A large number of people from Tiruvallur, including school and college students, travel to Sriperumbudur and surrounding areas every day, and are dependent on buses operating on this route. The buses usually arrive at intervals of around 30 minutes during the evening and night.

On Wednesday, however, no buses arrived at the Sriperumbudur bus terminus between 5.30 pm and 8 pm. By the time a government bus operating between Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur finally arrived at around 8.15 pm, hundreds of passengers had gathered at the terminus, leading to a hassle in boarding the bus.

Angry over this, some passengers suggested that nobody should board the bus and demanded that it be detained until transport officials arrived and explained why buses had not operated for more than two hours. The protest caused severe traffic congestion on the Chengalpattu-Sriperumbudur road, with vehicles stranded in long queues.

Soon, Sriperumbudur police and transport officials rushed to the spot and held talks with the protesters. The furious passengers questioned the officials and expressed frustration over being unable to return home after completing their work.

Transport officials explained that traffic had been affected due to a quarrel between motorists after vehicles brushed against each other on the Chengalpattu-Sriperumbudur road. They admitted that buses scheduled to operate on the route were following one another, and assured the passengers that such incidents would not recur. They appealed to the protesters to disperse and board the buses arriving subsequently.

However, passengers claimed that such disruptions occurred frequently and that officials offered similar explanations every time. They demanded the introduction of short-distance bus services between Sriperumbudur and Tiruvallur to ensure uninterrupted transport.

As the protest continued, police forcibly dispersed the passengers, recovered the blocked government bus, and allowed it to proceed after passengers boarded. In the meantime, passengers were accommodated in buses that arrived one after another.

The protest disrupted traffic on the Chengalpattu-Sriperumbudur-Tiruvallur road for more than an hour, leaving commuters and motorists stranded.

The victim, G Sowkaraj (63) of Vadapalani, was walking near a theatre on Arcot Road in Vadapalani when the accident occurred, said the police. As he was walking, an autorickshaw that was passing by went out of control and rammed into Sowkaraj.

The passersby alerted the authorities after which personnel from the Pondy Bazaar Traffic Investigation Wing (TIW) rushed to the scene and moved the elderly man to a hospital where he was declared as brought dead. The body was then shifted to the Government Royapettah Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The police registered a case in connection with the accident and apprehended the auto driver, M Anbarasan (39). During interrogation, it was found that Anbarasan was driving the vehicle under the influence of alcohol, which led to the accident.

In another incident, a man was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol after his speeding car crashed into a traffic signal post on Ethiraj Salai in Egmore on Tuesday (November 3). No one was injured in the incident, said the police.

The driver of the car was identified as Deepak Chordia (54), a resident of Choolai. The officials subjected him to a medical examination, which confirmed that he was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident, after which he was booked and his vehicle was seized.

In an advisory issued on Thursday, the AAI stated that it had received complaints about cab drivers cancelling rides booked and confirmed through apps and demanding amounts over and above the fares displayed on the platforms.

Such practices cause delays in passenger pick-ups and inconvenience to airport users, it said.

Passengers facing such issues have been advised to lodge complaints at the respective cab service providers' counters at the cab pick-up plaza and west multi-level car parking (MLCP). They can also report the incidents through the official social media platforms of the service providers.

If the issue remains unresolved, passengers can bring it to the notice of Chennai airport officials through its official social media handles or by calling 044-22560551 or 044-22560512.

The airport authorities said they would take up complaints with the concerned cab aggregators for appropriate action. This could include blacklisting the drivers and withdrawing their permission to operate at Chennai airport.

The advisory also provided contact numbers of cab service providers for passengers to lodge complaints.

Passengers can contact WTI Cabs at 9266159355 (T1), 9266159356 (T2) and 9159899925 (T4), Uber at 9940746993, Ola at 7904548305, Fast Track at 80987 35852, Rapido at 96295 53431, and Prepaid Taxi at 99418 28222.

For complaints related to parking licensees, passengers can contact 63794 28539.

The AAI said passenger cooperation would help ensure a smooth and hassle-free cab pick-up experience at the airport.

The exhibition will feature two interactive installations by digital artist Maxime Touroute, inviting visitors to explore the intersection of art, technology and collective participation.

The first installation, Let's Draw - One World, One Canvas, is a collaborative digital artwork that connects participants from different cities in real time. Visitors can create their own drawings and watch as contributions from others appear on a shared digital canvas, gradually evolving into a collective artwork. By drawing their individual interpretations of horizons and imagined worlds, participants become part of a larger creative experience.

The second installation, Painting Mirror - See Yourself Through Art, uses generative artificial intelligence to transform visitors' photographs into artistic caricatures inspired by traditional Indian art forms, including Gond, Madhubani, Warli and Kalamkari. The interactive experience brings together contemporary technology and India's artistic heritage, offering visitors a creative way to explore traditional visual styles.

