Chennai, April 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Thursday amid growing political turmoil over the Cauvery water issue and black flag protests by Opposition parties.
Modi, who arrived by a special aircraft from New Delhi, was received at the airport by Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Pon Radhakrishnan, Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister E. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan.
After a brief reception, he left for Mamallapuram, about 55 km from here, from where he would reach the temple town of Tiruvidanthai to formally inaugurate the Defence Expo-2018, which began here on Wednesday.
Later, he would unveil the diamond jubilee plaque at the Adyar Cancer Institute.
Earlier, a press conference was planned with the Prime Minister at the IIT-Madras, adjacent to the Cancer Institute, but it failed to materialise.
The police have made tight security arrangements in view of the visit.
Meanwhile, opposition parties, including the DMK, various fringe outfits and Tamil organisations greeted the Prime Minister with black flag protests to condemn the Centre for its failure to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) as directed by the Supreme Court.
The six-week deadline set by the Apex Court ended on March 29 and the Centre, keeping the next month's Assembly elections in Karnataka in mind, filed a clarification plea in the Court at the last minute and sought three months time to implement its order, by which time the polling process in the neighbouring state would have been concluded.
DMK leader M.K. Stalin, along with his party cadres, protested in Sirkazhi, Nagapattinam district, by wearing black shirts.
The DMK has appealed to the people to hoist black flags atop their houses and stage demonstrations against the Prime Minister.
Activists of fringe parties including the Tamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) led by T. Velmurugan, Tamil Nationalist Movement headed by P. Nedumaran also staged demonstration in front of the Alandur Metro station in Chennai.
MLAs Tamimum Ansari and Thaniarasi along with SDPI members were arrested in Tirisoolam near the airport.
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Clinical India crush Sri Lanka by 97 runs to win Women's Tri-Nation tournament
Colombo, May 11 (PTI): India displayed absolute dominance to crush Sri Lanka by 97 runs and earn a well-deserved title triumph in the Women's Tri-Nation ODI series after vice-captain Smriti Mandhana's sublime century and the bowlers' collective effort in the title clash here on Sunday.
After Mandhana rose to the occasion to power India to a commanding 342 for seven, the bowlers completed the task by bundling out Sri Lanka for 245, with Sneh Rana (4/38) and Amanjot Kaur (3/54) doing the bulk of the damage.
Skipper Chamari Athapaththu (51 off 66 balls) and Nilakshika Silva (48 off 58) were the chief contributors for the hosts.
Earlier, battling cramps in humid conditions, elegant left-hander Mandhana, who had returned to form with a fifty in India's last match against South Africa, struck a majestic 116 off 101 balls to lay the foundation for India's imposing total after skipper Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat.
Her knock was laced with 15 fours and two sixes, including four successive boundaries off Athapaththu to bring up her 11th ODI hundred in style.
After the early dismissal of Pratika Rawal for 30, Mandhana shifted gears smoothly.
The stylish Mandhana made Sri Lanka pay for dropping her on 21 as was involved in two big partnerships - 70 for the first wicket with Pratika and 120 for the second with Harleen Deol.
She brought up her 32nd ODI fifty with a stylish sweep behind square.
The left-hander added 120 runs in 106 balls with Harleen (47 off 56; 4x4) for the second wicket to steady the innings before falling while attempting a lofted cover drive.
But her dismissal set the stage for a strong finish as Jemimah Rodrigues, coming off a career-best 123 against South Africa, smashed a quick-fire 44 off 29 balls (4x4), while Harmanpreet contributed a brisk 41 off 30 (4x4, 1x6) as India piled on 90 runs in the last 10 overs.
There was a brief phase where India looked to have lost steam in the final overs, but cameos from Deepti Sharma (20 not out off 14) and Amanjot Kaur (18 off 12) helped them surge past 340.
For Sri Lanka, Sugandika Kumari was the pick of their bowlers with 2/59, while Dewmi Vihanga (2/69) and Malki Madara (2/74) also picked two wickets each.
Set a formidable target, the home team needed a strong start, but instead, they lost Hasini Perera to Amanjot in only the third ball of the Sri Lankan innings.
Attempting to play through mid-off, Perera ended up playing down the wrong line as the ball crashed onto the off-stump.
Sri Lanka were one down without a run on the board and an onerous task awaited the duo of captain Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne (36 off 41 balls).
They seemed to be succeeding, as Athapaththu and Vishmi put Sri Lanka's chase back on track after the early blow. The pair negated the difficult phase well before opening up to hit boundaries.
However, Deepti's introduction put the brakes on Lankan scoring as the senior off-spinner bowled three economical overs on the trot before Amanjot gave India their second breakthrough by bowling Vishmi around her legs after the batter had shuffled a long way across.
India could have had another wicket but wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, standing up to debutant pacer Kranti Goud, could not hold to an edge from Athapaththu when she was on 25.
Kranti then missed a catch off her own bowling after Nilakshi's leading edge off a slower delivery.
However, soon after getting to her fifty, Athapaththu was bowled by Rana, who dropped the batter off her own bowling in her previous over.
With the required run rate mounting, the match was as good as over after Nilakshika's dismissal to Rana.
