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Gaana singer in Tamil Nadu arrested for song with sexual content on kids

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CRIME
The song was circulated on social media by several right wing handles falsely claiming that it was sung at Margazhiyil Makkalisai.
Gaana singer Saravedi Saravanan seen singing in the mike.
Twitter
Gaana singer (gaana is a type of folk song) Saravedi Saravanan alias Saran was arrested on Thursday, December 23 by Tiruvallur police for singing a song with sexual content against minor girls. The video that went viral on social media received massive flak from many. According to the police, singer Saran is seen in the video uploaded last year on YouTube singing lyrics which insinuates that he sexually assaulted a girl and got her pregnant as a way of ensuring she stays with him.  As the video went viral and came to the notice of Tiruvallur Superintendent of Police RV Varun Kumar, the SP ordered for action against the singer. As per the press note, Tiruvallur cybercrime department registered a case under Section 67B of the Information Technology Act. “The song released by the singer portrays minor girls in an obscene manner thus promoting action from the police,”added the press note. Saran was released after he apparently apologised for his behaviour. A clip of the song had been shared by many on social media recently. However many right wing handles and even BJP leaders wrongly claimed that the song was sung at  Margazhiyil Makkalisai, the cultural fest organised by Neelam Cultural Centre, established by movie director PA Ranjith and others. Following the slander, Neelam Cultural Centre released a statement saying that they would take legal action against those spreading fake news. Requesting parents and other stakeholders to report such crimes and content, the Tiruvallur police department urged parents to come forward without any hesitation.

Actor Vadivelu tests positive for coronavirus, hospitalised

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COVID-19
Tamil comedian and actor Vadivelu had on Thursday returned to Chennai from London, where he had attended some functions.
Tamil comedian and actor Vadivelu
Digital Native
Tamil comedian and actor Vadivelu has been admitted to a private hospital in Chennai after he tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, December 24. Vadivelu had returned to Chennai from London on Thursday, December 23, where he had attended some functions. He was tested at the Chennai international airport and on Friday, he tested positive. Doctors attending to him said that his health condition was stable and he was recovering well. Actor Vadivelu was in London n to score music for Naai Sekar Returns. Along with Vadivelu, composer Santhosh Narayanan, the film's director Suraaj,  and Tamil Kumaran, the CEO of Lyca which is producing the film, were all in London for the music scoring session. Naai Sekar Returns has sparked a huge interest as it will mark the return of Vadivelu to the big screen.  Recently, the motion poster of the film was released, and garnered a mammoth 1.8 million views on YouTube within 24 hours of its release. The actor and comedian Vadivelu had quit acting for a while and had made strong political statements against DMDK leader Vijayakanth while campaigning for DMK candidates during the 2011 elections. Slippers were hurled at the comedian-actor during the campaign at Tiruvanaikovil where then Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa was contesting the polls.

Tamil Nadu issues guidelines for international travellers to curb Omicron spread

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Omicron
Tamil Nadu has sought permission from the Union government to mandatorily test all international passengers arriving in the state.
Passengers at Chennai airport get into an airplane
Tamil Nadu on Friday, December 25, issued a fresh set of comprehensive guidelines following the emergence of Omicron strain of the coronavirus and said that the norms should be strictly adhered to. Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine T S Selvavinayagam said the testing should be done for individuals who had taken up international travel during the last 14 days, healthcare workers with symptoms of Covid-19 and those patients having severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). For the international passengers arriving to the state, he said, they should self-register on the Air Suvidha Portal before the scheduled travel and also upload a negative RT-PCR report of Covid-19. Each passenger should submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report, he said. Travellers arriving from "at risk" countries should submit a sample post arrival for COVID-19 test and if they test negative they would follow home quarantine for seven days. A re-test on the eighth day of their arrival in India should be done and if negative, they should further self-monitor their health. "If such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be sent for genomic testing analysis", he said. Passengers arriving from "non-risk" countries would be allowed to leave the airport and they should self-monitor their health for 14 days post arrival. Two per cent of such travellers arriving from non-risk countries shall be tested for COVID-19 and they are tested positive, they shall be managed as per laid down standard protocol and samples would be sent for genomic sequencing analysis, he said. The Health Department has written a letter to the Union government seeking permission for mandatory testing of international passengers arriving from all countries and the approval from the government of India was "awaited." The official said localities in a city or a town where international travellers are found to be positive with the Omicron variant, even a single case should be included as a "containment zone" and intensive action by the health authorities should be taken up with an aim of breaking the chain of transmission. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also sounded the alarm, stating that people must avoid crowding and strictly follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Friday, December 24.  Stalin, after chairing a high level consultative meeting appealed to the people to fully cooperate with the government to curb the virus spread. With Tamil Nadu reporting 34 cases of Omicron variant so far and considering Christmas and New Year celebrations besides the harvest festival of Pongal next month, Stalin held a meeting of medical, public health experts and top officials at the Secretariat. People who are yet to be vaccinated should get their dose in camps being held by local bodies and the health department. All shops, commercial complexes and cinemas should compulsorily follow guidelines to prevent the virus spread and adhere to the Standard Operating Procedure, the Chief Minister said."I appeal to the people to extend their full cooperation to the government in curbing the virus spread."

Meet the 85-year-old woman who teaches swimming in Tamil Nadu

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Human Interest
Papa, who works as a daily wager, learned swimming from her father when she was just five-years-old.
Swimmer Papa is seen standing on the top before jumping into the well.
Age is just a number, proves 85-year-old Papa, who effortlessly dives into a deep well, a river or a lake for swimming, and teaches the skill to her students of all ages at Vennandur village of Rasipuram in Namakkal district. Papa lives in Thanga Salai of Vennandur village, and is already popular in her village. And as she showcased her swimming skills, Papa has recently become popular across Tamil Nadu. Gaining popularity with widespread media coverage, Papa now has many more new students who want to learn swimming from the octagenarian. Papa, who works as a daily wager, learned swimming from her father when she was just five-years-old. The skill that she casually and effortlessly learned from her father has now given her a purpose. She says her motive is now to teach as many students as possible. Speaking about her hobby and how that turned into a goal for her, Papa says, “I learned different types of swimming from my father when I was just five-years-old. As he washed clothes near the stream, I would hold on to his shirt with one hand and perform strokes with the other hand.” Though Papa initially looked at swimming only as a hobby, it later turned into a habit for her, once her acquaintance and villagers noticed and recognised her skill. “I taught swimming to my entire family, from my son, daughter, grandchildren and recently even to my great grandson. Upon seeing this, many of my friends, acquaintances and others in the village approached me to teach them the skill as well,” she says “As swimming is dear to me I was unable to say no. And overtime, teaching swimming to all my students has become my goal at 85 years old. I have students from ages — from five to 40,” she says. Speaking about his mother, Papa’s son says that despite her age or the weather, she is always excited to go swimming. “Amma can perform all kinds of swimming from freestyle, side stroke, backstroke and more. She is truly an inspiration to everyone here,” he says.   Swinner Papa with her students.  

