Police get Muslims, Christians to join Vinayaka Procession in Chennai

Police get Muslims, Christians to join festivities in north Chennai
8 Sep 2008, 0627 hrs IST, A Selvaraj,TNN

CHENNAI: As part of the initiative taken by the police , leaders of the Muslim and Christian communities joined the Vinayaka procession in a northern suburb, setting an example that could go a long way in ensuring that the event remains free of communal tension in the city.

In Mathur-MMDA near Madhavaram, a group of Muslim residents and Christians welcomed and cheered processionists carrying the Vinayaka idol for immersion. As a mark of harmony, the religious heads exchanged shawls.

Local residents, traders associations and various political party cadres, irrespective of their ideology, had installed a 5 ft high Sarva Sakthi Vinayaka idol on the Second Main Road in Mathur on Vinayaka Chathurthi day on Wednesday. The Mathur-MMDA panchayat president K Ezhumalai (DMK), Devaraj (joint secretary of AIADMK youth wing), Senthilkumar, Rosaiah Naidu (Congress) and several other local political leaders had organised the idol installation.

On Sunday morning, when the idol was taken in procession, it was stopped near the Al-Masjida Jummah Mosque and welcomed by Muslims, including several women in burkhas. Led by the head of the mosque, Umar Hathab, they wished the processionists. Hathab and Ezhumalai also exchanged shawls.

“We have gathered here to show our friendship with other communities, to respect their religion and customs,” Ismail, a committee member of the mosque told, TOI. As a reciprocal gesture, Ezhumalai announced a grand feast for Muslims in the area on September 27, as part of Eid celebrations.

Later, the idol was proceeded to the First Main Road, where Christians had gathered to welcome Lord Vinayaka in front of the Evangelical Church of India. Led by the Rev. Williams Vallavattol, they welcomed the Vinayaka Chathurthi committee members and exchanged shawls as a mark of friendship.
“We had approached all religious leaders in Mathur-MMDA to take this new step towards communal harmony. I am glad they all agreed. Earlier I had organised a similar programme in Kayalpatnam in Tuticorin and it was highly successful,” S R Jangid, suburban city police commissioner, told The Times Of India.

Indian Muslims arrested in Chennai for fake currency

Currency bust sparks alarm
6 Sep 2008, 0428 hrs IST, A Selvaraj,TNN

CHENNAI: In the wake of two incidents relating to the arrest of people carrying counterfeit currency notes in the city, the Chennai police have warned shop keepers and vendors to thoroughly check Rs 500 notes before accepting them.

On Thursday, police arrested Noorullah and his 14-year-old son who came from Delhi to the city, and recovered fake currency to the tune of Rs 1.44 lakh, all in denomination of Rs 500. They had already circulated 112 counterfeit notes of Rs 500 denomination in the last 10 days. On Wednesday, police had arrested four others at Periamedu and seized 28 fake currency notes of Rs 500 denomination.

Police cracked down on the duo after Raja, a juice shop owner at Broadway, alerted them. Noorullah had offered a Rs 500 note to Raja after having juice on Thursday night. Finding something wrong with the currency note, the shop owner called up police.

A police team rushed to the shop and took the duo into custody. Preliminary inquiries revealed that Noorullah had arrived in Chennai 10 days ago and had been staying at a lodge in Triplicane. The team immediately rushed to the lodge and inspected the room where they were staying. They recovered Rs 1.44 lakh worth fake currencies from the room.

Police said Noorullah confessed to having circulated Rs 56,000 in fake currencies across the city. “We are interrogating the man to verify if he has links with Abdul Khadir Ahmed, Mohammad Abdullah and two others, who were arrested for possession of counterfeit currencies in Periamedu on Wednesday. We have arrested Noorullah and his son on Friday afternoon and they would be remanded after detailed interrogation,” a police officer said.
The police top brass has asked personnel to advise shop owners and roadside vendors to check twice before accepting Rs 500 currency notes from suspicious persons. “On Thursday night, two policemen came on a patrol vehicle and informed all the shop keepers in Pondy Bazaar to be cautious while accepting Rs 500 notes,” said Mekala, who runs a roadside tiffin shop in T Nagar.

“This is a routine alert given to shop owners. Small shop owners may not have the fake currency detector and taking advantage of this, fraudsters may try to push the counterfeit notes,” a senior police officer said.

selvaraj.a@timesgroup.com