Customs officials at the Chennai airport have been in a state of alert after the frequency of repatriation flights and special flights to the city have increased. In the latest develop[ment, a total of 402 grams of gold valued at Rs.22.21 lakhs was seized under Customs Act 1962, in two separate incidents.

Two persons who had traveled on the Air India Express Flight IX-1642 from Abu Dhabi had carried gold paste, by concealing it in a pouch in their shirt sleeves. They were caught by customs officials after frisking. The persons were identified as Saminathan Kannan, 41, and Thangavel Sivasankar, 49, both natives of Thanjavur

Likewise, Kamarudeen Shajahan, 57, a native of Trichy &nbsp;who arrived from Abu Dhabi by Air India Express Flight IX-1638 was intercepted at the exit. Upon search, one gold paste pouch was found concealed in his inner wear.&nbsp;

Recently, there was also an instance of attempted smuggling by hiding gold in toys and watches. The baggage, in this case had come as unaccompanied baggage from Dubai, as the passenger had reached earlier. 388 grams of gold worth Rs. 18.5 lakhs were seized from the passenger’s personal goods. On examination, the goods- one toy car and four watches were found to be unusually heavy. On opening the toy car, a transformer was found inside and on dismantling, it was found to be made of 13, E-shaped &amp; two I-shaped gold plates. On opening the back cover of the watches, one gold cut ring was found concealed inside each. Total 388 grams of gold of 24K purity valued at Rs.18.5 lakhs was recovered and seized under Customs Act, 1962.

Senior Officials say that such modus operandi are quite new and that they are vigilant to curb such cases of smuggling, which are said to be on the rise given the shooting up gold prices. It is also observed that some of the carriers are laborers who are bringing the gold that is offered by smugglers for a small sum of money.&nbsp;

Customs officials at the Chennai airport have been in a state of alert after the frequency of repatriation flights and special flights to the city have increased.

Customs officials at the Chennai airport have been in a state of alert after the frequency of repatriation flights and special flights to the city have increased. In the latest develop[ment, a total of 402 grams of gold valued at Rs.22.21 lakhs was seized under Customs Act 1962, in two separate incidents. Two persons who had traveled on the Air India Express Flight IX-1642 from Abu Dhabi had carried gold paste, by concealing it in a pouch in their shirt sleeves. They were caught by customs officials after frisking. The persons were identified as Saminathan Kannan, 41, and Thangavel Sivasankar, 49, both natives of Thanjavur Likewise, Kamarudeen Shajahan, 57, a native of Trichy who arrived from Abu Dhabi by Air India Express Flight IX-1638 was intercepted at the exit. Upon search, one gold paste pouch was found concealed in his inner wear. Recently, there was also an instance of attempted smuggling by hiding gold in toys and watches. The baggage, in this case had come as unaccompanied baggage from Dubai, as the passenger had reached earlier. 388 grams of gold worth Rs. 18.5 lakhs were seized from the passenger’s personal goods. On examination, the goods- one toy car and four watches were found to be unusually heavy. On opening the toy car, a transformer was found inside and on dismantling, it was found to be made of 13, E-shaped & two I-shaped gold plates. On opening the back cover of the watches, one gold cut ring was found concealed inside each. Total 388 grams of gold of 24K purity valued at Rs.18.5 lakhs was recovered and seized under Customs Act, 1962. Senior Officials say that such modus operandi are quite new and that they are vigilant to curb such cases of smuggling, which are said to be on the rise given the shooting up gold prices. It is also observed that some of the carriers are laborers who are bringing the gold that is offered by smugglers for a small sum of money.

Gold worth Rs 22 lakh seized at Chennai airport

Top Police sources have told WION that 10 containers laden with explosive chemical ammonium nitrate are being trucked out of the city.

It is understood that the trucks, belonging to the private Container freight station are moving to a Hyderabad-based company that had bid for the chemicals. An estimated 200 tons are being sent in the first phase and the remaining 540 tons are expected to be sent in the coming week.

Concerns were raised last week after it was reported that 740 tons of the chemical were stored at a private Container freight station, barely 20kms away from the city.&nbsp;

Last Tuesday, an explosion rocked Beirut, Lebanon, killing over 150 people and injuring thousands. Videos of the resultant pressure wave and aftermath were doing the rounds on social media. After the Lebanese Government stated that the blast was caused by over 2700 tons of ammonium nitrate, serious concerns were raised.

Reports of huge quantities of ammonium nitrate (upto 740 tons) in Chennai had surfaced on Thursday, which raised concerns across India.

WION had reported on Thursday, quoting official sources that the chemicals will be safely disposed within a month. WION had reported that the seized chemical has been sold via the e-Auction route and that it would be safely handed over to the buyer. Top Customs officials had stated that these containers are safely stored in the hazardous materials zone, in containers that have the yellow marking that denote explosives, in logistics parlance.

A total of 37 containers laden with ammonium nitrate, each measuring 20feet were seized back in September 2015, when they had arrived at the Chennai port. The Customs authorities had seized the containers as the recipient company, a private firm, did not have the requisite clearances for handling these explosive chemicals. &nbsp;

Ammonium Nitrate, is widely used in fertilizers and explosives. In pure form, Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in water. It is the main ingredient in the manufacture of commercial explosives used in mining and construction. 
&nbsp;

Top Police sources have told WION that 10 containers laden with explosive chemical ammonium nitrate are being trucked out of the city. It is understood that the trucks, belonging to the private Container freight station are moving to a Hyderabad-based company that had bid for the chemicals.

