SHOCKING: Youth killed brother to conceal incestuous affair with sister, aunt
15-yr-old school teen near Ulundurpet was found murdered with his throat slit on Sunday; while villagers suggested human sacrifice, sniffer dog bring out truth

Published: 02nd August 2019 04:03 AM |

By Express News Service

VILLUPURAM: A couple of days after a schoolboy was found dead in a forest area near Ulundurpet, his brother, sister and aunt were arrested for murdering him. Police said the boy’s own brother murdered him as he had come to know of an illicit affair between the trio.

According to a police source from Ulundurpet, the deceased Sivakumar (15), studied class 10 in a government high school in Elavansurkottai. He lived with his mother, brother Sarathkumar (21), a farm labourer and his 18-year-old sister Soundarya. His father works abroad. On Sunday, Sivakumar went missing and the same night, his body was found in a nearby forest area, with his throat slit.

A police team was formed to inquire about the murder as rumours spread that he was murdered as part of human sacrifice. However, the sniffer dog brought to the spot ran till the house of the deceased itself and stopped. On checking the house, police found a scythe there and it smelled of blood. They suspected it may have been used to murder the boy.

Police then secretly watched their movements. Their suspicions centered around Sarathkumar and he was taken to the police station on Thursday. During inquiries, he confessed to murdering his own brother, said a police source. Sarathkumar was allegedly having an affair with his own sister and aunt, Pushpavathi (40). Sivakumar once saw them during their illicit affair, and as Sarathkumar was afraid that he would tell others, he decided to murder the boy.


On Sunday, he took his brother for a rabbit hunt in the nearby forest area and asked Sivakumar to fix the cage for rabbits. As he was doing it, using the scythe, Sarathkumar killed Sivakumar, police said. After that, he went home and when their mother searched for Siva, he said that the boy had gone for rabbit hunting. He also joined their relatives when they went to search for him and cried on seeing Siva’s body.

Return used Aavin covers, get 10 paise

The state government recently banned sale and use of one-time use plastic but exempted essential products like oil and milk.

Published: 02nd August 2019 06:30 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: In an effort to stop one-time-use milk covers from polluting the environment, State-owned Aavin Milk has announced that it will be offering `10 paise on the return of each cover. Residents can return used Aavin milk covers at its retail stores, dairy centres and regional offices located across the city.
In a release, the milk-producing body also urged other private milk producers to join in this recycling program.”

The state government recently banned sale and use of one-time use plastic but exempted essential products like oil and milk. Because of this, such covers find their ways to rivers, lakes and other public spaces, polluting the same,” said a release issued by Aavin.

For more assistance, regional officers can be contacted at 94442 47327 (North zone) and 97907 73955 (South Zone) or people can dial the toll free helpline number number 1800 425 3300.

Welcome move


Aavin Milk has announced that it will be offering `10 paise on the return of each cover

Residents can return used covers at its retail stores, dairy centres and regional offices located across the city

Aavin said the move is aimed at stopping such covers finding their ways to rivers, lakes and other public spaces, polluting the same
TN government had recently banned sale and use of one-time use plastic

Dismissal of MTC driver for misconduct upheld

A division bench of the Madras High Court has upheld the dismissal of an MTC driver from service, for his alleged misconduct of quarrelling with his superior and slapping him.

Published: 02nd August 2019 06:34 AM |

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras High Court has upheld the dismissal of an MTC driver from service, for his alleged misconduct of quarrelling with his superior and slapping him.

“A person, when dismissed from service, is put to a great hardship but that would not mean that grave misconduct should go unpunished. Although the doctrine of proportionality may be applicable in such matters, but punishment of dismissal from service for such misconduct, cannot be said to be unheard of. Maintenance of discipline of an institution is equally important,” the bench of Justices Dr Vineet Kothari and C V Karthikeyan observed.