Use of 'Ondriya Arasu' degrades govt integrity, Puthiya Tamilagam head writes to TN Guv

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Politics
K Krishnasamy wrote to the Governor, saying that in Tamil Nadu, the Tamil word ‘Ondriya’ is only used to refer to the block level panchayat, thus "degrading the Central government".
Puthiya Tamilagam head K Krishnasamy, who wrote to Tamil Nadu Governor that the use of 'Ondriya Arasu' degrades govt integrity
File Photo
Objecting to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led government’s use of the term ‘Ondriya Arasu’ (Union government) to refer to the Narendra Modi-led government, Puthiya Tamilagam party chief K Krishnasamy wrote to the Governor of Tamil Nadu RN Ravi, to take action against the use of the term. In a letter dated December 25, Krishnasamy also requested the Governor to not give his assent to the Bill seeking exemption from NEET for the state, passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in September.  Since coming to power in May 2021, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu began using the term ‘Union government’ (Ondriya Arasu) instead of ‘Centre’ (Mathiya Arasu), in line with its principle of more autonomy for state governments. The move had been opposed by many BJP supporters and right-wingers, who called it a ‘political move’ against the Modi government. However, Chief Minister MK Stalin dismissed such allegations, and said that his government will continue to refer to the Government of India as the ‘Union government’ since that is what the Constitution says.  Objecting to the use of the term ‘Ondriya Arasu’ by CM Stalin and his ministers, Krishnaswamy claimed in his letter that in Tamil Nadu, the Tamil word ‘Ondriya’ is only used to refer to the “block level panchayat.” “The DMK has been extensively used the word “Ondriya Arasu” in recent times to deliberately distort what is said in the Constitution as Union of States and to associate the Indian Union Government with the “Block” level panchayat system, thus it degrading the Central Government to the level of Ondriya Arasu that is “Block” level Governance (sic)”, he claimed.  Read: 'Union govt' vs 'Centre': What's the difference, and why DMK govt is insisting on the former He also said that the DMK government was unwilling to use the word India or Bharat, referring to the Tamil version of an address by former Governor Banwarilal Purohit on June 21, 2021 where he alleged that the term “India” was deliberately omitted while the term ‘Ondriya Arasu’ was used. He alleged that these actions were “against the integrity of our nation”. Krishnasamy said that his complaint to the former Governor over the issue did not elicit any response.  Noting how in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly Budget session the term ‘Ondriya Arasu’ was used, Krishnasamy said it should not happen the next time. “The Union Government and Panchayat Union cannot be equated,” he wrote, requesting the Governor not to allow the DMK government to continue using the term as it “reduces their grip on Indian sovereignty and causes hatredness against the Indian Nation among the Tamil people (sic).” He also alleged that the DMK government was trying to “create as much hatred against the Indian nation and to sow the separatists seeds among the Tamil masses to fulfill their long time separatists mission,” and asked the Governor to act against the “Ondriya Arasu menace.” Constitutions experts have also said using the word Centre would not be accurate, as it is not in the Constitution. Experts say that using the term ‘Centre’ or ‘central government’ is indicative of an unequal relationship, implying that the state governments were subservient to the Union government, while the relationship is more egalitarian in reality with shared power over decision-making.  Puthiya Tamilagam had joined the BJP-AIADMK alliance in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The party, which has been at the forefront of the demand for regrouping and reclassification of the Devendrakula Vellalar community, later left the alliance ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections. 

TN police ordered to file report in 2011 case where cops raped Irular women

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Crime
In November 2011, four Irular women were allegedly raped by three police officials of the Thirukovilur police station, while 11 other members of their family were tortured in police custody.
Representative image of women standing
The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), on Tuesday, December 21, took suo motu cognizance on the decade-old case in Tamil Nadu, where four Irular women were allegedly raped by three police officials of the Thirukovilur police station in Villupuram district. The Commission has ordered the state government to ensure the Director General of Police files a final report before a competent court. The DGP is also to pass the final order on the departmental action initiated against the accused cops in three months. The Tamil Nadu government has also been instructed to provide a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each of the survivors. It is to be noted that the trial, in this case, has been pending for the last 10 years since the alleged sexual assault took place. The Commission was responding to an article published in the Tamil daily, Dinamalar, on November 27, 2011. According to the Dinamalar article, the four women, who are family members, were allegedly raped at Thabovanam eucalyptus grove. On the day of the crime on November 22, 2011, three police officials detained the husband of one of the four survivors over allegations of theft. They reportedly physically assaulted him and dragged him as well as other men to the police station. Later that night, a few more policemen allegedly barged into their house, seized four cell phones, 10 sovereigns of gold, and Rs 2,000 cash. They then allegedly forced the women into the police jeep, took them to the grove and raped them. One of the women was pregnant at the time, one of the survivors recounted the experience to Hindustan Times.  According to the SHRC order, minors (aged 12,10 and 8-years-old) were also picked up by the police. Four days after the incident, one of the survivors submitted a petition to the Additional Superintendent of Police, Thirukoilur, regarding the rape. However, despite her petition, the police response was full of missteps, the Commission order notes.  According to the SHRC order, the report from the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Villupuram range, was “bereft of particulars and findings.” Consequently, the ADGP, the Investigative Wing of the State Human Rights Commission, submitted a report in April 2013, which only admitted to the illegal detention of the women. The ADGP’s report claimed that the women had been medically examined and that no evidence of the rape had been found.  The accused police, when appearing before the SHRC, had denied the rape and further claimed that the provisions of the Prevention of Atrocities Act had been invoked against them “to gain monetary benefit from the government.” The State Human Rights Commission has ruled in the favour of the women survivors and the eleven members of their family who were detained that day. In its order, the Commission referred to judgments passed by the Madras High Court that have cited the prevalence of custodial violence and other forms of police excesses to guide its decision.

