Woman gang-raped by eight workers after couple attacked in AP’s Guntur

Woman gang-raped by eight workers after couple attacked in AP’s Guntur

Ujwal.Bommakanti@timesgroup.com

Vijayawada:10.09.2021

A couple was attacked and the woman gang-raped by eight people near Medikonduru bypass road in Guntur district late on Wednesday night.

According to Medikonduru police, the incident took place between 9.30pm and 12 midnight when eight people waylaid the couple returning home on their bike after attending a wedding in Guntur city.

The police said as the couple crossed Paladugu crossroads, eight people stopped them, threatened them with knives, and robbed gold ornaments and cash from them. They then assaulted the husband, restrained him, and took the woman to the nearby agricultural field and gang-raped her before fleeing from the scene at around 12 midnight. The couple then went to Sattenapalli police station to lodge a complaint. However, as the incident took place at Medikonduru police station limits, the case was transferred to the latter police station. Medikonduru police registered a case. The investigation was later transferred to Disha police.

The Disha police said that they have identified the accused as workers involved in the construction of a cold storage plant in the vicinity. Out of the eight accused, six are from Odisha while the rest are from Vizianagaram district.

The woman was sent to Guntur Government General Hospital (GGH) for treatment. The police said that they are yet to make the arrests and a team led by DSP Jessy Prashanthi visited the crime scene with a dog squad and collected evidence to trace the accused.

Velankanni car fest held sans devotees

Velankanni car fest held sans devotees

Trichy:08.09.2021

The main event of the annual feast of the shrine Our Lady of Good Health was held on Tuesday in Velankanni in Nagapattinam district without devotees, as the district administration had restricted it due to Covid-19.

The car festival which is the biggest event of the 10-day annual feast took place on Tuesday evening. Most Rev M Devadass Ambrose, Bishop of Thanjavur, inaugurated the car procession. The proceedings were telecast online and television channels, as per the district administration’s instruction. Police had established check posts at 19 locations and closed nine entry points leading to the shrine. TNN

Girl dies after swallowing 1-rupee coin

Girl dies after swallowing 1-rupee coin

Mysuru:07.09.2021

A four-year-old girl from a Hunsur village died after swallowing a one-rupee coin.

The girl died three days after the coin got stuck in the trachea followed by infection, at a hospital in Mysuru.

The girl’s uncle had given her a coin to buy balloon on Friday. She was playing with the coin, keeping it in her mouth. Accidentally, she swallowed it and she didn’t inform anyone in the family. The incident happened when she was in her grandmother’s home.

A day later, she developed breathing trouble and the family came to know that something was stuck in the windpipe. Doctors discovered that it was a coin after the girl told them in the hospital. However, it lead to infection and she died at the hospital.

Hunsur police said they have not received any complaint in this regard. TNN

Wedding cluster in village leads to Covid surge in Nagapattinam

Wedding cluster in village leads to Covid surge in Nagapattinam

After a few months, the district over the past one week has been witnessing a spike in the number of positive cases.

Published: 06th September 2021 04:51 AM |

By Express News Service

NAGAPATTINAM: A series of weddings in the recent past at Panchanathikulam West has led to a surge in Covid-19 cases in the district, with the village alone contributing nearly half in daily caseload.

After a few months, the district over the past one week has been witnessing a spike in the number of positive cases. The district on Sunday recorded as many as 46 new cases. In this backdrop, the Health and Family Welfare Department on Sunday discovered as many as 20 Covid-19 cases in Panchanathikulam West alone. Following the results, all 20 villagers, including a 10-year-old girl, were shifted to the government Hospital and the village was disinfected.

As a precautionary measure, Collector Dr A Arun Thamburaj conducted an inspection and reviewed the situation on ground. The Collector told The New Indian Express, “We are closely monitoring the situation. It is said that most of them participated in wedding ceremonies recently. Fever camps are being conducted and the situation is being monitored closely.”

It may be noted that recently, Annapettai village in the district also recorded a rise, contributing as many as 11 cases on a single day. On Saturday, Thagattur village recorded six cases on the same day.

