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Popular TV actor and host VJ Chitra found dead in Chennai hotel room

December 8, 2020, 7:20 pm
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Death
Chitra played one of the main characters, Mullai Kathiravan aka Mulla, on ‘Pandian Stores’.
TNM Staff
VJ Chitra in a saree and jewellery
Popular television serial actor and host Chitra, who rose to fame with her role in the Tamil soap opera Pandian Stores, was found dead at a hotel room in Chennai’s Nazrathpet on December 9, Wednesday. Chitra’s role as Mullai Kathiravan aka Mulla on Pandian Stores was one among the main characters on the popular show. She was 29 and is suspected to have died by suicide. According to the police, the actor had checked into her room around 1 am on Wednesday after completing a shoot. Speaking to TNM, a police official from Nazrathpet station says, “The hotel manager called the police helpline number 100 about 3.30 am on Wednesday. We are currently investigating the cause of her death.” More details are awaited. Chitra’s family members, who also live in Chennai, have been informed by the police. She was a resident of Kotturpuram in Chennai. Chitra was reportedly engaged to a businessman this August. She was also said to have signed to play an important role in an upcoming Tamil film. Only hours before her death, Chitra had shared pictures of herself from a photo shoot, on her Instagram page. She is seen dressed in a purple and green silk saree.    View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Chitra kamaraj (@chithuvj)      View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Chitra kamaraj (@chithuvj)      View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Chitra kamaraj (@chithuvj) Chitra was a popular face among the Tamil television audience. She has hosted shows on major Tamil television channels, including Makkal TV, Jaya TV and Zee Tamizh, in addition to taking up serials on multiple channels. Among her televisions serial appearances, some of the shows that shot her to fame include Chinna Papa Periya Papa, which ran on Sun TV between 2014 and 2018; season two of the popular serial Saravanan Meenatchi on Vijay TV; and Darling Darling, which aired on Zee Tamizh between 2016 and 2017. She also played the titular role on Zee Tamizh’s Velunachi. She also hosted Vijay TV’s Vasool Vettai in 2019. The news of Chitra’s death has shocked many of her fans. Too shocked to hear that she is no more May god give her peace in this! whats Happening in 2020#RIPChithraVJ #vjchithra pic.twitter.com/hWTdChBlEo — Hariharan.M (@ItzmeHariHaran) December 9, 2020 I can't Believe #vjchithra #Ripvjchithra #chitra pic.twitter.com/r99MrjfCta— Janani (@arulnambi36) December 9, 2020 #vjchithra Pandian Stores #Mullai Rip #2020 worst year.. pic.twitter.com/6AmmGr7kFQ — தளபதி\/€£U (@Velu71189202) December 9, 2020 Hearing Shocking & Heart Broken Why...? Committed Suicide..! Suicide is not Solution ..! One Of My Favorite VJ & Actress RIP #Chithra #RIPChithra #VijayTV #ZeeTamil #PandianStores #VjChithra pic.twitter.com/O6K63YgyWe— இர்பான் கான் (@IrfanKhan_ji) December 9, 2020 Pandian Stores serial first aired on Vijay TV in October 2018 and has crossed over 500 episodes. Stalin, Sujitha Dhanush, and Venkat Renganathan are among its main cast and popular actors Shanti Williams and Nellai Siva, too, are part of its cast. Pandian Stores is a popular show among Tamil fans and has been adapted into other languages. In Telugu, it is called Vandinamma, in Kannada as Varalakshmi Stores, in Marathi as Sahakutumb Sahaparivar, in Bengali as Bhaggolokkhi, in Malayalam as Santhwanam and in Hindi as Gupta Brothers. Watch some of her videos here: If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional suppport to individuals and families.    Tamil Nadu State health department's suicide helpline: 104 Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu) Andhra Pradesh Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930 Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584 Karnataka Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222 Kerala Maithri: 0484 2540530 Chaithram: 0484 2361161 Both are 24-hour helpline numbers. Telangana State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104 Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200 SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 amd and 7 pm) Aasara offers support to inidviduals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those  undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.    24x7 Helpline: 9820466726 Click here for working helplines across India.
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Death of Tamil actor-host VJ Chitra: Tributes pour in as fans left shocked

December 8, 2020, 9:50 pm
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Death
The 29-year-old actor is suspected to have died by suicide.
TNM Staff
VJ Chitra in a purple saree and blouse as well as purple bangles, head turn towards her right
VJ Chitra/Instagram
The death of popular television actor and host Chitra on Wednesday has come as a shock to her colleagues and fans. Tributes have been pouring in since Wednesday morning since the news of her death emerged. The 29-year-old actor is suspected to have died by suicide. Chitra played the role of Mullai Kathiravan aka Mulla, one of the main characters, in the popular Tamil television series Pandian Stories. Incidentally, Chitra had posted her pictures in a purple and green silk saree from a photoshoot just hours before her death. Expressing anguish over her sudden demise, fans have taken to social media to condole her untimely death, tweeting with the hashtag #RIPChitra. Several of her friends and colleagues, who could not digest the news of her allegedly taking her own life, are grief-stricken.  “When a life full of energy is snuffed away too soon. What drives them far far away? Wish she had reached out to someone, anyone. Never knew her personally, yet feel the pain. Hope you have found what you were looking for, peace,” wrote actor-politician Khushboo. When a life full of energy is snuffed away too soon. What drives them far far away? Wish she had reached out to someone, anyone. Never knew her personally, yet feel the pain. Hope you have found what you were looking for, peace. #Chitra #RIP. pic.twitter.com/I3x2sFMArA — KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) December 9, 2020 Oh dear you don’t deserve this! I still wish this news is untrue #vjchitra pic.twitter.com/CoslRQdh6b — Aathmika (@im_aathmika) December 9, 2020 #Chithra (28) of #PandianStores fame died by suicide, she was quite popular. Recently got engaged to a businessman Hemant. Shocking, may her soul #RIP. pic.twitter.com/39B0trp9vG — Rajasekar (@sekartweets) December 9, 2020 Sad to hear about death by suicide early today morning of television & serial actress #VJChitra of #PandianStores serial fame. #RIPChitra pic.twitter.com/rylxcr3Gxr— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) December 9, 2020 Such terrible news.... #VJChitra....may she rest in peace...#PandianStores https://t.co/qo9tN0CvC5 — Latha Srinivasan (@latasrinivasan) December 9, 2020 Time n again we talk about this Life is too precious to end it I really wish she spoke out to someone before deciding to end her life Wtv the WAR u are fighting within, pls speak it out, it DEFINITELY HELPS... a second is more than enuf to change a decision #RIPChitra — Shanthnu ஷாந்தனு Buddy (@imKBRshanthnu) December 9, 2020      View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Soundarya Bala Nandakumar (@soundarya_offl) Chitra was a popular face among the Tamil television audience. She had hosted shows on major Tamil television channels, including Makkal TV, Jaya TV and Zee Tamizh. She also acted in numerous television serials on multiple channels. According to reports, she had signed on to play an important role in an upcoming Tamil film and was engaged to a businessman in August. Chitra was reportedly shooting at EVP film city before her death. After completing the shoot, she had checked into her hotel room around 1 am on Wednesday, said the police. The hotel manager had informed the police about her death at around 3 am. The police are investigating the cause of her death.  Read: Popular TV actor and host VJ Chitra found dead in Chennai hotel room If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.    Tamil Nadu State health department's suicide helpline: 104 Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu) Andhra Pradesh Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930 Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584 Karnataka Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222 Kerala Maithri: 0484 2540530 Chaithram: 0484 2361161 Both are 24-hour helpline numbers. Telangana State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104 Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200 SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm) Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.    24x7 Helpline: 9820466726 Click here for working helplines across India.
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VJ Chithra’s autopsy to be done in KMC, probe underway at Chennai hotel

