Star appeal
What was meant to be a routine inspection at a government school in Nangavalli took an unexpected detour when a top Samagra Shiksha officer allegedly told a postgraduate teacher — in front of her students — that she resembled an actress. The teacher complained, but the issue hit a bureaucratic speed bump. Instead of pulling up the officer, two DEOs questioned the teacher and students, filed reports, and higher-ups in Chennai decided to let it slide. The officer, said to be well-connected in Salem’s education circles, was quietly transferred — no warning, no action. And just like that, the complaint was wrapped up with a neat bow. Teachers are left wondering if accountability too took a transfer along with the officer.
-N Dhamotharan, Coimbatore
God as registrar?
Remember that old Tamil flick Palayathamman, where a baby tumbles into a temple hundi and the goddess adopts it? Fast-forward to real life at Padavedu Renugambal temple in Arani — only this time, it’s not divine intervention, but a property row. A retired army man, neck-deep in family drama, lobbed his land documents into the hundi — because why go to court when you’ve got gods? Trouble is, hundi rules are clear: what goes in, stays in. And while those papers hold no legal weight, sentiment is expensive — and allegedly costs Rs 20 lakh in bribes to pry them out. The temple trustee chairman, a DMK man no less, is allegedly in the middle of it. God’s piggy bank has never seen such high-stakes paperwork.
- Rajalakshmi Sampath, Tiruvannamalai
Cheque-mate!
A 70-something woman in Tirunelveli, left high and dry, approached the police claiming a man had sweet-talked her into signing away her house with promises as empty as his conscience. He claimed—on paper, no less—to have transferred Rs 10 lakh to her account. When the officer asked for proof, he fumbled harder than a bad magician. Realising the woman didn’t have time for courtroom marathons, the officer gave the man a choice: return the house or get cosy behind bars. In record time, the man dashed to the sub-registrar's office and re-registered the property. The woman, relieved and re-housed, penned thank-you notes like a grateful granny with a restored plot and peace.
- Thinakaran Rajamani, Tirunelveli
Byte-sized Kamaraj
When you think of Tamil Nadu’s government schools, Kamaraj inevitably walks into the frame — the man who brought classrooms to villages and hungry kids to school with hot meals. Now, thanks to AI wizardry and a Facebook page called Arasu Palli, a virtual Kamaraj is back, beaming with pride as he praises the breakfast scheme and hails Chief Minister MK Stalin for fulfilling his dreams. The video, suspiciously DMK-friendly, has Kamaraj speaking Tamil that sounds like autocorrect had a hand in it. While the virtual version seems satisfied, the real Kamaraj might’ve paused the praise to point out leaky roofs, broken toilets and missing teachers — before promptly rolling up his sleeves to fix it all.
-Subashini Vijayakumar, Chennai
(Compiled by Dinesh Jefferson E)