No bail for passport official

GRAFT CASE

No bail for passport official

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:03.09.2021

The Madras high court on Thursday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of a passport official who was booked by the CBI for issuing passports illegally to Sri Lankans after taking bribes from travel agents.

The court was hearing the anticipatory bail plea of Madurai regional passport office senior superintendent V Veeraputhiran, who has been accused of entering into criminal conspiracy to provide passports to Sri Lankans, who were ineligible for Indian passports, after taking bribe of 45,000 from travel agents, when he was deputed to the passport office in Tirunelveli district in 2019.

On August 18, the court had granted interim anticipatory bail to the petitioner for two weeks and directed him to cooperate with the inquiry. When the case was taken up for hearing on Thursday, assistant solicitor general L Victoria Gowri submitted that as per the conditions imposed by the court, the petitioner appeared before CBI from August 27. However, the petitioner had not cooperated for inquiry as directed by the court and had produced certain medical records about sustaining spine injuries.

Justice B Pugalendhi observed that the petitioner was instrumental in providing illegal passports to people who were not citizens of India, adding that custodial interrogation is warranted in this case to find out how many such passports were issued, while dismissing the petition.

1 dies as part of a flyover under construction in Madurai crashes

1 dies as part of a flyover under construction in Madurai crashes

Kaushik Kannan & Sukshma Ramakrishnan TNN

Madurai:29.08.2021

A guest worker from Uttar Pradesh died when a concrete portion of the Madurai-–Natham flyover between two pillars at Bank Colony near Naganakulam Tank in Madurai crashed and plunged eight metres into the ground on Saturday evening. Officials said the accident happened due to a technical snag in the hydraulic jack when construction workers were lifting a girder (precast concrete block) between the pillars. The flyover is being constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The incident happened around 4.30pm when workers were in the process of interlocking the Igirder on top of the flyover. Only two workers — Akash Singh and Saroj Kumar — were engaged in the task of handling the hydraulic jack and lift used for lifting the girder. Saroj Kumar was on the road operating the jack while Akash Singh was standing atop the concrete structure.

CRASH: A hydraulic jack malfunctioning has led to the collapse of a part of the Madurai-Natham flyover

No damage caused to the main flyover

There was an unexpected oil leak in the pipe connecting the hydraulic jack below and the lift on the top, resulting in inconsistency in the oil pressure in the machine. Soon, one side of the girder tilted and fell due to the imbalance, resulting in the huge structure coming crashing down. Akash’s hand got stuck in it and was severed as he also plunged down. He suffered multiple fractures and was rushed to Government Rajaji Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Saroj had a narrow escape as he managed to move away.

The portion that collapsed was part of the flyover’s arm connecting the service road. No damage was caused to the main flyover. Since vehicle movement where the accident took place was blocked with construction materials, there was no other incidents.

The 7.3-km-long flyover is part of the ₹1,200 crore Madurai-Natham four-lane highway which will reduce the distance between Madurai and Trichy and Chennai by 22 kms. Construction of the flyover at Rs 694crore began in November 2018 and was to be completed by November 2020 but the pandemic is among the reasons cited for the delay in completion. Finance minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan dismissed rumours that the bridge collapsed. “It is a workplace accident that unexpectedly took place at the construction site,” he told reporters and added that it was due to a broken hydraulic jack. Madurai city police commissioner Prem Anand Sinha said a case will be registered under section 304A of IPC for causing death due to negligence and they are investigating. “GMC has taken the contract. We are conducting inquiries with the immediate field supervisor and project manager,” he told TOI.

I-T raid: ₹350 crore black money found

I-T raid: ₹350 crore black money found

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Rajkot:28.08.2021

The investigation wing of the Income Tax department unearthed an unaccounted cash receipt of Rs 350 crore during its ongoing search operations at a Rajkot-based builder group’s premises. The operation had started on August 24 and is still continuing. According to a press statement issued by the department, I-T officials found many incriminating documents, loose sheets, and digital evidence indicating the involvement of the group in unaccounted transactions.

