Priest accused of raping teen surrenders

A Roman Catholic priest accused of raping a teenage girl surrendered in Tirunelveli last week.

Police had been searching for Gnanapragasam Selvan, of St Antony’s church in Pettai. The victim’s parents had alleged Selvan raped their daughter who was a member of the church choir. When she became pregnant he arranged for her abortion through a local doctor and buried the foetus in the church cemetery.

The police are now on the lookout for the female doctor.

Meanwhile the church diocese has distanced itself from the controversy saying the police have not informed them.

Indra Nooyi’s Chennai house burgled

Thieves broke into the Chennai home of PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi last week.

Nooyi’s mother Shantha was living alone at the T Nagar bungalow but had left for the US six months ago. Nooyi discovered the break-in when she visited the house last week.

She has filed a police complaint saying diamond jewellery and clothes are missing.

In another incident in Chennai, four masked men attacked an aged couple at their house in Villivakkam and stole 100 sovereigns of gold and cash. Police suspect the involvement of former employees in both cases.

Rejuvenation camp begins for elephants

An annual government-sponsored rejuvenation camp for domesticated elephants commenced at Thekkampatti, Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district last week.

Thirty-one elephants belonging to various Tamil Nadu temples and the forest department joined the camp.

About Rs10mn is being spent for the pachyderms’ diet, medicines and exercise in the 45-day camp. Sick and aged elephants that could not travel were provided the same treatment at their native districts. Visitors are allowed to visit the camp twice a week.

Accountant held for wife’s murder

An accountant has been arrested for brutally murdering his wife and chopping her body at their house in Sholavaram in suburban Chennai.

Police broke open the house after neighbours complained of a foul smell. They found Gandhimathi’s body with her head severed. Later they retrieved the head from a canal near the Basin Bridge.

Paramasivam and Gandhimathi got married six months ago. They often had arguments and Paramasivam was suspicious of Gandhimathi’s fidelity.  Paramasivam has confessed to the murder and a case has been registered.

Fire at Sivakasi firecracker unit

A fire broke out at a firecracker manufacturing unit at Anuppankulam at Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district about 40km from the temple city of Madurai last week.

More than 10 sheds stocked with firecrackers blew up. Luckily there were no deaths as the unit had closed for the day. However police and rescue personnel waited for sometime before approaching the blaze as mini-explosions continued. 

They suspect that an electrical short circuit triggered the fire.

Five killed in road accident

Five people were killed when their car collided with a Madurai-bound bus at Melakaranthai in Tuticorin district last week.

The victims from Chennai were on a temple pilgrimage. The accident occurred early morning. Police suspect that driver who also died had either slept or lost control of the vehicle. Several people from both vehicles were critically injured.