Top Police sources have told WION that 10 containers laden with explosive chemical ammonium nitrate are being trucked out of the city. It is understood that the trucks, belonging to the private Container freight station are moving to a Hyderabad-based company that had bid for the chemicals. An estimated 200 tons are being sent in the first phase and the remaining 540 tons are expected to be sent in the coming week. Concerns were raised last week after it was reported that 740 tons of the chemical were stored at a private Container freight station, barely 20kms away from the city. Last Tuesday, an explosion rocked Beirut, Lebanon, killing over 150 people and injuring thousands. Videos of the resultant pressure wave and aftermath were doing the rounds on social media. After the Lebanese Government stated that the blast was caused by over 2700 tons of ammonium nitrate, serious concerns were raised. Reports of huge quantities of ammonium nitrate (upto 740 tons) in Chennai had surfaced on Thursday, which raised concerns across India. WION had reported on Thursday, quoting official sources that the chemicals will be safely disposed within a month. WION had reported that the seized chemical has been sold via the e-Auction route and that it would be safely handed over to the buyer. Top Customs officials had stated that these containers are safely stored in the hazardous materials zone, in containers that have the yellow marking that denote explosives, in logistics parlance. A total of 37 containers laden with ammonium nitrate, each measuring 20feet were seized back in September 2015, when they had arrived at the Chennai port. The Customs authorities had seized the containers as the recipient company, a private firm, did not have the requisite clearances for handling these explosive chemicals. Ammonium Nitrate, is widely used in fertilizers and explosives. In pure form, Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in water. It is the main ingredient in the manufacture of commercial explosives used in mining and construction.

Chennai: Ammonium Nitrate containers being moved out safely, say sources

Just like a scene out a movie, when all options had run out, a miracle intervention changed things and brought smiles. Well, it's not much of a surprise, the intervention was from none other than Indian actor Sonu Sood and just like many of his touching gestures in recent times, he chartered a flight for 100 students, from Moscow to Chennai, thus facilitating their safe and direct repatriation on Wednesday.

100 medical students from Tamil Nadu had exhausted all their options to fly back home, as they had to wait in Russia until the completion of their medical courses until July 6th. Having been forced to stay in Russia, even after the last Vande Bharat (repatriation by Indian Govt) flight, which was on July 3rd, their only options were to fly to another Indian city, perhaps Delhi or Mumbai, remain in quarantine there and then fly to their home state and undergo quarantine again. This would have meant spending more on ticket fare, paid quarantine and losing precious time.&nbsp;

The students hoped against hope for routine International flights to resume to Chennai, but it was in vain. Even a chartered flight that took off for Chennai on July 18th was missed by many students as the information hadn’t reached them.&nbsp;

<img alt="km" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="55741257-11be-410c-9be7-021ce6268e1c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2810%29_26.jpg" />

However, a new idea struck when a student scrolled through twitter and noticed that actor Sonu Sood had helped charter a flight for Indians stranded in Kyrgyzstan. The students then requested the actor to intervene and help.&nbsp;

“We tried reaching out to Indian authorities at various levels and there was no encouraging response, but the actor responded within a day and sought our details, assuring that his team would help us out,” said Dr Sakthi Priyadarshini, a graduate from the Kursk State medical university told WION.&nbsp;

Initially, it was said that the flight would leave Moscow on July 31st, however, it got delayed and it was only on August 1st that the actor announced the new schedule of the Chartered flight on Twitter.&nbsp;

“On August 1st the actor had a Zoom call with us and assured us that we could fly out on 4th August on a spice Jet chartered flight. It was after paying for our tickets that we noticed half the plane was empty. We students paid for our tickets alone, but Sonu SoodSir paid for the 100 empty seats to ensure that we were not burdened’ Priyadarshini recalls gratefully about the actor's gesture.&nbsp;

The students landed in Chennai on Wednesday and were sent to a paid quarantine centre in the city, where they’d have to spend the next week before they get to head home finally. The on-screen villain has turned real-life hero, saviour, by intervening on time and getting the young doctors back home!

Just like a scene out a movie, when all options had run out, a miracle intervention changed things and brought smiles. Well, it's not much of a surprise, the intervention was from none other than Indian actor Sonu Sood and just like many of his touching gestures in recent times, he chartered a flight for 100 students, from Moscow to Chennai, thus facilitating their safe and direct repatriation on Wednesday.

Just like a scene out a movie, when all options had run out, a miracle intervention changed things and brought smiles. Well, it's not much of a surprise, the intervention was from none other than Indian actor Sonu Sood and just like many of his touching gestures in recent times, he chartered a flight for 100 students, from Moscow to Chennai, thus facilitating their safe and direct repatriation on Wednesday. 100 medical students from Tamil Nadu had exhausted all their options to fly back home, as they had to wait in Russia until the completion of their medical courses until July 6th. Having been forced to stay in Russia, even after the last Vande Bharat (repatriation by Indian Govt) flight, which was on July 3rd, their only options were to fly to another Indian city, perhaps Delhi or Mumbai, remain in quarantine there and then fly to their home state and undergo quarantine again. This would have meant spending more on ticket fare, paid quarantine and losing precious time. The students hoped against hope for routine International flights to resume to Chennai, but it was in vain. Even a chartered flight that took off for Chennai on July 18th was missed by many students as the information hadn’t reached them. However, a new idea struck when a student scrolled through twitter and noticed that actor Sonu Sood had helped charter a flight for Indians stranded in Kyrgyzstan. The students then requested the actor to intervene and help. “We tried reaching out to Indian authorities at various levels and there was no encouraging response, but the actor responded within a day and sought our details, assuring that his team would help us out,” said Dr Sakthi Priyadarshini, a graduate from the Kursk State medical university told WION. Initially, it was said that the flight would leave Moscow on July 31st, however, it got delayed and it was only on August 1st that the actor announced the new schedule of the Chartered flight on Twitter. “On August 1st the actor had a Zoom call with us and assured us that we could fly out on 4th August on a spice Jet chartered flight. It was after paying for our tickets that we noticed half the plane was empty. We students paid for our tickets alone, but Sonu SoodSir paid for the 100 empty seats to ensure that we were not burdened’ Priyadarshini recalls gratefully about the actor's gesture. The students landed in Chennai on Wednesday and were sent to a paid quarantine centre in the city, where they’d have to spend the next week before they get to head home finally. The on-screen villain has turned real-life hero, saviour, by intervening on time and getting the young doctors back home!