Chennai corporation to reopen COVID-care centres to curb spread of infected cases

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Coronavirus
According to sources, urban community centres at Injambakkam in Sholingallur zone and Manjambakkam will be converted into COVID-care centres.
Covid care centre
pti / Image for representation
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will be reopening some of its COVID-19 care centres to prevent the spread of infected cases. Urban community centres at Injambakkam in Sholingallur zone and Manjambakkam will be converted into COVID-care centres, sources in the civic body informed IANS. The GCC will be planning 200 beds in these two centres and if necessary the Covid-care centre at Chennai Trade Centre in Nandambakkam that can accommodate 1,000 patients will also be opened. The Chennai civic body has made preliminary arrangements in their own premises as schools and colleges are opened and patients will not be able to be accommodated in such places. A senior civic body official told IANS: "In the past 15 days, areas like Mahalingapuram and Nungambakkam have seen rising Covid-19 clusters and therefore Covid-care centres will be reopened." There were reports that private hospitals were referring all people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in home quarantine. According to GCC, this has led to entire families testing positive which has prompted it to intervene in the matter and communicate it to the private hospitals. A GCC official said: "If people above 50 years are placed under home quarantine, the complications will be more and if treated in a hospital, this can be easily overcome and the patient treated properly." The Chennai civic body has written letters to private hospitals to treat COVID patients in the hospitals during quarantine to prevent COVID from cross-spreading among family members. Gagan Singh Bedi, GCC Commissioner, in a letter to private hospitals said if the hospitals discharge COVID-19 patients before the end of the quarantine period, they must inform the civic body so that effective home quarantine is implemented. The GCC has directed private hospitals to report to the civic body on those people being treated for COVID-like symptoms.

Three-member TN family washed away while clicking selfie, bodies yet to be recovered

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Death
Those missing are identified as Leonsingh Raja (38), who was running a grocery shop at Tirusulam, his daughter Percy (16), and his brother's son Livingston (19).
Man drowns to death
Image for representation
The mortal remains of a three-member family, who were washed away in the Palar river in Chengalpatu on Christmas day morning while trying to click selfies, are yet to be recovered. Those missing are identified as Leonsingh Raja (38), who was running a grocery shop at Tirusulam, his daughter Percy (16), and his brother's son Livingston (19). Eyewitnesses said that despite warning not to go near the Palar river in Chengalpatu, the 20-member group, who were returning home after offering prayers at the Malai Madha Church at Acharapakkam, went near the river to click selfies. However, Leonsingh Raja and the children went deep into the river and were washed away, according to the Palar police. Group members tried to rescue them but failed.  Fire and Rescue personnel from the nearby Chengalpatu depot reached the spot and tried rescue operations but to no avail as the water level in the river was high. Police said that Leonsingh Raja was trying to save the children and suddenly lost his balance and the three were washed away. Fire and Rescue officials of Chengalpatu told IANS that the bodies have not been recovered as the heavy water flow was hindering the search operations. Divers from Chennai and local people were also on the search mission to recover the bodies. In a similar incident in April 2019, six persons, including two women and three children, had drowned in Pothanur village in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district. Forty-year-old Saravanan, from Pothanur village in Paramathivelur Taluk of Namakkal district, had gone along with his wife Jyothi (38 years), 10-year-old twin sons Deepakesh and Tharakesh, his wife’s friend Devi (30 years), her daughter Ashvika (7 years) and another relative Rohit, to take a swim in the Cauvery river that runs through Pothanur. According to the police, Saravanan and the others had entered the deep waters and were trapped as a result. Police and firefighters had recovered five of their bodies at the time, while a search was on to find 7-year-old Ashvika’s body.  With IANS inputs

Tamil Nadu slum board building collapses in Chennai, another block develops cracks

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Building collapse
Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced Rs 1 lakh compensation to each family that lost their homes.
Visuals from the site of the building collapse show workers trying to remove debris
A Tamil Nadu slum board building located in Chennai’s Tirovottiyur area collapsed into a heap of debris on Monday, December 27, morning, triggering panic in the area. According to reports, the D block of the Arivakulam Cottage Replacement Board residential area developed cracks on Sunday night, and 24 families who were living in the building were immediately evacuated. Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced Rs 1 lakh compensation to each family that lost their homes and has promised immediate resettlement.  The Arivakulam Cottage Replacement Board residential area, on Grama street in Chennai, was built in 1993, and currently houses over 1,000 people in about 360 houses in all the blocks. There are nine blocks in the complex, and people from two blocks — C and D — were evacuated on Sunday. Most of the four-storeyed buildings in the residential area are in precarious conditions. Visuals from the ground show that some walls have also collapsed in the C block, and so people living in the C block of the area have also been evacuated. On Monday morning, the building began to shake and tiles from the walls and ceiling began to fall off. Panicking that the building was about to collapse, people in and around the block fled. Officials from the fire department and Tiruvottriyur police are at the spot and are trying to ascertain whether there are any people trapped under the debris.  Residents of the complex have been complaining about the damaged condition of the buildings in the Arivakulam residential block. Reports say many times before, the roof in B Block has fallen in several times. However, despite multiple complaints, the authorities did not act on the complaints. 

