NRI woman research scholar arrested for raising slogans against BJP govt

News Network

September 4, 2018

Chennai, Sept 4: An NRI woman research scholar was arrested on Monday for allegedly raising slogans against the “fascist” BJP government, when she came in contact with the saffron party’s Tamil Nadu state unit president, Tamilisai Soundararajan, at the Tuticorin airport.

Lois Sofia, 28, a research scholar at the University of Montreal, Canada, and a native of Thoothukudi, was picked up on the basis of a complaint lodged by Ms. Soundararajan. The two had travelled on the same flight from Chennai to Thoothukudi in the afternoon.

Though a woman police officer and some co-passengers repeatedly requested Ms. Soundararajan to take a lenient view of the incident, considering that Ms Sofia was a student, the BJP leader stood her ground.

According to the complaint, there were heated arguments between Ms. Sofia and Ms. Soundararajan, who was travelling to Tirunelveli district to attend a party event.

Upon arriving at Thoothukudi airport, the BJP leader alleged that the woman may have the backing of an outlawed organisation. “When I was getting my baggage, she raised slogans against the BJP. I didn’t respond to them considering civility,” Ms. Soundararajan said. “At the airport, when I asked her whether it is acceptable to talk like that, she said that she had the freedom of expression.” She continued to be unabashed in her attitude, she claimed.

“She is saying ‘Down with the BJP fascist government’. How is that freedom of expression?” the BJP leader was seen asking in a clip of the incident that was widely shared on social media.

Ms. Sofia was later taken to the Pudukottai all-women police station. Police said that cases were registered under IPC Sections 505(1)(b) (Intent to cause fear or alarm), 290 (Public nuisance) and Section 75(1)(c) (Impolite reply to public servant) of the Tamil Nadu City Police Act, and Ms. Sofia was produced before Judicial Magistrate-III Tamilselvi for remand.

She was sent to judicial custody for 15 days. Sources said that Ms. Sofia’s father Dr. Samy of Kanthan Nagar filed a counter-complaint at the Pudukottai station against Ms. Soundararajan.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

Comments