The bench was dismissing an appeal from N Mohandass, on July 24. Mohandass raised an industrial dispute, questioning the dismissal order dated July 23, 1997. And the Labour Court passed an award holding that there was no violation of principles of natural justice during the enquiry and also that there was no justifiable reason to interfere with the findings of the enquiry officer. It, however, ordered his reinstatement but denied back wages. Challenging this, the management filed a writ petition and a single judge restored the order of dismissal.

Hence, the present appeal from Mohandass. Dismissing it, the bench said, “In view of the change in the economic policy of the country, it may not now be proper to allow the employees to break the discipline with impunity. In the light of the findings recorded and the legal precedent, it is not a fit case where any relief can be given to Mohandass. The Labour Court clearly erred in directing reinstatement of the workman, though without back wages and it did not take into account the binding precedent of the Supreme Court.” The bench restored the order of dismissal.

2 Ayurveda doctors held for causing death by negligence

They tried to treat malaria with allopathic medicines in 2013

02/08/2019, RAINA ASSAINAR,NAVI MUMBAI

Two Ayurveda doctors, who practise in Panvel taluka, were arrested on Wednesday for causing the death of a 23-year-old girl by negligence, six years ago. Ashish Bhagat (38) and Vijay Bhagat (55) were produced before court on Thursday, and released on bail.

Madhukar Bhalerao, a retired assistant commissioner of the State’s sales tax department, had approached the Panvel City police 2014, with a complaint against the doctors alleging negligence, which led to the death of his daughter Geetanjali on September 8, 2013.

Report confirms it

Assistant police inspector Rahul Sonawane, Panvel City police station, said after the complaint was received, the relevant documents, health reports, and medical treatment history to the Raigad civil surgeon. “We received the civil surgeon’s report last month, which confirmed negligence on the part of the doctors. The report said the victim had died of malaria and the doctors, who had completed Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery, attempted to treat the victim with allopathic medicines.”

Specialist doctor

He also said the doctors, after learning about her illness, should have immediately referred to a specialist doctor instead of treating themselves. The police registered a case on July 28. As per the complaint, Mr. Bhalerao’s wife had taken their daughter to Dr. Ashish in New Panvel on August 26, 2013, as she was suffering from fever.

Dr. Ashish told her that the girl had symptoms of malaria and prescribed her medicines, and also asked to get her blood tested.

“Even after two days, there was no improvement in her condition and hence Mr. Bhalerao met Dr. Vijay in Panvel with the blood reports. He changed the medicines and told him that there was nothing to worry. After a few days, her health deteriorated, and he visited Dr. Vijay again on August 3, 2013, who told him to admit the girl at Patel Hospital in Panvel,” Mr. Sonawane said.

Doctors at Patel Hospital said the girl needed to be admitted to ICU. Since the hospital did not have the facility, they asked the father to go either to MGM Hospital at Kalamboli or Paramount Hospital at Panvel. At MGM, there was no vacant bed at ICU and hence the complainant took his daughter to Paramount Hospital where she was admitted to ICU, and during the course of treatment, she died on September 8, 2013.

“The negligence in treatment happened between August 26 and September 3, 2013, when the victim was under the treatment of both BAMS graduates,” Mr. Sonawane said.

HC allows bike-sharing app Rapido to continue operations in State

Judges also stayed operation of cyber crime police’s letter to Google, Apple

02/08/2019, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Rapido submitted that all necessary safety measures were being followed by the firm.

A Division Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday stayed the operation of an order passed by a single judge of the court on July 18 restraining Hyderabad-based Roppen Transportation Services from operating their mobile app Rapido, which facilitates sharing of pillion seats in motorcycles, in Tamil Nadu until the State government frames regulations for services such as car pooling, bike taxi and call taxi.

Justices Vineet Kothari and C.V. Karthikeyan also stayed the operation of a letter written by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime Cell, Central Crime Branch here to Google LLC and Apple India Private Limited on July 6 requesting them to remove Rapido from their app stores. The letter had led to Apple removing the app from its platform and making it impossible for Rapido to operate in other States too.

The interim orders were passed after Rapido explained to the judges the procedure of booking bikes through the app and submitted that all safety measures such as insistence on the riders wearing helmets and possessing valid insurance were being followed by the appellant firm.