ED attaches assets worth Rs 5.74 crore in Chennai Port Trust fraud case

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Tax probe
The case pertains to some suspects submitting "fake" fixed deposit receipts with the port trust.
Officials at the Directorate of Enforcement office in New Delhi
PTI file image
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, December 27, said it has attached 47 properties valued at about Rs 5.74 crore involved in the Chennai Port Trust fixed deposit scam. "ED has attached 47 properties, including 230 acres of land, 20 plots, gold, vehicles and bank deposits, total valuing at Rs 5.74 crore, involved in the Term Deposit Fraud pertaining to Chennai Port Trust," the ED said in a tweet. India's premier investigation agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had earlier said that it has filed charge sheet against 18 accused on the allegation of causing a loss of about Rs 45.40 crore to Indian Bank. In November, the CBI had said it had filed a charge sheet against the then Branch Manager, Indian Bank, Koyambedu Branch here and private persons in the case of foreclosing the fixed deposits in the name of Chennai Port Trust. The CBI had registered a case on July 31, 2020 on a complaint from Indian Bank, Chennai against two private persons — Branch Manager at the Indian Bank (Koyambedu Branch) in Chennai and other unknown public servants and private persons on the allegations of committing fraud, forgery, impersonation with the intention to cheat the bank to the tune of about Rs 100.57 crore. It was further alleged that a loss to the tune of Rs 45.4 crore was caused to Indian Bank by way of foreclosing/pre-closing of several term deposits created in the name of Chennai Port Trust and also transferring/withdrawing the said amount through various accounts. Searches were earlier conducted around 28 places in Tamil Nadu and Kerala which led to recovery of several incriminating materials and evidence, the CBI had said. During investigation, 12 persons were arrested, including two foreign nationals, then Branch Manager, Indian Bank and they are presently in judicial custody, the CBI said. According to CBI, the accused allegedly exploited the situation of investment of surplus cash available with Chennai Port Trust in the form of Term Deposits/Fixed Deposits with the banks for earning interest through limited tender process and also the willingness of the bank to attract investment in the form of term deposits. It was alleged that the fraudsters exploited the said situation to their benefit by approaching the Indian Bank Branch Manager and also Chennai Port Trust and enticed/induced the former to participate in the tender. It was further alleged that the bank manager in conspiracy with other accused accepted the proposed investment and actively participated in the bidding floated by Chennai Port Trust by quoting an arbitrarily higher interest rate for the proposed investment than the maximum allowable interest rate of the bank with the intention to win the bid. Indian Bank, Koyambedu branch was successful in five tenders floated by Chennai Port Trust and got the investment in the form of term deposits of about Rs 100.57 crore during the period between March and May 2020. The CBI said the bank manager instead of handing over the fixed deposit receipts to Chennai Port Trust gave it to the fraudsters. The fraudsters in turn created forged fixed deposit receipts and submitted the same to the Chennai Port Trust. One of the accused allegedly impersonated himself as Deputy Director (Finance) of Chennai Port Trust and opened a fake current account in the name of Chennai Port Trust at Koyambedu Branch, Indian Bank. With the original bonds in possession, the accused allegedly presented the same before Indian Bank, Koyambedu Branch and pre-closed the term deposits one after another within a few days of the original deposit. The money received from the pre-closure of term deposits was allegedly credited into the fake Chennai Port Trust current account opened by the accused and subsequently transferred to 34 different accounts. This money was withdrawn by the 27 account holders and handed over to the accused persons. In that process, a total of Rs 100.57 crore was transferred from Chennai Port Trust in five investments against which 45 term deposits of different amounts were created, CBI said. Of the total amount invested, Rs 55.19 crore were frozen after the detection of the fraud and remaining Rs 45.4 crore were swindled by the accused, CBI added. 

Madras High Court to only have physical hearings from Jan 3

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Court
This will apply to both the principal seat in Chennai and the Madurai bench, a notification said.
File photo of the Madras High Court
Image: Wikimedia Commons/Yogi Balaji
The Madras High Court will have only physical hearing of cases from January 3, 2022, according to a notification issued in Chennai. This will apply to both the principal seat in Chennai and the Madurai bench, a notification from Registrar General P Dhanabal dated December 27, said."...with regard to hearing of the cases in the Madras High Court (both at Principal Seat and at Madurai Bench), as ordered, it is notified that all virtual hearings on video conferencing platform shall stand suspended with effect from Monday, January 3, 2022, until further orders," it said. "It is made clear that hearing of cases will be only through physical mode in the Madras High Court (both at Principal Seat and at Madurai Bench)," with effect from Monday, January 3, it added. The Madras High Court first suspended physical hearings in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in India. In June that year, the court resumed hearing cases in person. However, it had to quickly suspend them again after a few judges tested positive for the coronavirus at the time. Initially, hearings were limited to Public Interest LItigations, Habeas Corpus petitions and bail and anticipatory bail petitions. In July, the court resumed full-bench strength. In February this year, the High Court partially resumed physical hearings, opting for a hybrid model where advocates and lawyers could argue physically in court during the final hearings of a case, and participate virtually otherwise. Read: Chennai corporation to reopen COVID-care centres to curb spread of infected cases

