Students protest at hostel after Covid case

Students protest at hostel after Covid case

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

31.12.2020

Bengaluru: Students staged a protest outside the boys’ hostel of the MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology on Wednesday after an occupant tested positive for Covid-19. They refused to enter the hostel for several hours, alleging that the college had been lackadaisical in handling Covid-19 cases on the campus and following the government’s guidelines for reopening.

The students demanded that in-hall exams should be replaced with an online format because of the pandemic.

The institute said that it had followed all healthsafety norms and that the hostelite was immediately isolated after he tested positive.

“When he came to the hostel three weeks ago, he had brought a Covid negative certificate. He tested positive on Tuesday and has been isolated in the PG hostel. He is the only student in the entire corridor. The next corridor, which is 30-40m away, has seniors. There are 700 rooms and 330 students; each student has a single room,” said the institute’s director, MR Seetharam. “Sanitisation is being done regularly. Students have been asking for online exams, which are impossible to conduct.”

Online fraud: Man loses ₹4L while updating KYC details

Online fraud: Man loses ₹4L while updating KYC details

31.12.2020

A 65-year-old man lost Rs 4 lakh to cybercriminals recently after he responded to a text message asking him to update know your customer (KYC) details with his mobile service provider. Mahesh (name changed) from Kasavanahalli approached Whitefield CEN Crime police on December 28, two weeks after he lost the money. He told cops he received a text on December 14. It asked him to update his KYC to enjoy uninterrupted service. Mahesh called the number from which he got the text and the person on the other side claimed to be a representative of the mobile service provider. He asked Mahesh to fill the details in a link he would send. “Mahesh received the link on December 15 and clicked on it. He later noticed that Rs 4,06,472 had been debited from his account. He approached us after discussing the matter with his family,” police said.

Govt extends deadline to file I-T returns

BY 10 DAYS

Govt extends deadline to file I-T returns

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:31.12.2020

After intense lobbying by chartered accountants and tax professionals, the government has granted a fresh extension to those who have not filed their returns, citing Covid-19 as the reason.

A majority of individual taxpayers, who were earlier required to file their returns by December 31, have been given another 10 days to comply with the statutory requirement, for which the original deadline was

July 31The deadline for making declarations under the ‘Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme has also been extended up to January 31.

Further, I-T returns for tax audit assessees can now file their returns up to 15 February. There is a relaxation for GST too with an extension given for filing the annual returns for financial year 2019-20 to February 28. But the deadline for FY19 ends today, added chartered accountant Vinod Jain.

On Wednesday, close to 16.7 lakh returns had been filed, according to the data released by the I-T department

Couple electrocuted while using immersion heater, 2 kids orphaned

Couple electrocuted while using immersion heater, 2 kids orphaned

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 31.12.2020

A couple was found dead in the bathroom of their house in Ayapakkam near Ambattur on Wednesday afternoon. Police said they sgot electrocuted while using the immersion water heating rod. The couple has two children aged 10 and 6.

“One of them must have come into contact with the wire and got electrocuted and the other must have died while trying to rescue the person,” a police officer said. A case has been registered and further investigation is on.

The deceased were identified as S Vijayakumar, 38, employed at a private company and V Sasikala, 30, residents of Marutham Apartments in Ayapakkam. Around 2.30pm, neighbours heard them scream and rushed into their house to find them lying unconscious on the bathroom floor. There was an immersion rod and a toppled bucket lying next to them and the residents were smart enough to not go into the bathroom. They alerted police and a team from the Thirumullaivoyal police station rushed to the place and confirmed that they were dead. The bodies were later sent to Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital for post-mortem.

No NY revelry in Pondy hotels, resorts

No NY revelry in Pondy hotels, resorts

Entry To Beach Road On First Come, First Served Basis

Bosco.Dominique@timesgroup.com

Puducherry:31.12.2020

After Tamil Nadu and Karnataka banned New Year-eve celebrations in view of Covid-19, the Puducherry administration has imposed several restrictions on the revelry to control the expected influx of merrymakers into the territory.

The administration has banned New Year-eve event in hotels, restaurants and resorts and will allow only an ‘appropriate domain size of visitors’ on the beach road ‘on first come first served basis’. The entire promenade has been divided into zones to enforce protocol.

“All tourists will be subjected to thermal screening at entry points and those with symptoms will checked by special teams. If symptoms are confirmed, they will be isolated and sent to the government hospital for further tests,” said a joint statement issued by the Puducherry administration and police.

The entire town and beach road will be under surveillance through CCTV cameras as well as drone cameras. Plying and parking of all types of heavy vehicles have been banned on the boulevard in boulevard from 2pm on December 31 to 6am on January 1.

Earlier, lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi insisted on banning all types of celebrations, while chief minister V Narayanasamy deciding to allow them by adhering to the presecribed norms.

Narayanasamy said several states including Kerala and Goa had not banned celebrations and clarified that neither the Centre nor any court had imposed a blanket ban. They only insisted that adherence of norms should be ensured, he said and maintained that his administration would take all steps to make sure the prescribed guidelines are followed.

Bedi requested the people to celebrate at home and not to be a part of super-spreaders of Covid-19 infection. She said ‘no celebrations are allowed anywhere’ and requested the tourists not to visit Puducherry and not to be a part of super-spreaders. She pointed out that the Union health and family welfare ministry has warned that New Year celebrations could lead to revelers becoming super-spreaders.