December 8, 2020, 10:08 pm
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Suicide
The actor was found dead in a hotel room on Wednesday morning.
TNM Staff
VJ Chithra in blue saree
Instagram/VJ Chithra
The investigation into the death of actor-VJ Chithra is underway at the hotel in Chennai where she died. The autopsy will be performed at the Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday. Speaking to TNM, a police officer from Nazrathpet police station said that the investigating team is currently questioning the hotel staff and others at the spot in connection with the actor’s death. Chithra, who is known for her role in the Tamil daily soap Pandian Stores on Star Vijay channel, was found dead in her hotel room early on Wednesday. She was 29 and is prima facie suspected to have died by suicide. The actor had checked into her room after returning from shooting around 1 am on Wednesday. Around 3.30 am, the police control room received a call from the hotel staff, informing them of the death. The police have informed Chithra’s family, who also live in Chennai. She is reportedly engaged to a businessman since August 2020 and had been signed to act in a film. Some reports however claim that the couple got married two months ago, though this has not been officially confirmed by the police. Chithra played the role of Mullai in Pandian Stores. Several of her co-actors and peers from the industry expressed their shock and condolences at the actor’s untimely death.  VJ Anjana Rangan tweeted her shock at the incident on Wednesday. “Please please talk it out. Dont let ur pains take away you life. Speak out to someone , get a hold on ur self and live life with strength and happiness. Never let anyone or anything become more precious than ur life #RIPChitra,” she wrote.  Please please talk it out. Dont let ur pains take away you life. Speak out to someone , get a hold on ur self and live life with strength and happiness. Never let anyone or anything become more precious than ur life #RIPChitra  pic.twitter.com/puriT0QQOg— Anjana Rangan (@AnjanaVJ) December 9, 2020 Actor Venkat Rengathan, who acted with Chithra in Pandian Stores serial, called her a ‘daring girl’. “I cannot even think of you doing something like this. Why Chithu?,” he posted on his Instagram. Actor Hema Rajkumar also expressed her shock at Chithra’s death on Instagram. “You shouldn’t have done this. Why? No words to say,” she wrote.    If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.    Tamil Nadu State health department's suicide helpline: 104 Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu) Andhra Pradesh Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930 Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584 Karnataka Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222 Kerala Maithri: 0484 2540530 Chaithram: 0484 2361161 Both are 24-hour helpline numbers. Telangana State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104 Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200 SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm) Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.    24x7 Helpline: 9820466726 Click here for working helplines across India.
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‘I cannot be aggressive. I just smile and move on’: T Natarajan after T20 series win

December 8, 2020, 10:24 pm
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Cricket
Playing his first international series for Team India, Natarajan put up an impressive show in the T20 series in Australia.
TNM Staff
Thangarasu Natarajan smiling on camera after T20 series win against Australia
Debutant Indian bowler from Tamil Nadu T Natarajan, on Tuesday, said that aggression is not his cup of tea. He was speaking to cricketer Murali Karthik after Tuesday’s T20 match against Australia when he made the comment. “Many people have asked me this. I have been like this since my childhood. I cannot be aggressive. I just smile and move on. Not a big deal,” Natarajan told Murali Karthik, when the latter asked a question about how the southpaw is able to keep his calm even when he gets hit for boundaries during a game. Expressing happiness at the series win and his performance in his debut international outing, Natarajan also said that he had no expectations when he flew down to Australia as part of the squad. From being a net bowler to impressing the whole nation in his debut series, @Natarajan_91 has surely come a far way  Watch him talk to @kartikmurali about his journey and game plan #CricketKaAsliRang #AUSvIND #INDvAUS #SonySports #TNatarajan #Natarajan pic.twitter.com/Cgo2Mv4NHw— Sony Sports (@SonySportsIndia) December 8, 2020 “I didn’t have any huge expectations. I just wanted to do my work. Anyway I came here as a net bowler and I got a chance here due to some injury (of other players). I was just looking to utilise the chance. Since I was in good form during IPL, that helped. Also, people here motivated and supported me well. So I got the confidence to do better,” he said. Adding that he believed in his strength of bowling cutters and yorkers, Natarajan said that he just executed the variations according to the wicket at that point in time. “I then ask the wicket-keeper or the captain about the wicket and whether it is slow etc. I adapted according to that and bowled. I was fully confident about my death bowling, yorkers and slow balls. I didn’t do any other changes. I tried replicating what I did in IPL, here and tried to execute it clearly,” he said. Thangarasu Natarajan played his first ever international ODI and T20 matches during the present tour of India to Australia. Initially a part of the team for T20 matches, Natarajan secured his place in the ODI squad after Varun Chakravarthy had to sit out due to injuries. He picked two wickets from one ODI he played and six wickets across the three T20 matches he played against Australia. Hardik Pandya, who was awarded the Man of the Series, also congratulated Natarajan and said that it was the debut bowler who deserved Man of the Series honour. Natarajan, you were outstanding this series. To perform brilliantly in difficult conditions on your India debut speaks volumes of your talent and hardwork You deserve Man of the Series from my side bhai! Congratulations to #TeamIndia on the win  pic.twitter.com/gguk4WIlQD— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) December 8, 2020
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TN Gov assents to 20% quota for Tamil medium students in TNPSC exams

December 8, 2020, 11:21 pm
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Reservation
Recently, based on a PIL filed in Madurai, a division bench took up the case suo moto and questioned the delay.
TNM Staff
Candidates appear in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) prelims exam 2020, in Jabalpur
Image for Representation/PTI
The latest amendment to the State of Persons Studied in Tamil Medium Act, 2010 will now enable Tamil medium students from the state to be recruited under 20% reservation in government services. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit accorded his ascent to the bill that was passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in March this year. According to the amendment, the candidate will have to have completed their studies upto the qualifying exam as specified by the exam so as to benefit from the Persons Studied in Tamil Medium (PSTM) quota in the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) recruitment. This means if the qualifying exam is Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), then the candidate should have studied and qualified the exam under Tamil medium of instruction. If it is a Higher Secondary Course exam, then they should have completed both SSLC and  HSC exams in Tamil medium of education. Same goes for qualifications that prescribe SSLC + Diploma and SSLC + HSC + Diploma. Upon receiving the Governor’s nod, the gazette notification dated December 7 was issued. Recently, in a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by advocate G Sakthi Rao in Madurai, a division bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and B Pugalenthi suo moto took up the case and questioned the delay. This decision was pending for over eight months. Notably, in other matters relating to reservation, Tamil Nadu Governor had taken a while to give his ascent on the 7.5% horizontal reservation in undergraduate medical courses for NEET-qualified state government school students. On October 29, tired of delay and to facilitate immediate admissions of deserving candidates, Tamil Nadu government issued a government order allowing 7.5% horizontal reservation. Executive directions under Article 162 of the Constitution of India were issued in this regard. While the Bill was passed in the Assembly by the state government in September this year, the Governor’s nod was awaited for close to two months. 
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‘SII response is traumatic’: Chennai man who alleged side-effects after vaccine trial