Touroute is a digital artist whose practice explores the relationship between technology and humanity through interactive and immersive experiences. His signature installation, Let's Draw, has been showcased in 10 countries across more than 80 exhibitions, bringing people together through collaborative digital art. His work focuses on using technology to encourage creativity, participation and human connections.

Through these installations, Communs.Commons aims to create a shared space where digital innovation meets artistic traditions, encouraging visitors to engage with art through participation and experimentation.

Prisoner dies at Stanley Hospital, probe on

The police are investigating the death of a prisoner who died while undergoing treatment at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital on Thursday.

R Ramesh Kumar (49) of Selvalakshmi Nagar near DNK Puram in Tirupur was convicted in a case registered at the Tirupur North police station in 2021 and was serving his sentence at the Coimbatore Central Prison.

According to prison officials, he was recently diagnosed with jaundice. As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to Puzhal Prison on October 28 for further treatment.

He was admitted to Stanley Hospital, where he was receiving intensive care.

Despite treatment, he died on Thursday. The Puzhal police have registered a case and begun an investigation. Officials said the body has been sent for autopsy to ascertain the exact cause of death.

Chennai: Domestic help arrested for stealing 53 sovereign jewellery, Rs 16 lakh from 85-yr-old employer

A 51-year-old domestic help was arrested for allegedly stealing gold jewellery and cash from her employer's house in Mylapore. The police recovered around 53 sovereigns of jewellery and Rs 15.5 lakh in cash from her.

The complainant, V Padma (85), a retired government official lives with her daughter on Karaneeswarar Koil 2nd Street in Mylapore. The arrested woman, Manimekalai of Mandaveli, has been working as a domestic help at her house for the past 15 years.

On Wednesday, Manimekalai allegedly stole a box containing the cash and gold jewellery from the house. Based on Padma's complaint, the Mylapore police registered a case and began investigations.

A police team conducted a detailed inquiry at the spot and detained Manimekalai for questioning. Investigation revealed that she had access to all parts of the house and had stolen the box containing the cash and jewellery when the elderly woman was in another room.

After investigations, the police arrested Manimekalai and recovered the stolen valuables. She told the investigators that she stole the valuables to repay debts she had incurred. Officials said that she would be produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

15 school students injured in beetle attack in Kumbakonam

As many as 15 students from Kumbakonam were admitted to the GH after being stung by swarms of beetles on the premises of a government school on Thursday.

A swarm of beetles from a tree on the Government Girls Higher Secondary School premises in Tirunaraiyur stung students.

A few sustained injuries. On hearing them screaming, the teachers rescued them and rushed the injured to the Nachiyarkoil GH, where they underwent treatment till evening. Later, they were sent to their houses.

Based on the complaint by VAO Thiyagu, the police registered a case and conducted an inquiry. Meanwhile, the fire and rescue personnel removed the beetle nest from the particular tree.

Unemployed Kerala youth turns to smuggling, caught by Chennai Air Customs with 5 kg hydroponic ganja

A 27-year-old youth from Kerala, who was struggling to find a job after completing his graduation, turned to drug smuggling for an international ring, only to land in the Puzhal Central Prison after being nabbed by the Air Customs officials at the Chennai international airport for ferrying 5 kg of high-quality hydroponic ganja from Thailand via Kuala Lumpur.

The officials who were monitoring passengers arriving from Thailand via Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday became suspicious of the flyer who had returned to Chennai after visiting Thailand as a tourist. When questioned, he reportedly failed to cooperate properly with the officials. He was taken to the Customs office for further questioning, and his luggage was thoroughly checked.

During the search, officials found packets of processed food items in his luggage. Hidden between these packets were several other packets containing high-quality hydroponic ganja. A total of 5 kg of hydroponic ganja was seized from him.

Following this, the officials arrested the youth and seized the drugs. During further questioning, officials found that the young man was a graduate who had been unable to find a job. He had allegedly agreed to work as a drug courier for a smuggling gang. The arrested youth was produced before a court and remanded in Puzhal Prison.

The officials are now investigating further to find out the members of the smuggling ring who lured the youth.

Kumbakonam man held for illegal cracker manufacturing

Kumbakonam police on Thursday arrested a man on charges of illegally manufacturing and selling country crackers ahead of Deepavali.

Vijayapandian (37), a resident of Muppakovil in Kumbakonam, is a construction worker.

Acting on a tip-off that Vijayapandian has been illegally selling crackers to regular customers and making varieties of crackers for the past few weeks, the Kumbakonam East police conducted a surprise search in his house late Wednesday,

They seized 50 gunny bags full of country crackers and around 500 kgs of raw material from the house. The police registered a case and arrested Vijayapandian early Thursday.

Woman cop dies of cardiac arrest on way to work in Thanjavur

A woman head constable died of a sudden cardiac arrest while commuting from her home to work in Thanjavur on Thursday.

