Chennai/Colombo, Feb. 2 : Tamil Nadu and South Zone fast bowler Laxmipathy Balaji has been recalled to the Indian team. He will replace Munaf Patel in the squad that is playing an ODI series in Sri Lanka.

Munaf sustained a groin injury and was forced to return home after the second ODI.

A cricinfo report said that Balaji last played for India in an ODI in 2005 in Sri Lanka before a stress fracture forced him out of the game.

Chennai, Jan. 28 : The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) criticized the Center over External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee''s visit to Colombo after the Sri Lankan army''s successful operation against the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam).

Hundreds of MDMK activists took to streets here to protest against the Sri Lankan military's offensive against the Tamil rebels.

MDMK's general secretary Y. Gopalaswamy(Vaiko), while criticizing Mukherjee's visit to Sri Lanka said that he (Mukherjee) had actually gone to Colombo to participate in the victory celebrations of the Sri Lankan government over the Tamil rebels.

Coimbatore, Jan 28 : Coconut and palm growers spearheaded an agitation in Tamil Nadu demanding the State Government to lift a ban on production and sale of ''Toddy'', a traditional drink of the state.

''Toddy'', a local drink extracted from either a coconut tree or a Palm tree flower has been banned in the state since 1987 for being an alcoholic drink.

The farmers want the government to exempt toddy from the list of alcohol products banned in the State.

Chennai, Jan 27 : Tourism department in Tamil Nadu introduced a high-powered speedboat at Mudaliar Kuppam Rain Drop Boat House, to encourage boat racing in the region.

The high-powered speedboat was introduced on the overwhelming response from tourists in the state. There are 10 boathouses in the state.

Kanappar Nagar (TN), Jan 27 : Tribals living in Tamil Nadu make eye-catching various artifacts from bamboo to sustain their livelihood.

The tribals of Kurvas community in Kanappar Nagar village have taken up the work of making bamboo-weaving as a source of income to run the family.

The work comes easy for the people as bamboo-weaving is a traditional occupation.

New Delhi - At least 15 pilgrims were killed when the van they were travelling in collided with a small truck in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, a news report said.

The accident occurred near the Tirunelveli area, 550 kilometres south of state capital Chennai, when the group was returning from visiting a temple in the neighbouring district, the NDTV network reported.

Police said that while 13 people died on the scene, two victims succumbed to their injuries at a state-run hospital in Tirunelveli. Five wounded passengers were being treated at the hospital.