Karunanidhi laid to rest beside Annadurai at the Marina

Agencies

August 8, 2018

Chennai, Aug 8: Late Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M. Karunanidhi was laid to rest on Wednesday near the iconic Anna Memorial at Marina beach here.

The doyen of Tamil politics was buried beside former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, C. N. Annadurai, in whose memory the Anna Memorial was built.

The ceremony was attended by several high-profile politicians, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and Trinamool Congress' Derek O Brien, among others.

In addition, scores of DMK cadres and Kalaignar's well-wishers paid their last respects at Rajaji Hall and also attended the funeral procession.

The national flag was taken off Karunanidhi's body and handed over to his son and DMK working president M. K. Stalin.

The Kalaignar's teary-eyed family members, including daughters Selvi and Kanimozhi, sons Stalin and Muthu, and the Maran brothers, Karunanidhi's grandnephews, also paid their respects to the veteran leader.

Karunanidhi was laid to rest with full state honours, as per the directions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. His coffin bore the words 'A person who continued to work without rest, now takes rest.'

Earlier today, the Madras High Court ended a political row between the DMK and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led state government after the latter had denied permission to bury the five-time chief minister at the Anna Memorial, and instead offered two acres of land at the Gandhi Mandapam.

"The DMK's plea for the burial of Kalaignar's body near Anna memorial has been accepted by the Madras High Court. The court further directed Tamil Nadu government to ensure and establish a memorial for Kalaignar," one of the DMK lawyers said following the order.

In addition, the Supreme Court had dismissed a petition filed by activist Traffic Ramaswamy, who challenged the Madras High Court's order granting permission to bury Karunanidhi at the Marina beach.
Karunanidhi breathed his last on Tuesday in Chennai's Kauvery Hospital after a prolonged illness. He was 94.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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