According to sources, S Muthu Nachiyar (39), a resident of Keezhavastha Chavadi in Thanjavur, was working as a head constable in Kallaperambur police station.

On Thursday, while Muthu Nachiyar was on her way to work, she suddenly suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed. Soon, the passersby rushed her to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital.

However, the doctors declared her dead upon arrival. She is survived by her husband, Sankar, an Armed Reserve personnel, a son and a daughter. 

Burglars plunder 10 sovereigns of gold from retired teacher's house in Tiruvarur

Miscreants decamped with 160 sovereigns of gold jewellery belonging to a retired teacher in Tiruvarur in the early hours of Thursday. The police have retrieved CCTV footage and are searching for unidentified persons.

The incident occurred when Govindaraj (65), a retired teacher, residing at Karuppukilar village in Tiruvarur, had gone to Bengaluru with his family members to give ‘Deepavali seer (gift)’ to one of his daughters. They had left on November 2 and returned on Thursday.

Upon returning home, they were shocked to see the front door of their house broken. Govindaraj found the almirah in one of the rooms damaged and 160 sovereign gold ornaments and cash of Rs 10,000 missing. The value of the gold ornaments was said to be around Rs 2 crore.

Soon, he passed on the information to the Kottur police, who registered a case. The information about the theft was also passed on to the Tiruvarur SP, V Satish Kumar. The SP, along with a police team, visited the spot and conducted an inquiry with the retired teacher Govindaraj.

Fingerprint experts were also deployed while the police retrieved CCTV footage near Govindaraj's house. Further investigation is on, and a search is under way for the culprits.

Class 10 boy severely injured after leaping off school building

A Class 10 boy leapt from the second floor of his school after exam invigilator found him exchanging papers during a model exam on Wednesday.

According to reports, CBSE students in Class 10 and 12 were now involved in preparing for model examinations. On Wednesday, while an examination was going on, a Class 10 boy reportedly exchanged his paper with a classmate, which was found by the invigilator. He was caught red-handed and the invigilator inquired with him.

While the invigilator was talking with him, the boy suddenly ran out of the classroom and jumped from the second floor of the school.

On impact, he sustained severe fractures in his hand and hip. The school authorities rushed to his rescue immediately and moved him to a private hospital. He is currently undergoing treatment.

The E-Pudhur police registered a case and are investigating.

DMK man hacked to death over financial dispute

A DMK functionary, identified as Lakshmanan, was hacked to death by a gang near Kodaikanal in Dindigul district.

Police suspect that a dispute over money between Lakshmanan and one Ajith of Meenatchipuram led to the murder. According to the initial information, the gang had first attacked Lakshmanan's son in an attempt to murder him.

However, he escaped and lodged a complaint with the police. The assailants subsequently targeted his father, Lakshmanan, and hacked him to death. Following the incident, police have launched a search for Ajith and other suspects who fled the scene.

Dindigul Superintendent of Police Jayakumar is conducting an intensive investigation into the murder.

14-yr-old boy succumbs to fever after falling unconscious in school

A Class 8 boy who fell unconscious on his school premises died after undergoing treatment in the hospital in Tiruchy on Wednesday.

Sources said that on October 31, S Mohammed Yasin (14), studying in a private school near Pullambadi in Tiruchy, fell unconscious on the school premises after vomiting. Soon, the school authorities took him to a private hospital for treatment. The boy reportedly developed a fever for a couple of days, and the temperature failed to subside.

He was shifted to another hospital at Kallakudi near Lalgudi, but his condition had worsened. The boy was shifted again to the Tiruchy Government Hospital to continue treatment. Unfortunately, the boy's treatment failed, and he succumbed.

Based on the complaint by Mohammed Yasin's father, Seit Mohammed, the Kallakudi police registered a case and are investigating. The police also conducted an inquiry at the school and with the doctors who treated him.

Man gets triple life term for wife's murder

Karur Mahila Fast Track Court on Wednesday awarded a triple life sentence to a man who murdered his wife over a domestic quarrel and burnt the body to destroy evidence.

On November 9, 2023, Sivakumar of Kulathupalayam quarrelled with his wife, Palaniammal, and later took her on a drive in their car to pacify her. Sivakumar later severely assaulted her, and she died on the spot. He then burned her body to destroy evidence.

After a few days, Palaniammal's parents lodged a missing person complaint with the Aravakurichi police. Subsequently, the police arrested Sivakumar following a probe.

The Mahila court judge Thangavel, who heard the case, awarded triple life term and a fine of Rs 10,000 to Sivakumar. He has been lodged in Tiruchy Central Prison.

History sheeter hacked to death in Madurai

A notorious history-sheeter was hacked to death by an unidentified gang near Samayanallur in Madurai district in the wee hours on Monday, police said.

