1. DMK Meet Condemns New LB Polls Notification
The opposition DMK on Sunday condemned the State Election Commission (SEC)’s latest notification issued on Saturday for holding polls to rural local bodies in Tamil Nadu in two phases on 27 and 30 December and endorsed its leader M K Stalin’s view to again move the Supreme Court on the issue.
The DMK resolution emphasised that the apex court had said that holding the elections in other districts had to be after ‘fully completing’ the process of delimitation of wards and reservation of seats for women/ST/denotified communities.
(Source: Deccan Chronicle)
2. 25,000 Potholes Identified on Chennai Roads
Despite the monsoon being inactive, city roads continue to deteriorate, and the Chennai Corporation has estimated that there are roughly 25,000 potholes that need to be repaired. While the Corporation will only re-lay roads after the end of the monsoon, for now, it has allocated over ₹20 crore for carrying out pothole repair work in the 15 zones. But residents complain that potholes on many stretches are not being repaired properly.
Residents and motorists demand temporary repair work of the roads to prevent accidents. Motorists complain about frequent accidents due to potholes on the Red Cross Road in Egmore. Former Corporation Councillor S Mangala Raj said the poor quality of roads was due to the lack of monitoring by assistant engineers in the 200 wards during the relaying of roads.
(Source: The Hindu)
3. Kavalan SOS App Wears Its Cape: First Arrest Made in Chennai
City police have made the first arrest using ‘Kavalan SoS’ mobile phone application. Police control room received a distress alert made through the app around 8.30 pm on Friday and the message was traced to R K Nagar.
“Two men in the house were secured by police after the women in the house - Preethi and her mother-in-law - informed them that the men barged into the house claiming to be courier delivery boys. Preethi told police she had installed Kavalan SoS application on her phone after reading about it in newspaper and she used it when the men entered the house sensing danger,” said a police officer.
(Source: Deccan Chronicle)
4. Two Years After Governor's Convoy Killed Three, Kin Await Relief
It has been two years since three people, including an 11-year-old boy, were fatally knocked down by a police vehicle which was part of Governor’s convoy on East Coast Road in Chengalpattu district. The government is yet to pay compensation to the victims’ families. Regular petitions to the Chief Minister’s office by the three families were in vain.
Mamallapuram police registered a case under IPC sections 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life) and 304(A) (causing death by negligence), but have not mentioned the name of the driver but only the police vehicle number. Karthikeyan’s family moved the motor vehicle accidents tribunal, Chengalpattu in April 2018 claiming a compensation of Rs 50 lakh. Till now there had been only one hearing.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Retd Government Employee Held for Sexual Assault of School Girl
A 67-year-old retired government employee was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl on Friday. Murugan, the accused, retired from government service, and was practising as an astrologer. The victim, a Class-VI student, used to cross his house every day on her way to school.
“On Friday, Murugan stood outside the house when she was passing by. He held a conversation and invited her to his house, and then tried to assault her sexually,” said an officer quoting the complaint. “The girl ran out of the house raising an alarm and informed her parents. They filed a police complaint. Murugan was booked under POCSO Act sand remanded in judicial custody.”
(Source: The New Indian Express)
