Latest news with #Sridhar
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Twist in Sathankulam case as accused cop wants to turn approver
Madurai: In an unexpected twist in the case pertaining to the custodial deaths of P Jeyaraj and his son J Beniks at Sathankulam in Tuticorin district in 2020, the first accused in the case, suspended inspector of police S Sridhar, recently filed an application before the trial court expressing his willingness to turn approver and disclose all the true facts in the case. In his application filed before the I additional district and sessions court in Madurai, Sridhar stated that he is willing to turn approver and depose as a witness against the remaining accused persons (policemen) before the court. He sought the court to accept his application to turn approver and pardon him. It may be recalled that following the custodial deaths of the father-son duo at Sathankulam police station in Tuticorin district in 2020, 10 policemen (presently suspended), including inspector Sridhar, SIs Balakrishnan, Raghu Ganesh, head constables Murugan, A Samadurai, constables M Muthuraja, S Chelladurai, X Thomas Francis, S Veilmuthu, and SSI Paldurai, were arrested. Since Paldurai died of Covid-19, the CBI filed the final report against nine policemen, and the trial in the case is underway before the I additional district court in Madurai. All the accused are lodged at the Madurai Central Prison. On June 23, Madras high court dismissed Sridhar's seventh bail plea, stating that the charges against Sridhar were serious in nature.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Prime accused in Sattankulam custodial deaths case wants to turn approver
In a twist in the 2020 Sattankulam custodial deaths case of trader P. Jayaraj and his son J. Benicks, the main accused, the suspended Inspector of Police S. Sridhar has applied to the trial court willing to turn approver in the case. He recently filed an application before the trial court, the First Additional District and Sessions Court in Madurai stating that he was willing to turn approver, depose as witness and disclose the truth in the case. He said he wanted to make full disclosure about the incident and sought to be pardoned. Last month, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had dismissed the bail petition filed by Sridhar. The court had observed the alleged charges against Sridhar were serious in nature. Moreover, the case is admittedly almost at the end of the trial, the court had observed. Sridhar had sought bail for preparing the argument. The CBI had filed the charge sheet against the then Inspector S. Sridhar, Sub-Inspectors P. Raghu Ganesh and K. Balakrishnan, Head Constables S. Murugan and A. Saamidurai, Constables M. Muthuraj, S. Chelladurai, X. Thomas Francis and S. Veilumuthu. Special Sub-Inspector Pauldurai, an accused in the case, died after contracting COVID-19.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Rise of real estate development in North Chennai
North Chennai plays a protagonist in Tamil films such as Pudhupettai, Polladhavan, and Vada Chennai. From Madhavaram, Tiruvottiyur, Ennore, and Manali to Kolathur, Royapuram, Perambur, Purasawalkam, and Tondiarpet, they have all been showcased for their notoriety, featuring cramped living conditions and a lack of infrastructure. However, there has noticeable plot twist in the last three years. Long-time residents here are now seeking improved housing options, while local traders who were once confined to compact living spaces are now upgrading to larger and more luxurious homes. Recognising the untapped potential here, developers are queuing up to put up their projects here. And not just that, in the last three years, north Chennai has experienced a notable increase in property prices. Developers say that people in this zone are now looking at properties priced anywhere between ₹80 lakh up to a few crore. According to CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India) Chennai, real estate values have appreciated significantly over the last two years in north Chennai, with land prices rising by 30% to 60% across key locations. In particular, Madhavaram, Perambur, and Minjur have seen notable growth. Rental values have also increased by 15% to 20%, driven by rising demand from working families, migrants, and improved connectivity to the city's commercial hubs, says CREDAI, the apex body of private real estate developers in India. Another set of data that was collated by V.S. Sridhar, executive managing director, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and Head GCC Advisory-Operations, Cushman & Wakefield, shows that between 2022 and the first-half of 2025, north Chennai saw close to 7,000 residential units launched across key localities. Madhavaram leads the pack. 'Madhavaram led with 2,390 units, followed closely by Perambur with 2,349 units. Tiruvottiyur recorded 687 units, while Kolathur and Villivakkam contributed 319 and 299 units, respectively,' says Sridhar. 'Other areas like Tondiarpet, Royapuram, and smaller localities added modest numbers.' The first half of 2025 has already seen a healthy momentum with nearly 1,400 units being launched, indicating that the second half will witness steady activity, he adds. Recently, G Square acquired 62.38 acres of land to develop 1,091 ready-to-construct villa plots spread across key micro-markets, including Red Hills, Puzhal, and Karanodai, entailing investments to the tune of ₹230 crore. Casagrand is also evaluating some projects in the North Chennai area. Diptakirti Chaudhuri, chief marketing officer of Casagrand, says that localities such as Madhavaram, Perambur, and Kolathur are witnessing a wave of premium gated communities and high-rise apartment projects. 'Casagrand's offerings in these prime pockets are priced between ₹7,000 to ₹9,000 per In contrast, certain locations in north Chennai have already crossed ₹15,000 per surpassing average prices in the OMR belt,' he says. Sanjay Chugh, director and city head, Chennai, Anarock Property Consultants Private Limited, says areas such as Minjur, Moolakadai, and Avadi are drawing attention due to proximity to proposed economic hubs like the TIDEL Park at Pattabiram and upcoming metro extensions. 