The deceased, identified as Surya alias ‘Kuttisaku’, a resident of Sadachiamman Nagar in Samayanallur, had over 10 pending criminal cases against him, including charges of murder and assault. According to the police, the incident occurred when Surya was consuming alcohol at the old panchayat office complex located on the Madurai-Dindigul National

Highway around 2 am. An armed gang confronted him and attacked him with lethal weapons. His face was severely disfigured in the attack, and he died on the spot before the assailants fled the scene.

Upon receiving information, the Samayanallur police rushed to the site, recovered the body, and sent it to the Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Preliminary investigations suggest that prior enmity and retaliation could be the motive behind the murder.

The police have launched an intensive investigation and are currently on the lookout for the absconding gang members, officials added.

VCK man’s murder: DMK cadre among 5 held

Five people, including a DMK functionary, have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a VCK functionary at a petrol pump here, police said on Monday.

The Police apprehended all five suspects within six hours of the incident after reviewing CCTV footage from the fuel station. The deceased, Balamurugan (40), was a former VCK union secretary for Ottapidaram who ran a vegetable shop and worked as a van driver.

According to the police, the murder was the fallout of a dispute over the placement of flex banners on the Sottaiyan Thoppu main road. The fatal attack occurred around 6 am on Sunday. Balamurugan had gone to a fuel outlet on Sethupathi Road to refuel his two-wheeler when a five-member gang arriving on two motorcycles surrounded him. They hacked him with sickles, and he died on the spot.

The Thalamuthunagar police recovered the body and sent it to the Thoothukudi Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Based on a complaint filed by Balamurugan’s wife, Sudha, a case was registered at the Thalamuthunagar police station.

The incident triggered tension in the highly populated area. Hundreds of locals and relatives of the victim staged a road blockade on the Sottaiyan Thoppu main road, disrupting traffic and demanding immediate action against the killers. The protest was withdrawn after senior police officials held talks and assured them of swift arrests. Over 200 police personnel have been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure.

Woman smuggles 800g gold, held in Coimbatore airport

A woman passenger from Sharjah was arrested for smuggling 808.27 grams of gold, valued at around Rs 1.15 crore, at the Coimbatore International Airport on Monday. Acting on a tip-off, officials of the Customs Intelligence Unit intensified surveillance and screened over 200 passengers. During the checks, they found that the woman had concealed gold in paste form inside her garments. The officials recovered 808.27 grams of gold, valued at approximately Rs 1.15 crore, from her possession. The woman was detained, and the seized gold was confiscated. An investigation is ongoing to ascertain whether others were involved in the smuggling operation.

Ennore: Week after son's arrest in Pocso case, father held for similar offence

Days after his 32-year-old son was arrested for alleged sexual assault on a two-and-a-half-year-old girl child in Ennore, his 61-year-old father was arrested in a similar complaint.

The arrested person was identified as Desingh. He had allegedly behaved inappropriately with a 7-year-old girl in June, according to the police. The police said the two families had earlier tried to resolve the matter through a local community meeting, and no complaint was filed at that time.

The matter came to light again after the accused's son was taken into custody last week in a separate case registered under the Pocso Act concerning a toddler from the same locality.

Following the recent arrest of his son, the mother of the 7-year-old survivor approached the police and lodged a formal complaint. Based on her complaint, Ennore police registered a case and arrested Desingh on Saturday. He was produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.

Earlier, Desingh's son, Ranjithkumar, was arrested on October 26 after he allegedly lured a child to his house twice last week and had allegedly sexually abused her.

63-yr-old woman killed as tanker rams bike near Pallikaranai

A 63-year-old woman died on the spot, and her husband was injured after a private water tanker hit their two-wheeler from behind near Pallikaranai on Saturday.

The victim was identified as Indumathi (63) of Radha Nagar, Perumbakkam. She was riding pillion with her husband Balachandar (67).

According to the Pallikaranai Traffic Investigation Wing, the couple was heading home on Velachery Main Road when the tanker rammed their bike near Mayilai Balaji Nagar.

Due to the impact, both fell on the road. Indumathi was run over by the tanker and suffered fatal injuries. Balachandar escaped with minor injuries.

Residents rushed them to a nearby private hospital, where Indumathi was declared brought dead. The police sent the body to Tambaram Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. The police registered a case and arrested the driver, Chinnarasu (31) of Tiruvarur

5 held for circulating counterfeit notes in Vellore

The Vellore police arrested five people for circulating counterfeit currency notes.

Rafiq Ahmed (46) of Gudiyatham had paid for a Flipkart delivery using two counterfeit Rs 500 notes.

The delivery agent tipped off the police, and Rafiq was arrested. He told the police he acquired the notes from Zubair Ahmed (52), who in turn revealed that Gopal (47) and Kamaraj (48) were his suppliers.

The duo named Babu (65) as their supplier. Further probe revealed that Babu had been arrested in counterfeit currency cases in West Bengal around 10 years ago and had served a prison term.

