Colleges blamed for suicides of 2 students
Tension gripped Sriperumbudur in suburban Chennai last week after a student of the private-owned St Joseph’s Engineering College committed suicide in his hostel room.
Ajith Kumar’s classmates blamed the principal, vice-principal and other faculty for publicly reprimanding him for poor academics. They also vandalised the labs, library and offices shouting slogans, until police arrested the faculty and sealed the campus.
In another incident, T Abinath, a first year engineering student, committed suicide by jumping into a well near his college at West Tambaram in suburban Chennai. The college management claimed that Abinath was depressed as his parents had forced him to study engineering though he had preferred medicine.
However Abinath’s classmates blamed the college authorities for harassing him.
Investigations are underway in both cases.

Two killed in animal attacks
Two farm workers were killed by a tiger and an elephant in separate incidents last week.
Madhu Oaron, a 50-year-old estate worker, was mauled to death by a tiger at Devarshola estates in Gudalur hills about 135km from Coimbatore. He was a native of Jharkhand and went missing during work. Forest officers found his body parts strewn in the area. They have set up about 20 traps for the tiger with cameras.
Meanwhile Pappan, 48, was trampled to death by an elephant in Kalmalai forest reserve at Masinagudi in Krishnagiri district. He was grazing goats when the pachyderm attacked him.
Forest officers have launched an animal hunt with tame elephants and mahouts.

Election caravans getting ready
Several automobile workshops in Coimbatore are busy customising vehicles for political leaders to campaign for the May 16 general elections in Tamil Nadu.
These workshops fit SUVs and jeeps with improved air suspension and air conditioning for smooth rides over bumpy roads. Other features cover rest rooms, Internet services, dish television, speakers, mikes, special fanlight openings with electronic or hydraulic levers for leaders’ public address and focus lights.
Some vehicles also have a bedroom, conference room and other luxuries. Each customisation could take from a week to one month and cost at least Rs2.5mn.
Coimbatore-based Koya and Sons are currently working on at least six vehicles.

Police probe mystery blast
Police are investigating a mysterious blast that broke glass panels on doors and windows in three adjacent suburbs of Salem last week.
Police suspect that explosions at a stone quarry or a bore well being dug in that area could have triggered the blast. However local residents denied any such activity. Geologists are also studying the area for extra-terrestrial impact.
This incident comes two months after a similar blast at a leading college in Vellore that killed a man and injured three.
Security was stepped up all over Tamil Nadu over possible terror threats.

Free Wi-Fi in parts of Chennai
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched Wi-Fi hotspots at a few places in Chennai: Broadway (Flower Bazar) bus stand, KK Nagar government offices, Vandalur zoo and Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore and at the Shore Temple in Mamallapuram.
“We plan to cover more locations in Chennai within a month or two. Depending on the number of users in a zone, their position and the type of surroundings, one can get a speed of 8MBPS download,” BSNL officials said.