Cyclone 'Mandous' to cross coast between Puducherry-Sriharikota on midnight of Dec 9: IMD
Chennai (PTI): Heavy rainfall is predicted over several parts of Tamil Nadu as cyclone 'Mandous' over the Bay of Bengal is expected to cross the coast between Puducherry and Sriharikota in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on the midnight of December 9, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday.
The well-marked low pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on December 6 and it further intensified into a "deep depression" and lay about 750 km off Chennai as on Wednesday.
In its bulletin issued on Thursday, the IMD said the cyclonic storm 'Mandous' (pronounced as 'Man-dous') over Southwest Bay of Bengal about 500 km off east south east of Karaikal.
"It is expected to move west-northwest and cross north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining South Andhra Pradesh coast between Puducherry and Sriharikota with a wind speed of 70 km per hour around midnight of December 9," an IMD bulletin said.
Puducherry is about 160 km from Chennai.
The Tamil Nadu government has made all precautionary measures in view of the forecast for heavy rainfall.
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Theatre actor playing demon in Ramayana kills pig on stage, eats meat raw in Odisha; arrested
Bhubaneswar/Berhampur, Dec 2: A 45-year-old theatre actor playing the role of a demon in Ramayana was arrested after he ripped the stomach of a live pig on stage and ate its meat in Odisha's Ganjam district, police said.
The incident sparked a statewide outrage and was condemned in the assembly on Monday.
Besides the actor, identified as Bimbadhar Gouda, one of the organisers of the play that took place in Ralab village in Hinjili police station area on November 24 was also arrested for cruelty to animals and violation of the Wildlife Protection Act.
Ruling BJP members Babu Singh and Sanatan Bijuli strongly condemned the incident in the assembly.
Action was taken against the duo after videos of the incident went viral on social media, with animal rights activists also condemning it and calling for strong action against the accused.
"We are also looking for the persons who displayed snakes in the theatre. They will also be arrested soon," Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sunny Khokar said.
He, however, did not disclose the name of the arrested organiser.
The state government, in a guideline issued in August last year, prohibited the public display of snakes, including by certified snake handlers.
"We have registered a case against the theatre actor who killed the pig and ate its meat in the theatre, and arrested him," said Hinjili police station inspector-in-charge Srinibas Sethy said.
To attract audience, the theatre group displayed snakes while a demon ripped the stomach of a live pig with a knife, which was tied to a ceiling of the stage and ate some of the organs in full public view, he said.
A group of the villagers organised the theatre on the occasion of Kanjianal Yatra in the village.
