TAMIL NADU ROUNDUP

Two missing scientists found dead

Two missing scientists found dead Two scientists were found dead in separate incidents last week.On February 22, Mahadevan Padmanabhan Iyer, a 48-year-old scientist from Tamil Nadu working at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai was found murdered in his apartment near the Breach Candy Hospital.He had been missing for several days, police said. Police said he had been hit on the head with a blunt object and had a rope tied round his neck. Iyer was a bachelor. In the other incident, 37-year-old Ananthanarayan, a junior scientist working at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) near Kalpakkam was found dead at a railway hospital in Chennai on February 26. He had been missing since February 18. Police said he may have been run over by a train while crossing rail tracks at Guduvanchery. Ananthanarayan had been reportedly depressed after his two young children were diagnosed with kidney problems. Parties name poll candidates The major political parties in Tamil Nadu have announced the names of their candidates for the March 27 by-election in Pennagaram.The seat fell vacant following the death of P N Periannan of the ruling Dravida Munntra Kazhagam. The DMK is fielding Periannan’s son A N P Inbasekaran. The opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam of Jayaram Jayalalitha has nominated R Anbazhagan. The Pattali Makkatl Katchi party headed by S Ramadoss is fielding G K M Tamil Kumaran and actor-politician Vijaykanth’s Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) candidate is K G Kaverivarman. Pakistani treated at Apollo Mohamed Arif, a 57-year-old Pakistani resident suffering from Parkinsons’ disease, was given deep brain stimulation at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai last week. His son Mohamed Fayed said the treatment involved inserting an electrode deep in the brain with local anesthesia. He said it was unavailable in Pakistan and cost four times more in other countries. Doctors said the patient was “80% fine.” Lawyer hacked to death A lawyer was hacked to death in broad daylight at Aynavaram in Chennai last week. Reports said Vanniya Sampath and his young were traveling on a scooter when an eight-member gang attacked them. They then escaped leaving Sampath’s son in a state of shock. Sampath died on the way to hospital. Police suspect political rivalry as Sampath was a member of the Pattal Makkali Katchi party and had several cases pending against him. Burglaries baffle police Police were baffled last week by simultaneous break-ins at eight shops and two temples in a single day at Villivakkam in Chennai.The thieves stole Rs20,000 in cash. Local residents accused the police of inefficiency and poor security. Two engineering courses in Tamil The Tamil Nadu government will offer mechanical and civil engineering courses in Tamil medium at several colleges affiliated to the Anna University.State Education Minister Ponmudy said the decision would help students from rural areas to perform better. He said a panel had been formed to prepare the Tamil syllabus in the next two months. These courses were optional and other students could continue in the English language stream, he said.