Mon Dec 08 11:56:57 UTC 2025: News Article:
Tirunelveli, India – December 8, 2025 – A history-sheeter in Tirunelveli died by suicide Sunday after his son was arrested for allegedly smuggling a large quantity of ganja. M. Kalaignar alias Kalaignar Pandian, 48, took his own life after police apprehended his son, K. Suresh Kumar, 25, in connection with a narcotics smuggling operation.
The arrests followed a tip-off regarding two vehicles transporting ganja from Andhra Pradesh. Tirunelveli City Police, led by Deputy Commissioner Vinodh Santharam, intercepted a mini cargo vehicle and a sedan on the Tirunelveli-Madurai highway. The cargo vehicle was stopped, yielding 80 kg of ganja and the arrest of its driver, Nitish Kumar, 26. The sedan fled, but was later found abandoned with 140 kg of ganja and Suresh Kumar was arrested.
Police say Kalaignar was the kingpin of the smuggling operation, transporting ganja from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to customers in southern districts and Kerala. The total value of the seized ganja is estimated at ₹3 crore.
Kalaignar was a known offender, with 21 prior cases against him, including 10 rice smuggling cases. His suicide occurred after learning of his son’s arrest.
(Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling State’s health helpline 104 or Chennai-based Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050 and Speak2Us helpline at 9375493754.)
First Piper 