2 TNPCB Officials Take Rs 2L Bribe to Cover up Ranipet Tannery Mishap

By J Shanmugha Sundaram /Published: 01st April 2015 

VELLORE: Crime Branch-CID arrested two Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB)officials on Monday for accepting bribes to the tune of `2.01 lakh from the management of the Ranipet SIDCO Finished Leather Effluent Treatment Company (RSFLET) for overlooking several irregularities resulting in the tragic accident that killed 10 workers on January 31.

District Environmental Engineer (DEE) P Kamaraj (50), and Assistant Environmental Engineer (AEE) M Muralidharan (48), were arrested and remanded under judicial custody in the Vellore Central Prison for Men after being produced before the Judicial Magistrate Court-III in Vellore District Combined Courts Complex. 

The two officials were suspended (along with Joint Chief Environmental Engineer, S Charles Rodriquez) on February 5 on charges of dereliction of duty.

“We have collected material evidence to prove under-the-table activities of the two TNPCB corrupt officials,” said a senior police officer in CB-CID and added that they are working on collecting whether any evidence exists of JCEE Rodriquez’s involvement in these irregularities.

CB-CID, based on the findings of the inquiry and their inspection of the site on January 9, invoked Sections 7 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration), 13 (2)(public servant committing criminal misconduct) and 13(1)(d)(abusing position as public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 along with Sections 337(endangering life or personal safety of others), 285 (negligence with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 304 (ii) (culpable homicide, not pre-meditated) of IPC against them.

“The (two TNPCB officials) found many irregularities in the functioning and maintaining of the CETP. But they failed to take action and received a bribe of Rs 2.01 lakh between April and September 2014,” according to a report filed by CB-CID in the court.

Among the irregularities overlooked by the two accused officials was the fact that several tonnes of slurry were being stored in an illegal Secured Land Fill, the wall of which collapsed leading to the tragic accident. 

“...In spite of noticing the irregularities in RSFLET Co that can cause serious health hazards and harm the environment, the TNPCB officials did not act, leading to the mishap, said a source.

TNPCB Biggies Held in Ranipet Effluent Case

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 31st March 2015

VELLORE: The CB-CID police on Monday arrested two suspended officials - District Environmental Engineer (DEE) P Kamaraj and Assistant Environmental Engineer (AEE) M Muralidhran - of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), Vellore, in connection the tragic accident at the Common Effluent Treatment Plant of the Ranipet SIDCO Finished Leather Effluent Treatment Company (ETP).

Sources privy to the investigation confirmed the arrest of the two officials in connection with the accident, which claimed the lives of ten workers. TNPCB chairperson K Skandan had placed the two officials under suspension along with the Joint Chief Executive Engineer S Charles Rodriquez on February 5 on charges of dereliction of duty. “The two officials arrested today (Monday) have been produced before the Judicial Magistrate Court and lodged in the Vellore Central Prison for Men under judicial custody,” said an  officer.

Drink Cauvery Water from April

• 
  Collector R Nanthagopal inspecting the trial run of the water supply scheme, in Kodiyur, on Friday | EXPRESS

J Shanmugha Sundaram 

VELLORE:Come April, Velloreans will get treated drinking water from river Cauvery through the Combined Water Supply Scheme (CWSS).   Vellore Corporation, 11 municipalities, five town panchayats and 944 rural habitations are scheduled to benefit from this scheme.

The Rs 1,295 crore project aimed at finding a permanent solution to the water scarcity in the district has been designed to supply 135 litres of water per capita per day (LPCD) to Vellore corporation, 90 LPCD to 11 municipalities, 70 LPCD to five town panchayats and 40 LPCD to 944 rural habitations. “We will be able to supply drinking water from Cauvery from the second week of April,” said Collector R Nanthagopal after witnessing raw water reaching Kodiyur near Jolarpet on Thursday night.

Officials of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board commenced the trial run of pumping raw water from Mettur (zero point) to clean the pipelines on March 20 this year. The project commenced in mid 2012, a senior official in the department told Express.

