A police officer was arrested in Salem on 8 January 2025, for attempting to defraud the public by collecting money via GPay, claiming he urgently needed funds and would return the money later.
The officer, identified as Kalaiselvan, an armed reserve police officer from Tambaram, had come to Salem on leave. He targeted residents in the Sevvaipettai and Ammapettai areas, presenting himself as a police officer in urgent need of ₹3,500. He promised to repay the amount immediately in the E-Sevai centers, gaining the trust of the Salem public, who believed his story and sent the money.
However, it was later alleged that Kalaiselvan had evaded repayment and defrauded at least three individuals. The public, realizing they had been scammed, caught him and handed him over to the police. The Sevvaipettai police responded to the scene, arrested him, and initiated an investigation into the matter.
According to the locals, Kalaiselvan had defrauded at least four to five individuals that day alone, and some had trusted him due to his previous stint at the local police station between 2014 and 2016, making it easier for him to gain their confidence.
"3600 இருந்தா ஜிபே பண்ணுங்க.. இப்பவே பணமா தரேன்னு சொல்லிட்டு தப்பிச்சு போக பாத்தாரு.." – நூதன முறையில் பணம் பறித்த காவலரை மடக்கி பிடித்து போலீசில் ஒப்படைத்த பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்கள்..#Salem | #Police | #Gpay | #Money | #Arrestedpic.twitter.com/Z1zvw3TiPA
A storm water drain project in Old Mahabalipuram Road in Chennai which was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is now in limbo due to corruption allegations and delays.
Even after five months have passed after Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the ₹666-crore OMR storm water drain project, not a single brick has been laid. The local residents laments that project has stalled due to delays by officials, alongside allegations of corruption and favoritism within the administration.
Although tenders for the 122-km network were finalized in January 2024, the project was delayed after the Chennai Contractors Association raised concerns in February about irregularities and favoritism in the tendering process. As a result, Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) dropped a 70-crore component from the project, and Chief Minister Stalin inaugurated the remaining portion, valued at 630 crore, on 12 August.
Sources indicated that several GCC officials in the storm water drain department were questioned by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in March and April of the previous year, regarding the premature finalization of tenders before completing the required technical and financial evaluations. Despite this, neither the DVAC nor KfW (the funding agency) halted the project, though senior GCC officials remained hesitant to give the green light for the project to proceed.
S. Bhaskaran, Superintending Engineer at GCC’s Storm Water Drain Department, attributed the delay to contractors still needing to secure land for RMC batch mix concrete plants essential for construction. He explained, “Each plant requires about an acre of land, and contractors need time to mobilize the infrastructure for a project of this scale. They are also surveying the project’s length, potential disposal points, and any obstacles in the construction path. We issued work orders last week, and construction is expected to begin by February.”
Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of the anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam, criticized the project’s delayed progress, questioning how the Chief Minister could have launched a project without work orders being issued. “When the Chief Minister inaugurates a project, work should have already started. This delay, coupled with a lack of transparency regarding the alleged corruption, misleads the public,” he said.
Residents of Old Mamallapuram Road (OMR), numbering around 4 lakh, are especially affected, as vital links in areas such as OMR, ECR, Perungudi, Pallikaranai, and a drain connecting Perumbakkam to the Buckingham Canal remain incomplete. Previously, GCC had also dropped an SWD component along the ECR in the first phase of the project, which involved laying drains along the beach. Many residents protested, arguing that water did not stagnate there and that the drains would obstruct water percolation. Once completed, the 122-km storm water drain network will form part of the 283-km long system in the Kovalam basin, including the first two phases of the 600-crore KfW-funded project.
Shocking CCTV footage has raised serious doubts about the circumstances surrounding the death of a kindergarten girl at St Mary’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Vikravandi, Villupuram district. The footage suggests that the girl’s alleged death from falling into a septic tank is a staged act by the school staff and administration.
The alleged CCTV video footage that went viral in social media shows a female staff member carrying the child in her arms near the septic tank, where three other staff members are seen standing. The woman carrying the child approaches the septic tank, only to return shortly after. Other staff members then begin searching near the tank, while the child remains in the arms of the woman. At one point, another female staff member arrives with a ceiling dusting stick and pretends to search inside the septic tank, all while the first staff member is still holding the child.