TN slum resettlement building crashes, complaints of cracks ignored for years

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Public Housing
A wing of the TNUHDB building in Chennai’s Tiruvottiyur collapsed on December 27, leaving residents in neighbouring buildings fearful of their own living arrangements.
Tiruvottiyur Slum Board collapse
PTI
For residents of the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB, formerly TNSCB) in the Arivakulam area of Chennai’s Tiruvottiyur, the widely reported collapse of Block D has worsened their already fragile living conditions. On the morning of December 27, one wing of the building completely fell down. Though there were no casualties or injuries as the wing was evacuated with barely any time to spare, the nightmare was far from over for the residents. That same night, TNM received calls that the adjacent Block E had also begun to sink into the ground. Already flustered from the day’s events, they said they were quick to clear the building. As of Monday night, according to residents, rescue personnel were engaged in moving out possessions. TNM spoke to a number of residents, all of whom were firm on their demand that they be given temporary housing until the current structure — which is over 30 years old — can be razed and rebuilt. Some, like Nisha who lives in Block E, are unwilling to permanently move elsewhere. Arivakulam is close to the sea, which is a source of income. “I work in a seafood export factory. Like me, most people here are daily wage earners. I clean prawns and squid for which I earn 200 to 500 rupees a day. Today’s wages are lost because I came running from work as soon as my husband called to tell me what happened.” Nisha pointed to the cracks developing in her block, on the building’s exterior and inside her home.    Cracks in the basement and inside Block E Superficial repairs already deteriorating Another wing of the same E block, which seems to have felt the aftershock of the Block D’s collapse, also appears to be collapsing, residents say. “I saw our fridge slide a few feet and go back when that block fell,” Nisha’s young daughter claims. With the safety of each of the blocks compromised, many residents are unsure what they’re going to do next. A major concern is that they’re not the official residents in these tenements. At least half of them, residents claim, are renting their homes from the people to whom the flats were allotted by the TNUHDB. “Outside, the deposit alone will be 30,000 rupees. Who here has that much on hand? Here they pay about Rs 2000 in rent,” says a friend of the residents. Now several of them have been asked by the house owners to leave. “We will not even get any of the compensation the state has announced,” says Nisha, “It will go to the owners.” Several other residents spoke of a pressing issue exacerbating their crisis: no proof of residence. The owners allegedly do not allow their renters to have any documentary evidence in their name. From gas bills to voter IDs to Aadhaar cards, all documents bear the addresses of previous residences, they say. “If there is proof, any compensation or benefits from the government will have to be shared with us,” Babu, a resident, says. “People who have come to live here, could not afford housing outside. So, they adjust. Now some house owners are asking us to leave. We have been living like refugees in our own country.” The night of the collapse Unable to spend the night in any of the structurally compromised blocks, many slept outside in the surrounding open spaces. Even as evening set in, when many reporters, officials and rescue personnel were on site, mosquitoes and flies swarmed these same areas. At night, this could have only been worse. In a video, sent by a resident around 11 pm, some are seen cooking where they will be spending the night. Others are attempting to sleep. Thiruvottriyur tenement collapse: Many residents of the surviving blocks spent last night camped outside with nowhere else to shelter with their belongings. Video from a resident. pic.twitter.com/g8B5KpfZWS — Bharathy Singaravel|பாரதி| ‏بارتي (@KuthaliPu) December 28, 2021 From what we can gather, the residents of the collapsed building — about 24 families — alone have been shifted to a nearby hall. It is unclear if food or bedding was provided to the others forced to camp outside. “I’ve brought my gas cylinder and stove outside. The fridge is still there. It wasn’t easy buying that fridge, but what to do?” asks a resident tiredly over the phone.  Superficial repairs to an aging building “We’ve been complaining about the cracks and the state of the building for years,” says one resident whose home was in the wing of block D that collapsed. “I’ve lived here for 18 years. About seven years ago, all these blocks had developed cracks. We’d complain at the collectorate or to any politician who visits. At the most some plaster work or other inadequate repairs like replacing the sunshades gets done. If the place floods from the rains, we’ll get some food for a few days. Nobody really listens,” she says. Even at the time this disaster occurred, similar repair work was ongoing for one of the blocks. But for Arivakulam’s residents, temporary measures are not enough.

Tamil Nadu's Pongal cash gift: DA for govt employees hiked to 31%

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Governance
A 14% increase in Dearness Allowance for government employees, teachers, pensioners and family pensioners will come into effect from January 1, 2022.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday, December 28, ordered a 14% increase in Dearness Allowance for government employees, teachers, pensioners and family pensioners with effect from January 1, 2022. Stalin also ordered a special Pongal gift of Rs 3,000 for C and D category employees, Rs 1,000 for those drawing salary in the special pay matrix as well as Rs 500 for pensioners, which includes those receiving special pension. Pongal festival falls on January 14, 2022. The hike in DA from 17 to 31% would entail an additional expenditure of about Rs 8,724 crore and for festival cash gift approximately, Rs 169.56 crore, an official release here said. Despite the fiscal burden, the Chief Minister directed the DA raise and festival gift considering the welfare of all government employees, teachers and pensioners, the government said. On September 7, 2021, Stalin had announced in the Assembly that enhanced Dearness Allowance to government employees and pensioners would be advanced by three months and it shall be implemented with effect from January 1, 2022. However, the government had not specified then, the percentage of increase that was being contemplated. Employees had demanded and expected a raise of 11%. The present DA hike would benefit about 16 lakh government employees and pensioners. Previously, in the revised budget (2021-22), the increase in DA for employees and pensioners was announced with effect from April 1, 2022, which was advanced subsequently by three months. 

Restrictions put in place in Chennai for New Year’s Eve: Details here

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New Year's Eve
The police have asked the public to avoid gatherings and to observe COVID appropriate behaviour.
A police man placing barricades on a road
File photo
The Chennai police put in place a slew of restrictions for New Year’s Eve in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus, particularly of the Omicron variant. It asked the public to avoid gatherings and ask people to observe COVID appropriate behaviour. Beaches will be out of bounds on New Year’s Eve. The police said that people will not be allowed to gather in Marina Beach, Elliots Beach, Neelankarai, and East Coast Road. Vehicles will not be allowed on Marina Beach, from War Memorial to Gandhi Statue, Kamaraj Road and Besant Nagar Elliots Beach Road from 9 pm onwards. It added that New Year celebrations will not be allowed on RK Salai , Rajaji Salai, Kamarajar Salai, Anna Salai, GST Road and other arterial roads.  It also prohibited resorts, farmhouses, clubs and convention centres from holding commercialised New Year celebrations, and banned DJ programmes and dance parties. The statement by the police added that residents of apartments and villas should not gather and hold New Year celebrations. Shows, dance performances, DJs and concerts are not allowed in hotels, entertainment venues, farm houses and public places. In all places of worship, standard operating procedures must be followed, and people must be wearing face masks and only be allowed after they are screened with thermal scanners and infrared gadgets.  The police said that there will be checkpoints at several locations as well as patrolling. Tamil Nadu reported a marginal rise in new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, December 28, adding 619 cases, including seven returnees from domestic and overseas locations, pushing the caseload to 27,45,261, while the toll rose to 36,750 with six more deaths. The state had logged 605 cases on Monday. Recoveries eclipsed new infections with 638 people getting discharged in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 27,01,974, leaving 6,537 active cases, a health department bulletin said.  The state capital headed the list of new infections (194), followed by Coimbatore 84 and Chengalpet 59, while the remaining were scattered across other districts. Among those who tested positive were two returnees each from Qatar and West Bengal and one each from the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine and New Delhi. Meanwhile, Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian appealed to members of the public to avoid taking part in new year celebrations as there was a risk of spread of the virus. He said union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan too had written to state governments on this subject on Tuesday. "Since there is a possibility of the spread of virus, we urge members of the public to avoid such gatherings", he said. Voicing concern over the increase in covid cases in Chennai, Subramanian said wearing of masks in the metro was low, while 56-58% of people do so in a commercial complex. In places like slum areas, it was 32%, posing a risk of spread of the virus in the locality. "While going out, one should wear a facial mask, maintain social distancing and follow all the COVID-19 protocols", he told reporters. On the Omicron variant of COVID-19, he said 34 people were affected by the new strain in the state till date, of whom 22 were discharged after successful recovery. "There were 12 people under treatment as of yesterday and seven were discharged last night. The current active Omicron cases in Tamil Nadu is five," he said. With PTI inputs