From Moscow to Chennai on a half-occupied flight chartered by Sonu Sood, medical students recall journey

In a coordinated Search and Rescue mission (SAR), the Indian Coast Guard has rescued 14 fishermen, whose boat was adrift at sea, off the Nagapattinam coast, owing to a mechanical failure. An Indian coast guard ship in the region had undertaken the rescue mission after a merchant vessel MV Gas Ionian, that was passing by the stranded boat, had relayed the information to Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Chennai.&nbsp;

The fishing boat GN Sabari Vasan which had sailed out from Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin, with 14 crew was drifting at sea, since 4th August. It was observed to have a machinery breakdown and a damaged propeller. It was also dangerously drifting owing to the rough South East Monsoon weather.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/astronauts-for-indias-first-manned-space-mission-gangayaan-complete-training-in-russia-318774">Also read:&nbsp;Astronauts for India's first manned space mission, Gangayaan, complete training in Russia</a>

On August 5th, ICGS Shaurya, which was in the region had towed the boat back to the safety of the Nagapattinam fishing harbor for repairs. The boat was adrift at sea, nearly 88 miles east of Nagapattinam.

The Indian Coast Guard has been issuing regular advisories to undertake fishing in groups, adhering to safe practices at sea. They also urge fishermen to carry adequate lifesaving and communication equipment on board.&nbsp;

In a coordinated Search and Rescue mission (SAR), the Indian Coast Guard has rescued 14 fishermen, whose boat was adrift at sea, off the Nagapattinam coast, owing to a mechanical failure.

In a coordinated Search and Rescue mission (SAR), the Indian Coast Guard has rescued 14 fishermen, whose boat was adrift at sea, off the Nagapattinam coast, owing to a mechanical failure. An Indian coast guard ship in the region had undertaken the rescue mission after a merchant vessel MV Gas Ionian, that was passing by the stranded boat, had relayed the information to Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Chennai. The fishing boat GN Sabari Vasan which had sailed out from Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin, with 14 crew was drifting at sea, since 4th August. It was observed to have a machinery breakdown and a damaged propeller. It was also dangerously drifting owing to the rough South East Monsoon weather. Also read: Astronauts for India's first manned space mission, Gangayaan, complete training in Russia On August 5th, ICGS Shaurya, which was in the region had towed the boat back to the safety of the Nagapattinam fishing harbor for repairs. The boat was adrift at sea, nearly 88 miles east of Nagapattinam. The Indian Coast Guard has been issuing regular advisories to undertake fishing in groups, adhering to safe practices at sea. They also urge fishermen to carry adequate lifesaving and communication equipment on board.

Tamil Nadu: Indian Coast Guard tows adrift boat to harbor, rescues 14 fishermen

Highly placed sources have told WION that the 740 tons of Ammonium Nitrate stored at a Private Container Freight Station, about 30kms north of Tamil Nadu’s capital city Chennai, will be safely disposed within a month. 37 containers, each measuring 20feet were seized back in September 2015, when they had arrived at the Chennai port from South Korea. The Customs authorities had seized the containers as the recipient company, a private firm, did not have the requisite clearances for handling these explosive/chemicals. &nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ammonium-nitrate-fertilizer-behind-many-industrial-accidents-318329">Ammonium nitrate: Fertilizer behind many industrial accidents</a>

It is learnt that the seized chemical is under the process of &nbsp;being sold via the e-Auction route and that it would be safely handed over to the buyer. Top Customs officials have stated that these containers are safely stored in the hazardous materials zone, in containers that have the yellow marking that denote explosives, in logistics parlance. Besides assuring its safe handover to the concerned party, they have emphasized that it is stored at a location that does not have any inhabitation in a 2kms radius.

<img alt="mk" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0abe87d-4b0f-47b9-b992-57df659a596a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/thumbnail_IMG-20200806-WA0121.jpg" />

Ammonium Nitrate, which is widely used in fertilizers and explosives has been in the news recently, after the Lebanese government pointed out that it was 2,700 tons of the same chemical which caused a massive explosion at the Beirut port on Tuesday evening.

In pure form, Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in water. It is the main ingredient in the manufacture of commercial explosives used in mining and construction.

Highly placed sources have told WION that the 740 tons of Ammonium Nitrate stored at a Private Container Freight Station, about 30kms north of Tamil Nadu’s capital city Chennai, will be safely disposed within a month.

Highly placed sources have told WION that the 740 tons of Ammonium Nitrate stored at a Private Container Freight Station, about 30kms north of Tamil Nadu’s capital city Chennai, will be safely disposed within a month. 37 containers, each measuring 20feet were seized back in September 2015, when they had arrived at the Chennai port from South Korea. The Customs authorities had seized the containers as the recipient company, a private firm, did not have the requisite clearances for handling these explosive/chemicals. Also read: Ammonium nitrate: Fertilizer behind many industrial accidents It is learnt that the seized chemical is under the process of being sold via the e-Auction route and that it would be safely handed over to the buyer. Top Customs officials have stated that these containers are safely stored in the hazardous materials zone, in containers that have the yellow marking that denote explosives, in logistics parlance. Besides assuring its safe handover to the concerned party, they have emphasized that it is stored at a location that does not have any inhabitation in a 2kms radius. Ammonium Nitrate, which is widely used in fertilizers and explosives has been in the news recently, after the Lebanese government pointed out that it was 2,700 tons of the same chemical which caused a massive explosion at the Beirut port on Tuesday evening. In pure form, Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is a white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in water. It is the main ingredient in the manufacture of commercial explosives used in mining and construction.