Finally, the driver, who had previously claimed to have found the child inside the septic tank, enters the scene and acts as though he is searching for the child within the tank and retrieving the child from the tank. The footage has shocked the community, raising questions about the true cause of the child’s death.
"அங்க பாருங்க… குழந்தைய கையில வச்சுக்கிட்டே தேடுற மாதிரி நடிக்கிறாங்க.. செப்டிக் டேங்ல விழுந்த குழந்தைய கம்பி போட்டு எடுத்தேன்னு சொன்னாங்க.. ஆனா,….." செப்டிங் டேங்கில் விழுந்து தான் குழந்தை உயிரிழந்ததா..? பிற்பகல் 2 மணியளவில் தனியார் பள்ளியில் நடந்தது என்ன..? சிசிடிவியால்… pic.twitter.com/0xXynitnm6
Parents Seek CB-CID Investigation, Raising Suspicion Over Daughter’s Death at Villupuram School
The parents of a young girl from Villupuram have submitted a petition to the district collector, raising concerns about the circumstances of their child’s death and requesting a CB-CID investigation. This follows reports that they have received threats from unknown individuals urging them to cease their pursuit of justice, prompting them to also seek government protection.
The father, Palanivel, is a contract worker at the e-service center in Vikravandi, and his wife is Sivashankari. Their daughter, three-and-a-half-year-old Lia Lakshmi, was attending LKG at the St. Mary’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School at Vikravandi in Villupuram district.
In a petition submitted to the Villupuram Superintendent of Police, the girl’s father, K. Palanivel, expressed suspicions that his daughter, Lia Lakshmi, may have been murdered within the school. He claimed the school management was attempting to cover up the crime by fabricating the story that she accidentally fell into the septic tank.
Palanivel pointed out that the school is equipped with 37 CCTV cameras, yet the management only provided footage from 32 of them, withholding the remaining five. He stated that the footage submitted shows a teacher carrying his daughter toward the septic tank at 2:14 PM on the day of the incident, only to be seen carrying her back in the opposite direction shortly thereafter.
He further alleged that the school tampered with the CCTV footage that was not immediately submitted to the authorities, and that staff members were involved in concealing the truth, creating a false narrative that his daughter’s death was accidental.
Palanivel is calling for the police and school authorities to present all CCTV recordings to the court, as he believes there are efforts to destroy evidence. Disillusioned with the ongoing investigation, he has requested the case be transferred to the CB-CID to ensure a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s death and bring the responsible parties to justice. He also reiterated his plea for government protection, citing the threats his family has received.
The victim’s mother, Sivashankari, speaking to the press, said, “My daughter reads way better, but she won’t write, and the teacher had beaten her for that. Something happened to my child. They should have immediately taken her to the hospital, but instead, they kept her in the school and created drama, saying ‘my daughter died after falling into the septic tank’, ‘she died because of feeding food.’ The teacher claimed that when she took attendance at 2:00 PM, my daughter was present and said she needed to go to the restroom. Afterward, she went missing. They searched for her, and a driver, using a torchlight, noticed a white shoe, then they searched with a stick, they found something out, then they found her. But this is not the truth—it’s a lie. This case should be transferred over to the CB-CID, and they should investigate to uncover what really happened.”
Sivashankari expressed further suspicion, stating, “She was wearing red shoes and white bottom, but the driver claimed that when they used a torchlight, they saw a white shoe, then they searched with a stick. This raised our doubts. Additionally, if a child had fallen into a septic tank, there should have been mud or water on her, but nothing was there. But when the police showed the photos of the shoes today, one was black and the other was white—why is that? One shoe appears as though she slipped into the septic tank, while the other is white. Also, my daughter’s ribbon had blood on it, and there were two bloodstains on her shirt. I could smell bleach powder from it. How could there be a bleach smell in the septic tank?”
On 10 January 2024, the Madras High Court granted bail to the correspondent, principal, and a teacher of St. Mary’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Vikravandi, Villupuram district.
Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira granted bail to Sister A. Emelda, Sister A. Dominic Mary, and teacher A. Angel, following a request from senior counsel Rev. Fr. A. Xavier Arulraj. The petitioners had been in custody since 4 January 2025. Arulraj informed the court that the school management was willing to offer ₹5 lakh as ex-gratia, in addition to ₹3 lakh from the State government, to the child’s family.
