Two women turned away by police at Sabarimala
Sabarimala: Two women of menstruating age, who attempted to trek the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa here early Saturday, were forced to return once again after the police informed them that it would be difficult to provide security as there was a possibility of protests from devotees. Reshma Nishant and Shaneela Sajesh from Kannur had attempted to offer prayers at the temple on January 16 as well, but had to abandon their plans due to protests from devotees who spotted them. The women, said to be in their late 30s, claimed that they had come to the temple after undertaking the 41-day “vritham” (penance). The police said the women were told that it would be difficult to provide protection to them till the shrine as there was a possibility of protests. There is a sizable crowd of devotees at the shrine on Saturday, as the “darshan” closes at 9.50 pm. The two women reached the Nilackal base camp at around 5 am. They were taken to the control room and informed of the difficulty in taking them to the shrine after which they agreed to leave. A group of six people, belonging to the Purogamana Navothana Kootayimma — a Facebook collective — who came along with the two women, also returned. They alleged that the police had “cheated” them after assuring that young women would be allowed into the shrine. (PTI)
Body of fisherman who drowned off Lanka arrives in TN
Ramanathapuram: The body of a 61-year-old Tamil Nadu fisherman, who drowned in the sea after his boat capsized off Neduntheevu while being chased by the Sri Lankan Navy, was brought here from the island nation and cremated, a fisheries department official said Saturday. K Muniasamy was part of a group of fishermen in two boats fishing off Neduntheevu on January 13, when they were allegedly chased by the Lankan naval personnel. Both boats capsized as a result and the fishermen fell into the sea. While eight of them were rescued, Muniasamy drowned. His body washed ashore the coast in Jaffna on January 17, Ramanathapuram Fisheries department Deputy Director, E Kathavarayan said. The mortal remains were brought to Tiruchirapalli airport from Colombo by a Sri Lankan airlines flight on Friday. Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan paid homage to the deceased at the airport. The body was handed over to his relatives at his native village Ilanthaikootam near here last evening, following which it was cremated. Earlier, District authorities including Collector K Veera Raghava Rao also paid homage. Condoling Muniasamy’s death, Chief Minister K Palaniswami had on Wednesday announced a compensation of Rs five lakh to his family from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund. (PTI)
Para-teachers end two-month long strike in Jharkhand
Ranchi: The over two-month long strike by para-teachers in Jharkhand pressing for various demands has ended, following a meeting with the state government. The Ekikrit Para Shikshak Sangharsh Morcha said on Friday that it had called off the 63-day strike, after a meeting with Education and Literacy Department Minister Neera Yadav. The para-teachers, who assist teaching in schools and are not employed full-time, have been demanding regularisation of jobs and enhancement of salaries, among others. Jharkhand Chief Minister Rghubar Das, following a meeting with a delegation of para-teachers on Friday, said the state government is looking into their demands. “Para-teachers have a significant role to play… Manuals are being prepared to safeguard their interests so they don’t have to agitate for their demands repeatedly,” Das said. (PTI)
J&K govt to provide cattle to BPL families
Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to give away cattle received from the military farms to the families living below the poverty line, officials said Friday. The decision was taken here at a meeting of defence representatives and officers of animal husbandry department, chaired by advisor to the Governor Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, regarding the handing over of cattle to state government after the closure of military farms. The military dairy farms at Nowshera, Udhampur and Jammu have a total of 1917 cattle heads of different types. The advisor directed officers of animal husbandry department to prepare a plan for the distribution process with special preference to SC/ST families. Ganai further directed the principal secretary to constitute district level committees headed by deputy commissioners to monitor the distribution at the district level. (PTI)
Bride injured in alleged celebratory firing
New Delhi: In an alleged case of celebratory firing, a bride was injured after she was hit by a bullet at her wedding ceremony in east Delhi’s Shakarpur area, the police said Friday. The incident took place on Thursday when the bride and the groom were getting off the stage, they said. A wedding guest standing nearby opened fire and the bullet hit the woman near her knee, they added. She was taken to a hospital and after her treatment, the wedding was solemnised, Pankaj Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (east) said. Prima facie, police said it appears to be a case of celebratory firing. The accused was identified as Rinku and efforts are on to catch him, they said. (PTI)
Woman’s head severed after she leans out of bus to vomit
Panna: The head of a 56-year-old woman was smashed and severed after hitting an electric pole when she leaned out of the window of a rashly-driven bus to vomit here in Madhya Pradesh Friday, police said. The incident took place near Diamond crossing here and the victim was identified as Asha Rani, who was travelling from Satna district to Panna district, they said. Asha Rani leaned out of the bus’s window to vomit when her head hit the electric pole. The impact was so massive that her head got severed and tumbled on the road, Kotwali police station inspector Arvind Kujur told PTI over phone. “We have arrested the bus driver for rash driving and impounded the vehicle,” Kujur said, adding investigations are on. The body was handed to her family members after post-mortem, the police inspector said. The deceased hailed from the adjoining Chhatapur district. (PTI)