By Umaima Shafiq
Three gored to death in bullfight in Madurai
Three people were gored to death during manjuvirattu, a rural bull fighting event, held at Kandaramanikam village in Madurai district last week.
Police blamed the event organisers for poor security arrangements when more than 300 bulls broke the barricades and charged into a crowd of spectators. The bulls went berserk and attacked the participants.
In a separate incident, a five-year-old girl was crushed under a wooden temple chariot during a festive procession at Kancheepuram, about 70km from Chennai last week.
Eyewitnesses said the girl suddenly rushed to the chariot to get ‘holy ash’. Shocked spectators cancelled the procession and took back the chariot.
Many cities of Tamil Nadu conducted temple processions last week, as April 14 is Tamil New Year.
Rare artefacts stolen from ancient library
In a daring act, rare artefacts were stolen from the 300-year-old Saraswathi Mahal Library and museum at the Thanjavur palace last week.
The stolen articles included several lingams, ivory articles and bronze knives. The resident royal custodian Sivaji Rajah Bhonsle said the articles were stolen when a power blackout put his surveillance cameras out of action.
Police are also puzzled that a proper inventory of the artifacts was unavailable though the museum and library is under the management of the Architectural Society of India (ASI).
‘Godman’ killed by neighbours
In a spine-chilling incident, a 45-year-old self-styled godman was murdered by his neighbours who feared that he might cast spells on them. The incident happened at Chenna Kesava Pillai street in Chennai last week.
Police said Janakiraman was returning from a tea shop on his bike when some neighbours waylaid and attacked him with sickles and knives. They left him bleeding on the road. He died on way to hospital.
The following day four neighbours surrendered to the police and confessed to the crime.
Film comedian held for fraud
Up and coming film comedian Srinivasan was arrested for allegedly cheating an Andhra Pradesh businessman in Chennai last week.
Police said Srinivasan alias Powerstar had collected Rs5mn as processing fee from P S Ranganathan promising to get him a loan of Rs20mn. However when he failed to get the loan or a refund of the processing fee, Ranganathan complained to the police.
Srinivasan has acted in Tamil hit film Kanna Laddu Thinna Asaya and is also booked in other films. He also has other corruption cases against him.
Talking library for blind students
The Bharathi Lions talking library at Nirmala College is a big draw for blind students, researchers and professionals in Coimbatore.
The five-year-old library has 1,300 cassettes and recorded materials on school and college subjects.
A librarian helps students to find and record the materials needed. The library has recently begun training blind students to use software that helps them to read and locate books that is more advanced than Braille.
Actress Revathy granted divorce
Tamil film actress/ producer Revathi has been granted divorce from her cameraman husband Suresh by a family court in Chennai. The couple separated under mutual consent. Revathi alias Asha Menon debuted in the 1983 Tamil film Manvasanai and has acted in hundreds of South Indian films winning three national awards.