Apple puts TN Foxconn plant on probation after mass food poisoning row

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Protest
Apple also said that it is restructuring its local management team after over 250 workers fell ill due to food poisoning at an off-site hostel in Sriperumbudur.
Foxconn plant building in Tamil Nadu
Wikimedia commons/Nadkachna
Apple supplier Foxconn Technology Group on Wednesday, December 29 said that it is restructuring its local management team, after the recent mass food-poisoning incident at Sriperumbudur factory's offsite dormitory facility. An Apple spokesperson said Foxconn's Sriperumbudur facility had been placed on probation. In a statement on Wednesday, Foxconn said that all employees will continue to be paid while “necessary improvements” are undertaken before restarting operations. Foxconn said it will continue to provide support for staff as they return to work. "We are also restructuring our local management team and our management systems to ensure we can achieve and maintain the high standards that are needed," a statement by Foxconn Technology Group said. Meanwhile, an Apple spokesperson said that Foxconn's Sriperumbudur facility has been placed on probation and that the company will ensure strict standards are met before the facility reopens. "We will continue to monitor conditions closely," the Apple spokesperson said in an email. Earlier this month, the Foxconn plant in Sriperumbudur became the centre of a controversy after over 250 workers fell ill due to food poisoning at an off-site hostel. Following this, hundreds of Foxconn workers took to the streets in protest. The workers were frustrated as the company allegedly did not reveal details about the health of their colleagues, or their whereabouts. However, Tiruvallur District Collector Alby John later revealed that 256 workers had Acute Diarrhoeal Disease on December 15, 2021. Of these, 159 had been hospitalised, while the others were treated as outpatients at different hospitals. Read: Mass protest by Foxconn workers in TN, allege company hushed up severe food poisoning The protest took place on the Chennai-Bengaluru highway near Sriperumbudur for several hours on December 18. Sixty-seven of the protesting workers, who were all  women, were detained in a private hall and released only 24 hours later. A freelance journalist and an activist were also taken into custody for a few hours and later released. Read: Protesting Foxconn workers, journalist detained in TN, released after 24 hours

Tamil Nadu Assembly to telecast live proceedings of question hour from January

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Politics
Live telecast of Assembly proceedings was one of the key poll promises of the DMK.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in the Assembly: Tamil Nadu Assembly will telecast live proceedings of question hour from January 2022
File Photo/PTI
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which will hold its next session from January 5, will have live telecast of the question hours. The live telecast of Assembly proceedings was an electoral promise of the DMK. The Assembly session will be held at St. George Fort, for the first time since September 2020 when the session was held at Kalaivanar Arangam due to COVID-19. MK Stalin, the Chief Minister, had already told the Assembly during the budget session that live telecast would take place during its January session. Live telecast of Assembly proceedings, 100 days of session in a year, and reviving the Legislative council were the key promises of the DMK during the elections as far as the Assembly was concerned. Although live telecast of Assembly proceedings has been a long-standing demand since the ‘90s, Tamil Nadu is the only state in south India where this practice was not implemented. Arrangements are being made at the Assembly hall for live feed to television channels. Sources in the Tamil Nadu Assembly told IANS that to begin with, the proceedings of the question hour would be telecast live from January 5 onwards. The Tamil Nadu films division officials had recently visited the Parliament House as the proceedings of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are live streamed from Parliament. The team also visited Assembly halls of Kerala, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to have a first-hand live experience of the proceedings. Officials of the Tamil Nadu Assembly told IANS that the last day of the session would also be telecast live. Interestingly, the telecast would increase the responsibility of legislators as people will be watching the performance of their representatives in the Assembly. The Chief Minister had told the media that this was exactly what he wanted as this would lead to legislators reaching the house with more research and preparations and would answer only after proper studies. Read: Why Tamil Nadu is the only south state that doesn’t live telecast Assembly proceedings

Tamil Nadu has to vaccinate 33.2 lakh teens in 15-18 age group

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Coronavirus
Across India, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is likely to be the only vaccine available, for now, for teens in the age group of 15-18 years.
A medic displays a vial of Covaxin vaccine at a vaccination centre
pti
Tamil Nadu Principal Secretary for Health and Family Welfare Dr J Radhakrishnan told TNM that the state government has identified 33.2 lakh teenagers to be vaccinated starting January 3, 2022. This measure is to be undertaken in keeping with PM Modi’s announcement on December 25 night extending the COVID-19 vaccine programme to the 15 to 18-years-old age group. All states have also been asked to allow a third 'precautionary shot' for those above the age of 60 who also have co-morbidities. Tamil Nadu also needs to persuade the 60+ age group who have only taken their first shot so far —numbering 1.04 crore — to take their follow up doses. Those born in the year 2007 or earlier are considered eligible in the 15 to 18 age group. Registration will work in the same way as for adults, Dr RS Sharma, CEO of the National Health Advisory, had said earlier. School identity cards will be among the documents accepted as ID proof. Across India, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is likely to be the only vaccine available, for now, for teens in the age group of 15-18 years. The estimated all-India population to be covered in this category is seven to eight crores. Any healthcare and frontline workers and citizens above 60 years of age with comorbidities who are eligible for the third dose will be getting the same vaccine that they were administered the first two times, it was earlier reported. The gap between the second and third precautionary dose, is likely to be 9 to 12 months, according to sources. Necessary modifications are will be made to the CoWIN portal to register this new category of vaccination. Presently, the Tamil Nadu health department is gearing up for the possibility of an Omicron surge in the state with 45 confirmed cases and 118 samples of Covid-19 positive people showing presence of S-gene drop.