'Perambur continues to attract mid-segment buyers,' he shares. Commercial development While residential developments have been on the rise, the region is also witnessing commercial growth, which includes IT parks, retail hubs and logistics centers. 'Looking ahead, the submarket is expected to see an additional two MSF [million square feet] of supply from developers such as Voora and Purvika Kwality Group, to meet the rising demand for good quality office spaces,' Sridhar says. Chugh points out that the Tamil Nadu government's warehouse policy would be a game-changer for north Chennai. He says, 'With the Tamil Nadu Warehousing Policy expected to be unveiled by late 2025, industry players are eyeing streamlined approvals, single-window clearances, and zoning clarity for cold storage, logistics parks, and multi-modal hubs. For hubs like Ennore and Manali — already gaining traction due to port proximity and NDR's FTWZ [Free Trade Warehousing Zone] — this policy could catalyse large-scale investments and infrastructure-grade leasing.' He also highlights that the NDR Group, which is strengthening the region's logistics backbone with over 7,00,000 Free Trade Warehousing Zone (FTWZ) in Ennore, is now reshaping the retail landscape with a ₹200-crore shopping mall in Madhavaram. The challenges Despite all this, developers feel that a lot needs to be changed as the region continues to grapple with long-standing urban and environmental challenges that threaten to cap its true potential. They state that chronic flooding during monsoons — largely due to inadequate stormwater infrastructure and encroachments on key water bodies such as the Buckingham Canal and Otteri Nullah — remains a seasonal crisis. Layered over this are the effects of unregulated urbanisation, which has led to rampant solid waste mismanagement and groundwater contamination, especially around industrial hubs like Ennore, Manali, and Kodungaiyur. Developers suggest that immediate steps should focus on reviving the Kosasthalaiyar River Basin through desilting, rejuvenation, and encroachment clearance. This would provide long-term flood resilience. In parallel, scaling up the Integrated Stormwater Drainage (ISWD) system using climate-adaptive designs could bring relief to the flood-prone wards. A developer shares that in these dense, mixed-use neighbourhoods, residents regularly face the harsh realities of fly ash emissions, sewage overflows, and airborne industrial pollutants, posing serious public health and ecological risks. While state-led initiatives such as the North Chennai Development Scheme aim to address these issues, progress has been uneven, often slowed by fragmented execution and ageing civic systems. For private developers and institutional investors, this lack of consistency continues to be a barrier to long-term commitment.
NBC News
5 days ago
- NBC News
Indian police find Russian woman and her 2 daughters living in an isolated forest cave
NEW DELHI — Police in India's southern Karnataka state said Wednesday they found a Russian woman and her two young daughters living in isolation in a remote forest cave. The woman, identified as Nina Kutina, 40, and her daughters, aged six and four, were found by police during a routine patrol to Ramatirtha Hill, a popular tourist site on the coast of Karnataka, on July 9. Police officer Sridhar S.R. said the family had been living in the cave for more than a week. Police said they were taking steps to repatriate Kutina to Russia for overstaying her visa. She and her children have been moved to a nearby detention facility for foreigners living illegally in India. Police said in a statement that Kutina spent her time in the cave meditating by candlelight, and that she told investigating officers she was 'interested in staying in the forest and worshiping God.' Sridhar said Kutina told police that she had worked as a tutor of Russian language in Goa, a coastal tourist state in southern India.'It is nothing but her love for adventure that brought her here,' said Sridhar. He said police found pictures of Hindu deities on the inside walls of the cave where Kutina had been living. In a photograph provided by the police, she is seen in front of makeshift curtains made of red saris that covered the entrance to the cave. The Russian Embassy in New Delhi didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The police statement said Kutina sent a message to her friends after she was found.'Our peaceful life in the cave has ended — our cave home destroyed,' she wrote in the message, according to the statement. The Associated Press contacted Kutina over the phone but she declined to comment.
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Indian police find Russian woman living in cave with her young children
Nina Kutina, 40, and her daughters, aged six and four, were found by police during a routine patrol to Ramatirtha Hill, a popular tourist site on the coast of Karnataka, on July 9. Police officer Sridhar SR said the family had been living in the cave for more than a week. Police said they were taking steps to repatriate Ms Kutina to Russia for overstaying her visa. She and her children have been moved to a nearby detention facility for foreigners living illegally in India. A spokesperson said that Ms Kutina spent her time in the cave meditating by candlelight, and that she told investigating officers she was 'interested in staying in the forest and worshipping God'. Mr Sridhar said Ms Kutina told police that she had worked as a tutor of Russian language in Goa, a coastal tourist state in southern India. 'It is nothing but her love for adventure that brought her here,' said Mr Sridhar. He said police found pictures of Hindu deities on the inside walls of the cave where Ms Kutina had been living. In a photograph provided by the police, she is seen in front of makeshift curtains made of red saris that covered the entrance to the cave. Police said Ms Kutina sent a message to her friends after she was found. 'Our peaceful life in the cave has ended — our cave home destroyed,' she wrote in the message, according to the statement. On Tuesday, she told news agency Press Trust of India that she spent her days in the cave by painting, singing, reading books, and living peacefully with her children.