December 9, 2020, 4:14 am
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COVID-19 Vaccine
The Serum Institute of India, AstraZeneca and the competent government organisations are yet to respond to the 40-year-old businessman’s legal notice issued on November 21.
Mathew TP
Silhouette of a man standing near a window.
Representative image from Pexels
Jaseem (name changed to protect identity) had a hard time getting back on his feet after he was diagnosed with ‘Acute Neuro Encephalopathy’, a sudden neurological dysfunction affecting the brain. According to his family, he could not recognise them, experienced mood swings and could not carry out daily work on his own. He claims it was the result of an extreme side-effect of the COVID-19 vaccine that he was administered on October 1 as part of the trial by the Pune-based pharmaceutical giant, Serum Institute of India Private Limited. The Indian company partnered with Oxford University and AstraZeneca, the British-Swedish pharmaceutical, to manufacture the vaccine in India, under the name Covishield. He is the 40-year-old Chennai businessman who recently served a legal notice to SII, AstraZeneca and other competent government organisations, demanding a Rs 5 crore compensation, alleging he suffered a severe adverse reaction to the vaccine. He also wanted testing, manufacturing and distribution of the vaccine stopped immediately. Jaseem and his family stressed that their intention is not the compensation per se but to bring the matter to the notice of the public. In fact, Jaseem is happy that he is slowly able to get back to work and that his wife, parents and children are no longer worried about his health. “I am back to normal and I am able to do my routine work independently without anybody's help. I am also slowly trying to return to my work," he told TNM. However, emotionally, he is still traumatised by the response of the Serum Institute and government authorities. Responding to the this volunteer’s allegations, the Serum Institute, in turn, threatened him with a Rs 100 crore suit to “safeguard the reputation of the company, which is being unfairly maligned." Terming the serious adverse event (SAE) “unfortunate”, the company outright denied that the symptoms were in no way induced by the vaccine, which is called Covishield in India. Barring a “public statement”, Jaseem has not received any response to his legal notice (issued on November 21) from the company. The government authorities, too, have been maintaining silence throughout. READ: Lawyers of man who alleged vaccine side effects say SII's 100 cr suit is intimidation “I am disappointed and shocked to note that no one from the Sree Ramachandra Medical college and research institute (SRMC), where I received the shot, did a follow-up on my health after I was discharged,” said the business consultant, who hails from Kannur district of Kerala. Jaseem received the undertrial vaccine on October 1. Ten days later, on October 11, he started experiencing severe headache, vomiting, showing irritation towards light and sound, and unaware of his surroundings. The discharge summary stated that he was "in an altered mental state" and "disoriented" when he was brought to the hospital. He was unable to talk and recognise people, including his own children. According to the legal notice, his wife alleged that even after being discharged after treatment, he was experiencing mood swings and finding it difficult to do simple routine things like making online payments, let alone focussing on work-related matters. “In October, I lost a big, promising project from the US after my condition dented my confidence,” he told TNM. READ: What happened after he took the shot  Jaseem’s wife alleged that the Serum Institute picked up only on the compensation point in her husband's legal notice, which runs up to 18 pages. "Our primary aim is not the compensation but to bring this case to the notice of the people," she reiterates. Meanwhile, two doctors in Chennai chose to assist the vaccine participant. One of them is Dr Zaheer Ahmed Sayeed, a neurologist, and a doctor from Apollo Hospital. After evaluating Jaseem’s medical condition, the Apollo Hospital doctor gave the businessman a letter asserting that his condition was due to the vaccine. READ: Chennai doc says patient developed neurological issues due to COVID-19 vaccine This correspondent sent an email to the AstraZeneca, the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company that developed the COVID-19 vaccine along with Oxford University, for a response. However, there has been no response yet. Meanwhile, the office of the CEO of the Serum Institute of India Private Ltd said the institute has already put out a statement in this regard, stating the Covshield "is safe and immunogenic”. After the phase-3 trials, Oxford-AstraZeneca claimed their vaccine showed an efficacy of 62% (two full doses) and 90% (a half dose followed by a full dose). The interim results of the clinical trial, which was published on Tuesday in the peer-reviewed Lancet journal, showed that the vaccine showed an overall efficacy of 70%, stating that it is “safe and effective”. Even as Jaseem is yet to hear from the pharma company, the Serum Institute of India has applied to the Drugs Controller General of India seeking emergency use authorisation for Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Although his wife, two sons (studying in Class 5 and 2) and parents are relieved that Jaseem has started showing signs of improvement, the family is still awaiting a reply from the pharmaceutical company to his notice. He also hopes the Indian government will intervene in his matter to ensure transparency in the case. “I am aware that this will be a long wait for justice given the way authorities have responded to my notice,” he said.
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Vijay Sethupathi confirms that 'Laabam' will hit the big screens first

December 9, 2020, 4:39 am
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Kollywood
The film also stars Shruti Haasan.
Digital Native
Vijay Sethupathi and Shruti Haasan in Laabam where the former is seen on a bike and the latter standing next to him
Vijay Sethupathi and Shruti Haasan have come together for the first time for a film. Titled Laabam the film is being directed by SP Jhananathan of Peraanmai fame. On Tuesday actor Vijay Sethupathi took to Twitter and urged people to not believe in any rumors that said Laabam will premiere directly on OTT. Sethupathi took to Twitter to clarify that Laabam will only be released in cinemas. "Socio political  thriller #Laabam, its not a direct OTT premiere it will have a big theatrical release #LaabamOnTheatresSoon #SPJhananathan @shrutihaasan @immancomposer @vsp_productions @7CsPvtPte @Aaru_Dir" tweeted Sethupathi. Socio political thriller #Laabam, its not a direct OTT premiere it will have a big theatrical release #LaabamOnTheatresSoon#SPJhananathan @shrutihaasan @immancomposer @vsp_productions @7CsPvtPte @Aaru_Dir pic.twitter.com/G27ciEmQXm — VijaySethupathi (@VijaySethuOffl) December 8, 2020 Sethupathi and Jananathan had previously worked together in Purampoku, which also starred Arya. Laabam is a story based on agriculture and the film's shooting is expected to be wrapped up soon. Last seen in Suriya’s Singam 3, this will be Shruti's comeback in Tamil after almost three years. Laambam is produced by Vijay Sethupathi Productions in association with 7 C S Entertainment, which bankrolled films such as Oru Nalla Naal Paathu Solren. Recently seen in an extended cameo in Ka Pae Ranasingam, which had its premiere on ZeePlex, Vijay Sethupathi also has projects such as Kaathu Vaakula Rendu Kadhal with Vignesh Shivn, Master with Lokesh Kanagaraj and Pushpa with Sukumar among others in the pipeline.  Vijay Sethupathi currently awaits the release of Thalapathy Vijay's Master directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. It’ll be the first time Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi will be seen sharing screen space. Vijay Sethupathi, who started playing negative roles from Vikram Vedha, will be seen as the antagonist in Master. Recently Vijay Sethupathi signed his second film in Mollywood and it comes with an interesting title 19(1)(a). Nithya Menen has been roped in to play the female lead. To be directed by debutant Indhu VS, the film is bankrolled by under the banner Anto Joseph Film Company. Apart from Vijay Sethupathi, the film will also have Indrajith Sukumaran and Indrans playing the lead role. His Ka Pae Ranasingam was streamed on the OTT platform Zeeplex, a pay-per-view initiative from Zee. The film was out on October 2 this year. Ka Pae Ranasingam, starring Vijay Sethupathi, had Aishwarya Rajesh playing the female lead. (Content provided by Digital Native)
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Chennai man's death: Civic body denies allegations that he fell into pothole