“Substantial evidence of transactions outside the regular books of accounts, unaccounted cash expenses, cash advances received and interest paid in cash, has been found. Evidence of on-money payments in real estate projects including flats, shops and land deals has also been found. Total unaccounted cash receipts in various projects of approximately Rs 350 crore have been unearthed, along with corroborative evidence. Further, evidence related to land purchase of approximately Rs 154 crore has also been found, of which Rs 144 crore was purportedly paid in cash,” an official said.

This group is among Gujarat’s prominent real estate builders and developers and is engaged in construction and land trading business in and around Rajkot. The I-T sleuths had covered more than 40 premises during the search operation including the group’s partners, contractors, key employees and some of its customers. According to officials, the search and seizure operation has resulted in detection of concealment of income in excess of Rs 300 crore spread over various assessment years and this figure is likely to go up. The officials seized unaccounted cash of Rs 6.4 crore and jewellery valued Rs 1.7 crore during1 search operation from various premises.

தாம்பரம் புதிய மாநகராட்சி ஆகிறது

தாம்பரம் புதிய மாநகராட்சி ஆகிறது

தாம்பரம்

23.08.2021

தமிழக தலைநகர் சென்னையின் புறநகரில் அமைந்துள்ள தாம்பரம் நகராட்சி, மாநகராட்சியாக தரம்உயர்த்தப்பட உள்ளது. இதற்கானஅறிவிப்பு பேரவையில் நாளைவெளியாகும் என தெரிகிறது.

சட்டப்பேரவைத் தேர்தல் பிரச்சாரத்தின்போது திமுக சார்பில் பல்வேறு உள்ளாட்சி அமைப்புகள் தரம் உயர்த்தப்படும் என வாக்குறுதி அளிக்கப்பட்டது. அதன்படி தமிழகம் முழுவதும் 29 பேரூராட்சிகள், நகராட்சிகளாக தரம் உயர்த்த திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதேபோல் தாம்பரம் நகராட்சியும் மாநகராட்சியாக தரம் உயர்த்தப்படவுள்ளது. இதற்கான அறிவிப்பு நாளை சட்டப்பேரவையில் உள்ளதாக தகவல்கள் வெளியாகியுள்ளன.

நகராட்சிகளாக தரம் உயரும் பேரூராட்சிகளின் பட்டியல்: காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டம் - மாங்காடு, குன்றத்தூர்; செங்கல்பட்டு மாவட்டம் - நந்திரவம், கூடுவாஞ்சேரி; திருவள்ளூர் மாவட்டம் - பொன்னேரி, திருநின்றவூர்; கரூர் மாவட்டம் - புஞ்சை புகளூர், டின்.பி.எல். புகளூர்; ராணிப்பேட்டை மாவட்டம் - சோளிங்கர்; சேலம் மாவட்டம் - இடங்கனசாலை, தாரமங்கலம்; திருப்பூர் மாவட்டம் - திருமுருகன்பூண்டி; கோயம்புத்தூர் மாவட்டம் - கூடலூர், காரமடை, கருமத்தம்பட்டி, மதுக்கரை;

விழுப்புரம் மாவட்டம் - கோட்டகுப்பம்; கள்ளக்குறிச்சி மாவட்டம் - திருக்கோவிலூர்; தஞ்சாவூர் மாவட்டம் - அதிராம்பட்டினம்; திருநெல்வேலி மாவட்டம் - சுரண்டை, களக்காடு; சிவகங்கை மாவட்டம் - மானாமதுரை; தூத்துக்குடி மாவட்டம் - திருச்செந்தூர்; கன்னியாகுமரி மாவட்டம் - கொல்லன்கோடு; புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டம் - ஆலங்குடி, இலுப்பூர், பென்னமராவதி; கடலூர் மாவட்டம் - திட்டக்குடி, பெண்ணாடம், வடலூர் போன்ற பேரூராட்சிகள் நகராட்சிகளாக தரம் உயர்த்தப்பட உள்ளன.

