TNIE Impact: Survey of India (SoI) has begun restoring a two-century-old Great Trigonometrical Survey (GT) station at Uthayathur village near Radhapuram. A team of SoI officials, including Officer Surveyor M Thayalan, and officials from State Survey Department visited the site and inaugurated the restoration works, which include repairing damaged portions, painting and fencing the structure. The @xpresstn had reported in July that the heritage GT station had been damaged by miscreants and that the surrounding land had been encroached upon by nearby landowners. @india_soi @CMOTamilnadu @PMOIndia @KASengottaiyan @Collectortnv newindianexpress.com/states/…

TIRUNELVELI: A 24-year-old Bihar native, who was working as a teacher at a Veda patashala at Nanguneri in Tirunelveli district, was arrested on Thursday under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for allegedly sexually assaulting several students aged between seven and 12 on multiple occasions at the institute. His arrest came after a 10-year-old’s parents filed a police complaint

Kangaroo court of the Nadar community in Sambavarvadakarai town allegedly prevented one of the ostracised families of same community from cremating the body of an 85-year-old man at the common crematorium on Thursday. The cremation was delayed for hours and was allowed only after the family paid a penalty of Rs 2.1 lakh. The deceased was identified as K V Ramaraj, father of R Senthil Vel, whose family is among eight ostracised families. According to CPM area secretary R Pattabiraman, one Vignesh’s family was first ostracised by the naattamai P Venkatesh after he refused to accept the kangaroo court’s order in a land dispute a few years ago. The families of Senthil and others were also ostracised for speaking to Vignesh’s family, he added. Ramaraj died of age-related ailments around 11.30 pm on Wednesday. “When Senthil and his family members attempted to cremate him at the common crematorium, members of the community refused to allow them. Some people removed the wooden logs stacked at the crematorium for the funeral. Police personnel who inquired into the matter advised Senthil’s family to obey the kangaroo court’s order and pay the penalty,” Pattabiraman said. When contacted by TNIE, S Puvana, daughter-in-law of the deceased, said the kangaroo court had ordered them to pay a penalty of Rs 2.1 lakh to cremate his body. The family later paid the amount and cremated Ramaraj’s body. However, Vignesh, who refused to pay the penalty, was allegedly forced to fall at the feet of the kangaroo court administrators and was ordered not to attend Ramaraj’s funeral, even though the deceased was his paternal uncle. “If I attend the funeral, Senthil’s family will face severe action from the kangaroo court. Hence, I did not attend the event. Two of the eight ostracised families have paid fines so far. When the kangaroo court convenes, the mobile phones of all those attending are collected to prevent photographs from being taken. Even a police personnel from an intelligence wing was expelled from the illegal court on Thursday,” Vignesh told TNIE. District Collector Ranjeet Singh could not be reached over phone. Superintendent of Police S Ashok Kumar said that his administration would look into the matter and take necessary steps. TNIE reported the ostracism in February 2025, following which the district administration and district police stated on their respective X handles that legal action was being taken under Protection of Civil Rights Act against Venkatesh and others. However, the ostracised families have received no relief so far, even after the National Human Rights Commission took suo motu cognisance of the issue last year based on TNIE’s report.

Kangaroo court of the Nadar community in Sambavarvadakarai, Tenkasi- Failure of police & revenue depts despite being aware of the issue- Ostracised family prevented from cremating elderly deceased-Penalty being imposed @CMOTamilnadu @tnpoliceoffl @CollrTenkasi @TenkasiPolice @India_NHRC KV Ramaraj Nadar (85), a member of one of the ostracised families, died around 11.30 pm on Wednesday. His community members prevented his family from cremating him in the common crematorium. SV Karai police, an incharge DSP & revenue officials allegedly refused to intervene, asking the family to obey the kangaroo court. Ramaraj's daughter-in-law, whom I spoke to while she was attending the kangaroo court at 2.30 pm, said the naattamai was demanding penalty of Rs 2.5 lakh to allow them to use the crematorium.