December 9, 2020, 4:53 am
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Death
56-year-old Narasimhan was on a morning walk near Kodambakkam when he died while stepping over a pothole.
Priyanka Thirumurthy
The Chennai Municipal Corporation on Tuesday dismissed allegations that the death of a 56-year-old man near Liberty bridge in Kodambakkam, was due to him falling into a pothole. Corporation Commissioner G Prakash noted that Narasimhan's death was due to a suspected heart attack and released CCTV footage to prove the same. Narasimhan and his friend were on a morning walk near the bridge and close to 7.30 am when they were near Pratap hotel, he allegedly stepped on stagnant rain water and temporarily lost balance, before falling to the ground. Passersby then rushed him to a hospital nearby but he was declared dead on arrival. The deceased man worked as a driver in a star hotel in the city. Following his death, Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said, "The incident of the death today of one Mr Narasimhan, 56, wasn’t due to a storm water drain or sewage manhole. The post-mortem will be done at KMCH and the doctors will ascertain the reason for death( suspected massive heart attack)." CCTV footage shows Narasimhan struggling to walk over the puddle and stumbling a bit before eventually falling to the ground. Speaking to The News Minute, the Nungambakkam assistant commissioner, Muthuvelpandi said that the investigation so far revealed that Narasimhan died due to a heart attack and not because of the manhole."He didn't touch the pothole or enter it in any manner. If you watch the CCTV footage he falls over after crossing the puddle. There was no electrical shock either that caused this, " he explained. But the officer did add that the stress of crossing the puddle could have led to stress for the victim. Eyewitnesses who were at the spot told Puthiya Thalaimurai that the pothole had existed for over six months and was responsible for several accidents in the spot. "We have told authorities multiple times to fix this pothole but it wasn't done. We helped the man sit up this morning but we only came to know later that he had passed away. This is not an accident, it is a murder," said Arun to the Tamil channel. Following the accident, the corporation immediately filled the pothole and smoothened the road there. 
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29 NLC employees killed in accidents at power plant in 5 years

December 9, 2020, 5:14 am
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Industrial Safety
In July 2020, six workers died on the spot and 17 others were injured after a boiler explosion inside the power plant in Neyveli, Cuddalore.
Megha Kaveri
Thermal power plants at Neyveli, Neyveli Lignite Corporation
Wiki Commons/ By NLC India Ltd (CC BY SA 4.0)
In the past five years, there have been 22 accidents inside the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) in Neyveli, Cuddalore, resulting in the deaths of 29 employees. The information was provided by the company in response to a Right To Information (RTI) query. In the response dated November 10, the NLC said that since 2016, 21 accidents have taken place inside the plant premises, causing injuries or the death of employees, both direct and contract workers. In 2015, one accident occurred, while seven accidents took place in 2016 and six accidents in the year 2017. Two accidents happened in 2018, and in 2019, three accidents took place inside the plant premises. In 2020, NLC had two accidents as of the date of the RTI response and one accident after the response was furnished. A total of nine direct employees and 20 contract workers have been killed between 2015 and 2020 due to the accidents inside the NLC. One of the contract workers was killed in an accident that happened on November 16 night. The plant was in the news recently after a boiler exploded inside Unit-6 of the Thermal Power Station-II (TPS-II) injuring several workers. On July 1, another boiler exploded in Unit-5 of TPS-II, killing six workers on the spot. The boiler that exploded on July 1 was not operational and a fire followed the explosion, killing six and injuring at least 17 others. As per the data available from the company, nine direct employees and 13 contract workers were killed in both these accidents combined. An inquiry committee was set up by the company under the leadership of a retired Chairman of the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited to probe the cause of the accident. 
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VJ Chitra's death: Family, friends suspect foul play in actor's death

December 9, 2020, 7:04 pm
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Death
Since her death has occurred before seven years of marriage was completed, the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) will be investigating the case.
TNM Staff
VJ Chitra in a red lehenga with flowers in her hair. Standing against blue walls
Instagram/chithuvj
Television actor and anchor VJ Chitra’s sudden death on Wednesday came as a shock to many in the television industry and to her ardent fans. Latest reports however suggest that friends and family of the deceased actor suspect foul play in her death. Moreover, since her death has occurred before seven years of marriage was completed, the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) will be investigating the case- this is what the law mandates. Early on Wednesday morning, Chitra was found dead in the hotel room she was staying. Her husband Hemanth, too, was reportedly staying with her. Hemanth has told the police that at the time of her death he was waiting outside the room. Chitra had allegedly asked him to wait outside, so she could take a shower. When Chitra did not open the door for a long time, Hemanth alerted the hotel staff and opened the door using a spare key. A call was then placed to emergency number 100 at about 3.30 am from the hotel. Her father, a retired cop, has filed a police complaint with the Nazarathpet Police station asking for a fair probe into her death. According to news reports, Chitra’s family members have alleged that they are suspicious over her death. The police are currently investigating Hemanth, her husband, and the hotel employee who helped him.  It is also being reported that while the two were engaged in August and set to marry in January. They had a simple registered marriage two months ago. Cyber crime police are currently going through her phone records. While Chitra’s death has come as a shock to many who knew her, quite a few have posted videos raising suspicions over her death. Calling her a brave woman, they have demanded a probe to bring justice to her death. Her colleagues and friends have told the media that Chitra was a highly successful and hardworking actress and that her death is untimely. 
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Chennai's Avadi, Anna Nagar to see power cut on December 10, 11

December 9, 2020, 7:48 pm
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Power shutdown
Power supply will be disrupted for five hours for maintenance work in these areas.
TNM Staff
Power lines amidst a golden sky
Parts of Chennai will experience power shut down for routine maintenance on Thursday, December 10 and Friday, December 11. Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) has announced that the power will be shut down from 9 am to 2 pm on Friday to carry out maintenance work in the following areas on these two days. However, if the works are completed before 2 pm, power supply will be restored immediately by TANGEDCO. December 10, Thursday Anna Nagar: Anna Nagar West and Anna Nagar West/Extn area, W- Block, B, C & D sector, 11th to 20th main road, Pace Builders Flats & Thiruvalleswarar Nagar, NVN Nagar, CPWD Quarters, Padikuppam Road up to Ben Foundation, Emerald Flats, Classic Apartments, Welcome Colony blocks 1 to 49 A, T V Nagar, J N Salai, Asiad, Rohini & Pioneer Colony, Sindhu Apartment, Mangalam Colony, Mullai Colony, Kurinchi Colony, Jawahar Colony, Shakthi Colony, Old L Block, Old Z Block, AL Block, 4th Avenue, Old Thirumangalam, 12th Main Road, AF Block, Nehru Nagar, 15th Main Road, 11th Main Road and AE Block. December 11, Friday Avadi: Sridevi Vaishnavi Nagar, Devi Nagar, Cholan Nagar, Cholambedu main road, Sri Nagar colony, Thamarai Nagar, Ganapathi Nagar, Srinivasan Nagar, JB Nagar, Senthil Nagar, Power line road (Siva Sakthi Nagar), 60 feet road, Thirukural main road, Jothi Nagar, Tholkapiyan street, Nanul street, Thembavani street, MG Road, Kamaraj Salai, Sinthamani street, and Sakundhalam street. Meanwhile, showing a positive trend for the first time since lockdown was announced, Tamil Nadu's electricity demand has increased over 9% in October 2020. According to a report in The Hindu, this has increased from being 8,266 million units during the same period last year to 9,086 million units in October this year. Noting that the recovery was slow in the state even until September, the reports states that Tamil Nadu's power demand had crashed during the lockdown to 25.6% in April and 14.5% in May. However, between April and October this year, the State’s power demand has come down by 10% from being 65,627 million units in 2019 to 59,099 million units, during the same period this year.
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Chennai’s Park Town residents stand in Cooum waters and protest eviction

