Rs 30 scoop
A man dressed well enough to pass as someone credibile walked into Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital and headed straight to the office of Dean Dr Revathy Balan. He introduced himself to her assistant as a reporter. After a brief audit of her purse yielded just Rs 30, the visitor claimed his bike needed urgent repairs and pocketed the sum. When informed, the dean circulated the CCTV footage among journalists, seeking confirmation of his credentials. The response was unanimous: no one recognised the “reporter”, whose exclusive scoop turned out to be Rs 30 poorer.
Thinakaran Rajamani
Sneak peek
Tamil audiences are familiar with overseas fans posting reviews of actor-turned-politician Vijay’s films even before the first show begins in TN, thanks to time zone quirks. At his recent public meeting in Erode, however, his speech seemed to have received a similar ‘pre-release’. Even before Vijay reached key lines, a few X handles linked to the DMK, which he has named as his principal political rival, were tweeting his remarks almost verbatim, 10 to 15 minutes in advance. The uncanny accuracy raised eyebrows, prompting speculation over a possible leak. TVK supporters reacted with alarm, urging the leadership to look for “black sheep” within the party.
Subashini Vijayakumar
A case of recovery
A doctor at a government hospital in Sivagiri near Tenkasi appears to have taken the idea of “adjustment” a little too far. Pulled up for inflating prices while purchasing leafy greens meant for patients, he was asked by the Directorate of Rural Health and Medical Services to refund the excess from his own pocket. The order was followed. Officials later discovered that the recovery had been neatly settled using funds from the CM’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, earmarked for hospital infrastructure. The creative accounting left authorities unimpressed. The doctor has since been transferred to the Shengottai government hospital, with a fresh inquiry ordered to check if more such fiscal gymnastics were at play.
Thinakaran Rajamani
The great Kovai ticket
A Virudhunagar native who quit NTK for the DMK has been camping in Coimbatore, overseeing party work with an eye on a ticket from either the North or South constituency. Shadowing a former minister from Karur, he is said to be confident that the latter’s blessings will see him through. Adding to the intrigue is a Pollachi native, formerly of MNM, who has also joined the DMK and is angling for the Coimbatore South seat. The duel has left local party workers mildly disgruntled, with outsiders busy nurturing ambitions in what they see as their home turf.
M Saravanan