Sources in the department said the department had been pumping around 40,000 to 50,000 litres of raw water per second from Thottiapatti, 1.5 km downstream of Mettur dam, in Salem since March 20. “Within two days, the water crossed 80 kilometres of the pipeline installed during phase-I (Thottiapatti near the Mettur Thermal Power plant to Kadathur Ridge point) of the project,” said a senior official.

The raw water reached Vaniyambadi (phase-2) through gravity force at about 9 pm on Thursday. From there, the water crossed Pallikonda at about 3 pm on Friday.

The officials were confident that it would touch Sathuvachari by Friday night. “Dust and waste materials such as left-out gunny and cement bags inside the pipe have been flushed out due to the water pressure,” said the official.

The trial run would continue for the next two to three weeks to ensure that the pipeline is fit to supply drinking water. “Once the work is completed, drinking water will be supplied to the people of Vellore,” he added.

However, there seems to be a delay in completing the construction and erection of pipeline as part of phase-3 from Vaniyambadi to Arakkonam. “Only around 85 percent work of construction work relating to overhead tanks, sumps and laying pipeline has been completed in phase-3. After it is completed thoroughly, we will start trial runs from Sathuvachari to Arakkonam,” he further said.

Obtaining clearance from the National Highway Authority of India and Railways to erect the gravity pipeline across its facilities in phase - 2 and 3 and erecting feeders and electric lines for the booster stations in phase-I delayed the project, alleged officials.

“We are seven months

behind the scheduled period of completing the major project. The delay was due to the lengthy process in acquiring land and getting the nod from NHAI and Railways for the project,” said the official.

TN: Sand mafia bid to bury whistleblower alive

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 14th May 2012

• 
  Shell-shocked: Village assistant S Rajendran at the Tirupattur GH.

VELLORE: Villagers of Jayapuram, about 12 km from Tirupattur, saved a government employee from certain death on Saturday. Fifty-one-year-old Village Assistant (VA) S Rajendran, who tried to stop a gang of notorious smugglers from illegally mining sand from Kottaru river, was attacked and dragged for about 100 metres by the thugs. The smugglers then tried to bury him alive in a five-foot deep pit in the riverbed.

However, he was saved after a small girl alerted the villagers about the incident. Revenue and police departments officials were shocked after hearing about the incident since the notorious gang had gone to the extent of killing the government employee.

Sources in the police department said the prime accused, Thirupathy, a resident of Annasagaram in Mallapalli, had attempted to murder the VA. He has been smuggling sand from the riverbed for years. There were a number of cases against him. He, however, continued his illegal activities with alleged political support.

Tirupattur Sub-collector  Shilpa Prabhakar, who received information about sand smuggling in Kottaru river, immediately directed Revenue Inspector Raja, and Village Administrative Officer of Paniyandapalli panchayat   Samundi, to rush to the spot and stop the illegal activity. They, in turn, alerted the VA, who was on his way to Jayapuram on a two-wheeler after attending the jamabandhi at the Sub-collector’s Office on Saturday, to rush to the riverbed.

“I reached the spot at 4.30 pm and took the key from the tractor in which they were loading the sand. One of the four persons contacted their owner. Within 10 minutes, he came to the spot on his bike and tried to snatch the key from me. But I resisted and they started to beat me and also dragged me for nearly 100 metres,” said Rajendran who is undergoing treatment in the Government Hospital at Tirupattur.

Thirupathy and his associates threw Rajendran into the pit, dug up to illegally mine sand in the riverbed, and started to cover him with sand.

Kingpin remains elusive

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 15th May 2012

VELLORE: A day after sand smugglers attempted to bury a Village Assistant (VA) alive, the police have arrested a 19-year-old boy, Sekar of Mallapalli. They said they were on the heels of the prime accused Tirupathy, of Annasagaram Village in Mallapalli.

Tirupathy, a notorious sand smuggler, is frequently changing his hideout to evade the arrest since Saturday evening, police said.