The judge ordered the school correspondent to provide a demand draft in favor of the child’s father to the trial court, which was then instructed to hand it over to the parents. Upon being released on bail, the petitioners were directed to stay in Chennai for a week and report daily to the Mylapore police station, in addition to adhering to all other standard bail conditions.
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Devotees expressed their frustration with the DMK government after facing numerous challenges while attempting to worship at the ancient 6th-century Sri Parthasarathy Perumal Temple in Triplicane, Chennai. Women devotees criticized the arrangements made by the HRCE department, calling them inadequate. They further complained that DMK leaders were given preferential treatment for worship, while others had to wait.
The Sri Parthasarathy Perumal Temple, one of the 108 Divya Desams, is renowned for its grand celebration of Vaikunta Ekadashi. During this annual event, the ‘heavenly gate’ (Sorgavasal) is opened, attracting a large number of devotees who gather throughout the night to witness the event. This year, the Paramapathavasal was opened on 11 January 2025, with devotees chanting Lord Vishnu’s name in joyful devotion as the gate opened, allowing a large crowd to have darshan.
However, the event was not without criticism, as many devotees expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s arrangements, describing them as poor and inadequate. Some stated that they had never experienced such a situation in all their years of worship. Additionally, they criticized the ruling DMK government, alleging that the party’s leaders and functionaries were being given special treatment. In this regard, women devotees, speaking to the press, said, “We have never seen such terrible arrangements. It was the worst experience. The police were ineffective and they tormented us. They didn’t allow us to go anywhere, and they seemed unaware of the rules. We have been worshipping here for 40 years, but only DMK members and police were allowed in, while we were left outside. This is the worst experience.”
The DMK government, which had pledged to abolish the NEET entrance exam all these years if elected, has now revised its position. Addressing the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin admitted, “We cannot abolish NEET; only the Central Government has the power to do so.” His statement came during a debate initiated by AIADMK General Secretary and Opposition Leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami.
This is what those who oppose the DMK have been saying for all these years but it is only now that this basic fact of the matter has dawned upon him.
Starting from Anitha’s death, the DMK and its ecosystem went on an overdrive to portray NEET as a demon. Actors like Suriya virtue-signalled and did their bit to peddle false propaganda about the exam and confusing students about NEET. They continued to peddle anti-NEET propaganda despite clarifications that it is a professional exam mandated by the Supreme Court and only the Central Government has the authority to bring in any legislation regarding the same.
This article aims to uncover how the DMK misled the people of Tamil Nadu with false promises to abolish NEET, creating undue pressure on students. In some tragic cases, this false promise pushed students to such extreme despair that they took their own lives.
Promise In Manifesto
The DMK, as per their manifesto promise number 160, pledged to abolish the NEET upon coming into power.
“Once DMK comes to power, a law will be passed to abolish NEET in the first Assembly session and steps will be taken to acquire the President’s assent for the law,” the manifesto reads in Tamil.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin had also conducted extensive campaigns across the state, emphasizing that their initial action would be to cancel NEET.
But nothing was done for a month with the government also faced with battling the second wave of COVID-19. After the exam notification was released, the Stalin government formed a committee under Justice AK Rajan. It was alleged that more than 80,000 feedback were received against the exam.
Health Minister Ma. Subramanian had started hinting a couple of weeks ago that it would not be possible for them to scrap NEET. The Health Minister started appealing to students to prepare for NEET this year and that adequate coaching be given to them through the School Education Department.
MK Stalin
“Very soon, once the DMK regime dawns in Tamil Nadu, I assure that we will dedicate ourselves to cancel this NEET exam legally and will emerge victorious. I assure you that the DMK will continue to lead the protest. You fell at people’s feet to get the post. Why can’t you beg the Governor? You need not fall at his feet. Can’t you atleast ask him sternly? Is it fair for you to sit in the CM’s chair? “, MK Stalin had said during a campaign against the AIADMK in the lead up to the 2021 Assembly elections.
After becoming Chief Minister, MK Stalin in March 2022 said that NEET cancellation was his immediate goal.
He even formed the AK Rajan Committee (an eye-wash) which released a report laden with empty rhetoric and making unsubstantiated inferences through selective usage and willful omission of data.
Udhayanidhi Stalin
Udhayanidhi Stalin while speaking at an event arranged on behalf of the Chennai East District DMK in September 2020 said “When DMK comes to power, the NEET exam will definitely be canceled. We know how to cancel the NEET exam, the leader knows. The rulers are asking us to tell them the secret of how we will cancel it. There is only one secret. All they need to do is think that the people should be well and that the rights of the state should not be taken away. Only the DMK leader has that leadership ability,“.