December 9, 2020, 10:12 pm
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Protest
Director Pa Ranjith arrived at the spot and lent his voice to the residents.
TNM Staff
Chennai’s Park Town residents stand in Cooum waters and protest eviction
Protesting against the eviction drive by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), a group of Park Town residents entered the Cooum river on Wednesday. Men and women waded into the dirty, sewage waters of one of the oldest yet the most polluted waterways in the city demanding that authorities stall all eviction related activities in their area. Their main demand was to be relocated to tenements within city limits and not to Perumbakkam, about 30 kilometers away. The group stood in the Cooum waters for almost five hours before authorities persuaded them to come out. Later during the day, director Pa Ranjith arrived at the spot and lent his voice to the residents. Questioning the government’s timing of the eviction, that coincides with the ongoing Northeast monsoon season, Pa Ranjith tweeted, “The most legitimate demand placed forward by slum dwellers in Chennai — who get to lose their homes, their education and job opportunities, — is to be housed within the Chennai area. Your government is chasing away not just people by their votes too." தமிழக முதல்வர் @CMOTamilNadu துணைமுதல்வர் @OfficeOfOPS அவர்களே! இந்த பெரும் மழைக்காலத்தில் தான் சென்னை சத்தியவாணி முத்து நகர் குடுசைப்பகுதி மக்களின் வீடுகளை இடித்து அப்புறப்படுத்த வேண்டுமா? 1/ — pa.ranjith (@beemji) December 9, 2020 As part of the Cooum Restoration Project, GCC began demolishing about 50 houses on Wednesday. When protests began, operations were stalled but according to reports, GCC officials are about to go ahead with the plan. According to reports, a petition has been submitted to the managing director of the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) on Tuesday, seeking his intervention to allot residents houses in nearby areas. So far, over 1,720 houses have been removed from Sathyavani Muthu Nagar and Gandhi Nagar. Residents from these areas are being resettled to TNSCB tenements in Perumbakkam, an area already riddled with several civic and social issues. Additionally, Perumbakkam lies 30 kilometers from the city, adding to their woes. Chennai River Restoration Trust (CRRT) identified 47 human settlement areas along the Adyar River banks. Of this number, about 10 were beyond the project area and 10 were unaffected by the project and so excluded from the relocation drive. In November this year, GCC Commissioner G Prakash informed the media that about 90% of the encroachers along the Cooum River were relocated. The Cooum restoration project is aimed at cleaning up the polluted river. 
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I-T raids on Chettinad group in 67 locations in TN, Karnataka, Andhra and Maharashtra

December 9, 2020, 10:18 pm
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I-T Raid
The raids were being conducted at both business and residential premises of the group’s members and is likely to continue for the next couple of days.
TNM Staff
Cash recovered from Chettinad group IT raids
The Income-Tax Department on Wednesday conducted raids at multiple locations of the Chennai-based Chettinad group in connection with a tax evasion probe. With the raids still on, over Rs 7 crore "unaccounted" cash has reportedly been recovered from "a key person”. Confirming the raid, an official identified it as the Chettinad group during the day. Later, they also added that Singapore-based accounts too were being probed. The department on its official Twitter handle said the action was being undertaken against a prominent business group of Chennai having varied business activities. The I-T Department put out a tweet on its official page, which said, “The I-T Department is conducting search operations on a prominent business group of Chennai, having varied business activities. About 60 premises are being covered across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. More than Rs. 7 crore of unaccounted cash has been found from key persons so far. The search is still in progress.” ITDeptt is conducting search operation on prominent business group of Chennai having varied business activities. About 60 premises being covered across TN,Karnataka,AP &Maharashtra. More than Rs.7crore of unaccounted cash found from key person so far. Search is still in progress. pic.twitter.com/5IuP0cg62b— Income Tax India (@IncomeTaxIndia) December 9, 2020 When asked what led to the search, an official told reports that it was only a routine tax evasion check. The raids were being conducted at both business and residential premises of the group’s members and is likely to continue for the next couple of days. The searches started on Wednesday morning involving over 400 officials and 67 locations across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, including 52 places in Chennai. Founded by Annamalai Cheiityar in 1912, MAMR Muthiah is Chettinad Group’s present Managing Director. Chettinad group that is about 100 years old, headquartered in Chennai, has interests in several businesses like healthcare, construction, cement, power, textile and others with an annual turn-over of Rs.4,000 crores, according to its website. Notably in 2015, when the group went through a succession within the family, raids were held at its premises. 
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PARI series from Karadi Tales: Inspiring stories from rural India for children