He along with five of his associates had tried to bury Village Assistant S Rajendran, alive in a five-foot deep pit on the Kottaru riverbed when he had tried to stop them from illegal mining.

“We have formed four special teams to track down Thirupathy and his associates,” Assistant Superintendent of Police of Tirupattur G Dharmarajan told Express. “The police teams have been travelling to different parts of the district based on information to arrest him.” They have arrested one of the six persons who had attempted to bury Rajendran alive in the riverbed, he added.

Around noon, a police team rushed to Arakkonam based on a tip off. However, they were unable to locate the prime accused. “We tracked him till Arakkonam based on his mobile phone signal. He, however, switched off his mobile phone when the team reached Arakkonam,” said the ASP.

He said that the department would zero in on him very soon. “We have also formed a special team to seize the tractor that they have used to smuggle sand form the riverbed,” he said.

The police officer said that the notorious gang, besides wielding strong political clout, had a strong network to keep vigil on the movement of revenue and police officials all these years.

The revenue officials attached to Tirupattur Taluk have registered four sand smuggling cases against Thirupathy since January this year.

Meanwhile, Sub-collector of Tirupattur Shilpa Prabhakar submitted a detailed report to Collector Ajay Yadav in connection with the murder attempt by Thirupathy and his gang. “I met the Collector at Yelagiri and submitted a detailed report to him about the incident and the criminal history of Thirupathy,” said the sub-collector.

Along with the report, the sub-collector has also handed over the demands of the Village Administrative Officers, Revenue Officials and Village Assistants’ Associations.

“Tirupathy had paid penalty on several occasions in the past for sand smuggling in and around Tirupattur. It shows that he has been doing the illegal activities for several years,” she added.

Sand mafia kingpin gives up at Egmore Court

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 16th May 2012

VELLORE: Prime accused Tirupathy, who allegedly attempted to bury Village Assistant S Rajendran alive on  the Kottaru Riverbed near Tirupattur, has surrendered before the V Metropolitan Magistrate in Egmore, Chennai, along with an accomplice, on Tuesday. The Vellore Police is likely to file for the duo’s custody in the court on Wednesday.

Police said that Tirupathy, of Annasagaram village, and his associate Govindaraj, of the same village, surrendered before the V Metropolitan Magistrate in Egmore around 5.30 pm.

 “Fearing arrest, the duo surrendered before the court,” said a senior police officer here.

Vellore police was continuing its search for three others in the case. On Monday, 19-year-old Sekar was arrested in connection with the case.

Tirupathy, a notorious sand smuggler, and five others had roughed up the VA and attempted to bury him alive in a five-foot-deep pit on Kottaru River bed, 12 km from Tirupattur. He was rescued by the villagers of Jayapuram after a little girl alerted them.

Tirupathy was elusive since Saturday after the police registered a case against him and five others under sections 147, 148, 294 (b), 506 (II), 353 and 307 of IPC and 3 (1) (A) of SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989.

Man Slashes Tongue, Kin Gives WC Spin

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 27th March 2015

VELLORE:A 27-year-old mason’s  tongue was cut in an apparent accident, but his relatives claimed he did it as an offering in Vediyappan Temple in Ponneri for Team India to maintain its streak in quest for the World Cup.

Sudhakar, a resident of Mittunakuppam village was provided first-aid at the Government Hospital in Vaniyambadi and was later referred to the Government Vellore Medical College Hospital for further treatment.

Sudhakar

The facts leading up to the injury remain contradictory. Doctors, who treated Sudhakar, and the police claimed he had severed his tongue when he fell from a tree with a sickle lodged in his mouth.  His relatives claimed he had offered the tongue to the presiding deity in the Vediyappan Temple for the Indian cricket team to emerge victorious over Australia. According to his relatives, he had communicated through gestures that he had sacrificed his tongue.

Jolarpet police, after conducting inquiries, said, the youth’s tongue had been cut accidentally when he fell from a papaya tree and rejected the theory spread by relatives.

The doctors in GVMCH also stated that the youth had communicated through gestures that he had climbed up the tree with a sickle clenched in his mouth.