Police have seized counterfeit currency notes worth Rs 1.50 lakh and are Babu's connections in West Bengal.

Chennai: 26-year-old Siddha medical student dies by suicide

A 26-year-old postgraduate Siddha medical student dies by suicide at the girls hostel of the National Institute of Siddha in Tambaram on Thursday. The deceased was identified as T Shenbagavalli, who was pursuing her third year of postgraduate Siddha medicine at the institute and was staying at the college hostel along with two other students.

Police said that Shenbagavalli was also preparing for central government recruitment examinations. The question papers were difficult, and she was worried about whether she would clear the exam and secure a government job.

READ FULL STORY HERE

12-year-old FSC detainee accused of sexually abusing infant in Tiruchy

 A 12-year-old Bangladeshi boy, lodged as an alleged illegal immigrant at the Foreigners Special Camp (FSC) in Tiruchy, has been accused of sexually abusing a one-year-old girl inside the facility.

Sources in the Centre said the incident occurred because the boy, who should have been housed in the men’s block, was instead allowed to stay with his mother in the women’s block. The child he allegedly abused belongs to another Bangladeshi family lodged in the women’s block, they said.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Thanjavur: 3-yr-old girl sexually abused; mother, lover held

Thanjavur police arrested a man for sexually abusing a three-year-old child.

The police also arrested the child’s mother for supporting the accused on Friday. Yogaraj (32), a collection agent in a finance firm in Kumbakonam, had an extramarital affair with a 24-year-old woman whose husband was said to be working abroad.

On October 26, Yogaraj, who went to the woman’s house, had reportedly sexually abused the woman's three-year-old child. Yogaraj had also bitten the baby in several places.

When neighbours inquired about it, the mother gave an evasive response. Based on the alert, the Natchiyarkoil police found that the child was sexually abused and arrested Yogaraj and the baby’s mother.

Tamil Nadu: 3 assault cop and HG personnel, held

A gang of three arrested for attacking a policeman and a home guard personnel after being warned against consuming alcohol in a public place in Ariyalur in the wee hours of Friday.

When Raja Kannan (37), a policeman from Thalavai station near Sendurai, along with home guard personnel Venkatesan (47), were on routine patrol in the late hours of Thursday, a gang of three were consuming alcohol at a shed along the main road.

Both personnel urged them to leave the spot immediately. However, they picked up a quarrel and hurled abusive words at the personnel.

Soon, the police constable Raja Kannan contacted the Thalavai police station and passed on the information. Suddenly, the trio attacked the duo and escaped.

However, the police secured the trio, identified as Mathivanan, Thamaraikannan and Elamparithi, all from Silappanur village.

Tiruchy: 3 held in separate ganja peddling cases

Three persons, including a woman, were arrested for peddling ganja across Tiruchy City.

Based on a tip-off, the City Commissioner of Police Rupesh Kumar Meena ordered an elaborate raid across the city.

When a team from E-Pudhur police were searching at Panjapur, they found one Pavithran (22) from Ramji Nagar selling ganja.

Soon, the police arrested him and seized ganja packs. Similarly, another team found Sakthivel (24) from Ramji Nagar selling ganja in Rettamalai and arrested him.

A 35-year-old woman selling ganja was arrested from a house in Ariyamangalam.

Jewellery dealer cheated of 7.3 kg gold; man arrested in Triplicane

A 30-year-old man was arrested for allegedly cheating a jewellery dealer of 7.30 kg of gold ornaments worth several crores of rupees in Triplicane.

The accused, Masook Jain of Vepery, was arrested by the Triplicane police on Wednesday and remanded in judicial custody.

According to the police, the complainant, Seerak (25), runs a jewellery shop and workshop on Irulappan Street in Sowcarpet. Jain had reportedly been collecting gold ornaments from him on a commission basis, claiming that he would sell them to jewellery shops operated by his contacts.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Chennai man, Bangladeshi mother-in-law held for serial robberies

Thanjavur police arrested a Chennai man and his Bangladeshi mother-in-law for stealing 30 sovereigns of gold jewellery from a house. The duo were habitual offenders involved in a series of theft cases across the state, targeting houses locked for a long period.

On October 23, K Karthi, who runs a finance firm at Pillayarpatti near Tiruvidaimaruthur in Thanjavur, returned home in the evening after work, and he found the front door of his house broken and 30 sovereigns, 250-gram silver articles and Rs 2.50 lakh cash were missing. A complaint was filed.

During a vehicle check, on suspicion, the police secured B Gunasekar (40) from Choolaimedu in Chennai and his mother-in-law Hannah Begam (59) from Bangladesh. The probe found that the duo had been involved in the robbery at Karthi's house, and valuables were recovered. The duo was lodged in prison.