December 9, 2020, 11:12 pm
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Books
The five books, based on real stories, are intended for children between 10 and 15 years of age.
Anjana Shekar
Dhivya and Ambikapathi at a cotton farm. The two young girls with disabilities were featured in Karadi Tales' PARI Series.
Facebook/KaradiTales/Dhivya and Ambikapathi from 'A Big Splash'
Stories from a small valley called Sittilingi nestled between Kalrayan and Sitteri Hills in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district; stories from a gruelling journey of several hundred kilometres undertaken by six families leaving Andhra Pradesh; stories from the life of a single mother who is a farmer from Sivagangai in Tamil Nadu growing the fragrant white sampangis, and more… These stories, with fresh looking book covers, are what you’ll read in Priti David’s Coming Home, Subuhi Jiwani’s No Ticket, Will Travel, Aparna Karthikeyan’s No Nonsense Nandhini, Nivedha Ganesh’s A Big Splash and Vishaka George’s House of Uncommons. Launched on October 31, all five stories, part of Chennai based children’s book publisher Karadi Tales and veteran journalist P Sainath’s publishing house People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), are based on real people. Inspired by news reports published on PARI, five writers have come up with five titles intended for children between 10 and 15 years of age. In a video conversation while promoting the book P Sainath points out, “A whole generation of Indian children are growing up as foreigners in their own country. It’s not just urban children who are isolated from larger realities, rural children itself are pretty isolated, more exposed to urban realities than to their own countryside…” Adding that the reading diet for children in India is completely bereft of such stories, Sainath talks about how the series is meant to bridge this very gap. Started in 2018, the project began when Karadi Tales’ co-founder and publishing director Shobha Viswanath found herself awestruck by the stories featured on PARI. She immediately realised that there was great scope for them to be turned into visually rich stories for children. Daya Subramanian, senior editor at Karadi Tales, tells TNM that a shortlist of articles from PARI was instantly made, followed by a closely involved back and forth with the authors. Except Nivedha Ganesh, who was an intern at Karadi Tales when the project was being done, the others are all women journalists who were in some way connected to the original story. Talking about the coincidence of this series’ all-women author list, Daya says, “We didn’t actively seek only women writers for this, we just wanted to ensure that whoever was adapting the stories were the best possible people for the job – by that I mean they were connected in some way to the original article (either they had written the original article, or were knowledgeable about the subject having covered that field before).” Nivedha’s A Big Splash is based on the story ‘From Cotton Fields to the Paralympics’ written by R Revathi for PARI. The moving story talks about perseverance and the friendship between two young girls with disabilities. Swimmers Dhivya and Ambikapathi, who hail from a village in Tamil Nadu’s Perambalur district, dream of making it to the Paralympics. In House of Uncommons, Vishaka George spins an interesting web of events around the student Parliament in Snehagram school in Krishnagiri district. What’s more interesting is that this book presents HIV to young children in the most beautiful manner, focussing on stigma, the difference between HIV and AIDS, and showing why it is wrong to treat people affected by HIV differently. The story’s protagonist, young 13-year-old Krishnan, is affected by HIV and is sent to a boarding school for children like him, much to his dismay. How does he deal with the stigma that he faces, and how does he live his dream? While the stories are all based on real people, what makes them stand out is that they open up a whole world for the readers, becoming great inter-disciplinary subjects. The story about a woman farmer is also a story about a single mother. The story about two youngsters living with disabilities is also a story about athletes (swimmers). More importantly, the books in the series humanise textbook concepts and put a face to statistics – of migrant workers, people living below the poverty line, young persons with disabilities. And the books also come with a generous done of imagination. Priti David, who wrote Coming Home, the story of a school in Sittilingi valley, shares with TNM, “While writing, I enjoyed bringing in the exasperating ‘Mani’ because I’m sure all children will identify with this one slightly older kid who is always maddeningly superior. I was laughing when I wrote those parts. I also enjoyed thinking up all the little extras like the picnic and the cycling trip, and the play. I brought in details from my own childhood and so in a way I too was ‘coming home’!” The books have been receiving great response. “There has been an incredible response to the books, from great reviews and testimonials, to sales figures – it’s one of our fastest-selling series of books ever. We get multiple tweets and DMs every day with praise for the stories and even for the book covers. I think the overwhelming response is because this is a unique, first-of-its-kind series, and therefore it has caught a lot of attention,” says Daya. Those featured in the series too have something to treasure. When the books arrived at Sittilingi’s Thulir school, which also featured in Coming Home, the children were quite excited to notice the resemblance to their own village. “When the postman brought the books, a teacher at the school immediately opened it and showed it to the 10-year-olds. They looked at the cover and said ‘This place looks like Sittilingi’!” Priti shares. In one of the video interactions, journalist Aparna Karthikeyan talks about how Chandra Subramaniam, Nandhini in the book, felt about No Nonsense Nandhini. Adding that Chandra’s real life is far more complex compared to the story, Aparna says, “When I rang her this morning to ask if she has a message, she wanted to say that she’s very happy she’s her own boss. She also says single women can accomplish everything they want to if they have confidence and perseverance to do so. And she does not want to force her children to become farmers if they don’t want to.” Karadi Tales plans on making sure the books reach both rural and urban children. “We’ve been trying to do our best to promote this series, as we truly want it to go beyond our usual audience. We mainly want these books to reach students in both rural and urban India. So early next year, we’re planning to conduct a series of webinars with educators across India to start conversations about the topics in this series,” Daya adds. The PARI series is available for purchase either as a set or as separate books. 
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Rajinikanth political entry: How will he fare contesting alone or in an alliance?

December 9, 2020, 11:29 pm
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Politics
Some believe Rajini may earn a chunk of the minority and anti-incumbency votes.
Bharathi SP
Superstar Rajinikanth with Tamilaruvi Manian during his party announcement in Chennai Poes Garden residence
File image/PTI
Politician Rajinikanth has two possibilities – either become Baasha or Thalapathi. In other words, contest alone or join hands with friends to form an alliance. As an actor, Rajinikanth has mostly portrayed himself as Baasha, a one-man army who fights against the system. In Shivaji, he says, “Kanna, panninga than kootama varum, singham single-la than varum” (Only pigs come in groups, a lion always comes alone). Yet in Thalapathi, Rajini tells his friend Mammootty, “Take my life, my life is for you.” While the Superstar’s fans eagerly await his party launch, others are starting to ponder over the two possibilities to decide on their support. Rajini contesting alone Rajinikanth’s announcement about the party launch and portraying himself as an alternative to the “system” has raised eyebrows. If the actor contests alone in the polls, political analysts believe he will eat into the vote bank of the AIADMK and DMK. They say his concept of spiritual politics will definitely get him the staunch Hindu vote bank which is presently with the AIADMK and BJP. Senior journalist Priyan Kalki says, “Till now it appears like a three-sided election since AIADMK and BJP will form an alliance with Rajini only post-elections. If Rajini joins the AIADMK-BJP alliance before the elections, then he has to bear the black mark prevailing about the alliance. However, as a new entrant he may want to avoid any early negative impressions. All three – AIADMK, BJP and Rajini – bank on Hindutva votes, and they are clear to rule out an alliance with the DMK.” In terms of DMK vote bank divide, Priyan says, Rajini may earn minority and anti-incumbency votes which may cause trouble for the DMK. Priyan says, “If the anti-incumbency votes go to Rajini, then DMK may lose those constituencies. So it’s likely that DMK will campaign saying that AIADMK-BJP-Rajinikanth belong to the same team. However, Rajini’s entry into politics will definitely affect AIADMK and DMK.” Reiterating this, social researcher Geetha Narayanan says that Hindu votes will shift to Rajinikanth from the BJP. “If we see the early trends, Rajini’s focus on spirituality politics will swing the BJP vote bank to the actor. But the BJP doesn’t have a sizable vote bank in Tamil Nadu,” she says. She adds that if Rajini decides to contest alone, he may not end up receiving a good share of the vote. Rajini forming an alliance Analysts reason that an alliance between the DMK and Rajini will be detrimental to both since the concept of spiritual politics is against the very basis of the Justice Party. The Justice Party was formed by EV Ramasamy Periyar as a self-respect movement to put an end to caste prejudice and as the dawn of rational thinking. A DMK-Rajini alliance will hurt the foundation of the Dravidian party and the sentiments of both the party cadres. Hence, political analysts rule out the possibility. Professor Ramu Manivannan, Head of the Political Science Department, Madras University, predicts that Rajinikanth will probably enter into a pre-poll alliance with Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), with only a small chance that he will contest alone. He notes, “Rajinikanth could join hands with MNM chief Kamal Haasan, since contesting alone will not give him a decent vote share. Rajini might get a vote share slightly more than Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi but his vote bank will mostly not cross 4%.” This projection however is not what DMK or AIADMK intelligence wings predict. They have both given Rajinikanth at least 10% vote share, according to sources. Many of the experts agree that Rajini can attract other smaller parties also into his third front, if he is willing to form one. Professor Ramu says that there is another possibility where Rajinikanth can be in a shadow alliance with the BJP. “Rajinikanth is viewed as a face of the BJP in Tamil Nadu politics. So even if he doesn’t have a formal alliance, he will definitely favour BJP and their alliance,” he adds. However, Geetha asserts that Rajini has only two possibilities – either contest in an alliance with AIADMK-BJP or go it alone. She says, “If Rajini aligns with the AIADMK, he can become its crowd-puller, which the party lacks now. Even then it’s unclear if people will vote for his candidates. No one knows any of the office-bearers of Rajini Makkal Mandram. Also, till now he hasn’t been vocal on any of the issues that matter to the public and we haven’t seen any of his contributions.” However, Priyan raises doubts about Rajini entering into a pre-poll alliance with AIADMK-BJP. He says, “Rajini doesn’t want AIADMK to continue in power, so there lies the first problem. Secondly, he doesn’t want DMK to come to power, so that’s the next problem. He’ll definitely spoil the chances of the AIADMK and DMK in many places. It’s clear that his spiritual politics will eat into the vote share of AIADMK and BJP.” Priyan further opines that Rajini is being used as a tool by the BJP to dent the vote bank of both the Dravidian parties. Will Rajini’s entry create a dent in the vote bank? Political observers are divided over the question. While some say that Rajini will definitely affect the vote bank of the Dravidian parties, others observe that in Tamil Nadu, actors have not always been successful in politics. While actors like former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa had an impressive political career, others, including DMDK chief Vijayakant, Bhagyaraj and TR Rajendar, failed to make a significant mark in the state’s political arena. Mentioning Vijayakant and others as an example, Geetha opines that Rajinikanth will not make a dent in the vote share and doubts whether his own fans will vote for him. “Rajinikanth’s core fans are from the previous generation. But in this generation, most support the AIADMK and DMK. So, it’s doubtful whether his own fans will vote for him in the first place. Moreover, people in rural areas are likely to decide between the two Dravidian majors,” she notes. Reflecting a similar view, poet and social activist Sukirtharani also doubts if the actor’s fans will vote for him but says that he may affect the AIADMK vote bank. She says, “Rajinikanth can only be viewed as a person planted by the BJP, his entry into politics will not affect the vote share of the DMK. The spirituality politics put forth by him can only affect a small share of the AIADMK.” “The DMK, Left and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) are considered as parties advocating rational thinking so Rajinikanth’s entry cannot affect them. Also considering that the Left and VCK have fought for the people while Rajinikanth was lenient towards the government during the Sterlite and demonetisation issues,” she adds. Professor Ramu says that Rajini’s entry will slightly affect the DMK vote bank but it will not affect the party’s prospects. “The DMK vote share is significant and Rajini cannot make a dent into it. DMK has floating votes that may go to Rajinikanth or Kamal. So the two actors may create a small impact but they will not affect the vote bank to any great extent,” he says. Rajinikanth’s vote share will be based on his fan clubs, adds Professor Ramu. He says, “Rajinikanth will get votes from his fan clubs and cinema audiences. While elitist votes will go to Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth will secure the hardcore, middleclass fan base votes. The combine can receive 3-5% of the vote share.” Stating that caste factor also plays an important role, Geetha says, “Many people vote based on caste. Even in that case, AIADMK will have support from many communities. People also know the district-level party members of Dravidian majors in many places. So Rajini cannot make a dent in the vote bank.”
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Nilgiris Mountain Rail row: Southern Railways accused of privatising heritage line

