Three killed as crane falls on film crew at Shankar and Kamal's 'Indian 2' shooting spot

The police confirmed that three persons died on the spot and nine others sustained serious injuries, actor Kamal Haasan escaped unhurt and tweet his condolences.

Published: 20th February 2020 12:24 AM 

(L to R) The 'Indian 2' film set; Kamal Hassan in Indian 2 poster.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Three persons were killed and nine others suffered serious injuries after a crane allegedly fell on them in a shooting spot at EVP film city on Wednesday night.

According to police, the men were preparing to set up the place for shooting of director Shankar's 'Indian 2'.

The police confirmed that three persons died on the spot and nine others sustained serious injuries while actor Kamal Haasan escaped unhurt.

Haasan tweeted his condolences: "Today's accident is the most horrific I have seen in my film career. I have lost three colleagues but my pain pales in comparison to the grief of those who have lost their loved ones. My deepest sympathies to them."


Kamal Haasan
✔@ikamalhaasan

மருத்துவமனையில் விபத்தில் சிக்கியவர்களை பார்த்து மருத்துவர்களிடம் பேசியுள்ளேன்.

முதலுதவி வழங்கப்பட்டு உரிய சிகிச்சைக்கான வேலைகள் நடக்கிறது.

இவர்கள் விரைவாக உடல் நலம் பெற்றிடுவார்கள் என்ற நம்பிக்கையுடனே இந்த இரவு விடியட்டும்.

Many on social media claimed that director Shankar was injured, however, our sources confirmed that he was not injured.

The deceased have been identified as Madhu (29) food provider, Chandran (60) food provider, and Krishna (34), assistant director.

The injured have been identified as Manchang (37), Vasu (35), Ramzan (43), Arunprasath (24), Kumar (52), Kalaichithra, Gunabalan, Thirunavukkarasu (45) and Murugadoss (40).

The injured have been rushed to the hospital for treatment and firefighters were deployed to clear the debris.

Senior police officers rushed to the spot and an inquiry is underway. A case has been registered and investigations are on.

The much-hyped sequel of Shankar's 1996 hit film was officially launched a year ago but the shooting wasn't taking place in a brisk manner. After much delay, the crew started work on the project this month.

BDU organises numismatics, philatelic & antiquity exhibition

TNN | Feb 20, 2020, 04.03 AM IST

Trichy: The two-day numismatic, philatelic, notaphily and antique exhibition began with the display of some rare coins, currency notes and stamps in the main campus of Bharathidasan university on Wednesday.

Organised by the history department of BDU along with the Tiruchirappalli Numismatics Society (TNS), the event had a display of archaeological artefacts starting from pre-historic period to the present.

P Vijay Kumar, president of TNS, said Chera Chola, Pandya, Pallava and Nayak era coins were on showcased, apart from coins from British India and over 200 global countries.

He said that world’s biggest currency note from Manaysia of 600 ringgits was displayed along with the smallest from Russia which attracted interest among university students. Currency notes with highest denomination of Zimbabwe and Czechoslovakia were also displayed in the exhibition.

Numismatics section has displayed coins of micro size to the currency notes of the biggest and smallest size in the world. While metal coins made of gold, silver, bronze, Aluminium, nickel and bimetal coin, plastic coins introduced by Transnistria country were also in display.

Every day technology section has interesting artefacts such as pre-electric lighting systems, iron boxes, prayer tools, hair dressing instruments, locks and keys of pre-colonial times, weights and measures.

“Items which reflected the rural arts and culture that were interesting part of the exhibition,” said S Ganesh a student from university. “Early radios, cameras, and projects are displayed in the electronic section,” he said.

Railways to run tourist train from March 28

People can go on a 16-night-17-day tour

20/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

The Indian Railways will begin commercial run of its Ramayana-themed special tourist train, Shri Ramayana Express, from March 28.

The train will commence its journey from Delhi on March 28, and tourists can board the train from Delhi Safdarjung, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareily and Lucknow.