அதேபோல் தாம்பரம் நகராட்சி அருகில் உள்ள நகராட்சி மற்றும் பேரூராட்சிகளை இணைத்து மாநகராட்சியாக தரம் உயர்த்தப்படவுள்ளது. அதன்படி தாம்பரம், பல்லாவரம், பம்மல், அனகாபுத்தூர், செம்பாக்கம் ஆகிய நகராட்சிகளையும், திருநீர்மலை, மாடம்பாக்கம், பெருங்களத்தூர், பீர்க்கன்காரணை, சிட்லபாக்கம் ஆகிய பேரூராட்சிகளையும் இணைத்து தாம்பரம் மாநகராட்சியாக அறிவிப்பு வெளியாகவுள்ளது. இதில் தாம்பரம், பல்லாவரம் அருகே உள்ள 15 கிராம ஊராட்சிகள் இணைக்கப்படவில்லை என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

உள்ளாட்சி அமைப்பு தரம் உயர்த்தப்படுவதால் சமச்சீரான வளர்ச்சியைப் பெறும் என்பதால் பொதுமக்கள் மத்தியில் நல்ல வரவேற்பு உள்ளது. சட்டப்பேரவை கூட்டத்தொடரில் அறிவிப்பு வெளியாகும் என தகவல் மகிழ்ச்சி அளிக்கிறது. ஆனால், அதிமுக, திமுக கட்சியினரிடையே இதற்கு பெரிய வரவேற்பு இல்லை.

காரணம் தலைவர்கள், கவுன்சிலர்கள் எண்ணிக்கை குறைந்துவிடும். இதனால், தங்களுக்கு பதவி கிடைக்காது என்பதால் தரம் உயர்வதை அவர்கள் விரும்பவில்லை என சமூக ஆர்வலர்கள் கூறினர்.

ரூ.1000 வாங்கும் ஆசையில் பிரிந்த கூட்டு குடும்பங்கள்

ரூ.1000 வாங்கும் ஆசையில் பிரிந்த கூட்டு குடும்பங்கள்

Updated : ஆக 21, 2021 05:40 | Added : ஆக 21, 2021 05:38

மேட்டூர் : தி.மு.க. அறிவிப்பை நம்பி மேட்டூர் தாலுகாவில் மூன்று மாதங்களில் கூட்டாக வாழ்ந்த குடும்பத்தினர் 3600 பேர் பிரிந்து தனி குடித்தனம் சென்று விட்டனர்.

சட்டசபை தேர்தலுக்கு முன் 'தி.மு.க. ஆட்சிக்கு வந்தால் குடும்ப தலைவிக்கு மாதம் 1000 ரூபாய் உரிமைத் தொகை வழங்கப்படும்' என அக்கட்சித் தலைவர் ஸ்டாலின் அறிவித்தார். தேர்தலில் அக்கட்சி வெற்றி பெற்றதால் அத்தொகை கிடைக்கும் என மக்கள் நம்பினர். இதனால் கூட்டுக் குடும்பமாக தந்தை தாய் மகன் மருமகள் என வாழ்ந்த ஏராளமானோர் மூன்று மாதங்களில் தனியாக பிரிந்து விட்டனர். பிரிந்த குடும்பத்தினர் புது ரேஷன் கார்டுகளுக்கு விண்ணப்பித்தனர்.

சேலம் மாவட்டம் மேட்டூர் தாலுகாவில் மட்டும் மூன்று மாதங்களில் 4000க்கும் மேற்பட்டோர் புது கார்டுகளுக்கு விண்ணப்பித்தனர். இதில் தகுதி வாய்ந்த 3600 பேருக்கு ரேஷன் கார்டுகள் வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. இதனால் தாலுகா ரேஷன் கார்டுதாரர் எண்ணிக்கை 1.32 லட்சத்தில் இருந்து ஒரு லட்சத்து 35 ஆயிரத்து 600 ஆக உயர்ந்துள்ளது.

