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A one-and-a-half-year-old child has suffered severe injuries after he was allegedly beaten up by his mother and her male friend in this coastal district, police said here on Sunday. The child, who suffered a fracture in one of his arms, has been admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital, they said, adding that he also has bruises all over his body from being caned. The incident was reported from the Kuthiyathodu police station limit on Sunday. After beating up the child, the mother's friend handed him over at his father's house. The child's parents are separated. Based on a complaint, the police have registered a case against both the mother and her friend under relevant sections of the IPC and Juvenile Justice Act, police added. Their arrests have not been reported so far, they said. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) source https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/toddler-assaulted-by...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep on January 2 and 3 during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects, his office said on Sunday. On January 2, PM Modi will reach Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu and will be the chief guest at the 38th Convocation Ceremony of Bharathidasan University, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said. At a public programme in Tiruchirappalli, the prime minister will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 19,850 crore related to aviation, rail, road, oil and gas, shipping and higher education sectors. PM Modi will then reach Agatti in Lakshadweep where he will address a public function. On January 3, the prime minister will reach Kavaratti in Lakshadweep, where he will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects related to sectors such as telecommunications, drinking water, solar power and health. At the prog...

In a tragic incident, a man died by suicide after allegedly killing his wife in Ernakulam district on Sunday morning, the police said. The incident was reported from Piravom, 31 kilometers from here. According to police, the man also allegedly attacked his two daughters before taking the extreme step. The injured daughters have been admitted to a hospital, and their condition is reported to be not serious. The distressing event came to light when one of the injured daughters informed their neighbours about the incident. The police said an investigation has been launched into the incident. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) source https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/kerala-man-kills-wife-attacks-daughters-dies-by-suicide-cops-4774115

Actor-politician Vijayakanth was laid to rest in Chennai with full state honours on Friday as thousands of his fans and followers paid their last respects. He died aged 71 on Thursday after a prolonged illness. People walked for more than ten kilometres as Vijayakanth's coffin moved from the Island Grounds in Chennai to the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) headquarters, where he was laid to rest in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his cabinet ministers. "After MGR (MG Ramachandran), he was the only actor who took up issues like corruption, and that struck a chord with masses," Karthik, a fan from Vijayakanth's hometown Madurai district, told NDTV. Several other fans also reflected on the actor's philanthropy and humane gestures. Some fans also recalled how Vijayakanth, fondly called "Captain", never let anyone visiting him go hungry and how ensured the same meal for everyone on the film sets, breaking the culture of spec...

Ramachandran Kadannappally of Congress (S) and K B Ganesh Kumar of Kerala Congress (B) took the oath as ministers in Kerala's CPI(M)-led LDF government on Friday. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oath of office to the new ministers at 4 pm on Raj Bhavan's lawns. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues, Left legislators and leaders of Left alliance partners attended the ceremony. While Ramachandran took oath in the name of the Constitution, Kumar took oath in the name of god. Hon'ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shri K.B.Ganesh Kumar and Sri Ramachandran Kadannappalli , who have been inducted into the Council of Ministers in Kerala. @CMOKerala was present on the occasion :PRO, Kerala Raj Bhavan pic.twitter.com/lilH9a8z4z — Kerala Governor (@KeralaGovernor) December 29, 2023 The Congress-led UDF boycotted the ceremony in protest against the induction of Kumar, who, according to them, consp...

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam founder-leader and top yesteryear Tamil action star, Vijayakanth was on Friday laid to rest here with full state honours after tens of thousands of people paid their last respects. Mourners lined up on both sides of the roads as the decorated truck carrying the remains crawled its way in a procession from Island Grounds near Marina beach to the premises of the DMDK headquarters at Koyambedu. In several places, from roof-tops and flyovers, people showered petals and garlands on the truck. It took well over three hours for the truck to traverse a distance of about 10.7 kilometers to reach the burial site on the DMDK's office premises. Following a gun salute, a two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect. Chief Minister M K Stalin, State Ministers, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and celebrities were in attendance. Vijayakanth's wife Premalatha, his sons Vijaya Prabhakaran and Shanmuga Pandian were consoled by the leaders. ...

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah kicked up a row Thursday after he claimed a difference between the Hindutva ideology and the Hindu faith. Addressing a Congress event in Bengaluru, he referred to " soft Hindutva " - seen as a political strategy to win moderate Hindu votes without losing those from minority communities - and asked, "'Soft' Hindutva? What is 'soft' and 'hard' Hindutva ?" "Hindutva is Hindutva. I am a Hindu. Hindutva is different and Hindu is different. Don't we worship Ram? Are they (the BJP) the only ones? Haven't we built Ram Mandirs? Don't we sing Ram Bhajans?" "People sing bhajans during the last week of December... I used to partake in that tradition in our village. This is practiced in other villages too. Are they (the BJP) the only ones? Aren't we Hindus?" The BJP's CN Ashwath Narayan hit back swiftly, declaring Siddaramaiah and the Congress "never had any clarity of ...

Congress Working Committee member and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor spoke on Thursday about providing opportunities for younger people to contest polls, indicating that his upcoming fight from Thiruvananthapuram in the general elections may be his last in the constituency. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a Congress programme in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr Tharoor, however, said there was no finality about it since it is politics. "I do believe that at some point, the time comes to make room for younger people. And that's my thinking," he said. In the same breath, he said, "In politics, there is another slogan which is 'never say never'". He was responding to a query on his remarks in a recent TV show in which he repeatedly said the 2024 Lok Sabha elections may mark his final contest from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. "I didn't say never, I said I think it will be my last election," Mr Tharoor clarified. The Congress leader sai...

Children in Karnataka's Shivamogga were forced to clean and scrub school toilets in a video that has been widely circulated online and drawn angry protests from parents. Shivamogga is state Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa's home district and the Block Education Officer has filed a report. The shocking incident took place sometime last week but the video surfaced just now. The headmistress told the BDA students were only asked to pour water and not actually clean the toilets. This is the third such incident in the southern state this month alone. Last week students of a government school in state capital Bengaluru were also found cleaning toilets. Furious parents and activists staged protests outside the school in the city's Andrahalli area. In the Andrahalli case, Mr Bangarappa condemned the "deplorable" incident. The minister, who was involved in a car crash late last night but is safe, has not yet responded to the incident in his district. "... the...

Vijayakanth was born Narayanan Vijayaraj Alagarswami in Madurai in 1952. It was during his acting career that he dropped 'raj' from his name and added 'kanth'. As for the title 'Captain', it came from his character in 1991 movie Captain Prabhakaran, in which he played a forest officer. In 1990, he married Premalatha, who would go on to support his political journey. In 2005, Vijayakanth founded the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) in the Tamil Nadu political landscape dominated by the DMK and the AIADMK. The party's first electoral test in the 2006 Assembly polls saw only Vijayakanth finish a winner. Despite the lone victory, DMDK did manage to cause a flutter in the state's politics. The 2011 state polls turned out to be DMDK's best election. That year, Vijayakanth had forged an alliance with AIADMK and contest 41 seats. It managed to win 29 of them, more than the DMK's count. Vijayakanth became Leader of the Opposition and remained in...

DMDK founder-leader and popular yesteryear Tamil actor Vijayakanth died in Chennai on Thursday following an illness. He was 71 years old.  Earlier in the day, the party informed through a post on its official X handle that Vijayakanth was admitted to a hospital and put on ventilator support after he complained of breathing problems. His body was brought to his residence and will be taken to the DMDK office shortly. Earlier, in November, Vijayakanth was admitted to MIOT Hospital in Chennai as his health deteriorated. Suffering from cough and throat pain, he was under the observation of doctors for 14 days. Widely known as 'Captain', Vijayakanth's life is marked by a successful career in the Tamil film industry. He featured in 154 movies before venturing into politics. While holding a position at Nadigar Sangam (officially known as the South Indian Artistes' Association (SIAA)), Vijayakanth brought revolutionary changes to the South film industry. He founded Desiy...

Union minister Pralhad Joshi said today that while he does not hold with violence, he did agree with the demand that shop signages in Karnataka should be predominantly in the local language. Speaking to NDTV hours after pro-Kannada groups went on a rampage in state capital Bengaluru, the MP from Dharwad questioned why shopkeepers insist on writing signages only in English. "Everybody should be able to read the signs and not everyone can read English. What is the harm in writing in Kannada as well as in English or another language, like Hindi? This is not England," he told NDTV when asked if the sub-nationalism invoked by the Congress has worried the BJP. "If there has been violence that cannot be approved but these people (shopkeepers) should also understand the sentiment and the necessity," he added. The civic rules in Bengaluru maintain that 60 per cent of a signage has to be written in the vernacular language of the state. But with many shops, especially in m...

The language row in Karnataka escalated sharply Wednesday after pro-Kannada groups held furious protests at various parts in state capital Benglauru, including the Kempegowda International Airport.  Visuals shared by news agency ANI also showed protests outside a hotel that appeared to be part of the Bloomrooms chain; the video showed women and men, some in yellow and red scarfs (the colours of the Kannada flag) storming the courtyard and tearing down English signage. The protesters are demanding the immediate implementation of an order passed by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the city's civic authority, on Monday. The order directed all businesses to have at least 60 per cent of their signs in Kannada.  #WATCH | Bengaluru: Kannada Raksha Vedhike holds a protest demanding all businesses and enterprises in Karnataka to put nameplates in Kannada. pic.twitter.com/ZMX5s9iJd0 ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2023 The order followed a meeting with the Karnataka Rakshana Ved...

Five people were hospitalised after ammonia gas leaked from a fertiliser manufacturing facility in Ennore near Chennai on Tuesday. The residents complained of uneasiness and difficulty breathing after a strong smell permeated the air after which a leak was detected in a in a sub-sea pipe of Coromandel International Limited. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said the leak was detected soon and contained soon.  "No need to panic. The leak has been stabilised. No more gas (ammonia) leaks at Ennore. People are reassured and are back home. medical and police teams present." senior police officer Vijayakumar said in a tweet.   source https://www.ndtv.com/tamil-nadu-news/5-hospitalised-after-ammonia-gas-leaks-from-sub-sea-pipe-near-chennai-4749439

The emergence of 34 COVID-19 cases of the JN.1 variant has sounded an alarm in Karnataka, a neighbouring state of Kerala that has been accounting for a big chunk of the new infections reported over the past week. Of the 34 JN.1 cases, 20 were detected in Bengaluru alone. The four-member Cabinet Sub-Committee on Covid headed by State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and the Technical Advisory Committee members this morning met to discuss the measures that can be taken to manage the Covid situation in the state. JN.1 is believed to be driving the recent surge in infections despite experts advising not to panic over the variant. Three more deaths along with 125 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours in Karnataka, showed official data. This was among 412 fresh cases reported across the country during the one-day period. Currently, there are 4,170 active cases in the country, including 436 in Karnataka. Mr Rao yesterday indicated there will be no imposition of any restrictions rig...

A wedding was called off in Telangana after the groom's family was angry with mutton bone marrow not being served as part of the non-vegetarian menu decided by the bride's side. The bride was from Nizamabad while the groom from Jagtiyal. They were engaged at a ceremony at the bride's residence and their families had agreed on a traditional wedding in November. The bride's family had decided on a non-vegetarian menu for guests, including their family members and the groom's relatives. This led to a drama at the wedding as the guests pointed out that bone marrow of mutton was not being served. A quarrel ensued between the two sides after the hosts clarified they didn't add bone marrow to the dishes. The incident blew up soon and involved the cops. Officials at the local police station tried to convince the groom's side, but they claimed the bride's family insulted them by not serving bone marrow. They also argued that the bride's side didn't ...

Seven people were fined Rs 50,000 each for allegedly hunting spotted deer and selling the meat, Denkanikottai Forest Department said. The accused were identified as Chellappan (65), Ramraj (31), Rajiv (31), Nagaraj (28), Sivarajkumar (31), Mariyappan (65) and an 18-year-old boy. The forest department received information that a spotted deer was found dead in a public pond at Zuzuwadi village near Hosur. After this, the forest department went to the area to recover the body of the spotted deer. Before the forest department could reach there, the accused, without informing the forest department, removed the body of the spotted deer and dismembered it. It came to light in the investigation of the forest department that they had hunted the spotted deer. After this, the forest department caught the seven people and fined them 50 thousand rupees each. The forest department has warned all of them that if they hunt wild animals or possess wild animal-related items, strict action will be t...

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief K Annamalai on Monday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for assuring support to flood-affected state and deputing Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to assess the flood situation, saying that the PM has always had the best interests of the people of the state in mind. In a response to Chief Minister MK Stalin's post on X, wherein he confirmed the assistance from the union government for flood-affected regions, the BJP state chief listed earlier assistance provided to the state by the Central government. "Our Honorable PM Thiru @narendramodi avl has always had the best interests of the people of Tamil Nadu in mind & his actions in the last 9 years exemplify that," K Annamalai said. He further said that Chief Minister Stalin should remind his partymen and his ministers who've been "vile and exaggerative, spreading half-truths to divert people's anger for the unpreparedness of the State Government...

The Bengaluru civic body's latest directive, asking shops to ensure their signboards have at least 60 per cent Kannada, has brought the Hindi vs Kannada debate in Karnataka back under the spotlight. Tushar Giri Nath, chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, has said commercial stores in the civic body's jurisdiction will face legal action if they fail to follow the signboard order. The official was addressing a meeting with Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), an organisation that has been pushing the Kannada language issue. "There are 1400 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city, and all the commercial shops on these roads will be surveyed zone wise. After the survey, a notice will be given to the shops that do not use 60 per cent Kannada language. After issuing the notice, they will be given time till February 28 to implement Kannada language nameplates and submit compliance to the respective zone commissioners," Mr Nath said. "Legal ac...

Bharat Rashtra Samithi lawmaker K Kavitha hit out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Christmas morning, reviving jabs from before last month's Telangana election - in which the Congress thumped the BRS.  She mocked him as "Election Gandhi", and demanded he clarify his stand on controversial remarks by members of the party-led INDIA opposition bloc , including the ' Sanatana Dharma ' row from September. "We are witnessing unfortunate statements today from many political leaders. This process to gain votes from a few sections will ultimately divide the country in ways we cannot imagine. For example, when some parties talk about 'Sanatana Dharma', or insult labourers who clean toilets," she declared. The 'Sanatana Dharma' swipe was in reference to a remark by Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and the "insult labourers" bit was about a 2019 clip of DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran, in which he seemed to speak disparagingly about peopl...

With the debate on the hijab issue continuously heating with each passing day, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has said that the government will take a decision after looking into the matter deeply. "We have not made any orders regarding hijab. CM Siddaramaiah himself said that even if it is done, we will check it. The government will take a decision after looking into it deeply," G Parameshwara told ANI. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao slammed the Congress-led Karnataka government on Sunday, saying that the Siddaramaiah government has not lifted the ban on hijab yet in the state and they are still thinking about it. "They have not lifted the ban on hijab yet and the CM has said that they are thinking about it. People are seeing the behaviour of Congress--what they say before coming to power and how they change after getting power," KTR said. The debate on the hijab issue again rose to prominence after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah...

Nara Lokesh, the son of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu, has approached the Telangana High Court over alleged attempts to tarnish the image of his father in producer Ram Gopal Varma's film, Vyooham. In the petition, Mr Lokesh requested the high court to cancel the censor certificate of the crime-thriller film about a police officer's work amid a web of conspiracies, and alleged the film "misrepresented" Mr Naidu to make him "unpopular". Mr Naidu's fundamental rights were violated by the actions of the director and producer, Mr Lokesh, the national general secretary of the TDP, said in the petition to the high court. Mr Lokesh alleged the film was made with the backing of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, adding the film's goal is to damage the reputation of the opposition TDP. The director and producer have already released many "wrong" films, and they are making this film with Jagan Reddy's support despite kno...

The BJP on Saturday strongly reacted to the Karnataka government's decision to withdraw the ban on wearing hijab in educational institutions in the state, saying the ruling Congress is carrying forward the British policy of 'divide and rule'. The BJP also stated that the move raises concerns about the "secular nature" of educational spaces. The reaction comes a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said that he ordered lifting of the restrictions on wearing hijab, while observing that choice of dress and food is personal. Addressing reporters in New Delhi, BJP Karnataka chief, Vijayendra accused Mr Siddaramaiah of 'vitiating' the academic atmosphere. Condemning the Congress government's decision, he said, "The Chief Minister made an irresponsible statement that he will revoke the ban on Hijab. This way, he has spoilt the educational atmosphere in the state. At least, he should have spared children from his dirty politics." The BJP sta...

The Congress and the BJP are gunning for each other over flying in a private jet. What started as a swipe by the BJP on a video of Congress leaders' seen inside a private aircraft has escalated into a full-blown war of words, with the Congress posing the same question the BJP leaders had asked. A video posted by Karnataka minister Zameer Ahmed Khan on social media showed him and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah boarding a private jet to fly from Bengaluru to Delhi, where they plan to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over drought relief funds. "Happy moments of travelling from Delhi to Bengaluru with our proud leader, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah," Mr Khan wrote in the caption. Soon, Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra led the attack on what he called the Congress leaders' "flaunting their rich fortunes and luxury lifestyle" when the state's farmers are struggling with crop loss. "If bigotry had a face, the Karnataka government would be the best of it. ...

Floods in Tamil Nadu 's Thoothukudi - which received 950 mm, nearly a metre, of rainfall between Sunday and Money - literally washed away villages, killing at least three people and leaving tens of thousands marooned on rooftops, surviving on air-dropped food packets and awaiting rescue. NDTV trekked to one village - the devastated Sri Parangusanallur in the Srivaikuntam taluk that had remained cut-off till late Wednesday. Though floodwaters surrounding the village had receded, the road to Sri Parangusanallur had caved in, meaning no car or motor vehicle could reach the people. We walked, although waded would be a better description, the quarter-kilometre to the village and, along the way, we saw destroyed huts with pieces of the tin-roofed structures strewn all around. When we reached the village, the scale of devastation resembled the aftermath of an earthquake. Villages literally washed away around Srivaikuntam. Houses collapsed, belongings washed away. Many are homeless an...

Tamil Nadu minister K Pondmudy was on Thursday awarded three years in jail in a corruption case by the Madras high Court. Bu he need not surrender yet since his jail term has been suspended for 30 days to allow him to appeal his conviction in the Supreme Court. source https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-minister-jailed-for-3-years-in-corruption-case-4714299

Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party leader Pawan Kalyan kick-started their campaign for next year's Andhra Pradesh election by sharing the stage at a public meeting in Vizianagaram on Wednesday evening. Drone videos of the event showed tens of thousands of supporters crowded into the venue, emphasising the sway the alliance has over voters in the state. This was thee first joint address by Mr Naidu and Mr Kalyan since the alliance was announced in September. "This is about the future of Andhra Pradesh," the latter said then, flanked by Mr Naidu's son, Nara Lokesh, and brother-in-law, Nandamuri Balakrishna. All four - Mr Naidu and his relatives, and Mr Kalyan - were together this evening, in an important show of strength. The event itself had its own significance; it was the concluding ceremony of a 3,132 km padayatra, or foot march, by Mr Lokesh. The march has been seen as helping the 40-year-old step out from his father's shadow and...

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has demanded Chief Minister MK Stalin drop K Ponmudi from his cabinet after the Higher Education Minister was convicted in a corruption case. source https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-new-tamil-nadu-flashpoint-governor-asks-chief-minister-to-drop-minister-4708494

In the wake of unprecedented floods ravaging southern districts of Tamil Nadu, the Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have joined hands to undertake rescue operations. With at least 20,000 people still marooned in various regions, the situation is further compounded by the discharge of over 1.2 lakh cusecs of water from the overflowing Tamarabarani River. The worst-hit area, Srivaikuntam, is grappling with the aftermath of the floodwaters inundating large parts of the region. The Army and NDRF teams are trying to reach inaccessible pockets where stranded residents await evacuation. Air-dropping of food and relief supplies continues in a bid to provide essential aid to those cut off from ground access. The situation remains dire, as pockets in Tuticorin remain inaccessible despite the collaborative efforts of the rescue teams. The challenging conditions persist even though it has not rained in Tuticorin for the past three days. Chennai and its surrounding areas, still r...

Karnataka government today issued an advisory asking people above 60 years, those with comorbidities, pregnant women and lactating mothers, to wear face masks when outdoor, and to strictly avoid visiting closed, poorly ventilated spaces and crowded areas, in the wake of the current Covid-19 situation in the country and detection of JN.1 sub variant in neighbouring Kerala. It also issued a circular instructing authorities in districts bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu to be vigilant, and ensure adequate testing and timely reporting of Covid cases. In the context of the current scenario of Covid-19 in the country and the emergence of JN.1 sub variant, the ongoing winter, and the expected crowding particularly in closed spaces during the year-end and New Year festivities, the general public are advised to comply with the precautionary measures, which are also advised by Covid-19 State Technical Advisory Committee(TAC), it said. "All elderly (60 years and above), comorbid (particular...