In February 2021, Udhayanidhi Stalin addressed an election rally at the Ulundurpet-Vriddhachalam road junction in Kallakurichi district, making bold promises to the public.
He emphasized that neither former Chief Ministers Karunanidhi nor Jayalalithaa had allowed the NEET exam during their tenures. Criticizing the current government’s stance on NEET, he highlighted that 14 students in Tamil Nadu had tragically ended their lives due to the immense pressure and fear surrounding the exam.
Udhayanidhi assured the crowd that this distressing trend would come to an end under DMK’s rule. He pledged that once the DMK came to power, the NEET exam would be abolished.
In March 2021, Udhayanidhi Stalin said “There was no entrance exam during the DMK regime. Similarly, during Jayalalithaa’s rule, no entrance exam was allowed. After that, the AIADMK government introduced the NEET exam. Due to this, 14 people, including student Anitha, have committed suicide in the last three years. When the DMK comes to power, the NEET exam will be canceled.”
Kanimozhi
Karunanidhi’s daughter and DMK MP Kanimozhi had said “If you understand that Tamil Nadu is Periyar’s land, we will make you run for your lives but won’t let NEET happen here. Questions may arise that NEET has already come, it can’t be changed, what can be done now? This is Tamil Nadu. We can rewrite any history. In Tamil Nadu, your Manu Needhi itself was changed. Do you think we can’t change NEET?”
A Raja
DMK MP A. Raja had called the resolution brought by the Edappadi Palaniswami-led AIADMK government against NEET as humbug.
Raja had said “Then for what purpose you passed a resolution? Do you have brains? You claim to have analysed all possibilities and declared that there is no chance of cancelling NEET. Then why did you pass a resolution in the Assembly? To fool whom? Is it not fraudulent? I’m asking you now. Tomorrow if Stalin says that sun has to be kept in Secretariat. Is it possible? But if Edappadi Palaniswami passes a resolution saying that they will catche the sun and tie it in the secretariat, who is the fool? You’re telling now that it is not possible right? Instead of passing the resolution, you should have told that it is not possible at all. We can’t pass the resolution. If you had said that, you’re honest. But you passed a resolution to hoodwink the people. Claimed to have sent the resolution to President. You didn’t even know where the President house is and lied about the resolution reaching him. How will you count this man as a Chief Minister? We had only asked for passing the resolution. You’re saying it’s not possible right? How did your Amma (Jayalalithaa) stop it? You’re not able to stop what your mom stopped. You’re not walking in the path of your Amma right?”
However, the Tamil Nadu government passed a Bill in the assembly against the exam which as expected ended in limbo.
DMK Should Be Held Accountable Confusing Students
In the DMK’s political game, students have been facing stress as they were kept bewildered with their false promises. They’ve been using students as pawns playing with their future.
As Annamalai had said “They (DMK) are instigating children to die. If you file an FIR and put Stalin in jail for death of children, no child will commit suicide. If I had been part of the Tamil Nadu police department, I would have filed an FIR and thrown Stalin in as the first accused.”
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Tamil Nadu BJP State President K Annamalai, who served as an IPS officer in Karnataka, said on Saturday that the process of surrender of six Maoists before the Chief Minister “raises doubts” and should be probed. Addressing media in Mangaluru, Annamalai said, “I am observing developments in this regard in the media. I am telling all this as I was part of the Naxal surrender process in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka. The surrender of Naxals before the CM in the state is a matter of investigation.” “The surrender of Naxals in Karnataka is raising doubts. The encounter of Naxal Vikram Gowda before the surrender also raised doubts,” Annamalai said.
“It is said that Vikram Gowda was shot by authorities when he had approached the house to collect supplies. The residents have given interviews to the media after the encounter. They revealed that the police had arrived early and cleaned the house. Suddenly, the encounter news was flashed. Following the encounter, within no time, the surrender of six Naxals took place,” he claimed. “Our party senior leaders have already spoken and stated that the complete process of surrender of naxals is doubtful. It doesn’t appear that someone has negotiated with them. Whether the Congress had used internal bickering among the Naxals is to be seen. Otherwise, overground workers who work in naxal-infested areas must have influenced the government. There are many doubts,” he underlined.