அரசு சலுகையை நம்பி திருமணத்துக்கு பின்பும் தாய் தந்தையுடன் வசித்த 3600 பேர் மூன்று மாதங்களில் தனி குடித்தனம் சென்றுள்ளனர். இதனால் ஒரே மகனுக்கு மணம் செய்து அவர்களை தங்களுடன் வைத்திருந்த ஏராளமான பெற்றோர் தனித்து விடப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

Girl ends life ‘after missing online class’

Girl ends life ‘after missing online class’

Madurai:21.08.2021

An 18-year-old college student who consumed poison eight days ago died at the Government Rajaji Hospital on Thursday. Her mother had told the police that her daughter took the extreme step because she was dejected after missing a day’s online class.

Hailing from Kalvelipatti village near Vadipatti, A Arthi was a second year BCom student at an autonomous college in Madurai. The incident happened on August 12 when her mother had gone to work while her elder sister was also at home. A relative told TOI that Arthi was studious and always among the top two rank holders in the class. She was tensed on the day as there were network connectivity issues and she was complaining about it. “She consumed a pesticide used for mango trees out of frustration the same afternoon,” special sub inspector (SSI) of police A Chinnasamy said. After signs of recovery, her health deteriorated on Thursday and she died. Police registered a case and have ruled out any foul play. Those with suicidal thoughts please seek help at helplines 104 and 044-24640050

Paddy seed sharing fest in Tiruvarur

Paddy seed sharing fest in Tiruvarur

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

15.08.2021

A day-long seed sharing festival was organised by “save our rice campaign” at Tiruvarur on Saturday as part of the annual traditional paddy festival. Farmers were provided with free seeds of native paddy breeds. The festival was not held due to the pandemic last year. Presiding over the event, professor P Duraisingam, chairman of Create (Consumer, Research, Education, Action, Training and Empowerment) – save our rice campaign, said paddy festivals played an important role in retrieving indigenous varieties. “Mappillai Samba and Karuppu Kouni traditional paddy breeds have high medicinal value and are resistant to pests and diseases too. This has encouraged many to cultivate the varieties though the yield is a little less compared to other breeds,” Duraisingam added.

Cobra swallows rat snake, gets stuck in drain

Cobra swallows rat snake, gets stuck in drain

Cuddalore:12.08.2021

A cobra, which could not move after swallowing its prey - a rat snake - and got stuck in a four-inch hole in a drain, was rescued by a selftaught snake catcher in Cuddalore district. The cobra spat out its prey while being rescued.

V Selvam alias Chellaa, 36, who has been rescuing snakes that venture into human habitation, received a call from security personnel at Cuddalore Sipcot Industrial Estate on Tuesday that a cobra was found swallowing a snake in a drain on the estate premises. “I reached the industrial estate in 30 minutes and found a six-foot-long cobra struck in a four-inch drain. The security guards said they saw the cobra swallowing a snake. The mobility of a snake will be affected after swallowing its prey. The bigger the prey, the tougher the mobility,” said Chellaa.

Chellaa caught the cobra using a simple hook and stick. “When I rescued the cobra, it started spitting out its dead prey. Cobra had swallowed a four-and-half-foot rat snake. I will release the cobra along with a dozen snakes caught in the past two days in a nearby forest,” he said. TNN

Snake takes refuge in refrigerator

Snake takes refuge in refrigerator

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Cuddalore:05.08.2021

With the temperature rising in the state, a rat snake found refuge in a refrigerator in a house in Cuddalore town on Tuesday shocking the inmates of the house. The inmates on finding the reptile coiled on the back of the refrigerator called a snake catcher for help. Within minutes V Selvam alias Chellaa, 36 reached the house of P Prakash, an auto mechanic, at Kammiyampettai.

"Prakash's workshop, which is near his house, is surrounded by thick bush cover. A few days ago, he spotted two snakes in his workplace. The snakes were rescued by me and released in the nearby forest region. This time a non-poisonous four-foot rat snake managed to enter his house and coiled just above the compressor on the back of the fridge," said Chellaa, who took just a few seconds to capture the snake.

