Chennai, Jan 3: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at five locations linked to DMK leader and Member of Parliament Kathir Anand.

The raids, which commenced in the morning, are still ongoing. The ED officials have yet to release any statements to the media.

Kathir Anand is the son of S. Duraimurugan, a senior DMK leader and the second-in-command in the Stalin cabinet.

He represents the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency in Parliament.

There have been allegations that the ED is targeting the DMK by conducting such raids.

Previously, the ED carried out searches at the premises of DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudy and his son, Gautham Sigamani, in a money laundering case.

The DMK has referred to these operations as acts of “political vendetta”.

In 2019, then-President Ram Nath Kovind, acting on a recommendation from the Election Commission of India (ECI), rescinded the Lok Sabha election in Vellore due to the seizure of unaccounted cash from Kathir Anand and related locations.

During the 2019 polls, the ECI officials confiscated a total of Rs 11 crore from Anand’s residence and other properties. Following this, the ECI issued a statement then: “Accepting the recommendation of the Election Commission of India dated April 14, 2019, the Honourable President is pleased to rescind the election to the Vellore parliamentary constituency in Tamil Nadu.”

The election, initially scheduled for April 18, 2019, was cancelled on April 16, 2019, due to the cash recovery.

A re-election was held on August 5, 2019, where Kathir Anand, representing the DMK, won by a narrow margin of 8,141 votes, defeating A.C. Shanmugham of the AIADMK.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Kathir Anand secured a more decisive victory, defeating A.C. Shanmugham, who had since joined the BJP, by a significant margin of 2,15,702 votes.

Chennai, Jan 3: A tanker lorry carrying 20 metric tons of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) overturned on the Avinashi flyover in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore during the early hours of Friday.

The tanker was transporting LPG from the Kochi Bharat Petroleum Plant to a storage facility in Coimbatore when the accident occurred. The driver of the vehicle sustained minor injuries.

The overturning caused a gas leak, which has since been brought under control after several hours of operations.

Officials stated that the leak posed a significant risk to residents in the immediate vicinity. As a precaution, five schools in the neighbourhood were closed to ensure the safety of children, and residents within a one-kilometre radius of the accident site were evacuated.

The Avinashi flyover remains closed, and vehicles were rerouted to alternative routes.

Specialised equipment brought from Tiruchy was being used to safely remove the overturned tanker.

Officials noted that the absence of overhead power lines on the flyover helped prevent a major disaster.

The incident has drawn comparisons to the December 20 accident on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway, where an LPG tanker caught fire after overturning. The resulting blast killed four on the spot and injured 80 people, many of whom were critically hurt with some succumbing to their injuries. The death toll rose to 19.

The fire also destroyed 37 vehicles, including trailers, trucks, buses, and several smaller vehicles. Dense smoke caused eye irritation and breathing difficulties for locals, and some reported finding dead birds in the area.

Ten days before the Coimbatore incident, another accident involving an LPG truck occurred in the district. A truck loaded with LPG cylinders overturned at Kanuvai, though no casualties were reported.

Police later revealed that poor maintenance of the vehicle contributed to the accident. In Friday’s incident, authorities are continuing efforts to fully secure the area and clear the overturned tanker.

New Delhi, Jan 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a slew of development measures, including 1,675 flats for the residents of JJ clusters and two urban redevelopment projects in the national capital on Friday.

Taking to his X handle, PM Modi said this was an important day for Delhi’s development.

“Today is an important day for Delhi’s development. At a programme in Ashok Vihar, will be inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for a wide range of development works which will boost ‘Ease of Living’ for the people of Delhi,” he said.

PM Modi said these development activities will nurture future generations. “These endeavours reflect our unwavering commitment to nurturing future generations by empowering them with knowledge, innovation and opportunities in an environment that inspires growth and learning.”

He further said, “The projects include a cutting-edge academic block at the Eastern Campus in Surajmal Vihar, East Delhi, and another at the Western Campus in Dwarka. Additionally, the foundation will be laid for the Veer Savarkar College in Roshanpura, Najafgarh, designed to embody excellence in education with state-of-the-art facilities.”

According to a government press release, these steps were being taken in line with the PM’s commitment to ‘Housing for All’.

Prime Minister Modi will visit newly constructed flats for the dwellers of Jhuggi Jhopri (JJ) clusters under the In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation Project at Swabhiman Apartments, Ashok Vihar, Delhi, at around 12:10 p.m. Thereafter at around 12:45 p.m., he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects in Delhi.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the 1,675 newly constructed flats for the dwellers of JJ clusters and also hand over keys to eligible beneficiaries at Swabhiman Apartments in Ashok Vihar.

The inauguration of newly constructed flats will mark the completion of the second successful In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation Project by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The objective of the project is to provide the residents of the JJ clusters in Delhi with a better and healthier living environment equipped with proper amenities and facilities.

For every Rs 25 lakh spent on the construction of a flat by the government, eligible beneficiaries pay less than 7 per cent of the total amount, comprising Rs 1.42 lakh as a nominal contribution and Rs 30,000 for five years of maintenance.

PM Modi will also inaugurate two urban redevelopment projects — the World Trade Centre (WTC) at Nauroji Nagar and the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) Type-II Quarters at Sarojini Nagar.

The World Trade Centre at Nauroji Nagar has transformed the area by replacing over 600 dilapidated quarters with state-of-the-art commercial towers, offering around 34 lakh square feet of premium commercial space with advanced amenities. The project incorporates green building practices, with provisions such as a zero-discharge concept, solar energy generation, and rainwater harvesting systems.

The GPRA Type-II Quarters at Sarojini Nagar include 28 towers that house over 2,500 residential units, offering modern amenities and efficient use of space. The project’s design incorporates rainwater harvesting systems, sewage and water treatment plants, and solar-powered waste compactors encouraging eco-conscious living.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate CBSE’s Integrated Office Complex at Dwarka, Delhi built at around Rs 300 crore. It includes offices, an auditorium, an advanced data centre, comprehensive water management system among others.

The eco-friendly building has been constructed to high environmental standards and was designed as per Platinum Rating standards of the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).

PM Modi will lay the foundation stone of three new projects at Delhi University worth over Rs 600 crore. It includes the Eastern Campus at Surajmal Vihar in East Delhi and the Western Campus at Dwarka. It also includes building Veer Savarkar College at Roshanpura, Najafgarh, having state-of-the-art education facilities.