendent of the Central Prison, C. Rajakumar, has placed a warder and a head warder under suspension on charges of dereliction. Departmental action was also being initiated against a chief warder and an assistant jailor. The revenue divisional officer, Coimbatore, visited the prison and held an enquiry with the prisoners.

The police said Thangaraj recently hacked his wife to death in the District Sessions court complex where she had come fighting a maintenance case.

According to other remand prisoners, he was in a depressed state over rejection of his bail applications.

3 IDBI officials die in accident

By Our Staff Reporter

KANCHEEPURAM MARCH 22. Three officials of the Industrial Development Bank of India in Chennai were killed when a Santro car they were travelling in hit a stationary lorry at Poonthandalam near Sadras on East Coast Road in Kancheepuram district last evening. Suryanarayanan (27), officer; Swagath Patnaik (27), assistant manager and Dhanyavarma (23), cashier, died on the spot.

Police sources said Suryanarayanan was behind the wheel. The three were returning to Chennai from Pondicherry.

3 Plus-Two students killed

By Our Special Correspondent

VILLUPURAM March 22. Three Plus-Two students — A.Javed (18), N.Manikandan (18) and K.Mohanakrishnan (18) died on the spot when the van they were travelling in met with an accident at Ilayankanni road junction, near here, today.

Seven other students, the van driver, a teacher and a woman passenger sustained injuries. According to the police, said the students of the Moongilthuraipattu Government School were returning from Devapandalam after writing the public examination by van.

The vehicle collided head on with a bus coming in the opposite direction on the Moongilthuraipattu— Thiruvannamalai Road, killing the three.

People at Moongilthuraipattu staged a road roko urging the authorities to run regular bus services and set up a hospital.

They were of the opinion that had the bus services been regular, the students would not have taken the van. The Revenue officials and police officers pacified them.

Petrol bunk employee robbed

By Our Staff Reporter

Thanjavur March 22. A sum of Rs. 3,20,000 in cash was robbed from Manoharan (43), a petrol bunk employee, by two unidentified persons here today.

Manoharan, along with another person, was coming on a moped to deposit the money in a bank on South Main Street. They fell down on East Street when two persons on another bike hit them and snatched the bag containing the cash. Manoharan was injured when he was attacked by one of the culprits.

Bank holiday on April 1

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI March 22. All commercial/cooperative banks in Tamil Nadu will observe a holiday on April 1 (Thursday), under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 for annual closing of accounts. However, it will not be a holiday for the Reserve Bank of India and its office in Chennai will remain open to the public for transactions, according to an RBI notification.

Held for murder

By Our Staff Reporter

Tirunelveli March 22. The police have arrested M. Sethuramapandian (75), founder-president of the All-India Thevar Munnetra Kazhagam, in connection with the murder of R. Kaliyammal (38) of C.N. Village.

Five more persons have also been held on charges of murdering the woman and robbing her of a gold chain.

Ms. Kaliyammal was found murdered in her residence on March 9.

Though the case was initially treated as a murder for gain, enquiries revealed that Kaliyammal was allegedly murdered by this group, as she scolded one Murthy for not repaying the money he borrowed from her husband, Ramachandran. Enraged, the gang, allegedly on the direction of Mr. Sethuramapandian, murdered Kaliyammal, the police said.

6 kg heroin seized

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI MARCH 22. Sleuths of the Narcotics Intelligence Bureau CID seized 6 kg of heroin from a person at Keelakkarai in Ramnathapuram district today. A special team raided the coastal belt in the district and nabbed A. Abdul Haq who was moving suspiciously.

The heroin was stuffed in three polythene bags. The accused was produced in a magistrate court and remanded to judicial custody, the police said.

Woman, daughter commit suicide

By Our Staff Reporter

Tuticorin March 22. A woman and her 8-year old daughter allegedly committed suicide after villagers mocked at them as her husband died of AIDS.

According to the police, P. Azhagu (30) of Keezha Chekkaarakkudi and her daughter, P. Karthika were teased by the villagers, as Azhagu's husband, Pongalingam, an ex-serviceman, died few years ago of AIDS. Ms. Azhagu and Karthika set themselves ablaze on March 20 and were admitted to the Tuticorin Medical College Hospital. While Azhagu died last evening, Karthika succumbed to her burn injuries in the small hours today.

Country boats destroyed

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGERCOIL MARCH 22. Thirtyfive country boats engaged to illegally remove sand from the riverbed at Kuzhithurai were seized and destroyed by the police on Sunday.

According to the police, the raid ordered by the Superintendent of Police, M. Ramasubramani, was conducted at Pudukadai, Thiruvattar and Kuzhithurai. Revenue officials accompanied the police. The police have warned those indulging in sand lifting as the nefarious activity weakened the drinking water scheme, the bridge and railway track at Kuzhithurai.

Meanwhile, the police have registered cases against 35 persons for attempting to sell spurious Ayurvedic concoction under the guise of Arishtam. The police said the drive to curb illegal sand lifting and also the sale of Arishtam would continue.

Observatory to remain open

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI MARCH 22. The Meteorological Office at Kodaikanal will have an `open day' on March 23 to mark the World Meteorological Day.

The public, particularly students from all schools and colleges, can visit the observatory between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., said K. V. Balasubramanian, officer-in charge, meteorological unit, Kodaikanal, in a press release.

Beautician course

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI MARCH 22. A three-month beautician course for women will be organised by the Madurai Kamaraj University's Department of Adult, Continuing Education and Extension from April 2.

According to R. Muthulakshmi, Director-in charge, the minimum educational qualification for admission to the course is Standard X. More details can be obtained from the department situated on the Alagarkoil Road in Madurai. Phone: 2537838.

Water level

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI MARCH 22. The level in the Periyar dam stood at 108.6 feet. The level in the Vaigai dam was 27 feet with a discharge of 30 cusecs.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu