1. Saffron Not My Colour: Kamal Haasan Unlikely to Ally with Rajini
After keeping the public waiting for over 3 months, actor Kamal Haasan has finally launched his website – maiam.com – at a student conference in Harvard University. While attending a student conference at Harvard, Kamal talked about the urgent need for change in Tamil Nadu politics.
At the event, he also indicated that he is unlikely to join hands with Rajinikanth anytime soon as there is a “a hue of saffron in Rajni’s politics”. The two stalwarts of Tamil cinema had announced their entry into politics around the same time as the other. He said that although they share a friendly bond, their politics are different, adding that “saffron is not my colour".
Read the full story here.
2. DMK Plea to House Secretary Against Former CM Jayalalithaa's Portrait
With former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s portrait set to be unveiled in the Assembly hall on Monday, the DMK has submitted a petition to the House secretary opposing the move. Speaker P Dhanapal is set to open the portrait in the Assembly hall around 9:30 am, in the presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.
Like the DMK, the CPM has also opposed the move on the ground that the former Chief Minister had been convicted in the disproportionate assets case by the Supreme Court. In his petition, DMK Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni MLA J Anbazhagan said the move would reduce the dignity of the Assembly and urged the Assembly secretary to halt the event immediately.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
3. Structural Engineers Begin Work on Meenakshi Temple Mandapam
The Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandapam at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is being assessed by structural engineers in order to bring it back to its original form at the earliest, an official from the temple administration said. A fire broke out on 2 February at the eastern entrance of the temple. An engineer from the team said that five to six pillars were completely destroyed. The restoration work would be focussed on this zone, he said.
The ceiling too suffered considerable damage. Much of the mandapam has suffered cracks. Support has been provided to other pillars on the premises. A fire and rescue team is on standby as a precautionary measure, another official said.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. Tamil Nadu Health Minister’s Bull Dies During Jallikkattu
A bull belonging to Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar died during a jallikkattu held at Thirunallur village near Illupur in the district on Sunday. As many as 66 persons sustained injuries during the six-hour-long event, of whom 31 were referred to various government hospitals in Pudukottai and Tiruchi for advanced medical treatment.
Soon after the minister’s bull, named Komban, hurtled out of the Vaadi Vaasal (entrance to the arena), it rammed into a tree, suffering severe injuries to the head. In the impact of the collision, the animal collapsed on the spot and died, much to the shock of spectators. A veterinary team examined the animal on the spot immediately.
(Source: The Hindu)
5. CCTV Footages Lay Bare the Horrors of Chain Snatching Robbers in Chennai
CCTV footages that surfaced on Sunday laid bare the horrors of chain snatching robberies that target women walking on the city's streets. Both the robberies took place in daylight in residential areas in the last two days and the women were dragged on road as they struggled to save their jewellery
S Menaka, a 37-year-old resident of Washermenpet, was walking at Valluvar Nagar, Veena Garden at Arumbakkam around 7:30 am when a pillion rider in motorbike suddenly pulled the 13-sov gold chain she was wearing. As Menaka fell on the road, the robber, who was holding her chain, dragged her for nearly 10 seconds on the road. Koyambedu police said the duo managed to escape from the spot with the loot and
as on Sunday evening they are yet to identify the robbers.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
6. After Gangster’s Birthday Bash, Three Rival Gang Members Picked Up
Three men who have a rivalry with Binu, a notorious gangster during whose birthday bash the police nabbed several history-sheeters, were arrested in Arumbakkam late on Saturday. “We got a tip-off from one of the informers about the presence of some history sheeters in Arumbakkam. So, we started checking vehicles on the Poonamallee highway and nabbed three men riding two bikes,” a senior police officer told Express.
A preliminary investigation has revealed that the arrested men belonged to the Radhakrishnan gang, which has rivalry with Binu. All the three were later remanded in judicial custody. Further investigations are on in the matter.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
7. Placement Woes Plague BE Graduates
Campus placement numbers in engineering colleges in the country show that still a majority of BE/BTech graduates are unable to find jobs through direct recruitment on campuses. Anna University’s Director of Centre for University and Industry Collaboration T Thyagarajan admitted that companies kept away from large-scale recruitment drives in 2016-17.
Figures furnished by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) show that during the academic year 2016-17, as many as 3,28,275 engineering students in the country were placed through direct recruitment drives against a cumulative strength of 6,40,573 on the campuses. The number of students placed on campuses was 3,56,690 during the previous academic year of 2015-16.
(Source: The Hindu)
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