QChennai: First Trans Cop Begins Work, Still No Movie Releases

Check out the top headlines from Chennai for the day.

1. India's First Transgender SI Assumes Office

K Prithika Yashini, the first transgender cop to be appointed Sub-Inspector of Police in Tamil Nadu, took charge at the Choolaimedu Police Station on Monday.

Born in Kandhampatty village, Salem, to P Kalaiarasan, a driver, and K Sumathi, a tailor, Yashini dreamt of becoming a police officer as a child. She realised changes in her body when she was a Plus-Two student. However, after her family abandoned her, she ran away to Chennai in 2011. With the help of a few friends, she got a job as a warden in a ladies hostel. She spent the next few years changing jobs. Yashini faced stumbling blocks in realising her dream of becoming a police officer as her application was initially rejected because of her gender. She then approached the Madras High Court, which ordered the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board to accept her application.

Source: The Hindu

Also Read: We Are as Smart as You: Transgender People Bare Their Hearts

2. Waive Entertainment Tax: Film Industry

Members of the Tamil Film Producers Council, Nadigar Sangam and Theatre Owners Association in Tamil Nadu met the State government officials regarding removal of entertainment tax levied by the local bodies, uniform pricing of tickets in all cities for A/C and non A/C theatres and flexible pricing on Tuesday. The resolution of these issues is expected after the proposed meeting with Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Representatives of the film industry will be happy only when the State government removes the entertainment tax completely. “It will not be possible to pay anything more than GST as it will not be feasible to conduct business at such high rates. The officials were positive and we hope it can be worked out,” said producer SR Prabhu, treasurer, Tamil Film Producers Council. “It makes no sense for other language producers to release movies in Tamil Nadu any more. With 58% (28% GST + 20% entertainment tax + 10% distributors share) of a ticket’s value going away, the producers have no chance of making any profits,” said a multiplex owner.

Source: The Hindu

Also Read: Rajinikanth Breaks Silence, Extends Support To TN Theatres Strike

3. Videos of Students with Knives at Stations Surface, 4 Arrested

A day after a video of young men dangerously brandishing machetes and knives at a railway station surfaced on social media, Chennai police told The News Minute that four students of Presidency College have been arrested. According to the investigating officer, the students were caught just as they were exiting the Hindu College station on Monday at 4 pm. This was after members of the public informed the police on seeing them create a nuisance with sharp weapons in hand. Videos of multiple boys, hanging on precariously to the local train, brandishing long knives and metallic rods dangerously before shouting 'Pachayappa' (the name of a prominent college in Chennai) caused panic on social media.

The two videos were uploaded on Facebook by a student named Bharathiraja on Monday evening. The 'students' were also seen standing on top of government buses and even bursting firecrackers on the railway platform. The profile of the student who had uploaded the video had said that he was a student of the college and the post had got many comments from other students applauding the ‘brave feat’.

Source: The News Minute

4. Can't Restrain BWMaple from Sailing Out of Chennai: HC

The Madras High Court on Tuesday refused to interfere with a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the Director General of Shipping (DGS) on 14 September permitting BWMaple, one of the two vessels involved in a collision, leading to large scale oil spill at the Kamarajar Port in Ennore on January 28, to sail out of the port.

The first Division Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar also recorded the submission of the Ennore police that they do not require the continued detention of the vessel since investigation into a criminal case registered in connection with the incident was in the final stage and a chargesheet would be filed shortly. Acceding to a request made by advocate S Raghunathan, representing the owners of BWMaple, to fix a time frame for completing the criminal investigation, as well as the internal inquiry being conducted by the DGS, the judges ordered that both the proceedings should be completed within four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of the court order.

Source: The Hindu

Also Read: What’s Going on With the Chennai Oil Spill Clean-Up?

5. Actor Santhanam Applies for Anticipatory Bail, Claims Allegations Against Him Are False

Following a police complaint against Tamil actor Santhanam for allegedly threatening a builder and attacking him, the actor filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Madras High Court on Tuesday. Santhanam alleged that the builder had filed a false case against him. “In order to escape from his liability, the defacto-complaiant created a scenario and he lodged a false complaint against me as counter blast to harass and humiliate me. I state that I am innocent and I am no way connected to the alleged offence. I am a law-abiding citizen and I am having permanent address and as such I am ready to offer substantial sureties for my release,” as stated in the petition.

On Monday, Santhanam, a builder Shanmugasundaram and two others were injured in Valasaravakkam after they allegedly attacked each other over a land deal. They were taken to a private hospital and then discharged.

Source: The News Minute

6. 7-Yr-Old Hasini's Sexual Assault and Murder: Trial Begins, Cops Say They Have Strong Case

Eight months after seven-year-old Hasini was sexually assaulted, murdered and burnt in a Chennai suburb, a Chengalpet court has begun trial in the case. The 22-year-old accused in the case Dhasvanth along with his legal team and the father of the victim were present in the court on Tuesday. The police then handed over the chargesheet to the court and copies to both parties.

TNM has accessed excerpts of the chargesheet filed by the Mangadu police and the charges against the accused include - Sections 363 (Kidnapping), 366 (Abduction), 354 B (use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 302(murder), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence). In addition to this, he has also been charged under various sections of POCSO act.

Source: The News Minute

Also Read: A Feeble ‘No’ Is Still A ‘No’, Your Honour – Violating It Is Rape

7. 'Smart' Projects Worth ₹300 Cr Cleared

As many as 17 projects, including cycle sharing, parking management and solar-powered buildings, estimated at ₹300 crore were cleared for administrative sanction by the Board of Directors of Chennai Smart City Limited on Tuesday.

As part of the projects, the Corporation is set to generate more than 5 MW of solar power using facilities to be commissioned in 1,900 buildings at a cost of ₹25 crore. The civic body will also develop a traffic park near Napier Bridge. Chennai Metrowater will be able to figure out the demand and supply of water using smart meters for 12,000 bulk consumers at ₹9.5 crore and electromagnetic flow metres in 251 locations across the city. The integrated command and control system will have environmental sensors and other modern equipment estimated at ₹210 crore.

Source: The Hindu