A Deputy Superintendent of Police attached to the Core Cell in Security Branch CID, providing proximate security cover to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, slipped and fell down while trying to cling on to the handle of the VVIP’s vehicle on Monday.

The incident occurred on Wireless Road after Mr. Vijay was proceeding in his customised vehicle waving hands at the public assembled on the road side followed by a convoy of security vehicles in the front and in the rear side.

Even as the Chief Minister’s customised vehicle was moving slowly, Deputy Superintendent of Police Pon. Duraipandi ran along with the VVIP’s vehicle and jumped and tried to cling on to the handle on the side of the customised vehicle. In the melee, he lost grip and fell down.

The moment the official fell, the vehicle immediately stopped for a moment. The security personnel, who were nearby, came to the aid of the officer and lifted him. The Chief Minister’s vehicle and the convoy then proceeded towards the meeting venue. Mr. Duraipandi boarded another vehicle and was involved in security duty at the function spot, the sources said.

A bomb threat email sent to the Tiruchi Collectorate on Sunday afternoon, ahead of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s visit to the city on Monday, sent the police into a tizzy. An email received at the official email address of the Collectorate around 2.30 p.m. claimed that a bomb would explode on the premises before noon on Monday. Following this, A team from the Tiruchi District Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, led by inspector M. Velusamy, along with personnel from the Cantonment police, conducted intensive searches using metal detectors and sniffer dogs. The search operation continued till 6 p.m. However, no explosive substances or suspicious materials were found. Police later confirmed that the email was a hoax.

Amma Unavagams, which were started to offer quality food to the poor and marginalised people at cheap rates, continue to be in a state of neglect in Tiruchi because of laxity in their functioning.

There are 11 Amma Unavagams in Tiruchi. They have been functioning at Jan Bazaar, Kuppankulam, Puthur Overhead Water Tank, Anna Nagar Overhead Water Tank, Jaganathapuram, Viragupettai, Melakalkandarkottai, and Salai Road, Woraiyur, and Srirangam. They function between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and noon to 3 p.m. An idli is priced at ₹1, sambhar rice at ₹5.

The canteers, one of the flagship schemes of the AIADMK government, were given top priority until 2021. They continued to function during the previous DMK regime. However, customers feel that the canteens have been in a state of neglect for want of funds, infrastructure, and poor management. Most of them remain unhygienic and are in a bad state of affairs.

The Amma Unavagam, which functions on the premises of the Government Hospital in Srirangam, one of the popular canteens, continues to get good patronage from the people, particularly patients, their attendants, and the poor. However, the kitchen functions at a cramped space, making it difficult for the workers to cook. Moreover, the premises look ugly, thereby raising a picture of functioning in an unhygienic condition. Customers complain that similar is the situation in other canteens.

Idly is the sought after item in most of the canteens. However, customers complain that idlis are made in limited number. “If I want to eat idly I have to be at the unavagam before 8 a.m. The customers, who visit the unavagam after 8 a.m., will have to settle with variety rice,” says M. Mohamed of Anna Nagar, a customer to the Amma Unavagam near Uzhavar Sandhai.

“The standard has come down to a great extent. Dining space and tables are not cleaned regularly. They have not received the importance that they were getting during the formative years of the scheme. We hear that the Amma Unavagams in Chennai have begun to get importance after the TVK assumed office. We urge the Tiruchi Corporation to give a fresh lease of life to the unavagams in Tiruchi,” says K. Janardhanan, an activist based in Bheema Nagar. 

The K.K. Nagar police here have registered a case against a prisoner who created a flutter a few days ago in the Tiruchi Central Prison by allegedly breaking the bathroom tiles and attempting to end his life.

Police sources said D. Naveen Kumar, 26, of Veppanthattai in Perambalur district was lodged in the Central Prison here in early January in connection with a theft case booked by the Thanjavur Town police against him.