Since Advocate General Vijay Narayan could not appear, the procedures were explained in the presence of Special Government Pleader A.N. Thambidurai.

Two weeks’ time

Pointing out that the government had not filed any counter affidavit either before the single judge or before them, the Division Bench granted two weeks’ time for filing the counter affidavit.

“Respondent State may also disclose in its counter affidavit as to when it is likely to frame specific regulations for bike sharing app operators as has been done by other States such as Telangana, Rajasthan and Chandigarh,” the judges ordered.

The interim stay by the Bench would now allow Rapido and similar bike sharing applications to operate in the State until further orders to be passed by the court.

Sexual harassment: HC strikes down ‘inadequate punishment’

Court sends back case for re-fixing quantum of punishment for policeman

02/08/2019, STAFF REPORTER ,MADURAI

Expressing shock over how a police constable was simply given a punishment of postponement of his increment for three years on a charge of sexual harassment of a girl, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday remitted the case back to disciplinary inquiry, to re-fix the quantum of punishment.

A Division Bench of Justices K. Ravichandrabaabu and Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy observed that the punishment imposed on the constable was totally inadequate and disproportionate to the grave misconduct committed by him. The matter should be considered afresh for determining the quantum of punishment.

The court said that under Rule 6 of the Tamil Nadu Police Subordinate Service (Disciplinary and Appeal) Rules, 1955, the appellate authority is empowered to confirm, enhance, reduce or set aside the penalty.

Even though the constable had agreed with the findings of the inquiry officer, a minor punishment was imposed on him, the court observed.

The court was hearing an appeal preferred by the State against the order of a single bench that had set aside the punishment.

It was said that the constable, P. Karuppusamy, had abducted a girl and abused her in 2012. Following the incident, a criminal case was registered against him in Theni district. The single bench had taken into account the reliance of the inquiry officer on preliminary inquiry statements alone and disposed of the case at the admission stage itself.

The HC Bench observed that the single bench had erred on this account, set aside the order and allowed the appeal preferred by the State.

High Court allows life convict to remain in Madurai prison

02/08/2019, B. TILAK CHANDAR,MADURAI

Bringing relief to a life convict, an author of a book of poems, with proven good conduct, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Additional Director General of Police/Inspector General of Prisonto issue proceedings permitting his retention in Madurai Central Prison so that his 92-year-old mother could visit him as often as possible.

Justice G. R. Swaminathan passed the direction after hearing the plea of V. Radhakrishnan from Madurai, the life convict.

Following the acceptance of his clemency petition, his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment with a condition to remain in prison for the rest of his life.

He was originally placed at Tiruchi Central Prison. After his mother filed a plea before the HC, he was transferred to the Madurai prison.

However, the prison authorities filed an appeal, which was allowed by a Division Bench on the grounds that there was no provision under the prison rules to consider a relative’s request for prisoner’s transfer.

He was allowed to prefer a fresh application seeking transfer. He filed a fresh application to the prison authorities.

With no response, he filed the petition seeking a direction to retain him at the Madurai prison.

It was submitted that only the IG of Prisons could take a final decision in this regard. The court observed that a bare reading of the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prison Rules gave an impression that the prison authority could decide where the prisoner would reside. But, then, no textual reading could remain constant. The jurisprudential ground beneath had shifted, the court said.

“Incarceration or conviction does not reduce a prisoner into a non-person. While there may be a sharp and drastic shrinkage of fundamental rights, there is still some residue left. It is the obligation of the prison authorities to protect the human rights of prisoners,” the court said.

The HC Bench took cognisance of the Model Prison Manual prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which says prisoners may be transferred from one prison to another so that they can be nearer to their home district.

Therefore, subject to considerations of security, prison discipline and public interest, the competent authority is obliged to respect the choice of the convict prisoner.

If circumstances warranted, the authorities were always at liberty to pass appropriate orders transferring the petitioner to some other prison, the court said.