He slipped from the tree and fell. In the fall, his tongue was severed, they said.

Sudhakar had reportedly gone to the Vediyappan Temple around 8.30 am on Thursday when the accident occurred. Sudhakar’s brother received a call from a woman who presumably saw him bleeding profusely from his mouth. Using Sudhakar’s phone she phoned his younger brother, Raju (22).

“He began playing and watching cricket five, six years ago. He is crazy about the game and never misses a game played by the Indian cricket team,” Raju said.

“We asked one of our relatives to go to the temple and look for the severed tongue (in the hope of having it stitched back). The relative called back at about 12 noon and said that the tongue was found in the temple. When we asked the doctors later they said that the tongue cannot be stitched back,” said one of Sudhakar’s close relatives, Boopalan.

Swift Police Action Averts Communal Clash Over Land

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 26th March 201

VELLORE: With the Wakf Board reasserting its claim to the 1.5 acre parcel of land in Mathina Nagar in Karugampathur, ownership of which has long been in dispute, simmering tension between the Hindu and Muslim communities manifested visibly on Wednesday. Around 100 members of the Hindu Munnani turned up on the piece of land where 150 Muslims were already present, seeking to tear down thatched huts put up by the Muslims.

The police acted swiftly, deployed a large force and issued a warning to  members of the Hindu Munnani and the Muslims, asking them to disperse, thwarting a possible communal clash.

The Muslim community erected a banner on the piece of land stating ,“The land in survey numbers 141-1, 141-2, 141-3, 125-1, 125-2, 125-3 and 125-4 belong to the Wakf Board. Do not buy it or sell it,” on Wednesday, stoking tension between the two communities. Further, they also erected thatched huts on the disputed land. The banner and the thatched huts goaded members of the Hindu Munani to gather in the vicinity in an attempt to remove the thatched huts. Muslims, all members of Haji Abdullah Sha Qadri Tomb and Masjid had congregated on the land earlier reasserting their claim that the land had always belonged to the Wakf Board and refused to leave the place.

The police cautioned all protestors  gathered on the land that the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) of Vellore would conduct an inquiry on the ownership of the land and issued a warning to both communities not to enter the disputed land or attempt to erect any kind of structure on the land.

Invoking Section 107 (security for keeping the peace) of CrPC, the RDO of Vellore held peace talks with representatives of both the Muslim and Hindu communities on Wednesday. During this meeting, one Ajuthan and his wife Prema of Kosapet claimed they had purchased the land two decades ago and showed legal documents proving ownership.

 “The Muslims too produced a patta dating back to 1930 that revealed that the land belongs to the Wakf Board. But the Encumbrance Certificate does not substantiate their claims,” said an official, privy to the peace talks. Preliminary inquiries held during the peace talks thus revealed that the land probably belongs to Ajuthan and his wife which has been communicated to the members of the Masjid.

Further verification of documents produced by both the parties will take place on April 9 when an inquiry will be conducted by the RDO after which further course of action will be taken.

With the possibility of anti-social elements triggering communal clashes during this hiatus, the police took the added precaution of getting written assurances from representatives of both the communities.

“We have obtained written assurances from both the parties not to create any law and order issues. The Muslims have also said they would like to remove the thatched huts on their own,” said the official.

Paedophile Murderer Awarded 23-year Rigorous Imprisonment

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 25th March 201

VELLORE:A 50- year-old temple priest was sentenced to 23-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) by the Mahila Court in Vellore on Tuesday for abducting, sexually abusing and murdering a five-year-old girl 3 years ago.

Kumar being taken to the court complex on Tuesday | s dinesh

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on him.  The Judge A Nazeer Ahmed found the accused, Kumar (alias) Kumara Gurukal of Pandiyan Nagar in Gudiayttam, guilty of abduction, sexual abuse, homicide and concealment of evidence. The five-year-old child, Lakshmi (name changed), was studying in Class I in Annai Indira Gandhi Middle School at Pandiyan Nagar.