A few days ago, prison officials seized 25 grams of ganja from him following which a separate case was registered against him under the NDPS Act by the K.K. Nagar police. Sources said Naveen Kumar was shifted to another block inside the prison following which he is said to have quarrelled with the jail officials.

Sources said Naveen Kumar allegedly broke the bathroom tiles and attempted to end his life. He was treated as an outpatient at the prison hospital.  Acting on a complaint from a prison officer, the K. K. Nagar police have registered a case under BNS sections 226 (attempt to commit suicide) and 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) against Naveen Kumar. 

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050). 

Non-functional traffic signals at several key intersections in Tiruchi have become a major concern for commuters, causing severe congestion and an increased risk of accidents during peak hours.

Road users say traffic movement has become chaotic at major junctions where signals remain faulty. The absence of proper signal coordination has resulted in vehicles entering intersections simultaneously from multiple directions, leading to long traffic snarls and frequent near-miss incidents.

Traffic signals at Mannarpuram roundabout, MGR roundabout near Ayyappan Temple, Major Saravanan roundabout, and on Bharathidasan Road near the District Court complex have reportedly remained non-functional for the past few days. These intersections witness heavy vehicular movement throughout the day as they are located near schools, hospitals, and commercial establishments, besides serving as important routes for city buses.

“Vehicular movement became very slow and vehicles were lined up for a long distance near the MGR roundabout. We had to wait nearly 20 minutes to cross the junction, with vehicles coming in from all directions,” said S. Rajesh, a road user.

Commuters say the malfunctioning signals have considerably worsened congestion during peak hours. Although traffic police personnel have been deployed to regulate vehicular movement manually, managing traffic flow has become difficult because of the high volume of vehicles using the roads.

They pointed out that signal jumping and wrong-side driving have become common at busy intersections in the absence of functioning traffic signals.

“The authorities should ensure regular maintenance and proper synchronisation of traffic signals at major junctions. Faulty lights must be repaired immediately and traffic personnel should be deployed round the clock at vulnerable intersections to prevent accidents,” said N. Saravanan, a road safety activist.

When contacted, a senior official said recent rainfall had damaged the wiring systems connected to the traffic signals, resulting in their malfunctioning. “Repair works would be taken up shortly and damaged components would be replaced within 10 days. Additional traffic personnel had been deployed at affected junctions to regulate traffic until the signals are restored,” he added.

With the periphery of the Rockfort Teppakulam cleared of encroachments, the Tiruchi Corporation has commenced extensive restoration and beautification work to revive the waterbody and improve its surroundings.

The restoration follows a major eviction drive during which roadside vendors and shops that had operated for decades along NSB Road and around the Teppakulam of Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple were removed and relocated to alternative sites earmarked by the Corporation. The civic body has removed the old steel fencing around the Teppakulam.

At present, water from the tank is being pumped out and desilting work is to be taken up. Fishes in the tank were removed ahead of the work. Four heavy vehicles have been deployed round the clock for pumping and cleaning operations.

Corporation officials said accumulated silt would be removed first, following which the tank would be cleaned thoroughly, and repair work on damaged steps and structures would be taken up. Cauvery water would later be refilled into the tank, which was filled to capacity last in 2021.

“The majority of the water has already been pumped out, and desilting work will begin shortly. The entire process is expected to be completed within three weeks,” a senior Corporation official said.

Officials said the tank, which was once around 20 feet deep across its nearly 5.30-acre spread, has now been reduced to about 12 feet due to years of waste dumping and silt accumulation. The ongoing restoration is said to be the major renovation of the Teppakulam in nearly three decades.

The civic body has drawn up plans to develop the area into a recreational space with an outlay of ₹1.56 crore. Proposed work include dredging and strengthening the tank at a cost of ₹50 lakh, installation of heritage lighting with arches for ₹38 lakh, and development of a walking track with seating benches and a children’s park at ₹68 lakh. Rainwater harvesting is also under consideration.

The official added that the final design for the beautification project is yet to be approved. Once finalised, full-fledged development work around the tank will commence.