Senior MDMK leader quits party, assembly

POLLACHI - Senior MDMK leader M. Kannappan Wednesday decided to quit the party and the Tamil Nadu assembly following differences with his leader Vaiko.

Four sailors die aboard South Korean ship off Indian coast

KANYAKUMARI - Four foreign sailors on board a South Korean freighter off the Tamil Nadu coast died of food poisoning while two were admitted to a government hospital here Friday evening, an official said.

India, Lanka release detained fishermen

RAMESHWARAM - Indian and Sri Lankan authorities Friday handed over to each other more than 20 fishermen who had strayed into their waters, the police said.

Tamil Nadu government takes control of centuries old Hindu shrine

CHIDAMBARAM - Within 24 hours of the Madras High Court ordering that the Tamil Nadu government takeover the management of the 1,200-year-old Nataraja temple in Chidambaram town, K. Krishna Kumar began formally administering the shrine as its new executive officer Tuesday.

Speeding truck kills nine in Tamil Nadu

MANNARGUDI - Nine people, including three children, were mowed down by a speeding truck near here Saturday, a police officer said.

80 injured during bull taming revelry in Tamil Nadu

ALANGANALLUR - The spirit on the third day of the Tamil festival of Pongal was not dampened though over 80 young men suffered minor injuries while attempting to tame charging bulls on the occasion of ‘Jallikkattu’ or ‘Yeru Thazhuvudal’ (hugging the bull) here Friday.

Poisoned liquor kills four in Tamil Nadu

THIRUVANNAMALAI - Four men died after consuming poisoned country-made liquor here, a police officer said.

DMK wins Tirumangalam assembly by-poll

MADURAI - Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK has won the Tirumangalam assembly constituency by-poll in the state, officials said Monday.

Indian fishermen allege attack by Sri Lankan Navy

RAMESHWARAM - Some Indian fishermen have alleged they were beaten up by Sri Lankan Navy personnel near the Kachchatheevu island in the early hours of Friday but there has been no official confirmation of the attack.

Security strengthened ahead of Tamil Nadu by-poll

MADURAI - Eight companies of central paramilitary forces will be deployed in Tamil Nadu’s Tirumangalam assembly constituency ahead of the Jan 9 by-poll, the run-up to which was marred by violence, officials said Friday.

PMK to keep distance from DMK, AIADMK: S. Ramadoss

THAILAPURAM - PMK founder leader S. Ramadoss said here Friday that the party would continue to maintain distance from the ruling DMK and the main opposition AIADMK.

Tourism shoots up in picturesque Tamil temple town

KAZHUGUMALAI - Dotted with Hindu and Jain temples and boasting of two millennia of history, this little-known town has got a big boost from the government’s endeavour to attract international visitors.

3 Tamil Nadu police officials shifted ahead of by-poll

MADURAI - Three senior police officials were transferred following reports of violence during the run-up to the Tirumangalam assembly by-poll in Tamil Nadu, a government statement said Thursday.

Three Tamil Nadu police officers transferred by poll panel

MADURAI - Three senior Tamil Nadu police officials were transferred on the directions of the state Election Commission following reports of violence during the run-up to the Tirumangalam assembly by-poll, an official said Thursday. The ruling DMK has charged the poll panel of working in collusion with the opposition AIADMK.

No bail for three held for inflammatory speeches

ERODE - A court here Tuesday rejected the bail petitions of film director Seeman and Tamil nationalist leaders Kolathur Mani and P. Maniarasan, who have been held for allegedly making inflammatory, secessionist speeches.