He said the mechanic spotted the snake after hearing an unusual sound of hissing from the fridge. He releases the snakes caught by him in the forest region near the Capper Hills after keeping them in his house for a couple of days to treat injuries, if any, sustained by the reptile.

A litre of petrol for buying fish worth ₹500

A litre of petrol for buying fish worth ₹500

Padmini.Sivarajah@timesgroup.com

Madurai:  02.08.2021 

A fish stall in Madurai made brisk sales on Sunday after it advertised an Aadi offer promising a litre of petrol for every purchase of fish worth ₹500. The offer was advertised by PSA fish stall, which has a chain of shops throughout the city, at its Bibikulam branch, on social media. “I bought my fish from Anna Nagar, but could not resist the offer. So I came all the way to buy some crabs,’’ said K John Philip, who was one of the first customers.

Jaffer, owner of the shop, said they did not witness any surge in customers but raked in better sales as most of their regular customers, who usually bought fish for less than ₹500, bought fish for ₹500 or more to avail the offer.

“People who usually purchase for less than ₹500 purchased more this Sunday, so the fish also sold faster,” he said.

The customers who availed themselves of the offer were given tokens to fuel up from a local l bunk. “It was a very good move as distributing fuel in cans or bottles could have led to problems of safety,” said K Chandran who purchased fish for ₹600.“Fuel has become as expensive, so this was an offer which was irresistible,” said Sivaranjani who came to the shop early on Sunday.

Meanwhile, in Dindigul, a meat stall gave away silverware to customers on Sunday as Aadi offer. Ananth mutton stall in Chinnalapatti gave away a vessel worth ₹100 for a kilogram of mutton which was given at a discounted rate of ₹690 and a smaller one for halfa-kg. Boneless mutton was sold at ₹800 per kg. Virumaraj, owner of Anand Mutton stall, said that the offers brought good revenue, as more people came forward to buy meat.

FUEL FOR FISH: The offer was advertised by PSA fish stall, which has a chain of shops throughout Madurai, at its Bibikulam branch

Madurai: Man steals bikes, enjoys for two days, returns them

Madurai: Man steals bikes, enjoys for two days, returns them

If you are passionate about something, you must find a way to do it. Taking this TED talk kind of advice to heart, comes a man, from the shadows, with a taste for expensive bikes.

Published: 01st August 2021 03:26 AM 

By Express News Service

MADURAI: If you are passionate about something, you must find a way to do it. Taking this TED talk kind of advice to heart, comes a man, from the shadows, with a taste for expensive bikes. While most would call him a thief, an outlaw, this man’s modus operandi was to ‘briefly’ steal bikes, ride them and return them. No harm, no foul?

The ‘perfect crime’ came to the attention of the police when a series of two-wheeler thefts were reported in the past few days in Madurai city, Karimedu and Tallakulam. All the thefts stood out because they had a similar pattern.

Now if you own bikes that are cheap and reliable, we have good news for you. Your thriftiness might have just saved you because our bike thief prefers only expensive bikes. Well, from his perspective it might seem like he ‘borrowed’ those bikes and rode it because he would always return the vehicle to its original place. The crime went on smoothly until it was captured by the CCTV cameras and from there the identity of the bike thief came to light. The police nabbed 21-year-old youth P Naveen Kumar from Sellur early this week.

According to the Karimedu police, Kumar has a ‘passion’ for expensive bikes. “Whichever brands he liked, he stole them at night and after riding them for a few days, he left the stolen vehicles in their original spots. He had stolen at least three two wheelers in the past few weeks,” the police said.

To err is indeed human as Kumar, who had meticulously planned his crime, was arrested when he was identified by the CCTV footage from the areas where the vehicles were stolen. Two bikes which could not be returned to their original place were seized from him.

Madurai: Biriyani offer misfires, crowd gets out of hand

Madurai: Biriyani offer misfires, crowd gets out of hand

What was planned to encourage numismatics ended up in chaos as scores of biriyani lovers thronged a restaurant at Sellur, violating Covid protocols on Wednesday.

