More tsunami fund rackets unearthed

A woman was arrested in Ennore near the Chennai-Karnataka border for embezzling Rs1.35bn donated by an Australian welfare agency for rehabilitation of tsunami victims, police said.

Several women from self-help groups alleged that Sivagami, 43, ‘loaned’ them money and collected monthly interest. In 2007, she formed a trust and transferred the money to her account.

In a similar case, the leader of a seaside self-help group was arrested for collecting billions of rupees from foreign tourists by showing them photos of deprived fishermen living at Kovalam in Chennai.

With the money he bought four acres of land promising to build houses for the fishermen. “He took pictures of our damaged boats and houses and collected nearly Rs50bn from foreign sponsors. However he gave us only gas stove, a cup and plate,” they alleged.

Last week authorities uncovered a racket in which millions of rupees from tsunami funds were siphoned off from the CSI church in Royapettah.

Ex-minister, wife

injured in attack

over land dispute

Former minister N K K P Raja and his wife were attacked by a gang at his farm house in Kanjil Koil in Erode district last week.

Reports said that Raja, his wife, their car driver and two others sustained injuries when they were allegedly attacked by Sivabalan, a local resident, while negotiating a land deal.

In 2008, Raja was sacked as minister over allegations of grabbing land from Sivabalan and his parents and later abducting them. Though Raja was acquitted after Sivabalan testified in his favour the dispute continued.

DMK politician

hacked to death

A politicians belonging to the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) was hacked to death at New Washermanpet in Chennai last week.

Reports said R Shanmugham, a ward secretary of the party, was talking to friends outside the Senniamman Temple when four men came on two bikes. They wore helmets and carried long knives. A panic stricken Shanmugam ran into a side street but his attackers chopped off his arm. Then they stabbed him to death and escaped on their vehicles.

Police said it was the fourth attack on Shanmugham in the past decade. They suspect Shamugham’s business rivals are behind the murder.

Suicide bid after

school fight

A student of a government school tried to commit suicide by drinking rat poison after being beaten up by classmates at Virudhunagar, about 60km from the temple city of Madurai last week.

Reports said the classmates became angry when the students laughed at them while they were fighting. The boy went home and drank poison. He was immediately taken to hospital where he is recovering. The school has suspended seven students for.

Six of family

die in car crash

Six members of a Muslim family from Salem died when their car fell into a pit at Manalmedu on the Dindigul-Karur highway last week. Police said the car’s LPG cylinder exploded due to the impact.

The victims. Including two children, were part of a marriage party returning from Pallapatti town in Karur district.