Containment zones back in Chennai as Omicron cases in Tamil Nadu rise to 45

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Coronavirus
State Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that in all Omicron cases detected so far, the patients were vaccinated and asymptomatic.
A municipal worker spraying disinfectant at a containment zone in Gurugram: Containment zones are back in Chennai as Omicron cases in Tamil Nadu rise to 45
Image for representation/PTI
With the National Institute of Virology confirming 11 more cases of Omicron in Tamil Nadu, thus taking the total number to 45, State Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Wednesday, December 29, that there was no need to panic as all the cases detected so far are asymptomatic. After inspecting the city’s first COVID-19 containment zone in Chennai’s Ashok Nagar since the removal of lockdown restrictions during the second wave, the Minister also said that all the Omicron patients had availed two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.  The Minister visited the containment zone along with Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department Dr J Radhakrishnan, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi and other officials. As to the containment zone in Ashok Nagar, Radhakrishnan said it was the first in the city after the lockdown curbs were lifted. A cluster of 10 people infected with coronavirus was detected two to three days ago and the area has been cordoned off, he said. Tamil Nadu had detected 129 persons with S-gene drop and their samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV). On Tuesday, December 28, NIV confirmed 11 cases of Omicron (in addition to the previous 34 cases) and including 5 old cases, totally 16 persons are undergoing treatment now, the Health Minister said. About 29 persons out of 34 who tested for Omicron have been treated and discharged. With the rising Omicron cases in mind, the government has established COVID-19 Care Centres at three places in the city with a total bed strength of 500. Preparations are on to revive the CCC at the Chennai Trade Centre and also to ramp up the RT-PCR testing to 25,000 tests per day, from the present 23,000 tests, in Chennai, the Minister said. Asserting that the present situation is not alarming, the Minister said the emphasis should be more on COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and people should come forward to get vaccinated to shield themselves from coronavirus and its variants.  பெருநகர சென்னை மாநகராட்சி, கோடம்பாக்கம் மண்டலம், வார்டு-133, அசோக் நகர் 19வது தெருவில் கோவிட் தொற்று பாதிப்பினால் தனிமைப்படுத்தப்பட்டவர்களின் இல்லங்களை மாண்புமிகு மருத்துவம்-மக்கள் நல்வாழ்வுத்துறை அமைச்சர் திரு. @Subramanian_ma அவர்கள் இன்று பார்வையிட்டு ஆய்வு செய்தார். pic.twitter.com/jwJ0wH6cDz — Greater Chennai Corporation (@chennaicorp) December 29, 2021 Pointing out that England and several countries world over were changing treatment protocols, asking asymptomatic persons to undergo treatment at home, the Minister said Tamil Nadu too would closely monitor the cases apart from following the guidelines.  Inoculation against COVID-19 would help to protect the people, Subramanian said, and added that plans are on to ensure 100% vaccine coverage of the beneficiaries. Already 86% of the population have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine while the second dose has been administered to 58%, the Minister said. For its part, the GCC has initiated steps to make sure the entire eligible population is covered, including vaccinating those above 60 years, he added. Chief Minister MK Stalin will launch the vaccination drive for the 15 to 17 years age group at a camp in Porur on January 3 and it will be simultaneously initiated in all the schools across the State, Subramanian informed.  Read: Tamil Nadu has to vaccinate 33.2 lakh teens in 15-18 age group