Published: 22nd July 2021 04:38 AM |

By Lalitha Ranjani

Express News Service

MADURAI: What was planned to encourage numismatics ended up in chaos as scores of biriyani lovers thronged a restaurant at Sellur, violating Covid protocols on Wednesday. As an inaugural offer, Akshaya Prabhu (25), the owner of Suganya’s Biryani, had announced to give biriyani packs to everyone in exchange for 5 paise coin.

Prabhu, a numismatic and a antique collector, herself and an antique collector, said that she zeroed in on the '5 paise biriyani offer’ for the launch of the restaurant’s second branch at Sellur to cheer up coin collectors, especially at the time when artifacts are being unearthed from Keezhadi and the like.

She told TNIE that she thought not too many would possess the old 5 paisa coin and that not many would be willing to part with their collection even if they had. “We expected only about 50 persons to turn up with the coins. But, much to our surprise, due to overwhelming response, 120 parcels of biryani were sold in just 10 minutes. And the crowd grew bigger during the peak lunch hours. We had to turn many away, despite they coming with the old coins,” she added.

Sources said that flouting Covid protocols and physical distancing norms, scores of the people thronged the shop. “As the crowd began to swell, police had to be deployed to disperse the crowd and the shop was shut soon after,” they said.

A police official from Sellur station said that the hotel management had informed them about the inauguration one day prior and a policeman was deployed on the spot. “The rest of the team was diverted to mosque premises on account of Bakrid. The shop owners had drawn circles for social distancing but the unexpected crowd went out of control,” he added.

City ration shop supplies tea past its sell-by date

City ration shop supplies tea past its sell-by date

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:22.06.2020

A ration shop at Chennai's suburb supplied expired tea packets to beneficiaries on Friday. People from Kadambathur village in Thiruvallur district, who consumed it without checking the expiry date on the wrapper, found the tea extremely bitter. "The tea packets provided to us had expired last year (July 2020)," said Ravi, one of the residents who filed a complaint with the Chief Minister's Special Cell.

Subsequently, employees from the local ration shop arrived at the complainant's house and provided fresh tea packets to them, said Ravi. When asked about this, a senior district civil supplies officer said that the salesman at the Public Distribution System (PDS) outlet named Gandhi had mistakenly provided an old stock without checking the expiry date on it and he is likely to face disciplinary actions for this.

"There was no point in blaming the salesman, who earns around ₹5,000 per month. The highly-paid officials, who are in-charge of monitoring the entire supply chain, should be questioned," said T Sadagopan from Tamil Nadu Consumer Progressive Centre, a not-for-profit organisation.

AS Balaji, another consumer rights' activist from Pattabiram, said that ration shops in the city's western suburbs do not provide bills for any of the packaged items sold to the public. Also, there is no mention of the price, manufacturing date or expiry date on the wrappers, he said.

When private shops don't follow these rules, they can be booked under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. But government PDS shops seldom come under these rules, say activists, who blame the state labour and food safety department for lesser number of inspections and inaction.

ஒரே நாளில் பட்டா வழங்கிய கலெக்டர்

ஒரே நாளில் பட்டா வழங்கிய கலெக்டர்

Added : ஜூன் 20, 2021 23:44

தஞ்சாவூர்-வீடு கட்ட விடாமல் உறவினர்கள் தடுத்ததால், பெண் ஒருவர் கண்ணீருடன் அழுது 'வீடியோ' வெளியிட்ட நிலையில், கலெக்டர் 24 மணி நேரத்தில் அவரது வீட்டிற்கு சென்று வீட்டுமனைப் பட்டா வழங்கினார்.

தஞ்சாவூர் மாவட்டம், பேராவூரணி அடுத்த பட்டத்துாரணி கிராமத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர் பாஸ்கரன் மனைவி மணியம்மை, 36; மூன்று குழந்தைகளுடன் குடிசை வீட்டில் வசித்து வருகிறார். பாஸ்கரன், மலேஷியாவில் உள்ள ஓட்டலில் தொழிலாளியாக பணிபுரிகிறார். இவர், தன் வீட்டை புதுப்பிக்க முடிவு செய்தார். ஆனால், உறவினர்கள் சிலர் அந்த இடம் தங்களுக்கு சொந்தமானது என, மணியம்மையிடம் தொடர்ந்து தகராறு செய்து வந்துள்ளனர்.

