Udupi: Karnataka Police have arrested two employees of a shipyard in Udupi on charges of spying for Pakistan, setting off a major security alert along the coastal belt.

The accused have been identified as Rohit and Santhri, both residents of Uttar Pradesh. They were employed at the Malpe unit of Cochin Shipyard on contract through Sushma Marine Pvt. Ltd.

Police said the duo had been sharing sensitive information from inside the shipyard for over 18 months. The material allegedly included details of vessels being built for the Indian Navy as well as private clients. Investigators believe the information was sent to handlers in Pakistan through WhatsApp in return for monetary rewards.

The arrests were made after the CEO of Cochin Shipyard filed a written complaint, prompting police to take the two workers into custody. They were produced before court soon after the arrest.

Officials said the nature of the information leaked by the accused had the potential to compromise national security and operational secrecy.

According to sources, agencies suspect the involvement of a larger network and believe the two arrested workers may not be the only ones in contact with foreign handlers. National security and intelligence agencies are expected to join the investigation as it moves forward.

Further details are awaited as the probe continues.

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Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.

Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.

Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.

Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.

According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.

She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.

A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.

Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.

Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.