Chennai: Sources say 740 tons of Ammonium nitrate will be safely disposed in a month

Amid reports that he has been hospitalised in Chennai after having tested positive for Covid-19, 74-year old playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam shared a video on his Facebook page confirming the same.

The veteran singer who has over 40,000 songs to his credit in over 16 Indian languages has stated in the video message that his is a mild case of Covid. He added that the decision to get hospitalised was only for resting, recuperating comfortably, while avoiding risk to his family.

“Last 2-3 days I’ve been having some discomfort - chest congestion, phlegm, cold and fever on and off. I didn’t have any other problem, but I didn’t take it easy, went to the hospital and got checked. They said it is a very mild positive of Corona and you can stay home and self quarantine while taking medications” he is seen saying in the video.&nbsp;

<div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/SPB/videos/309605840390909/" data-show-text="true" data-width="">
<blockquote cite="https://developers.facebook.com/SPB/videos/309605840390909/" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">
&nbsp;
Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SPB/">S. P. Balasubrahmanyam</a> on Tuesday, 4 August 2020</blockquote>
</div>

However, he smilingly adds that he didn’t want to home quarantine, as it was very tough while having his family at home, who would be too concerned to leave him alone.&nbsp;
<script async defer crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v8.0" nonce="EXiYy6gD"></script>

The Padma Bhushan awardee and multiple national award winner assured friends and fans that he was in good health and as receiving the best care, urging them to not worry. “Please don’t bother to call me to find out how I am. I am perfectly alright except for cold and fever (which has subsided). In two days I will be discharged and back home. Thanks for the concern” he signed off.&nbsp;

Also known fondly as SPB or Balu, he has contributed as a playback singer, music director, actor, dubbing artist, film producer predominantly in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi. 
&nbsp;

Amid reports that he has been hospitalised in Chennai after having tested positive for Covid-19, 74-year old playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam shared a video on his Facebook page confirming the same.

Amid reports that he has been hospitalised in Chennai after having tested positive for Covid-19, 74-year old playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam shared a video on his Facebook page confirming the same. The veteran singer who has over 40,000 songs to his credit in over 16 Indian languages has stated in the video message that his is a mild case of Covid. He added that the decision to get hospitalised was only for resting, recuperating comfortably, while avoiding risk to his family. “Last 2-3 days I’ve been having some discomfort - chest congestion, phlegm, cold and fever on and off. I didn’t have any other problem, but I didn’t take it easy, went to the hospital and got checked. They said it is a very mild positive of Corona and you can stay home and self quarantine while taking medications” he is seen saying in the video. Posted by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam on Tuesday, 4 August 2020 However, he smilingly adds that he didn’t want to home quarantine, as it was very tough while having his family at home, who would be too concerned to leave him alone. The Padma Bhushan awardee and multiple national award winner assured friends and fans that he was in good health and as receiving the best care, urging them to not worry. “Please don’t bother to call me to find out how I am. I am perfectly alright except for cold and fever (which has subsided). In two days I will be discharged and back home. Thanks for the concern” he signed off. Also known fondly as SPB or Balu, he has contributed as a playback singer, music director, actor, dubbing artist, film producer predominantly in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi.

Veteran singer SP Balasubrahmanyam tests COVID positive; says ‘I’m Alright’ in video

In three instances of Gold smuggling at the Chennai International Airport since the nationwide lockdown was imposed in March, Air Customs officials have seized a total of 2.

In three instances of Gold smuggling at the Chennai International Airport since the nationwide lockdown was imposed in March, Air Customs officials have seized a total of 2.21 Kg gold under Customs Act 1962. The yellow metal was smuggled in by passengers who had entered via relief flights operated from the West-Asian nations. On Tuesday night, Kasimani Kolanji, (22) and Murugan Chandran,(38) of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu arrived from Dubai by Air India Express Airlines Flight No. IX-1644. They were intercepted by Air Intelligence Unit officers at exit on suspicion of carrying gold. On their personal search, four polythene pouches(two each) containing gold paste were found concealed inside the waistline/belt portion of their jeans. On extraction by heat treatment, 731 grams of gold of 24K purity valued at Rs. 34.5 lakhs was recovered and seized. On Tuesday morning, Khaleel Ahamed, 24, who arrived from Dubai by Air India express flight IX-1644 was intercepted at exit. On frisking, a packet of gold paste was found to be concealed in his innerwear. On extraction 280 grams of gold valued at Rs.15.60 lakhs was recovered and seized. Earlier on Monday night, Air Intelligence officers apprehended two persons outside airport, who had attempted to flee on seeing them. On their personal search, five packets of gold in paste form were recovered. They were identified as Kaja Mohideen,(39), and S Peer Mohideen, (33), both residents of Chennai. They informed officials that the packets were handed over to them by five passengers who had arrived from Sharjah by Air India flight AI-1984. The passengers also confirmed they had handed over one packet each to them. On extraction, gold weighing 1.2 Kg valued at Rs. 66.73 lakhs was recovered and seized. Both receivers were arrested. "We have been alert throughout and this is the first series of gold seizure since the time nationwide lockdown was imposed. While gold smuggling in the form of bars/biscuits is easier to detect, paste form is a fairly undetectable modus operandi. We have understood that the passengers were laborers and that they were handed over the packets to smuggle them in for small amounts of money. This is happening at the time when gold rates are shooting up” Rajan Chaudhary, Commissioner Customs told WION.

