Communist cadre held on usury charge

In his complaint, Manikandan from Pattanam in Coimbatore claimed that he took a loan of Rs 9 lakh from one Subramani, a low rung Communist functionary. In the last five years, Manikandan had paid almost more than double the borrowed amount as interest, but still Subramani demanded more money, police said. In a similar complaint, police have booked a case against one Jayakumar, a financier for threatening a fruit seller in Flower Market. The complainant Murugan of RS Puram borrowed Rs one lakh from the financier and was paying the interest on a monthly basis.

Similarly, Muruganandam of Chinniampalayam alleged that despite paying Rs 70,000 for an amount of Rs 50,000 taken as loan from Rajendran of Peelamedu, the usurer had been harassing him seeking more money.

Police have registered cases and are investigating.

TIRUCHY: Police arrested three men, who posed as women on the highways and robbed a lorry driver of Rs 37,000, a month earlier. 

It is said, on October 1, a lorry laden with waste papers from Chennai was proceeding to Sankarankoil.At night, when the vehicle was nearing Kathikaranpatti in Manapparai, the driver Sundaralingam (43) saw a woman waving her hands. 

Sungaralingam stopped the vehicle next to her. However, suddenly two men appeared and the woman, who waved hands, removed her saree and Sundaralingam was shocked to see a man, who was posing as a woman.The men tied Sundaralingam and snatched away Rs 37,000 from him and fled the scene. On information, the Manapparai police reached the spot and rescued Sundaralingam. 

Meanwhile, on Thursday night, the police arrested A Arivalagan (31), Mahesh (26) of Ammapettai and M Arunachalam (20) of Kandiyur in connection with the case.