Further investigation revealed that Gunasekaran had befriended Hannah Begum's daughter on social media and managed to go to Bangladesh illegally and married her. He returned with his mother-in-law and they targeted several locked houses in a similar manner in Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Tiruchy.

Villupuram man strangles 14-year-old daughter to death for having a relationship

A 14-year-old Class 10 student was allegedly strangled to death by her father following an argument over her relationship with a young man in Villupuram district's Vanur on Thursday night (October 29).

According to a Maalaimalar report, the accused, identified as Sivasastri (40), a lorry driver, later surrendered before the Vanur police and was arrested.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Poverty drives Panruti woman to sell newborn boy for Rs 4.5 lakh; auto driver arrested

A three-day-old baby boy allegedly sold for Rs 4.5 lakh by his mother, who was struggling with poverty, was rescued by the police from a woman in Tiruchy.

An auto driver, identified as Zafar Khan (41), who allegedly acted as a middleman in the transaction, has been arrested.

Fatima (30), from Thattanchavady near Panruti, gave birth to the boy at the Panruti Government Hospital on October 19. Already having two daughters and living separately from her husband, she reportedly struggled to raise the children.

Taking advantage of Fatima's financial difficulties, Zafar Khan, an auto driver from Panruti, allegedly persuaded her to sell the baby. Through him, the child was handed over to Renuka Devi of Tiruchy for Rs 4.5 lakh on October 22.

Zafar Khan allegedly took a major portion of the money, leaving Fatima with only a small amount. This led to a dispute between the two. Fatima later asked Renuka Devi to return the baby. However, Renuka Devi allegedly refused.

Fatima subsequently lodged a complaint at the Panruti police station on October 28. The police registered a case and formed a special team, which went to Tiruchy, rescued the baby from Renuka Devi and safely handed him over to Fatima. The police have arrested Zafar Khan in connection with the case.

Two arrested in separate Pocso cases in Ambattur, Guduvanchery

Two men were arrested and remanded in judicial custody on Thursday in separate cases involving the alleged sexual assault of minor girls in Ambattur and Guduvanchery.

In the first case, the Ambattur All-Women Police arrested Mohammad Rafeeq alias Sarphul Dewan (40), a native of Jharkhand, for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl who had gone to a mosque to attend Quran classes.

According to the complaint lodged by the girl’s father, the accused had assaulted the child while she was returning from the mosque after her classes. The girl later informed her parents, who approached the police.

In the second case, Kilambakkam All-Women Police arrested Manoharan (50), a financier, for sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl at her house near Guduvanchery in Chengalpattu. Police said Manoharan, a resident of Thailavaram, runs a small chit fund business.

On October 24, he visited the house, located two streets away from his residence, to collect money. The child was alone at the time, and he sexually assaulted her. Following a complaint from her parents, police registered a case, arrested Manoharan and produced him before a Chengalpattu court, which remanded him in judicial custody.

20-year-old son beats woman to death after quarrel in Dharmapuri

A 20-year-old construction worker, who was released on bail three days ago, beat his mother to death with an iron rod following a quarrel at their house in Dharmapuri district on Thursday night.

The police identified the accused as Devaraj of Old Indur village. Earlier on August 3, the Indur police had arrested him for creating a public nuisance while wearing a police cap and brandishing a knife. He had chased passers-by on the road and attempted to attack a man identified as Veeramani, according to the police. After a complaint, police arrested him and remanded him in judicial custody at Salem Central Prison. On October 28, he secured bail and returned home.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Villupuram man argues with wife, then throws six-year-old son into well; arrested

A 40-year-old man was arrested for allegedly throwing his six-year-old son into an agricultural well following an argument with his wife over money near Senji in Villupuram district.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the deceased boy, identified as Sanjay, was the couple's only son. His father, Selvaraj, allegedly threw him into a well behind the government hospital in the area after a prolonged argument with his wife, Devi, over the spending of borrowed money.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Two arrested for murdering 19-year-old, burying body near Pulicat

Two men from Cuddalore were arrested for murdering a 19-year-old youth at Thirupalaivanam near Ponneri and burying his body on Sathankuppam beach near Pulicat. The arrested men were identified as G Dinesh (23) and S Devarasu (18), both from Siruvathur village in Cuddalore.

The body was exhumed on Friday following their confession, police said. The deceased, Prashanth (19), was working as a tile layer along with his maternal uncle Ramesh in Cuddalore. He is the son of Ezhilarasi, a domestic help working at actor Radhika Sarathkumar’s house in Chennai.

On October 27, Prashanth informed his uncle that he was travelling to Chennai to meet his mother. The following day he went missing. Based on a complaint lodged by Ramesh, Cuddalore police registered a missing person case and launched an investigation.

During the probe, police found that Prashanth was in a relationship with Devarasu’s wife. During interrogation, the accused confessed to assaulting Prashanth to death at Thirupalaivanam before burying his body at Sathankuppam beach near Pulicat.