She went missing after lunch break on September 19, 2011. The girl’s father filed a missing person case with Gudiyattam Town Police. On September 21, two days after the girl went missing, residents found the girl’s body floating in a well near Gurukal’s house.

Police recovered her footwear and bangles from the priest’s house and on interrogation, he confessed to the crime and that he had lured the girl with

chocolates. When the girl resisted his advances and cried for help the priest smothered her to death and wrapped the body in a gunny bag and threw it in the well, according to Additional Public Prosecutor, E Sivajothi. Gurukal was sentenced under Sections 366(kidnapping, abducting, inducing for illicit intercourse),304 (ii) (culpable homicide) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of IPC.

Under each of these sections, the Judge awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 with all sentences to run concurrently.

Cops Cleaned Up Accident Site to Shield Collector

Cops Cleaned Up Accident Site to Shield Collector, Claims DMK

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 24th March 2015 06:00 AM

VELLORE: The DMK leader and Katpadi MLA, Durai Murugan, alleged that the police department is attempting to protect the Vellore Collector R Nanthagopal, from being charged for Sunday’s late-night accident, which claimed the life of a 23 year-old youth and left another youth with serious injuries at Sevur.

After staging a ‘road roko’ along the Vellore-Katpadi Road at the Chittoor Bus Stand, Durai Murugan told Express that “the police department is bending rules and regulations, which should be followed in such accident cases,in a bid to save the Collector.”

A policeman carrying a detached wheel of the scooter, which was involved in the accident, near Sevur on Sunday | s dinesh

Contrary to what was reported on Sunday, the DMK leader, citing eye-witnesses, alleged, “The Collector was behind the wheels of the speeding car that hit the two-wheeler driven by Raj Kumar with his friend Udhya Suriyan riding the pillion.”

Murugan alleged that the Collector was heading towards Vellore after attending a cocktail party in a club in Karnampattu.

Raj Kumar, son of panchayat president of Karnampattu Valarmathi Kasinathan, and his friend Udhaya Suriyan were heading towards Sevur on Kumar’s two-wheeler, while the Collector’s car was coming from the opposite direction.

“The accident occurred on the left side of the road towards Sevur. This clearly indicates that the Collector’s car had veered towards the right and hit the two-wheeler. When I visited the site of the accident around 11 pm on Sunday, there was no physical evidence of an accident,” said the former minister.

The former minister added, “To cover up facts, the police took immense precaution and cleared all evidence of the accident within 20 to 30 minutes.”

The villagers of Sevur alleged that police personnel removed all broken parts of the two-wheeler and ferried it away in an auto. The Collector’s car had also been driven away from the site of the accident.

“As per rules, a brake-inspector and Traffic Police personnel should inspect the site of the accident and inspect the vehicles involved in the accident. They have to mark the accident spot. But everything was overlooked in this case,” he said.

He also alleged that the Collector, who is also the district magistrate, instead of helping the accident victims, fled from the site of the accident in another vehicle.

Superintendent of Police of Vellore P K Senthil Kumari told Express that a case has been registered under section 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 337 (causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) of IPC in Katpadi Station.

When asked whether the Collector was driving the car, the SP said, “It is under investigation” .

Sand Smuggler Mows Down Constable

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 21st July 2014

VELLORE: A 43-year-old head constable attached to the Thakkolam police station was on Sunday mowed down by a sand smuggler, a councillor’s son, when the policeman tried to stop him from smuggling sand from the Kosasthalaiyar riverbed near Purusai village.

The police have launched a manhunt for D Suresh of Thakkolam in connection with the incident. He is the son of 6th ward councillor of Thakkolam panchayat, D Senbagavalli, and DMDK treasurer (Thakkolam unit) Devaraj.

The incident occurred between 7.30 am and 7.45 am on the riverbed when constable

G Kanagaraj tried to pull Suresh from the tractor. Special sub-inspector Rajan and Kanagaraj, acting on a tip-off about illegal mining on the riverbed, rushed to the spot on a two-wheeler. It was their second case of the day. After reaching the spot, the duo waved their hands signaling the youth, who was behind the wheel of the tractor, to stop the vehicle. However, he did not budge and tried to speed up from the riverbed. Immediately, Kanagaraj climbed on to the tractor and collared Suresh in a bid to stop him from escaping.