இது குறித்து, 'கலெக்டர்உரிய நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்' என, மணியம்மை கண்ணீருடன் வீடியோ ஒன்றை வெளியிட்டார். இந்த வீடியோ பரவியநிலையில், கலெக்டர் தினேஷ் பொன்ராஜ் ஆலிெவர் உத்தரவுப்படி, பேராவூரணி தாசில்தார் ஜெயலட்சுமி விசாரணை நடத்தி, கிராம புஞ்சை தரிசு வீட்டு மனைப் பட்டா வழங்கலாம் என பரிந்துரைத்தார்.இதையடுத்து, 24 மணி நேரத்திற்குள் 2.5 சென்ட் வீட்டுமனை பட்டா தயார் செய்து, கலெக்டர் தினேஷ் பொன்ராஜ் ஆலிெவர்,நேற்று மணியம்மை வீட்டிற்கு சென்று வழங்கினார்.

For seniors, an arduous wait for vaccines

For seniors, an arduous wait for vaccines

Nivedha.Selvam1@timesgroup.com

Coimbatore:18.06.2021

Around 6 am on Thursday, 63-year-old S Jayanthi, a resident of Vellakinar, and her 68-year-old husband rushed to corporation’s elementary school upon hearing that the civic body was administering Covid-19 vaccine to those above 45 years. But their joy of finally getting vaccinated was short-lived.

While standing in a serpentine queue awaiting their turn to get the jab, a corporation worker appeared and asked them to come back the next day as there were no available slots. For the second time in the last two days, the couple returned without taking the jab. The couple has decided to try their luck again on Friday, and plan to visit the school a little early in the day as they are due for their second dose.

“We took our first dose of Covishield in March at a private hospital. When we were due for our second dose in May, we visited multiple primary health centres and waited for several hours... but to no avail,” said Jayanthi.

Hers is not a lone case in the district. For many senior citizens like her, getting vaccinated is a gargantuan task as they have to wait endlessly in queues at corporation centres for multiple hours.

A resident of Vadamadurai M Madhankumar questioned if it was difficult for officials to inform the public about the location and timings of vaccination camps in advance. “Most of the time, the CoWin website has no booking slots available.”

When contacted, a corporation official said that his team has directed all centres to distribute tokens in advance to avoid crowding at centres. He said steps would be taken to adopt uniform timings in all the centres.

NO STOCK: A corporation centre in Coimbatore has no vaccines

Salem: Son abandons 95-year-old mother in room near toilet

Salem: Son abandons 95-year-old mother in room near toilet

Collector S Karmegam alerted the Social Welfare department officials, who along with a private NGO, found her living close to the toilet.

Published: 08th June 2021 04:57 AM 

By Express News Service

SALEM: A 95-year-old woman who was allegedly confined in a room by her son was rescued on Sunday. The incident came to light when some residents in the housing board tenements near Dalmia Board in Salem informed officials in the district administration that an elderly woman was raising alarm for help in the locality. Collector S Karmegam alerted the Social Welfare department officials, who along with a private NGO, found her living close to the toilet. Volunteers of the NGO took the woman to their place.

The woman was identified as R Radha (95) widow of head constable Rajagopal. The couple had four sons, out of which two had died. After Rajagopal’s death, Radha received her husband’s pension and stayed with her youngest son, who is a mechanic. He abandoned her in the room unable to fend for her and allegedly was not giving her food.

Police told TNIE that the woman neither gave details on what happened nor lodge a complaint against her son. Also, she did not want to return to her son. When contacted by the NGO, her son refused to entertain their questions, sources said. Kannankurichi police are investigating.

‘Didn’t give her food’

After husband’s death, Radha received her husband’s pension and stayed with her youngest son. He abandoned her in the room unable to fend for her and allegedly was not giving her food