In a 16-night-17-day tour, people will be visiting the places associated with Lord Ram, including Ram Janmbhoomi and Hanuman Garhi at Ayodhya; Bharat Mandir at Nandigram; Sita Mata Mandir at Sitamarhi in Bihar; Janakpur in Nepal, Tulsi Manas Mandir and Sankat Mochan Mandir at Varanasi; Sita Samahit Sthal at Sitamarhi in U.P.; Triveni Sangam, Hanuman Mandir and Bharadwaj Ashram at Prayag; Shringi Rishi Mandir at Shringverpur; Ramghat and Sati Anusuiya Mandir at Chitrakoot; Panchvati at Nasik; Anjanadri Hill and Hanuman Janm Sthal at Hampi and Jyotirlinga Shiva Mandir at Rameshwaram.

Tourists will be offered pure vegetarian meals, accommodation and wash and change facilities in dharmashalas or hotels. In addition, considering that the train will begin operations during the Navratras festival, food served to the travelers will be cooked without onion and garlic. “Fasting food will also be available for the tourists that will include sabudana khichdi, fruits, curd, potato chat etc.,” the Railways said.

Sleeper class package has been priced at ₹16,065 per person, while AC class package is priced at ₹26,775 per person.

The train, which will be run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), will have ten coaches — five sleeper class non-AC coaches and five AC three-tier coaches. The bookings for the train will be on a first-come, first-take basis, the statement said.

“A similar tourism train on this circuit was introduced last year with only sleeper class coaches which was a huge success... [hence] IRCTC has decided to launch this unique product with some AC three-tier coaches as well,” it added.

Srilanka tour

An option of add-on tour to Srilanka is also available with limited 40 seats, that will allow tourists to visit places related to Ramayana in Srilanka. This will cost additional ₹37,800 per person.

Passenger tries to open aircraft door, offloaded

He wanted 2 persons taken on board

20/02/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, NEW DELHI

IndiGo’s Delhi-Jeddah flight was forced to turn back just before takeoff after a passenger attempted to open one of the doors, according to a DGCA official.

The incident happened on Tuesday when the flight was taxiing for take-off. The passenger tried to open the door demanding that two of his co-passengers denied boarding for not possessing the boarding pass be allowed on the plane, according to the official.

“The captain of the flight decided to return to bay and offload the passenger and his accomplice for their unruly behaviour,” according to the source.

“A group of 110 passengers of the connecting flight from Srinagar were travelling on this flight. Two of them were offloaded at the boarding gate as they had lost their boarding pass,” he said.

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official, however, said the two passengers had failed to show up at the boarding gate on time. Thereafter, three more women passengers accompanying these men were allowed to deboard.

An anti-sabotage drill was also performed before allowing the flight to take off.

Your TV remote could be 20 times dirtier than your toilet: Study

20.02.2020

It’s an object that most of us don’t think twice about handling, but a new study may put you off reaching for your TV remote. The study revealed that your TV remote could be up to 20 times dirtier than your toilet.

In the study, researchers analysed various household objects for bacteria, yeast and mould. This included a TV remote, a bin lid, a bedroom carpet, living room carpet and a toilet seat.

The analysis revealed that the TV remote was by far the dirtiest item tested, with bacteria and yeast levels reaching 290 colony forming units per cm2, as well as ‘heavy’ mould.

In comparison, the toilet seat was found to harbour just 12.4 colony forming units per cm2, and only had ‘light’ mould.

Dale Gillespie, an expert, said: “The results of our research are shocking, with TV remotes in particular being shown to harbour extreme amounts of bacteria, yeast and mould. The TV remote is often neglected when it comes to cleaning yet has been revealed to be one of the filthiest items in the home.

“It’s shocking to see just how dirty remotes really are, especially considering that this is an item that most people, and children, interact with every day. Everybody should make an effort to give it a regular quick clean from now on.”

The study comes shortly after researchers revealed that smartwatches can be up to eight times dirtier than a toilet. 