Chennai: Passengers smuggle gold via relief flights; 2.21Kg gold seized

Selvam, a sitting DMK MLA from the prestigious Thousand Lights constituency in Chennai met BJP leaders in Delhi, on a day when even the BJP Tamil Nadu unit said that he would be joining the party. However, after meeting BJP leaders in Delhi, he told reporters that he was not joining the BJP and had met them only to make certain demands related to his constituency. “I visited Railways Minister Piyush Goyal to request him to install two lifts at the Nungambakkam station in my constituency and also asked BJP President JP Nadda to develop temple town Rameswaram on par with Ayodhya,” he said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-standoff-how-india-is-giving-china-a-taste-of-its-own-medicine-318161" hreflang="en">India-China standoff: How India is giving China a taste of its own medicine</a>

The MLA also demanded that his party leader MK Stalin hold internal party elections and snap ties with the Congress and the Gandhi family. His other demand was about wanting MK Stalin to condemn Karuppar Koottam, a Youtube channel that had made a derogatory video related to a holy hymn on Lord Muruga. On being asked about reaching Delhi and meeting BJP leaders without informing the party high command, he asserted his readiness to face disciplinary action from the party.&nbsp;

Clear links of his possible shift to the BJP, coming just ahead of an election year, isn’t good news for Tamil Nadu’s opposition party DMK, which has been out of power for two terms. While it is common for leaders to jump ship and join other Dravidian parties, it comes as a surprise that the DMK leader has chosen to join the BJP, which has an insignificant political representation in the Tamil Nadu, where the Dravidian majors have ruled for over five decades.&nbsp;

Selvam is the second leader from the DMK to join the BJP in recent times, the first being VP Duraiswamy. In both cases, it appears that the leaders have chosen to switch over given how they were sidelined and not offered desires posts. In the case of Duraiswamy, it is said that not being given a Rajya Sabha seat was what led to his exit. Similarly, Selvam too is said to have been eyeing a district secretary post, which eventually he ended up not getting.&nbsp;

Persons close to the DMK claim that this is not going to affect the party’s prospects in the coming polls.&nbsp;Especially as the leaders who have left are disgruntled leaders and not big names. In the case of Selvam, the excuse is that he wasn’t a DMK man in the strict sense, as he had been in the AIADMK earlier. &nbsp;

However, there is also the widespread talk of old-timers being unhappy about newbies and those close to DMK President MK Stalin’s son being given plum party posts, despite their inexperience. Recently there have been various reports of DMK youth wing leader and MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi wielding influence in appointing those in his close circle for plum posts. This is said to have caused heartburn among a few old-timers.&nbsp;

“Basically the BJP is on a campaign to woo leaders from the DMK and they are also in talks with two-three others, including a former Minister. While Udhayanidhi and his actions cannot be seen as a sole influence for the exits, it is one among the reasons. Unlike the 2019 Lok Sabha polls(which DMK and allies swept), next year’s assembly polls won’t be a one horse race for the DMK. There is uncertainty” Senior Journalist and Political analyst Dr Sumanth C Raman told WION.&nbsp;

A thousand Lights as a constituency also holds significance as it is bang in the heart of Chennai city and was a constituency that MK Stalin had also fought elections from.&nbsp;

When asked about the possibility of more leaders from DMK joining the DMK, BJP Spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said that the BJP welcomes anybody who accepts their ideology. “In this case, Selvam wanted to come on-board and has joined, but we welcome anyone who wants to join by accepting the policies of the party and the work we are doing for the country,” he told WION.&nbsp;

“The MLA did not speak anything against his party and he has also said he’s not joining the BJP. So he cannot be disqualified on grounds of defecting and lose his MLA post. But if the DMK chooses to expel him, he will remain an MLA and can switch parties” Dr Sumanth added.&nbsp;

Selvam, a sitting DMK MLA from the prestigious Thousand Lights constituency in Chennai met BJP leaders in Delhi, on a day when even the BJP Tamil Nadu unit said that he would be joining the party.

Selvam, a sitting DMK MLA from the prestigious Thousand Lights constituency in Chennai met BJP leaders in Delhi, on a day when even the BJP Tamil Nadu unit said that he would be joining the party. However, after meeting BJP leaders in Delhi, he told reporters that he was not joining the BJP and had met them only to make certain demands related to his constituency. “I visited Railways Minister Piyush Goyal to request him to install two lifts at the Nungambakkam station in my constituency and also asked BJP President JP Nadda to develop temple town Rameswaram on par with Ayodhya,” he said. Also read: India-China standoff: How India is giving China a taste of its own medicine The MLA also demanded that his party leader MK Stalin hold internal party elections and snap ties with the Congress and the Gandhi family. His other demand was about wanting MK Stalin to condemn Karuppar Koottam, a Youtube channel that had made a derogatory video related to a holy hymn on Lord Muruga. On being asked about reaching Delhi and meeting BJP leaders without informing the party high command, he asserted his readiness to face disciplinary action from the party. Clear links of his possible shift to the BJP, coming just ahead of an election year, isn’t good news for Tamil Nadu’s opposition party DMK, which has been out of power for two terms. While it is common for leaders to jump ship and join other Dravidian parties, it comes as a surprise that the DMK leader has chosen to join the BJP, which has an insignificant political representation in the Tamil Nadu, where the Dravidian majors have ruled for over five decades. Selvam is the second leader from the DMK to join the BJP in recent times, the first being VP Duraiswamy. In both cases, it appears that the leaders have chosen to switch over given how they were sidelined and not offered desires posts. In the case of Duraiswamy, it is said that not being given a Rajya Sabha seat was what led to his exit. Similarly, Selvam too is said to have been eyeing a district secretary post, which eventually he ended up not getting. Persons close to the DMK claim that this is not going to affect the party’s prospects in the coming polls. Especially as the leaders who have left are disgruntled leaders and not big names. In the case of Selvam, the excuse is that he wasn’t a DMK man in the strict sense, as he had been in the AIADMK earlier. However, there is also the widespread talk of old-timers being unhappy about newbies and those close to DMK President MK Stalin’s son being given plum party posts, despite their inexperience. Recently there have been various reports of DMK youth wing leader and MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi wielding influence in appointing those in his close circle for plum posts. This is said to have caused heartburn among a few old-timers. “Basically the BJP is on a campaign to woo leaders from the DMK and they are also in talks with two-three others, including a former Minister. While Udhayanidhi and his actions cannot be seen as a sole influence for the exits, it is one among the reasons. Unlike the 2019 Lok Sabha polls(which DMK and allies swept), next year’s assembly polls won’t be a one horse race for the DMK. There is uncertainty” Senior Journalist and Political analyst Dr Sumanth C Raman told WION. A thousand Lights as a constituency also holds significance as it is bang in the heart of Chennai city and was a constituency that MK Stalin had also fought elections from. When asked about the possibility of more leaders from DMK joining the DMK, BJP Spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy said that the BJP welcomes anybody who accepts their ideology. “In this case, Selvam wanted to come on-board and has joined, but we welcome anyone who wants to join by accepting the policies of the party and the work we are doing for the country,” he told WION. “The MLA did not speak anything against his party and he has also said he’s not joining the BJP. So he cannot be disqualified on grounds of defecting and lose his MLA post. But if the DMK chooses to expel him, he will remain an MLA and can switch parties” Dr Sumanth added.

