Security was stepped up at businesses owned by Karnataka residents in Chennai after an attack at an Udipi restaurant at MGR Nagar October 7.
Four men apparently angered by a Karnataka court’s decision not to grant bail to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Jayaram Jayalalithaa, vandalised the restaurant forcing customers and owners to flee.
The suspects were later arrested but police claimed they were not AIADMK activists.
Some posters with anti-Karnataka messages in Chennai were also hurriedly removed while security was increased on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka interstate borders to prevent group protests and vandalism.
Meanwhile state government offices were reluctant to remove Jayalalithaa’s photos and posters from their walls despite snide remarks from opposition parties. “If we remove her photograph, our loyalty will be questioned,” said an official who added they were waiting for directions from chief secretary Mohan Varghese Chunkath.
Woman doctor
murdered
in Tiruchi
A 56-year-old widowed doctor practising Siddha herbal medicine was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her house in Samayapuram in Tiruchi last week.
Juliet Mary was found with her face covered by a pillow and tape in her bedroom. At first police suspected she was killed during a robbery attempt but soon found that nothing had been stolen from the house. The front door was locked though the side entrance was open. Juliet’s tenant living on the upper floor informed police after she failed to report at a private hospital where she worked. Police have begun a probe using forensic evidence.
A similar death of a 68-year-old teacher living alone in the same city some months ago is still under investigation.
One killed in
explosion at
cracker unit
An explosion killed a middle-aged man at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Puducherry about 200km from Chennai last week.
D Ameer was killed when the firecrackers stored inside two sheds covered by thatched roofs exploded. The flying bricks hit him killing him instantly. The fire was later put out.
The unit’s owner Gunasekaran showed a valid licence but police suspect that overcrowded storage had caused combustion leading to the explosion. The authorities had held a precautionary meeting with firecracker manufacturers about safety norms and fire hazards just two days before the incident.
Theft at late
actor’s home
Late Tamil screen villain Nambiar’s daughter filed a police complaint that her father’s house at Gopalapuram in Chennai had been burgled last week.
Sneha told police that diamond rings, ear studs and foreign currency kept in a steel safe in the house were missing. She suspected a maid who worked in the house and had been absent for 10 days. Nambiar’s house is under renovation and police have begun interrogating the construction staff.
Leopard caught
A leopard which had strayed into residential areas was caught by forest officials at Udumalpet in Tiruppur district last week.
The leopard had attacked and killed dogs, a calf and chickens in several villages of Amaravathi forest range in Udumalpet. Forest officials cordoned off the area and installed a wire cage with a goat as bait to trap the animal. The trapped leopard was two years old and had injuries on its tail and limbs. It was tranquilised before being transported to the nearest zoo.