However, he dodged Kanagaraj and pushed him from the tractor. Kanagaraj fell between the tractor and the trolley loaded with sand and was caught under the rear wheel. “The constable was caught beneath the right rear wheel of the trolley and was crushed. He got up and walked a few steps, before collapsing,” Ranipet Revenue Divisional Officer M Priyadharshini told Express, quoting the only eyewitness Rajan.

Rajan escaped unhurt as he was standing aside, while Suresh sped away in the tractor. He immediately alerted the other policemen in the station. “Kanagaraj was transferred to the Thakkolam station from Banavaram about five months ago,” said the officer.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Vellore Range) R Tamil Chandran and Superintendent of Police of Vellore P Vijayakumar visited the spot and conducted an inquiry. Kanagaraj’s body was shifted to the GH in Arakkonam for autopsy. He is survived by his wife Muthukumari and adopted daughter Mohana, who was studying Class XII. His body was handed over to his family after postmortem late in the evening.

Kanagaraj had joined the police force as a constable in 1997 and served in different stations in Chennai. He was transferred to Banavaram in Vellore in February. From there, he was transferred to Thakkolam before the Parliamentary election.

Jaya orders `10 l compensation to kin

Chennai: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Sunday expressed grief over the death of head constable Kanagaraj, who was killed while attempting to stop illegal sand mining in Thakkolam. “I offer my deepest condolences to the family of head constable Kanagaraj, who was killed while serving with duty consciousness. I have ordered that his family be paid a solatium of `10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s General Relief Fund,” said the Chief Minister.

Accident-prone Chitheri rewinds to 2011 train crash

By J  Shanmugha Sundaram | ENS - VELLORE

Published: 11th April 2013

• 
  The derailed bogies of the Muzaffarpur-Yashvantpur Express near Chitheri in Vellore on Wednesday | Dinesh S

Chitheri, a village situated around 7 km away from the Arakkonam Railway Junction in Vellore district, has been frequently witnessing train accidents for the past five to seven years. More than 100 passengers have sustained injuries in rail accidents at the spot since September 2011, reports said.

“Train accidents have become common here. Since 2007, a total of 12 accidents have taken place on this spot. This includes three accidents involving express trains and one passenger train. Goods trains frequently derail here. The main reason for the accidents is the poor maintenance of joining point of the loop line and the main line between Chitheri and Anwarthikhanpet,” claimed joint secretary of Arakkonam railway passengers association J K Raghunathan.

However, the worst among the accidents was the one on September 13, 2011, in which 11 passengers of the Arakkonam-Katpadi Passenger were killed and 76 others were injured when a speeding Chennai-Beach Cantonment Mainline EMU rammed a passenger train.

The victims, all from Mel Avatham, Kezh Avatham, Chitheri, Anawarthikhanpet and Melgandigai villages in Arakkonam taluk, were returning in the passenger train after work in Chennai.

The MEMU rammed the rear of the slow-moving passenger train, an accident that  the railway officials called ‘human error’.

The police, in the 395-page chargesheet, stated that MEMU driver A  Rajkumar, who was speaking on the phone while driving, jumped the red signal and violated the speed limit. This had led to the collision.

Krish Kumar, who was working as the Station Master in Walajapet Railway Station and a resident of Mullipalayam, was one of the victims.

Kumar had boarded the passenger train after buying a gift for his son’s first birthday. Wednesday’s accident occurred just a kilometre away from the spot of the 2011 accident.

Former Pattali Makkal Katchi MP from Arakkonam R Velu, who urged the railway authorities to take action to prevent such accidents in the future, also called upon his party men to arrange for special pujas with the help of the residents of Chitheri and neighbouring villages, at the spot.

He further said that the railway officials were continuing with the blame game after every such accident, but they failed to act to prevent such accidents and ensure the safety of the railway passengers.