Disgruntled with DMK, sitting MLA meets BJP leaders in Delhi; but denies joining party

A&nbsp;team of officials from India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to fly to the UAE in order to continue their probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case.&nbsp;

NIA has decided to send the investigating team to the UAE to look into the manner in which diplomatic baggage was handled and also possible links with hawala transactions. The Indian government will soon be seeking the permission of the UAE for the team’s visit.&nbsp;

The team visiting the UAE will conduct a detailed investigation on those handling the diplomatic baggage in the UAE and also the Indians associated in that operation. The approval and the subsequent stand of the UAE government will be crucial in this regard. The NIA will submit the case diary containing the details of terrorist links in the gold smuggling case.&nbsp;

The NIA court is to consider the bail plea of accused Swapna Suresh on Thursday. Earlier the NIA had argued in the court stating that the money raised through gold smuggling was used for terrorist activities and is also reaching extremist groups. The court also ordered that the case diary detailing the progress of investigation be produced.&nbsp;

More details emerged on the wide network involved in the gold smuggling case after one of the key accused KT Rameez, who is under National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody, spilled the beans about his stay at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram and the role of a few other Tamil Nadu-based agents.

Crucial details were obtained after taking KT Rameez into custody and later evidence was collected after taking him to IAS officer M Sivasankar’s flat.

More details on the wide network of the racket involved in the gold smuggling case through the diplomatic channel has come to light after one of the key accused Rameez, who is in National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody, spilled the beans about his stay at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram and the role of a few other Tamil Nadu-based agents.&nbsp;

It is said that Rameez had met the second accused Swapna Suresh and third accused Sandeep Nair, on a few instances during the first three months of 2020.&nbsp;

Customs officials said the probe details revealed that Rameez used to handle the smuggled gold and he had established a network for transporting the smuggled gold across the country. “Apart from having a network with a few persons in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts in Kerala, Rameez used to have links with a few groups in Tamil Nadu. Each consignment of gold was routed through different networks to avoid detection,” the officials said.&nbsp;

A team of officials from India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to fly to the UAE in order to continue their probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case.

A team of officials from India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to fly to the UAE in order to continue their probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case. NIA has decided to send the investigating team to the UAE to look into the manner in which diplomatic baggage was handled and also possible links with hawala transactions. The Indian government will soon be seeking the permission of the UAE for the team’s visit. The team visiting the UAE will conduct a detailed investigation on those handling the diplomatic baggage in the UAE and also the Indians associated in that operation. The approval and the subsequent stand of the UAE government will be crucial in this regard. The NIA will submit the case diary containing the details of terrorist links in the gold smuggling case. The NIA court is to consider the bail plea of accused Swapna Suresh on Thursday. Earlier the NIA had argued in the court stating that the money raised through gold smuggling was used for terrorist activities and is also reaching extremist groups. The court also ordered that the case diary detailing the progress of investigation be produced. More details emerged on the wide network involved in the gold smuggling case after one of the key accused KT Rameez, who is under National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody, spilled the beans about his stay at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram and the role of a few other Tamil Nadu-based agents. Crucial details were obtained after taking KT Rameez into custody and later evidence was collected after taking him to IAS officer M Sivasankar’s flat. More details on the wide network of the racket involved in the gold smuggling case through the diplomatic channel has come to light after one of the key accused Rameez, who is in National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody, spilled the beans about his stay at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram and the role of a few other Tamil Nadu-based agents. It is said that Rameez had met the second accused Swapna Suresh and third accused Sandeep Nair, on a few instances during the first three months of 2020. Customs officials said the probe details revealed that Rameez used to handle the smuggled gold and he had established a network for transporting the smuggled gold across the country. “Apart from having a network with a few persons in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts in Kerala, Rameez used to have links with a few groups in Tamil Nadu. Each consignment of gold was routed through different networks to avoid detection,” the officials said.

NIA team to fly to UAE to investigate Kerala gold Smuggling case

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has said that the state has rejected the three-language policy that was proposed as per the New Education Policy 2020, adding that he requests the Prime Minister to consider Tamil sentiments and allow states to pursue their own language policy as per the states’ respective ideology.&nbsp;

“It is worrisome and painful that the NEP makes a mention of three-language policy, but the people of Tamil Nadu and all the major political parties prefer carrying forward the two-langauge policy” the statement mentioned.&nbsp;

Making a mention of the first Dravidian party leader CN Annadurai who was elected chief minister, the statement talks about how Anna had announced in the state assembly, in 1968, that Tamil Nadu would follow only the two-language policy.&nbsp;

It also refers to AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran, who as chief minister had passed an assembly resolution, in 1986 that talks about reinforcing the two-language policy. Likewise, former chief minister late Jayalaltihaa too had said that Hindi must not be imposed on non-Hindi speaking states and that such attempts would be opposed and defeated.&nbsp;

It must be noted that Tamil Nadu saw widespread agitations in 1965 when the then Congress state government had attempted to make Hindi the state’s official language.&nbsp;

“When the NEP was in draft stage I had written to PM Modi (in June 2019) on Tamil Nadu preferring to continue with the existing two-language policy. I had emphasized the same in my Independence Day speech and also several Aseebmly debate sessions” Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said in a statement.&nbsp;

In recent days, the Tamil Nadu government has been drawing flak from opposition parties for not having opposed the NEP, which makes a mention of three-language policy. This is given that, Tamil Nadu has been following the two-language (English-Tamil) policy for decades, though the three-language policy leaves it to states to decide on what that language would be.