“When we worked at Chikkamagaluru, the Naxals had surrendered. It is a long process. In Karnataka, the Naxal surrender policy exists and it is active. There will be a civil society and negotiations. Talks have to be held continuously. The Naxals will gather information on what they get before surrendering. They will know about the availability of bank loans and skill-based training and finally, they will surrender. While surrendering, there are certain conditions. They will have to face the cases against them and attend courts,” Annamalai stated.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday welcomed the surrendered Maoists into the mainstream by offering them roses and copies of the Indian Constitution at his home office, ‘Krishna’, in Bengaluru. With the surrender of the six Maoists, the Congress-led government declared Karnataka free from the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE). Karnataka BJP President B. Y. Vijayendra on Friday said that the surrender of six Maoists before Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his home office Krishna on Thursday was a “sheer act of drama”.
Mundagaru Latha from Mundagaru in Sringeri; Vanajakshi from Balehole in Kalasa; Sundari from Kutluru near Mangaluru; Marappa Jayanna Aroli from Raichur; Vasantha T. aka Ramesh from Tamil Nadu; and T.N. Jeesha from Kerala surrendered in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
–IANS
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India meeting the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan earlier this week has been giving sleepless nights to Pakistan’s political and military leadership, with several top analysts suggesting that Islamabad should urgently reassess its aggressive approach towards Kabul. On Wednesday, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Dubai, where both discussed various issues about bilateral relations and “regional developments”.
The meeting took place only two days after New Delhi had severely condemned the recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan that resulted in the death of 46 people, including several women and children. Calls for a thorough review of Afghan strategy have grown in Pakistan after the Afghan side termed India as a “significant regional and economic partner”. Sources told IANS that closed-door meetings are being held in Islamabad as top officials delve deeper on the country’s future approach towards its much-volatile neighbour. There’s plenty on their plate considering the worsening situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and the growing mistrust between the two countries, coupled with Taliban leaders reaching out to other regional states for collaborations, especially India. “For Pakistan, this should be a wake-up call. We should not forget that India was a major player in Afghanistan before the Taliban takeover. New Delhi had invested about $3 billion in Afghanistan for reconstruction projects and even the northern alliance members have good relations with New Delhi,” said Amir Rana, a strategic analyst.
“Even though the Indians are acting cautiously with the Taliban, things are actually moving forward. This is happening at a time when Pakistan is on the offensive against Afghanistan and our bilateral relations have nosedived tremendously,” he added. Pakistan has called the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) a “red line” for the country and repeatedly urged the Taliban-led Afghan interim government to take decisive action against the group. “Pakistan cannot afford a hostile neighbour to its West. One view is that instead of communicating with the people in Kabul, Islamabad can raise the TTP issue with the Taliban leadership in Kandahar as that’s where the real power originates from,” said Rana. “A reference can be taken from a fatwa that the Taliban issued in 2023, stopping its cadres from waging a jihad inside Pakistan. The same can be used to convince the Taliban to move and relocate TTP and other anti-Pakistan groups away from its borders,” suggests the strategic expert.
It is also important to note that Pakistan’s current policy towards Afghanistan, focusing on fewer talks and a more aggressive approach, has certainly not yielded any positive result, so far. In the past, Pakistan has had serious reservations against what it termed as India’s influence and presence inside Afghanistan. And the same concerns can quickly re-emerge if Islamabad continues with its current strategy. “The doors of negotiations are not closed. Pakistan can work through regional states to put pressure on the Taliban to act swiftly on their counter terrorism measures. If relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan sour further, it would add to the already volatile security situation and give more maneuvering room to other countries,” said Rana.
–IANS
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Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, has urged the clean energy sector to become self-sustaining and independent of the government as production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes were meant only to help kickstart projects. Unveiling the ‘Bharat Cleantech Manufacturing Platform’ at an event here, the minister asked the participants to think innovatively and increase manufacturing scale in the country, according to an official statement issued on Saturday.
The platform, launched at the ‘Bharat Climate Forum 2025’, is an initiative designed to enhance India’s cleantech value chains in the solar, wind, hydrogen and battery storage. Goyal said that the platform will provide an opportunity for the Indian firms to collaborate, to co-innovate and serve as a platform for financing, sharing ideas, technologies and resources. This will help India become an attractive business case and a global leader in the sustainability and cleantech sector. He highlighted that subsidies are detrimental to long-term growth and development of the clean energy sector and the companies must strive to become self-sustaining. The minister hoped that the participants at the forum would be able to achieve the target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of setting up 500 gigawatt of clean energy sources by 2030 in the country.