A pregnant woman and a one-and-a-half-year-old child, stranded due to floods in Tamil Nadu , were among four people rescued by Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters today and taken to safety in Madurai.  Four southern districts in Tamil Nadu are experiencing severe flooding after record-breaking rainfall, prompting Chief Minister MK Stalin to schedule a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi for immediate relief measures. #WATCH | Indian Air Force helicopters are deployed for HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) missions in Tamil Nadu due to unprecedented rains in the last 24 hours. Four passengers including a pregnant woman & baby aged 1.5 yrs were winched up and taken safely to… pic.twitter.com/1mNYkTRFw5 — ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2023 Around 500 passengers stuck for the last 24 hours at a railway station in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin district will be rescued today by a special train. The stranded passengers will be brought to Chennai by a special tra...

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said his government may consider approaching the Union Government seeking the recall of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who been at loggerheads with the Left party over various issues. Mr Vijayan, addressing the media here as part of the ongoing Nava Kerala Sadas, said Mr Khan was trying to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the state by creating deliberate provocation. "In order to maintain a cordial Centre-state relationship, the actions of the Governor should be rectified. The state government feels that he is trying to disrupt peace and harmony in the state. It seems like we will have to ask the Centre to remove him," Mr Vijayan answered to the various queries. Lashing out at Mr Khan, Mr Vijayan also said that the Governor has shifted to making personal attacks and has been blurting out whatever comes to his mind. "His behaviour violates a certain etiquette to be followed by a Governor. The Centre should examine this,...

Extremely heavy rains unleashed floods across four districts of southern Tamil Nadu, disrupting normal life in Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts of the state. Thiruchendur in the Tuticorin District witnessed 60 cm of rain in just 15 hours till 1:30 am. Palayamkottai in Tirunelveli District recorded 26 cm. Meanwhile, Kanyakumari saw 17.3 cm of rainfall. A public holiday has been declared today in the affected districts due to the torrential rains. Schools, colleges, banks, private establishments and public sector firms will be shut.  Knee-to-waist-deep water submerged pockets of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Kanyakumari districts as water is released from Papanasam, Perunjani and Pechuparai dams. River Thamaraparani is in spate. The district collectors have been advised to ensure proper management of water in dams. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall today as well. A cyclonic circulation over the...

In the matter of oil spillage, the Coast Guard on Sunday said the oil spill is trapped inside the Ennore creek area in Chennai and there is 'nil' egress. Coast Guard ships and helicopters immediately responded to the spill on December 10, and it was appropriately 'neutralised,' a Defence release said. Oil spills mixed with floodwaters were observed in Ernavur, in north Chennai, which made its way till Ennore creek and Buckingham canal. "Traces of oil were also seen in the coastal waters close to Kosathalaiyar river mouth on December 10." The oil spill spread to about 20 square kilometer, which was 'light sheen to dark brown' in colour and was estimated to be approximately 10 tonne as per the standard method of spill quantity calculation. "No oil spill was found extending into the sea thereafter as the flood water outflow into the sea through Kosathalaiyar river was less and the oil got trapped inside the creek area which is being responded by ...

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said his government will not be a mute spectator to corruption and will initiate action against the corrupt. He said investigations are underway in '40 per cent commission' cases against the previous government and steps will be taken against the guilty. "If any cases of corruption are found in the state, the government will not be a mute spectator. An investigation will be conducted and action will be taken against the culprits," the Chief Minister said. When asked about officials of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation demanding bribes from drivers to put them on duty, Siddaramaiah said an investigation against them would be conducted. To a question on the allegations that the caste census was unscientific, the Chief Minister said the Backward Classes Commission has not submitted its report, yet some people are already commenting that the report is not scientific. "Such statements are based on specul...

A man was arrested for allegedly raping a 56-year-old woman in Kerala's Ernakulam, police said on Sunday. According to the police, the incident took place on December 13 when the accused, identified as Firdous Ali, lured the victim on the pretext of a job. "The 56-year-old woman, who was returning after looking for a job in Kochi, was taken away in an auto on the promise that she would be taken to the metro station. He then took her to a swamp near the railway yard and raped her," police said. After a thorough investigation, the accused was identified and taken into custody in Kochi. The accused will be produced in court today, police said. The police further stated that the victim woman is being treated for her injuries at Kalamassery Medical College here. Further investigation is underway. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) source https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/56-year-old-kerala-wo...