Surendaran of Chitheri claimed a major accident occurred 17 years ago near their village. A speeding express train hit a stationed goods train in the accident and claimed more than 50 people’s lives

Murky deals: Special teams dissolved

By J Shanmugha Sundaram - 

VELLORE

Published: 18th October 2012 

Superintendent of Police of Vellore I Eswaran dissolved special teams, which were formed to conduct surprise raids against illegal activities such as gambling, selling of lotteries and illicit liquor, after the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) exposed several underhand activities of police personnel in the teams.

Police department sources said the SP had constituted the teams to conduct raids and crack down on those involved in gambling, selling of lotteries and illicit liquor. It was led by two SIs, each handling five constables. However, a few officials in the teams were allegedly in cahoots with anti-social elements and making money out of them, instead of taking action against them.

The SP dissolved the team recently, after a confidential report from the Vellore unit of the DVAC against alleged activities of SI J Anandan and two of his team members. “The SI had allegedly been making money from sand mafias, bootleggers and lottery sellers in several parts of the district,” a reliable source in the department said.

This came to light when three members of the SP special team targeted Vinayagam, who ran a brick kiln at Thuthipattu near Kaniyambadi, and had demanded Rs 10,000 from him. When DVAC learnt about the incident, they planned to nab the SI and two other policemen in the team red-handed.

However, the SI did not turn up to receive the cash and directed the brick kiln owner to hand over the money to one Ganeshan, who was running an electronic gadget shop in Burma Bazaar, on October 5. The DVAC personnel picked him for inquiry. On interrogation, Ganeshan spilled the beans that SI Anandan had called him and had asked to take the money from Vinayagam. DVAC officials have sent reports to directorate at Chennai and to SP office Vellore.

Civic Chief's Son Killed by Collector's Car in Vellore

By Express News Service

Published: 23rd March 2015 06:02 AM

Last Updated: 23rd March 2015

VELLORE:A youth riding a motorbike was killed and his pillion rider was seriously injured on Sunday night, when the duo hit Vellore Collector R Nanthagopal’s car on the Katpadi-Arcot Road near Sevur.

Collector R Nanthagopal

The deceased was identified as Raj Kumar(23), son of Karnampattu panchayat president, Kasi.  Udhya Suriyan (25), riding pillion, of the same village, sustained head injuries and was admitted to the CMC Hospital.

  The Collector Nanthagopal was inside the car which was being driven by his driver, Mohan, an ex-serviceman, when the accident occurred.

Villagers of Karanampattu and Sevur gathered in large numbers at the scene of the accident. Police department deployed a contingent at the spot to ensure peace and prevent violence. Villagers claimed that poor lighting along the stretch often resulted in accidents in that area.

Raj Kumar

According to police, the Collector was heading towards Vellore from Ranipet. The accident occurred at about 10 pm when the duo, entering the main road, hit the right side of the Collector’s car. In the impact, Raj Kumar was killed on the spot. Police said Mohan, an ex-serviceman, was behind the wheel of the Collector’s car. They also said that the personal assistant who was accompanying the Collector called 108 Ambulance service immediately to take Suriyan, who was injured, to the CMC Hospital.

SP of Vellore, P K Senthil Kumari, confirmed that the Collector was inside the car and that the duo on the motorbike were entering the main road from an interior road and collided with Collector’s car on the right side.

Woman Dies at illegal Sand Mine

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 23rd March 2015 06:02 AM

Last Updated: 23rd March 2015

VELLORE:Evidence that the sand-mafias are hand-in-glove with corrupt officials at the highest levels and continue to not only brazenly exploit unauthorised areas of the Palar Riverbed but also do so in complete disregard to the safety and welfare of the workers they employ for their illegal mining activities came to light with the death of a 35 year-old woman worker and two others sustaining injuries in a “non-permitted” quarry site.

According to guidelines laid down by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), no quarry activities should be carried out beyond permitted sites and not to mine sand on government holidays. Both these guidelines were flagrantly violated.