Following the confession, Cuddalore police, with the assistance of Thirupalaivanam police, exhumed the body on Friday. It was subsequently sent to the Ponneri GH for a postmortem examination.

Kancheepuram: Three, including school student, killed in accident

CHENNAI: Three people, including a school student, were killed and three other school students injured in two separate road accidents in Kancheepuram district on Wednesday night.

In the first incident, four school students — Sanjay (16), Joshua (15), Jaswanth (14) and Chandru (14) from Echur near Sriperumbudur — were travelling on a bike towards Panrutti near Sunguvarchatram on Wednesday night. 

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Rashly driven MTC bus kills woman on way to hospital near Puzhal

CHENNAI: A 49-year-old woman who was on her way to a hospital for a health check-up was killed in a road accident at Kathirvedu near Puzhal on Wednesday after a rashly driven MTC bus hit the two-wheeler she was travelling on.

The deceased woman was identified as K Savithri, a resident of Sholavaram. On Wednesday, Savithri, along with her husband, Kumar, were on their way to a hospital, police said.

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22-yr jail for kidnap, assault of minor

CHENNAI: The Tiruvallur Pocso court on Wednesday sentenced a 22-year-old man to 22 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2018. Police said that the incident occurred on Dec 28, 2018.

The accused, Peter (aged 21 at the time) lured a 13-year-old girl on the pretext of marrying her and sexually assaulted her. Based on a complaint from the victim’s mother, a case was registered at the All Women Police Station, and the accused was arrested and remanded. After investigation, a charge sheet was filed before the Pocso Court.

Retired Warden killed inside CSI school in Sivaganga

A woman was murdered by unidentified persons who allegedly broke into her house inside the premises of the CSI School in Manamadurai, Sivaganga district, on Thursday evening. Vasantha Mallika, wife of Easwaran, was killed, and the assailant snatched the jewellery she was wearing before fleeing the scene. The incident occurred while the school was functioning. The deceased had worked as a warden at the school. The incident came to light only after her husband found her dead upon his return home. Sivaganga Superintendent of Police Abhishek Gupta inspected the spot. Further probe is under way.

5-member armed gang robs car dealer of Rs 1 crore in Erode

A five-member armed gang robbed a used-car dealer of Rs one crore at knifepoint near Perundurai in Erode on Thursday.

The police said Arun Kumar (55) of Rajendra Prasad Street in Perundurai was engaged in the used-car business and was also overseeing the construction of a temple on a 55-cent plot on Kanjikovil Road through receiving donations.

The police said a businessman from Tirupur had donated Rs one crore towards the temple's construction. On learning about the cash, some unidentified persons contacted Arun Kumar over the phone and offered to give him Rs 1.15 crore through online transfer in exchange for Rs one crore in cash.

Tempted by the prospect of making an additional Rs 15 lakh, Arun agreed to the deal and asked them to come to Perundurai. “Arun Kumar was counting the cash using a currency-counting machine at a house on Kanjikovil Road when five men arrived armed with knives and iron pipes on Thursday. When he attempted to raise an alarm, the gang threatened to stab him to death. The assailants then fled with the Rs one crore kept in a suitcase,” the police said.

Following the robbery, Arun Kumar lodged a complaint with the Perundurai police, who registered a case and special teams have launched a search for the accused.

Theni jailbreak: Last four inmates nabbed, all 17 back in custody

The police on Wednesday recaptured four more inmates, bringing all 17 inmates who escaped from the Theni District Jail on Monday night after assaulting three prison staff back into custody. The inmates had pretended that one of them was suffering from an epileptic seizure to trap the guards and carry out their escape plan.

On Wednesday morning, around 100 police personnel intensified their search in the Amachiyapuram hills to trace four inmates: Rejin from Kanyakumari, and Tirupathi, Meenatchisundram and Ponmuthuselvam from Madurai.

The police team recaptured Rejin and Ponmuthuselvam from the hills. The other two, Tirupathi and Meenatchisundram, who are brothers, allegedly fled after learning that police had entered the area where they were hiding. They allegedly assaulted a motorist who was passing by on a motorcycle, seized his bike and escaped, a police source said.

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Trio snatches gold chain from home alone woman

An unidentified trio robbed a home alone woman of a 2.5-sovereign gold chain in Tiruchy on Wednesday after gaining entry into the house and locking it from inside.

The victim, a 41-year-old woman, lived alone in KK Nagar and works as a domestic helper. On Monday evening, while the woman was cooking, three unidentified persons had reportedly gained entry into the house and locked the doors from inside.

On seeing them, the woman raised an alarm, but one of them gagged her. They snatched her 2.5-sovereign gold chain and fled. She immediately ran out of the house, raising an alarm, but the trio had escaped. She lodged a complaint with the KK Nagar police, who registered a case and are searching for the culprits.