December 10, 2020, 12:57 am
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Controversy
NMR is yet to resume services for the public after it was suspended before the COVID-19 lockdown on March 23.
Megha Kaveri
Nilgiris Mountain Railway train chugging on a bridge in Ooty
Wiki Commons/By Nsmohan - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
The operation of the mountain train service in The Nilgiris over the weekend has caused outrage among some political parties and workers unions in Tamil Nadu. The controversy surrounds an alleged attempt to privatise the heritage train service by allowing chartered tourist operators to run the services during the weekends. Nilgiris Mountain Railway (NMR) is a UNESCO Heritage site that runs from Mettupalayam to Ooty, a distance of around 45 kilometres. A private company by name of Homemade Group TN 43 had paid almost Rs 5 lakh to operate the NMR as a charter service during the weekends in December and January for its tourists. The NMR ran a charter service on December 5 and 6 and will continue similar services by TN 43 on all weekends in December and January 2021. The cost per ticket is Rs 3,000 and the service begins at 7.30 am from Mettupalayam and the return service from Ooty begins at 2 pm the same day. In comparison, the regular toy train costs Rs 600 for a first-class ticket, and Rs 295 for second-class. The controversy The news of charter service of NMR sparked outrage as it was construed as an attempt to eventually privatise the railway services on the heritage line. What perhaps angered worker unions and political parties is that the NMR has not resumed its toy train services between Mettupalayam and Ooty, which large sections of the general public use to commute between the two towns. The services were suspended owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of resuming the services for the common man, the Southern Railways’ decision to open up charter bookings by private parties for an exorbitant amount has angered these parties. While Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan from CPI-M, issued a statement condemning the private party for operating NMR during weekends, the Social Justice Party conducted a demonstration against the move in front of the Mettupalayam station on Wednesday. DMK MP from The Nilgiris A Raja, meanwhile, wrote to the General Manager of Southern Railway to resume NMR services for the public. Pointing out that NMR is one of the most photographed railway lines in the country, Raja urged the General Manager to take steps to resume its services for the public since the train contributes to the economy of the hill town. Railway clarification Meanwhile, Southern Railways issued a clarification that the train is being hired by a private charter for tourists. “It is clarified that there is not any change in the name of NMR services between Mettupalayam-Udagamandalam,” the statement said. Adding that hiring out the trains for private charters was done before the pandemic too, Southern Railways said that such services do not have any bearing on regular NMR services. Charter Special Trains between Mettupalayam - Udagamandalam.@GMSRailway pic.twitter.com/h6FMa5d5su — DRM Salem (@SalemDRM) December 7, 2020 Charter services is also a way by which NMR tries to make good the losses it suffers on a daily basis due to regular services, as per a report. Reports also stated that Southern Railways is awaiting the approval of the Railway Board to resume NMR services for the public. The construction of NMR began in the late 19th century and was finally completed in 1908 from Mettupalayam to Ooty. Set up by the British, the NMR is the only rack railway system in the country due to the steep hill gradient of The Nilgiris. The train operates on a metre gauge track.
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VJ Chitra death: Police confirm suicide, family alleges violence by husband