On Sunday, Union &nbsp;education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said that the Centre will not impose any language on any state. The clarification was made through a tweet in Tamil, given the opposition to NEP in Tamil Nadu on the grounds that the policy allegedly imposed Hindi and Sanskrit.

It is needless to say that the issue of Hindi imposition is viewed very seriously in Tamil Nadu for several decades. The Dravidian political movement and all its leaders have also been staunch about protecting Tamil sentiments and identity. With an election impending in 2021, the ruling party is treading carefully by opposing the three language policy one on hand while balancing an alliance with the ruling BJP on the other.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has said that the state has rejected the three-language policy that was proposed as per the New Education Policy 2020, adding that he requests the Prime Minister to consider Tamil sentiments and allow states to pursue their own language policy as per the states’ respective ideology.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has said that the state has rejected the three-language policy that was proposed as per the New Education Policy 2020, adding that he requests the Prime Minister to consider Tamil sentiments and allow states to pursue their own language policy as per the states’ respective ideology. “It is worrisome and painful that the NEP makes a mention of three-language policy, but the people of Tamil Nadu and all the major political parties prefer carrying forward the two-langauge policy” the statement mentioned. Making a mention of the first Dravidian party leader CN Annadurai who was elected chief minister, the statement talks about how Anna had announced in the state assembly, in 1968, that Tamil Nadu would follow only the two-language policy. It also refers to AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran, who as chief minister had passed an assembly resolution, in 1986 that talks about reinforcing the two-language policy. Likewise, former chief minister late Jayalaltihaa too had said that Hindi must not be imposed on non-Hindi speaking states and that such attempts would be opposed and defeated. It must be noted that Tamil Nadu saw widespread agitations in 1965 when the then Congress state government had attempted to make Hindi the state’s official language. “When the NEP was in draft stage I had written to PM Modi (in June 2019) on Tamil Nadu preferring to continue with the existing two-language policy. I had emphasized the same in my Independence Day speech and also several Aseebmly debate sessions” Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said in a statement. In recent days, the Tamil Nadu government has been drawing flak from opposition parties for not having opposed the NEP, which makes a mention of three-language policy. This is given that, Tamil Nadu has been following the two-language (English-Tamil) policy for decades, though the three-language policy leaves it to states to decide on what that language would be. On Sunday, Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said that the Centre will not impose any language on any state. The clarification was made through a tweet in Tamil, given the opposition to NEP in Tamil Nadu on the grounds that the policy allegedly imposed Hindi and Sanskrit. It is needless to say that the issue of Hindi imposition is viewed very seriously in Tamil Nadu for several decades. The Dravidian political movement and all its leaders have also been staunch about protecting Tamil sentiments and identity. With an election impending in 2021, the ruling party is treading carefully by opposing the three language policy one on hand while balancing an alliance with the ruling BJP on the other.

Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami rejects NEP’s three language policy; to continue with two language policy

The Tamil Nadu government has expressed its contrary view on the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Perarivalan (a) Arivu’s parole plea during the hearing at the Madras High Court on Monday. This comes after his mother Arputhammal had moved the court on humanitarian grounds given her son’s prevailing health conditions, at a time when many of his fellow jail inmates were testing coronavirus positive. The hearing has been adjourned till&nbsp;August 12.

Although Perarivalan was convicted in 1991 under the grounds of having provided two 9-volt batteries which were used in the bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi, it has been established later that he merely procured the batteries without knowing about the conspiracy or what the batteries would be used for.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajiv-gandhi-assassination-case-ag-perarivalan-approaches-mumbai-hc-seeking-details-on-sanjay-dutts-release-316248">Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: AG Perarivalan approaches Mumbai HC seeking details on Sanjay Dutt’s release</a>

Senior advocate Shri.R.Shunmugasundaram, Perarivalan’s counsel argued that he deserves parole on the health grounds, pointing out that the government’s counter-affidavit too makes mention of the various ailments that the convict is suffering from.&nbsp;

However, another senior advocate Shri. A. Natarajan, the State Public Prosecutor rejected the same saying that prisoners are entitled to leave only once in two years. It was added that Arivu had been last granted parole from November 2019 to January this year.&nbsp;

Further Shri. A. Natarajan, emphasized that the pendency of the investigation of Rajiv Gandhi Assassination by Multi-disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) is the reason behind the undue delay of the governor's decision on the cabinet recommendation dated 09.09.2018 of the TN Govt.

The MDMA, a special wing of CBI, was appointed following the report of the Jain Commisison to probe the larger conspiracy in the former PM's assassination case, which involved persons of other countries.&nbsp;

However, it is important to recall that initially, CBI had registered an FIR and which was subsequently tried as Calendar Case no. 3/92 against 26 accused including Arivu. A split trial case in Calendar Case No. 11/92 was pending against LTTE leader Prabhakaran and 2 others, wherein MDMA prayer for further investigation and the same was allowed in 2000.&nbsp;

In 2013, Perarivalan prayed before the Designated TADA Court, Chennai for effective monitoring of the pending probe. But this plea before the court faced stiff opposition from the CBI which was investigating the case. That case too was rejected and it was stated that Perarivalan did not have the locus to know the status of pending MDMA investigation.