Jai Bhim to Maanaadu: Best Tamil cinema of 2021

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Kollywood
Here are 17 interesting Tamil films that caught our attention this year.
Collage of Simbu from Maanaadu and Suriya from Jai Bhim
This was a busy year for Tamil cinema, after the washout in 2020 thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. With theatres reopening and many Over-the-Top releases, several Tamil films received good reviews and did well at the box office too. We look at the interesting films, which came out in 2021, that caught our attention. Jai Bhim: Suriya's production, directed by TJ Gnanavel, turned into a pan-Indian phenomenon, proving that Over-the-Top (OTT) releases could go beyond the reach of a conventional theatrical release. The film is based on a real-life case fought by retired Madras High Court judge, Chandru, when he was a lawyer. It is about a family from the Irular tribe that is subjected to custodial violence. While Suriya played the lawyer, others in the cast included Lijomol Jose and Manikandan, who all won tremendous critical acclaim. It is currently the highest user-rated film on Internet Movie Database (IMDB). Sarpatta Parambarai: Pa Ranjith's sports film on boxing clans in Madras in the '70s is an exhilarating drama revolving around a Dalit boxer and his rise to the ring. Featuring Arya in the lead, the film weaves together political history, rivalry in sports, caste structures, and Buddhist philosophy to make for a riveting watch. Actors Pasupathy and Shabeer Kallarakkal also received unanimous appreciation from the audience. Watch: Trailer of Sarpatta Parambarai Karnan: Mari Selvaraj's second film is loosely based on the Kodiyankulam caste violence of 1995, but takes inspiration from the Mahabharata as well. With Dhanush and Rajisha Vijayan in the lead, the film is set in a village that has no bus stop, and the struggle of the people to attain their rights. It also speaks of caste structures and state violence in the process. The film created a big impact on the audience, particularly Mari Selvaraj's storytelling that's rich in symbolism. Koozhangal: PS Vinothraj's film about a troubled marriage told through a child's eyes was India's official entry to the Academy Awards this year. Though it did not make it to the shortlist, the film was widely appreciated in India for its craft. Featuring Chellapandi and Karuthadaiyaan, the film is set in a village near Melur in Madurai and captures the life of the people in the arid region. It is yet to be released on OTT or in theatres. Maanaadu: Venkat Prabhu's long-delayed time loop film with Silambarasan, SJ Suryah and Kalyani Priyadarshan, came as a shot in the arm for theatres, quickly becoming a blockbuster. The political thriller is about a Muslim man who finds himself in a conspiracy to kill the Chief Minister. By a quirk of fate, he ends up living and reliving the same day again and again till he figures out what to do about it. SJ Suryah's act as a corrupt policeman was especially loved by critics and audiences alike. Maadathy: Leena Manimekalai's film on the Puthirai Vannar community, deemed 'unseeable' by caste society, revolves around a young girl called Yosana and how she transforms into a deity. The film has been on the festival circuit for a while now but was released on OTT this year. It has Ajmina Kassim, Semmalar Annam and Arul Kumar playing key roles. The critically acclaimed film won praise for its take on the intersection of gender and caste as well as the making. Writer: Franklin Jacob's directorial debut has Samuthirakani playing a policeman who gets involved in the illegal custody case of a Dalit PhD student played by Hari Krishnan. The film was appreciated for looking at the violence of the police system from the perspective of communities who are falsely criminalised on a regular basis and of low-ranking cops from Bahujan backgrounds. The film also stars Ineya and Dileepan. Watch: Trailer of Writer Sivaranjiniyum Innum Sila Pengalum: Directed by Vasanth Sai, this film finally had an OTT release this year after doing the rounds in film festivals. The three short films in the anthology are on women from different decades, and how their lives are governed by patriarchy, particularly the institution of marriage. Kalieswari Srinivasan, Parvathy Thiruvothu and Lakshmi Priyaa Chandramouli play the leads. The film touched a chord with the audience, especially women viewers, who saw it as an authentic reflection of real life. Doctor: Nelson Dilipkumar's black comedy about a doctor who gets involved in a human trafficking ring provided much cheer to theatres as it became a crowd-puller. With Sivakarthikeyan in the lead playing a sober, dour-faced doctor, the film managed to talk about a serious subject with humour. Priyanka Arul Mohan and Yogi Babu were also part of the cast. Master: Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, this action film brought together Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi on screen for the first time. Vijay played the role of JD, an alcoholic college professor, who ends up teaching in a juvenile home and locks horns with Bhavani (Vijay Sethupathi), a ruthless gangster who uses children for his criminal activities. The film also had Gouri Kishan, Malavika Mohanan and Andrea as part of the cast. Vijay's unconventional portrayal as well as Vijay Sethupathi's performance as Bhavani won praise from the audience. Mandela: Directed by Madonne Ashwin, this political satire is about the state of democracy in our country, with people selling their votes for cash and political parties only focused on winning elections. Yogi Babu plays a barber, a social outcast, who ends up becoming the centre of attention because his vote happens to be the tie-breaker in an election that sees an equal number of voters in two warring caste groups. Though the film won acclaim, it was also criticised for its incorrect depiction of caste hierarchies and allusions to 'freebie' culture that many argue actually brought in social reform. Vaazhl: Arun Purushothaman’s, at times funny and at times philosophical, drama is about a woman with a child who has ADHD. Yathramma, as she's called in the film, has accidentally killed her husband and decides to entrust her daughter with an acquaintance before taking a drastic decision. The film has Pradeep Antony and TJ Bhanu playing the lead, and was appreciated for its refreshing originality though some felt its existential concerns were resolved too simplistically. Maara: Dhilip Kumar's colourful film is a remake of the Malayalam hit Charlie. The romance features Madhavan and Shraddha Srinath in the lead, and is about a woman who goes on holiday to avoid getting married and finds herself intrigued by a man she hears of in the village she stays. Despite being the remake of a popular film, Maara managed to impress because of the subtle changes Dhilip made to the original, improving on the material. Aelay: The Halitha Shameem film saw Manikandan and Samuthirakani back together on screen, this time playing an irascible father and estranged son. The film, with liberal doses of dark comedy, explored family ties, small town relationships and romance. Mugizh: Directed by Karthik Swaminathan, this slice-of-life film is about a family that has to cope with the death of a pet. The film has Sreeja, her real-life father Vijay Sethupathi, and Regina Cassandra in the lead. It received appreciation for exploring grief and how children process it, a subject that hasn't received much attention in Tamil cinema. Kadaseela Biriyani: Directed by Nishanth Kalidindi, this film is about three brothers who decide to avenge their father's death but the hunters end up becoming the hunted. The cast of the offbeat drama includes Vasanth Selvam, Vijay Ram and Hakkim Shah while Vijay Sethupathi has lent his voice as the narrator. The dark humour and the interesting premise won praise from the audience. Rocky: Directed by Arun Matheswaran, this film about a gangster who's released from prison after 17 years, is still in theatres and has been getting rave reviews from critics. Vasanth Ravi plays a man whose past catches up with him even as he goes in search of his missing sister. The unique storytelling and non-linear narrative make this violent revenge drama an interesting watch. (With inputs from Ravichandran and Bharathy Singaravel)

68 TN fishermen held in Sri Lanka: Madras HC seeks report from Union govt

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Court
Sri Lankan authorities had alleged that the Indian fishermen had entered the country's waters, crossing the international marine border.
Madras High Court
The Madras High Court on Wednesday, December 29, sought a status report from the Union government on 68 Tamil Nadu fishermen who are under judicial custody in Sri Lanka for allegedly violating the International waters. A division bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and S Srimathy sought a report from the Union government on December 31 after taking note of the fact that it had intervened and taken up the matter with the Sri Lankan authorities. Petitioner G Thirumurugan, Coordinator of the Tamil Nadu Meenavar Paadhugaapu Urimayi Iyyakam based out of Ramanathapuram, in his petition pleaded before the court to direct the Union government and the state government to take immediate steps for the release of 68 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu from the custody of Sri Lanka. He also mentioned in the plea for the release of the fishing boat of these fishermen. Advocate General R Shanmugasundaram in his reply said that the Sri Lankan authorities had charged that the Indian fishermen had poached into Lankan waters crossing the international marine border while fishing. He also submitted before the court that the fishermen were remanded in judicial custody by local courts in Sri Lanka. He also submitted the communication made by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin with the Union government regarding their release. Assistant Solicitor General L Victoria Gowri told the court that the Indian authorities were in talks with their Sri Lankan counterparts and that diplomatic channels had been opened. After hearing from the Advocate General and the Assistant Solicitor general, the court called upon the authorities concerned to put a time frame to get the fishermen back. It may be noted that 43 fishermen were taken into custody by Sri Lankan authorities on December 18, as many as 12 were taken into custody on December 19, and the next day, 13 more were arrested taking the total to 68 fishermen from Tamil Nadu. Eight boats of the fishermen are also under the custody of Sri Lankan authorities. A single fishing boat costs a minimum of 30 to 45 lakh rupees and this is the livelihood of the fishermen and the associations have taken up this matter also before the authorities as well as before the court.
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