He pointed out that India has been one of the best performing countries in terms of meeting the Nationally Determined Contributions (NCDs) submitted in 2015 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. “We are well ahead of our targets. We have achieved the target of installing renewable or clean energy by 2022, 8 years ahead of schedule. Having achieved the milestone of setting up 200 Gigawatt of clean energy we are well poised to achieving 500 Gigawatt. India also has the largest interconnected grid in the world,” Goyal added.
The minister also highlighted that taking on the challenges of climate change is not new to India, stating that Gujarat was one of the first states to adopt solar power. He attributed the affordability of solar power in the country to the Prime Minister and his adoption of transparency, conducting honest auctions and providing equal competition and increasing the scale of implementation significantly.
–IANS
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The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government faces backlash after Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the scrapping of the Madurai–Thoothukudi broad-gauge railway line due to the state’s opposition. The ₹1,875-crore project, stalled by slow land acquisition, has drawn sharp criticism from the BJP, which accuses the DMK of stalling development and betraying regional interests.
DMK Opposition To Railway Project
The ruling party in Tamil Nadu, the DMK, has long accused the central government of viewing the state with a “stepmotherly” attitude. However, recent developments suggest the situation was always otherwise. This became apparent when Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on 10 January 2025 that the 143.5-km broad-gauge (BG) railway line project from Madurai to Thoothukudi, passing through Aruppukottai had been scrapped due to opposition from the Tamil Nadu government.
The project, which had been under construction by Southern Railway’s unit since 2016, now faces an uncertain future.
During his visit to the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, Vaishnaw responded to inquiries from the press regarding the suspension of the Madurai land acquisition unit, effective from 1 January 2025. This unit had been established to aid the project’s land acquisition. Vaishnaw stated, “State Government gave it in writing that they don’t want this project,” although he did not provide further details on the state’s reasoning behind this decision.
#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: On scrapping of Madurai–Thoothukudi BG line, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, "State Government gave it in writing that they don't want this project…" pic.twitter.com/5UfBTA4UEA
Notably, Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi, also the DMK’s deputy general secretary, had previously championed the project in Parliament, advocating for its implementation.
The BG railway line, approved in the 2011-12 period, was intended to enhance transport links to underserved areas such as Vilathikulam, Pudur, and Nagalapuram. It also aimed to provide a dedicated cargo train route to Thoothukudi Port to facilitate nationwide goods movement.
At an estimated cost of ₹1,875 crore, the project was envisioned as an alternative to the existing Madurai–Thoothukudi line, which passes through Vanchi Maniyachi and Kovilpatti. Construction began in 2016, and by March 2022, an 18-km stretch between Milavittan and Melmarudur was completed and cleared for operation.
However, land acquisition for the remaining sections, from Melmarudur to Thiruparankundram, moved slowly, with only 35–40 percent of the required land acquired. The 2023–24 interim budget had allocated ₹100 crore for the project, but this was slashed to ₹18.72 crore in the general budget, raising concerns about the project’s future. Southern Railway officials stated that they are awaiting further updates on the discontinuation of the project from the Railway Board.
BJP Slams DMK
In a strong statement, BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai criticized the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government for its alleged inefficiency and opposition to development projects. Highlighting the recent announcement by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Annamalai accused the state government of being a roadblock to progress.
The Union Railway Minister clarified to the media that the proposed railway line connecting Madurai and Tuticorin via Aruppukkottai has been scrapped due to lack of cooperation from the Tamil Nadu government. The project required the acquisition of approximately 870.98 hectares of land, but the state government managed to acquire only 74.87 hectares, less than 10% of the required area.
Annamalai pointed out that this is not an isolated incident, as out of the 3,389 hectares of land required for various railway projects across Tamil Nadu, only 26% has been acquired under the DMK administration. He criticized the slow pace of land acquisition, calling it a hindrance to the state’s economic growth, particularly for the people of Aruppukkottai and surrounding regions.
Taking to Twitter, Annamalai remarked that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is steering the nation toward achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India), the DMK government is dragging Tamil Nadu backward.