In 2017, CBI officer Thiyagarajan had informed the Supreme Court about an error it had made while recording Perarivalan’s confession. Then too, the apex court mentioned that the progress of the MDMA investigation was not functioning satisfactorily. That was what led the Supreme Court to rule that Arivu could be released under Rule 161 by the State Government.&nbsp;

Recently too, TN govt. informed that TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit is awaiting the final report of the MDMA, which is completely contrary to their earlier view of former CM J.Jayalalithaa's decision to release seven prisoners including Perarivalan. 
&nbsp;

The Tamil Nadu government has expressed its contrary view on the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Perarivalan (a) Arivu’s parole plea during the hearing at the Madras High Court on Monday.

The Tamil Nadu government has expressed its contrary view on the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict Perarivalan (a) Arivu’s parole plea during the hearing at the Madras High Court on Monday. This comes after his mother Arputhammal had moved the court on humanitarian grounds given her son’s prevailing health conditions, at a time when many of his fellow jail inmates were testing coronavirus positive. The hearing has been adjourned till August 12. Although Perarivalan was convicted in 1991 under the grounds of having provided two 9-volt batteries which were used in the bomb that killed Rajiv Gandhi, it has been established later that he merely procured the batteries without knowing about the conspiracy or what the batteries would be used for. Also read | Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: AG Perarivalan approaches Mumbai HC seeking details on Sanjay Dutt’s release Senior advocate Shri.R.Shunmugasundaram, Perarivalan’s counsel argued that he deserves parole on the health grounds, pointing out that the government’s counter-affidavit too makes mention of the various ailments that the convict is suffering from. However, another senior advocate Shri. A. Natarajan, the State Public Prosecutor rejected the same saying that prisoners are entitled to leave only once in two years. It was added that Arivu had been last granted parole from November 2019 to January this year. Further Shri. A. Natarajan, emphasized that the pendency of the investigation of Rajiv Gandhi Assassination by Multi-disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) is the reason behind the undue delay of the governor's decision on the cabinet recommendation dated 09.09.2018 of the TN Govt. The MDMA, a special wing of CBI, was appointed following the report of the Jain Commisison to probe the larger conspiracy in the former PM's assassination case, which involved persons of other countries. However, it is important to recall that initially, CBI had registered an FIR and which was subsequently tried as Calendar Case no. 3/92 against 26 accused including Arivu. A split trial case in Calendar Case No. 11/92 was pending against LTTE leader Prabhakaran and 2 others, wherein MDMA prayer for further investigation and the same was allowed in 2000. In 2013, Perarivalan prayed before the Designated TADA Court, Chennai for effective monitoring of the pending probe. But this plea before the court faced stiff opposition from the CBI which was investigating the case. That case too was rejected and it was stated that Perarivalan did not have the locus to know the status of pending MDMA investigation. In 2017, CBI officer Thiyagarajan had informed the Supreme Court about an error it had made while recording Perarivalan’s confession. Then too, the apex court mentioned that the progress of the MDMA investigation was not functioning satisfactorily. That was what led the Supreme Court to rule that Arivu could be released under Rule 161 by the State Government. Recently too, TN govt. informed that TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit is awaiting the final report of the MDMA, which is completely contrary to their earlier view of former CM J.Jayalalithaa's decision to release seven prisoners including Perarivalan.

Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: Convict Perarivalan’s parole hearing adjourned till August 12

Amid rising Covid-19 cases, coupled with growing demand for miniaturized, affordable and clinically accurate devices for monitoring heath parameters such as temperature, oxygen saturation, respiration rate and heart rate, a healthcare Startup at IIT-Madras has started providing such home-grown devices to government and private hospitals.

Amid rising Covid-19 cases, coupled with growing demand for miniaturized, affordable and clinically accurate devices for monitoring heath parameters such as temperature, oxygen saturation, respiration rate and heart rate, a healthcare Startup at IIT-Madras has started providing such home-grown devices to government and private hospitals. Developed by IIT Madras and HELYXON, these devices called OXY2 are now commercially available, serve as a remote patient monitoring solution and are said to act as a force multiplier in the healthcare system. The device is completely self-contained, portable, wireless and can be clipped on to patient’s finger and data is streamed to a mobile phone(via bluetooth) or central monitoring system(from phone to system via internet). The temperature is measured at the user’s armpit, whereas blood oxygen level, and other parameters are measured at the finger. The device which is powered by a coin-cell battery is meant to serve as a replacement for large patient monitors that are used in hospitals, for a fraction of the cost. “This is a medical device that replaces large patient monitors that cost about Rs.1 lakh. While there are many similar offerings in the market, our devices can provide clinically accurate results. With remote monitoring, the doctors and healthcare staff can get the results without even getting anywhere near the patients” Prof. Prof. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre (HTIC), IIT Madras told WION. Priced between Rs.2500 -10,000, depending on which of the four parameters they can measure and how the device is configured, they can be used at home, hospitals, Covid care centers and other facilities, as it can be easily worn. When in close proximity to a smartphone, the bluetooth-enabled device would show the physiological parameters on a dedicated app on iOS or Android. There is the option to fix a threshold to the parameters and in case of a breach, it can be notified to the emergency contacts. Likewise remote monitoring is also possible, thus making it possible for a center to measure data from hundreds or thousands of individuals. When asked about the certification and validation process for the device, Prof. Sivaprakasam said that it is CE certified as a safe electronic device. ”This is a non-invasive device and since the safety is proven and validated it is free to be marketed. There is no special certification for no-invasive devices in India. But we have tested out results with the larger machines that are used in hospitals and found the results to be very reliable”, he told WION.

IIT Madras Startup offers affordable, wrist-worn health monitoring device for Covid-19

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