December 10, 2020, 5:50 am
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Death
Chitra’s mother Vijaya, speaking to reporters, has alleged physical violence by her son-in-law Hemanth.
TNM Staff
VJ Chitra in green and gold saree holding a mic
While Chennai police have concluded that television actor VJ Chitra died by suicide, the actor’s relatives continue to allege foul play. Further investigations are on to probe the possibility of physical violence as alleged by Chitra’s relatives. Confirming that the initial evidence from autopsy calls the death a suicide, an investigating officer told TNM that the allegations made by the family will be probed, “We are making further inquiries into the case.” Chitra’s mother Vijaya, speaking to reporters, has alleged physical violence by her son-in-law Hemanth. An inconsolable Vijaya repeats, "She was beaten to death…,” adding, “She spoke to me on Tuesday saying she was on a show and that it would be late. Morning her father-in-law called sharing the news. How could it be?" According to reports, relatives have claimed wounds on Chitra’s body, seeking for a full probe into her death. However police have not confirmed this on record. Investigations into Chitra’s death is being done by the Regional Divisional Officer (RDO), as is the norm in cases relating to suspicious death of women who have been married for seven years or less. Chitra's funeral was held in Chennai on Thursday. Chitra, a popular face among television audience, has hosted many shows and appeared in many serials over the years. She had a great fan following for her show Pandian Stores that airs on Vijay TV. In August this year, Chitra was engaged to Hemanth, reportedly a Chennai based businessman. The couple then registered their marriage and a formal ceremony with guests was set to happen a few months later, in February 2021.  Following the news of Chitra’s sudden death, many television personalities and fans expressed their shock. Claiming that Chitra was a happy and a brave woman, many of her friends shared videos requesting for the police to find out the full story behind her death. A complaint too was filed by Chitra’s family. Early on December 9 morning, Chitra was found dead in a hotel room by her husband an a hotel staff. The police were alerted around 3.30 am on Wednesday. Chitra who was staying there with Hemanth had returned late to the room. In his statement to the police, Hemanth has claimed that he was waiting outside the room, as requested by Chitra who was going to shower. When he realised that she did not open the door for a long time, he got the hotel staff to open it, only to find out that Chitra had died.
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Four Chennai-based men arrested for Rs 1100 cr fraud in money laundering case

December 10, 2020, 7:27 pm
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Crime
The four were arrested under various sections of the PMLA Act and sent to judicial custody.
PTI
Cubicles arranged within an office with files and folders lying around
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested four directors of two Chennai-based companies in a probe related to a money laundering case linked to an alleged collective investment scheme (CIS) fraud of more than Rs 1,100 crore. The central agency said it has arrested three officials of the first firm named Disc Assets Lead India Limited -- its chairman and managing director N M Umashankar, managing director V Janarthanan, director N Arunkumar alias N Arun and Saravanakumar, who is a director in the second company named Dal Marketing Solutions. The four were arrested under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and a Chennai court has sent them to judicial custody. The ED filed a PMLA case against Disc Assets Lead India after studying an FIR filed against it by the economic offences wing of the Chennai police on the basis of a "complaint received from public.” The agency said the alleged fraud is estimated to be over Rs 1,100 crore. The agency said, "Disc Assets Lead India Limited, Chennai collected money under various schemes stating that the customers would pay a fixed amount every month for a fixed period by the end of which they were promised lands.” "But the company defaulted and no lands were allotted," it said in a statement. It said the SEBI had initiated inquiries against the company and had said that they were doing business of a collective investment scheme for which the market regulator's permission was not taken. The company, the ED said, in order to "circumvent" these SEBI provisions, started collecting money from the customers through another firm -- Dal Marketing Solutions Limited."The amount declared to be collected by the company from the customers was Rs 1,137 crore. But lots of inconsistencies were found between the data submitted by the directors and the data from the banks.""Investigation revealed that the amounts collected have been diverted in the form of investment in various subsidiaries, royalty, donations, land advance, commission etc. to many entities in which their immediate family members, close relatives and employees of (Disc) were the key managerial personnel," it said.  
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News channels asked to air apology to Rakul Preet in Sushant Singh death coverage

December 10, 2020, 9:02 pm
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Sushant Singh Rajput case
Times Now, IndiaTV, India Today, News Nation, Aaj Tak and ABP News to remove their online reports and social media posts on the actor, with misleading hashtags.
TNM Staff
Actor Rakul Preet dressed in a blue dress against a black background
The News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) has directed three news channels to issue an apology on air for their reports on actor Rakul Preet Singh's alleged connection to deceased Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death. According to Live Law Zee News, Zee24 and Zee Hindustani have all been ordered to air the apology on December 17. In addition to this, the broadcasting authority also directed Times Now, IndiaTV, India Today, News Nation, Aaj Tak and ABP News to remove their online reports and social media posts on the actor, with misleading hashtags. In September, Rakul filed a plea in the Delhi High court against reports that linked her to a drug case being investigated in tandem with Sushant Singh's death by the Narcotics Control bureau (NCB). The NCB had summoned several female actors including the petitioner, Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor. During the investigation, reports were run by several channels claiming that Sushant's former girlfriend Rhea Chakraboty had named Rakul in a drugs racket. Rakul alleged that these were unverified reports, given that Rhea had issued a retraction statement where she denied naming Rakul in her statements to the NCB. Following this, the Delhi High Court had passed an interim order directing the NBSA to pass orders against the reports. In line with this directive, the NBSA which is headed by former Supreme court judge Justice AK Sikri, passed multiple directions. “NBSA observed that these Hashtags/Taglines were very offensive and derogatory and gave an impression that the complainant was definitely a part of the ‘drug circle gang and was pedalling and consuming drugs’,” the order read. “NBSA observed that the broadcaster, while telecasting such Hashtags, Taglines, and Images must understand the impression that these create on the viewers and the fact that these Taglines and Images, which have no connection with the news programmes being telecast, cannot be broadcast randomly.” The NBSA also came down upon channels for the manner in which they portrayed the actor. "Images of the complainant shown gulping alcohol, smoking and other images shown in the broadcasts were certainly misleading. Some of the images had no connection with the news being telecast and were taken from the complainant's movies without any reference to the same," said the order. "The images were repeatedly telecast and therefore the violation by the broadcaster was egregious in nature and the response given by it not considered a sufficient explanation or justification for the telecast of the above taglines and images," it stated.   
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Coimbatore’s ‘Gear Man’ P Subramanian passes away

December 10, 2020, 9:20 pm
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Death
He is the founder of Shanthi Gears and is well known for his charity work through Shanthi Social Services.
TNM Staff
Shanthi Gears unit in Coimbatore and its founder P Subramanian
P Subramanian, the Founder of Shanthi Gears and Shanthi Social Service, passed away on Friday in Coimbatore. He was 78 and was admitted to a hospital in the city for ill health in the last few days. Shanthi Social Service works to provide education to those from the underprivileged sections of the society and also helps with construction of roads, school buildings etc. He is survived by his three daughters.  Popularly known as the ‘Gear man of Coimbatore’, P Subramanian completed his diploma from PSG Polytechnic in the 1960s and established Shanthi Engineering and Trading Co in Coimbatore to manufacture small gears in 1969. In 1972, Subramanian converted it into a private company by name of Shanthi Gear Products (Private) Limited, which focussed on manufacturing gears to serve the textile sector. The company got itself listed in the stock exchange in 1986 and grew to become the third largest player in the gears industry in the country. In 2012, it was acquired by the Murugappa group of companies for Rs 464 crore, including a public open offer for 26% stake, in Shanthi Gears. After the sale to Murugappa group, Subramanian concentrated on social and philanthropic services through Shanthi Social Service, which was established in 1996. The foundation also runs a canteen, a hospital and a pharmacy. The canteen served free food for 300 senior citizens everyday, apart from selling food for a nominal price for others. The hospital and the pharmacy also were known to be run in a not-for-profit manner, thus benefiting the underprivileged strata of the society. The foundation also runs a petrol pump on Trichy Road, where the stock is sold at the same price which was in force when the stock arrived at the outlet, despite the subsequent increase in fuel prices. The foundation also owns and runs a diagnostic centre, a blood bank, an eye-care centre and an LPG crematorium.
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