The BJP Tamil Nadu unit has announced a protest against the DMK government’s decision to scrap the new railway line project. The demonstration, involving residents of Virudhunagar district, is scheduled to take place on January 20, 2025.
“This haphazard approach of the DMK government is unacceptable. The people of Tamil Nadu deserve better governance and faster progress,” Annamalai stated, adding that the BJP will stand with the people to demand accountability and push for development.
While our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi aims to propel the country forward in the 5th gear towards the goals of Viksit Bharat, the DMK Govt in Tamil Nadu appears to be driving the state backwards.
Our Honorable Railway Minister Thiru @AshwiniVaishnaw clarified to the media…
The parents of Lia Lakshmi, who died under suspicious circumstances at St Mary’s Matriculation School in Villupuram, have petitioned the district collector, alleging foul play in her death and requesting a CB-CID investigation. The father, K. Palanivel, accused the school of fabricating claims that his daughter accidentally fell into a septic tank, citing missing CCTV footage and inconsistencies in the school’s account. Facing threats to drop their pursuit of justice, the family has also sought government protection, intensifying demands for accountability and a thorough probe into the case.
Palanivel is a contract worker at the e-service centre in Vikravandi, and his wife is Sivashankari. Their daughter, three-and-a-half-year-old Lia Lakshmi, attended LKG at the St. Mary’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School at Vikravandi in Villupuram district.
In a petition submitted to the Villupuram Superintendent of Police, Palanivel expressed suspicions that Lia Lakshmi may have been murdered within the school. He claimed the school management was attempting to cover up the crime by fabricating the story that she accidentally fell into the septic tank.
Palanivel pointed out that the school has 37 CCTV cameras, yet the management only provided footage from 32 of them, withholding the remaining five. He stated that the footage submitted shows a teacher carrying his daughter toward the septic tank at 2:14 PM on the day of the incident, only to be seen carrying her back in the opposite direction shortly thereafter.
He further alleged that the school tampered with the CCTV footage that was not immediately submitted to the authorities and that staff members were involved in concealing the truth, creating a false narrative that his daughter’s death was accidental.
Palanivel calls for the police and school authorities to present all CCTV recordings to the court, as he believes there are efforts to destroy evidence. Disillusioned with the ongoing investigation, he has requested the case be transferred to the CB-CID to ensure a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s death and bring the responsible parties to justice. He also reiterated his plea for government protection, citing the threats his family has received.
Sivashankari, speaking to the press, said, “My daughter reads way better, but she won’t write, and the teacher had beaten her for that. Something happened to my child. They should have immediately taken her to the hospital, but instead, they kept her in the school and created drama, saying, ‘My daughter died after falling into the septic tank’, and ‘She died because of feeding food.’ The teacher claimed that when she took attendance at 2:00 PM, my daughter was present and said she needed to go to the restroom. Afterwards, she went missing. They searched for her, and a driver, using a torchlight, noticed a white shoe, then they searched with a stick, found something, and then found her. But this is not the truth—it’s a lie. This case should be transferred to the CB-CID, and they should investigate to uncover what happened.”
Sivashankari expressed further suspicion, stating, “She was wearing red shoes and white bottom, but the driver claimed that when they used a torchlight, they saw a white shoe, then they searched with a stick. This raised our doubts. Additionally, if a child had fallen into a septic tank, there should have been mud or water on her, but nothing was there. But when the police showed the photos of the shoes today, one was black and the other was white—why is that? One shoe appears like she slipped into the septic tank, while the other is white. Also, my daughter’s ribbon had blood on it, and there were two bloodstains on her shirt. I could smell bleach powder from it. How could there be a bleach smell in the septic tank?”
On 10 January 2024, the Madras High Court granted bail to the correspondent, principal, and teacher of St. Mary’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Vikravandi, Villupuram district.
Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira granted bail to Sister A. Emelda, Sister A. Dominic Mary, and teacher A. Angel, following a request from senior counsel Rev. Fr. A. Xavier Arulraj. The petitioners had been in custody since 4 January 2025. Arulraj informed the court that the school management was willing to offer ₹5 lakh as ex-gratia, in addition to ₹3 lakh from the State government, to the child’s family.
The judge ordered the school correspondent to provide a demand draft in favour of the child’s father to the trial court, which was then instructed to hand it over to the parents. Upon being released on bail, the petitioners were directed to stay in Chennai for a week and report daily to the Mylapore police station, in addition to adhering to all other standard bail conditions.
