Moviemaker caught for theft of rare idols
Tamil film producer/director V Sekar, was arrested by the Economic Offences Wing police for masterminding an idol smuggling racket in Chennai last week.
Sekar’s involvement came to light when his associate Dhanalingam, dropped his name during police interrogation.
Police had arrested Dhanalingam in May when they found the stolen idols in his car during a routine traffic check at Mambalam area of Chennai.
He confessed that Sekar had been trying to sell eight panchaloha (five metals) idols for Rs8bn. These idols were stolen from the temple towns of Tiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram.
Police is also searching for four other persons including a college student involved in the racket.
Police also accused the state government’s Temple Endowments and Charitable Trust for not reporting idol thefts.
Madras week celebrations
Residents of Chennai are preparing to celebrate its history as Madras Week beginning August 22, the day when this city was first established by British East India Company in 1639.
Historians, heritage lovers and members of Press Trust of India have organized theme walks and lectures on textiles, butterflies, zoos, historic buildings, besides Carnatic or classical music concerts, plays and fine arts.
Further information is available online at www.TheMadrasday.in.
Bumper grape harvest
Farmers have been reaping a bumper harvest of grapes in the past five years, on about 4,500 acres at Cumbum, Chinnamanur, Uthamapalayam and Bodi towns in Theni district about 60km from the temple city of Madurai.
They said that this has been possible due to advanced agriculture training gained from National Grape Research Centre in Pune.
Agricultural officers in this region said: “The grape station helped them to get a bumper harvest by supplying them with dogridge rootstocks, which were grafted into the vines, thus reducing pruning.”
The grapes are being sold as fruit and also for wine production in Cumbum and other parts of India.