“The accident happened on Saturday, which is a government holiday. Besides Gudimallur (where the sand-mining is taking place and where the accident occurred) is about half a kilometre from the approved quarrying site - survey number 835 (P) of Vannivedu village in Upper Palar Basin in Walajapet Taluk,” member of Palar Pathukappu Kuzhlu, Rathinam told Express.

“The sand contractors are indiscriminately mining sand from the riverbed in non-permitted mining sites. Illegal sand-mining is being done beyond Vannivedu with higher officials being hand-in-glove with sand contractors,” said a Revenue Department official in Ranipet on condition of anonymity.

PWD department officials are failing to check these illegal activities.

The Palar Pathukappu Kuzhlu Committee filed a complaint with the Walajapet Police Station demanding action against the Executive Engineer of Water Resource Organisation (Upper Palar Basin), P Anbarasu, Assistant Executive Engineer, Ganeshan and Loading Lifting Contractor, Karuppaiah for violating government rules. “We filed the complaint on Saturday. But till now, the police have not even entered it into the CSR after the complaint. They are trying to manipulate the evidence to protect the sand contractors and corrupt officials,” said Rathinam.

Despite the accident occurring in the Palar Riverbed in Gudimallur, Walajapet Police, by manipulating facts, have filed a case stating that the accident occurred in a sand-yard. Senior officials in the Revenue and Police departments are protecting the sand contractors, said sources in the district administration. Investigation Officer of the case and Sub-Inspector of Walajapet Station J A Dominic told Express that the accident occurred at about 10.10 am on Saturday when K Sivakami of Vadamanpakkam Colony in Tiruvannamalai and several others were engaged working in the sand-yard in Gudimallur. While Sivakami was buried alive when the sand caved in, two others — Prakasam(38) and Ayyppan — sustained injuries.

Collector R Nanthagopal, along with PWD officials and the RDO of Ranipet, M Priyadharshini, had inspected the Vannivedu government quarry on Friday. “We told the Collector that the sand contractors are illegally mining sand beyond the permitted site. But he failed to pay heed to our complaints,” said Rathinam.

Collector R Nanthagopal responding to Saturday’s accident, initially said the accident happened in the PWD yard. However, after verifying the facts, he corrected his version and confirmed that the accident occurred in Gudimallur where a group of people are indulging in illegal sand mining. “I have asked the RDO of Ranipet (M Priyadharshini) to conduct an inquiry of the incident,” said the Collector.

Sand Mafia Buys Out Villagers on Protest With Rs 30L

By J Shanmugha Sundaram

Published: 03rd September 2014 06:04 AM

Last Updated: 03rd September 2014

VELLORE: Sand mafia in and around Thottalam and Chinna Thottalam panchayats in the district have unleashed their muscle and money power to silence villagers after they opposed government officials from opening sand quarries on the Palar riverbed. Fearing for their safety, many active participants in the two-month-old protests against sand quarries have turned into mute spectators.

Some villagers have even given up their protests against the mafia, who are allegedly backed by political bigwigs, for a few thousands of rupees. “We are helpless against the money, muscle and political power of those involved in sand mining,” said a villager, who was forced to accept Rs 10,000 from contractors from Namakkal, Erode and other districts.

The villagers claimed that sand smugglers were camping in and around Madhanur with goons. “They manipulated our own villagers against us in a bid to plunder the Palar riverbed,” said Kumaran of Thottalam.

The sand smugglers have been giving anything between Rs 5,000 to 25,000 to each family in Devigapuram, Athorampatti, Thottalam, Chinna Thottalam and Pon Nagar and neighbouring villages. “They started distributing the money two months ago. Initially, they discreetly distributed the cash. Now, they are openly asking the villagers to collect around Rs 15,000 by showing their ration card with the condition that they would owe their allegiance to them,” said lawyer V Balu.

“Sand mining contractors distributed Rs 30 lakh as bribe to residents of five villages in the last week,” he said and added that he plans to file a writ petition in the Madras High Court.