DAILY MIRROR

Ex-VC’s name to be proposed for search panel

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.02.2020

The Madras University teachers’ association (MUTA) along with association of university teachers (AUT) and principals association has decided to propose eminent educationist and former vicechancellor of Anna University M Anandakrishnan as the senate nominee for the vice-chancellor search panel. A special senate meeting to elect the senate nominee has been convened on Thursday.

The tenure of University of Madras vice-chancellor P Duraisamy will end in May and the process to appoint the search committee for the next VC is on.

`பிரசவத்துக்குப் பிறகு, தந்தைக்கும் சம்பளத்துடன் 7 மாத விடுமுறை!' - ஃபின்லாந்தின் அதிரடித் திட்டம்

ஜெ.நிவேதா 19.02.2020  vikatan

பேரன்டல் லீவ்

`இனி, ஏழு மாத பேரன்டல் லீவ்!' - அசத்தும் ஃபின்லாந்து அரசு.

கர்ப்ப கால விடுப்பு மற்றும் குழந்தை பிறப்புக்குப் பிறகான விடுப்புக் காலம்... இவை இரண்டும், உலகம் முழுவதும் நிலவிவரும் மிகமுக்கியமான விவாதப்பொருள். `நானெல்லாம் பிரசவத்துக்கு ஒரு மாசத்துக்கு முன்புவரை வேலை பார்த்தேன்' - `பாப்பா பொறந்து மூனே மாசத்துல, பழையபடி வேலைக்கு வந்துட்டேன்' என்றெல்லாம் சொல்லும் தாய்மார்கள் நம் ஊரில் அதிகம். இந்த நிலையில், உலகமே வியக்கும் வகையிலான முடிவொன்றை எடுத்துள்ளது ஃபின்லாந்து அரசு.

பிரசவ கால விடுமுறை

அப்படி என்ன முடிவென்கிறீர்களா? ஃபின்லாந்து நாட்டில் குழந்தை பிறப்புக்குப் பிறகு பெற்றோர் கடமைக்கான விடுமுறையை, ஏழு மாதம் என அறிவிக்க முடிவெடுத்துள்ளது அந்நாட்டு அரசு. இந்த விடுமுறைக் காலத்தை, சம்பளத்துடன் கூடிய விடுமுறையாக அறிவிக்கத் திட்டமிட்டுள்ளார்களாம் அதிகாரிகள்.

இந்த விடுமுறையின் ஸ்பெஷாலிட்டி என்னவெனில், அம்மாவுக்கு மட்டுமன்றி அப்பாவுக்கும் ஏழு மாத விடுமுறை உண்டு. வரும் செப்டம்பர் மாதத்திலிருந்து இந்தத் திட்டம் நிறைவேற்றப்படுமென எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறது.

பேரன்டல் லீவ்

இப்போதைய நிலவரப்படி, ஃபின்லாந்தில் பிரசவகால விடுமுறை, பெண்களுக்கு நான்கு மாதமென உள்ளது. ஆண்களும்கூட, தம் மனைவியின் பிரசவ காலத்தையொட்டி 2 -3 மாதங்களுக்கு விடுப்பு எடுத்துக்கொள்ளும் வசதி ஃபின்லாந்தில் இருப்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

வரப்போகும் புதிய திட்டத்தின் ஒருபகுதியாக, பெற்றோர் இருவரும் தங்களுக்கிடையிலான விடுமுறையை ஷேர்கூட செய்துகொள்ளலாம் எனக் கூறப்படுகிறது. உதாரணத்துக்கு, அப்பாவின் ஏழு மாத கால விடுப்பிலிருந்து அம்மா சில காலத்தைப் பெற்று, தனது விடுப்பை நீட்டித்துக்கொள்ளலாம். அப்பாக்களுக்கும் இந்த ஷேர் ஆப்ஷன் பொருந்துமாம்!

பேரன்டல் லீவ்

இத்தனை நன்மைகளைக் கொண்டுள்ள இந்தத் திட்டம் தொடர்பான அறிவிப்புக்காக, ஃபின்லாந்து மட்டுமன்றி உலகம் முழுவதுமுள்ள பெற்றோர் காத்திருக்கின்றனர். காத்திருப்போம் மக்களே!