Tamilaruvi Manian, Rajini’s confidante, calls it quits too

Tamilaruvi Manian, Rajini’s confidante, calls it quits too

Says He’s Done For Good, Thanks His Outfit Cadre

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:31.12.2020

A day after actor Rajinikanth said no to electoral politics, his close confidante and founder of Gandhiya Makkal Iyakkam Tamilaruvi Manian too called it quits. “I am quitting politics and will not re-enter till my death,” Manian said in a statement. Manian had been one of the key leaders, urging the Tamil Superstar to enter politics.

“I involved myself in politics drawn by K Kamaraj in my college days. My only wish was to change the way politics is conducted in Tamil Nadu, where it has been muddled for long by the two Dravidian parties. I never sought any personal gain and continue to stay in a rented house,” Manian said.

“Today, politics has become home to those who indulge in caste, religion and community-based approach and not for the honest. People have started abusing me for my attempt to change the way political discourse happened, and it has hurt and shocked my family,” he said, while thanking all those who worked with him in Gandhiya Makkal Iyakkam.

Starting his political career with the Congress, Manian later shifted his allegiance to Congress (O) when former chief minister K Kamaraj led the breakaway unit of the Congress. He later became TN president of Ramakrishna Hegde’s party, before moving on to Janata Dal. He later returned to the Congress and left the party once again. After a period of political hibernation, he launched Gandhiya Makkal Iyakkam.

ALL IN A MONTH: Actor Rajinikanth, Tamilaruvi Manian (right) and Ra Arjunamurthy had together confirmed about the actor’s political venture during a press meet on November 30

I will remain with Rajini: Arjunamurthy

Chennai:

Ra Arjunamurthy, who was named the chief coordinator of actor Rajinikanth’s proposed political party, on Wednesday said he would remain with the actor and offer him the much needed support. Rajinikanth had announced on Tuesday that he will not launch a party to enter electoral politics citing his health condition.

“Rajinikanth had to make that announcement due to doctors’ advice considering his health condition. We should respect it and not criticise him. I joined hands with him to bring about a change and serve the people. He is feeling bad that he is unable to do so,” Arjunamurthy told reporters here.

“Everybody knows my close connection with the BJP. While being there too, I took lot of initiatives to serve the people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajinikanth are like my two eyes and it will remain so,” he said. He was heading the BJP’s intellectual cell for Tamil Nadu before joining hands with Rajinikanth. TNN

Rajini saved self from BJP trap: TNCC chief

Chennai:

TNCC president K S Alagiri on Wednesday said actor Rajinikanth saved himself by not falling into the BJP trap. He should have good health and a long and peaceful life, Alagiri said. In a statement, Alagiri hit out at RSS ideologue and Tuglak editor S Gurumurthy for continuing to drag Rajinikanth into politics by saying the actor will voice his support for the people. “People like Gurumurthy have miserably failed in their attempt to market the BJP in Tamil Nadu by using Rajinikanth as a platform. Rajinikanth’s decision not to launch a party and enter electoral politics has left many in the BJP shocked,” Alagiri said. TNN

PC looks forward to working with Rajini for 2021, 2024 polls

Chennai:

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday expressed his political wish to work with actor Rajinikanth for the 2021and 2024 elections. “I accept his decision as a well wisher. I recall the year 1996 and rejoice,” Chidambaram tweeted in Tamil. Rajinikanth’s support was key for the TMC, a breakaway faction of the Congress, and its alliance with the DMK that eventually swept the 1996 assembly poll. “Rajini has, is and will remain a moral force. I do not have an iota of doubt. My political aspiration is to work with him in concurrence and look forward to 2021and 2024 elections,” he said. TNN

Today, politics has become home to those who indulge in caste, religion and communitybased approach and not for the honest

TAMILARUVI MANIAN

Gandhiya Makkal Iyakkam

BJP leader says Modi will lead TN alliance, declines to endorse EPS

BJP leader says Modi will lead TN alliance, declines to endorse EPS

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Chennai:31.12.2020

The AIADMK’s choice of CM candidature for the 2021 assembly election, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, continues to be a bone of contention among allies.

On Wednesday, BJP national general secretary C T Ravi, stirred up trouble when he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would lead the NDA alliance in the forthcoming assembly elections, including the one in Tamil Nadu. “The NDA partners’ coordination committee will come together and decide who will be the CM candidate of the alliance once the assembly election schedules are announced,” said Ravi, who is incharge of Tamil Nadu.

He refrained from endorsing Palaniswami. “Our Parliamentary board and NDA’s coordination committee will decide when the alliance gets a majority (after the election results),” he said while responding to a question whether Palaniswami would be the alliance’s CM candidate. He, however, reiterated the alliance with the AIADMK was strong. BJP state president L Murugan echoed similar views. Ravi was in Chennai to take part in an event in which former Indian cricketer-turned–commentator L Sivaramakrishnan took the political plunge and joined BJP.

Meanwhile, PMK president G K Mani said party founder S Ramadoss would announce the CM candidate. “Our party founder will announce the party’s CM candidate closer to the election,” he told reporters.