Tamil Nadu: Stalin voices his and DMK’s support for Perumal Murugan
Former deputy chief minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party leader MK Stalin on Thursday spoke out in favour of Perumal Murugan, the author who announced he would stop writing earlier this week in the face of opposition by Hindu fundamentalist groups. Stalin tweeted that Murugan has been “targeted by fundamentalists whose aim is to create a rift among the peace and freedom loving people of TN”. He also tweeted that the DMK, a secular party, opposed religious fundamentalism, and uploaded his views on Facebook alongside a citation of Article 19(1)(a), which guarantees the freedom of expression.

New Delhi: SC stay Tejpal trial for three weeks
Tehelka founder-editor on Thursday approached the Supreme Court challenging a Goa sessions court order to proceed for arguments on charges of sexual assault against him without providing him the necessary documents. The petition alleged that the court has not reprimanded the prosecution for its “deliberate non-compliance, for deviating from the statutory mandates” to the detriment of the petitioner and his right to fair trial. As a result, the court has stayed the trail for three weeks.

Maharashtra: Threat notes signed by IS found inside Mumbai airport
Two notes found at the Mumbai airport on Thursday evening have sent security forces in the city into high-alert mode after they warned of terror attacks on Republic Day. The two notes said “Is 26/01/2015 BOM OK?”, signed by names affiliated with the Islamic State. They were found by a cleaner in two men’s toilets. The threats have come only a week after another note was found scribbled on a wall inside the airport threatening of an attack on January 10. The Mumbai police’s heightened vigil has been echoed around the country as US President Barack Obama is set to visit the national capital as chief guest for the Republic Day parade.

Jammu and Kashmir: Army warns of militant attacks on schools, places of worship
On Thursday, the Indian army announced on the basis of intelligence reports that militants were planning to target schools and places of worship in the state even as 200 ultras were waiting to infiltrate the Line of Control from the Pakistani side ahead of Republic Day. The announcement came on the same day armed forces felled five top militants in a fierce encounter in Shopian district. An army commander attested to the reports, stating that, “As per our information there are around 14 to 15 terrorist camps South of Pir Panjal.”

West Bengal: BJP minister alleges TMC killed his brother
Manjul Krishna Thakur, a former Trinamool Congress who resigned to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, on Thursday alleged that his elder brother Kapil Krishna Thakur’s death was the result of a conspiracy, and demanded the Central Bureau of Investigation to launch a probe. However, the deceased brother’s wife has questioned the timing of the demand and why it was not called for immediately after her husband died, in October 2014. She has been named the TMC candidate for the upcoming Bongao Lok Sabha by-polls on February 13.