Thanjavur ganja peddler nabbed in Ariyalur

A notorious peddler from Thanjavur was arrested in Ariyalur while attempting to smuggle ganja from Odisha on Wednesday evening.

A police team led by Jayankondam inspector Balaji conducted a vehicle check following a tip-off and suspected a youth, who fled. After a chase, the man was caught and identified as R Shanmuga Ganapathi (29) of East Street, Thanjavur.

They found 6 kg of ganja concealed in his belongings and arrested him. Further probe revealed that the accused sold to regular customers in the neighbouring districts and procured the contraband from Odisha. He faces several pending cases in Thanjavur.

Two murdered in Otteri, Avadi

Two people were murdered in separate incidents in Chennai and Avadi on Tuesday night. In one incident in Otteri, an elderly man was beaten to death after an argument with a neighbour.

The deceased has been identified as S Ponnurangam (69), a resident of Rettaimalai Srinivasan Street in Otteri. Police said there was an existing enmity between Ponnurangam’s family and the family of his neighbour, Subramani.

A few days ago, Ponnurangam’s daughter-in-law was cleaning the entrance of their house when Subramani’s sons – Sathish (27) and Santhosh (25) – allegedly spat near the spot, which triggered an argument between the two families. On Tuesday night, an argument broke out between Ponnurangam’s son Kandhan and Sathish and Santhosh.

Hearing the commotion, Ponnurangam came out of the house and reprimanded the brothers after which they attacked him and pushed him to the ground. Ponnurangam was severely injured, and collapsed after which he was rescued and rushed him to the Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital.

Doctors who examined him declared him brought dead. The Otteri police have registered a case and are searching for the duo, who fled after the incident.

In another incident in Thirumullaivoyal in Avadi city police limits, a 30-year-old man was hacked to death by his friend during a drinking session in the victim’s house on Tuesday night. The deceased was identified as Gokul.

Police said that Gokul and the accused, Rajesh (25) lived in the same neighbourhood and would argue often. On Tuesday, Rajesh made fun of Gokul, which had infuriated him and both of them argued and left.

The same night, the duo gathered again for a drink when Gokul questioned Rajesh about his comments and took a knife from the kitchen and attempted to attack him. Rajesh dodged the attacks, managed to retrieve the weapon from Gokul and stabbed him to death. On information, Thirumullaivoyal Police arrested Rajesh.

Man arrested for kidnap, murder of a Chennai woman

A 45-year-old man was arrested for kidnapping and murdering a woman from Aminjikarai and dumping her body in a farm well in Sirunagalur village near Melmaruvathur in Chengalpattu district.

Police said the murdered woman had failed to repay the loan which she had borrowed from him. The deceased was identified as Manimegalai (41), wife of Gurunathan, and a resident of Aminjikarai in Chennai.

Two days ago, the body of an unidentified woman with a slit throat was found in a private farm well in Sirunagalur village near Melmaruvathur. The Melmaruvathur police recovered the body and sent it to the Chengalpattu GH for a postmortem.

During the investigation, the police found that Manimegalai had borrowed money at interest from Jani Anbu Das (45), a resident of Egmore. He had allegedly threatened to kidnap her when she failed to repay the loan.

A special police team from Melmaruvathur detained Das for questioning. During interrogation, he confessed to kidnapping Manimegalai and murdering her by slitting her throat over the unpaid debt. Police said that the accused also allegedly removed the gold earrings and silver anklets worn by the woman, along with her mobile phone, before dumping her body in the farm well and escaping from the spot.

Following that, the Melmaruvathur police arrested Das for the murder, and he was remanded to judicial custody and sent to Puzhal prison.

Kanniyakumari: Four arrested for murdering panchayat staffer after he refused to steal lotuses from ponds

Four people, including Cyrus (32), have been arrested for allegedly murdering Kavin (27), a temporary electrician with the Alagappapuram Panchayat, after he refused to help them steal lotus flowers from local ponds, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

According to the police, Cyrus, a resident of Alagappapuram, had been illegally cultivating lotus flowers in ponds in the area. He allegedly asked Kavin, who hailed from Achankulam near Kottaram, to switch off the lights to facilitate the theft. Kavin’s refusal reportedly led to a dispute, following which Cyrus allegedly plotted to kill him.

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Man hacked to death by friend following argument in Thoothukudi market

A man was allegedly hacked to death with an axe by his friend following an argument at a daily market in Tittangulam near Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi district in the early hours of Tuesday (October 27).

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the deceased, identified as Kaliraj, was employed as a load lifter at a private daily market in the area. According to the available information, Kaliraj and his friends were talking at the market premises when a light-hearted exchange of jokes and teasing reportedly escalated into an argument. One of his friends, identified as Ayodhya, allegedly attacked him with an axe, killing him on the spot.

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Newborn rescued from pvt clinic toilet succumbs, cops mull altering case to murder

A newborn girl rescued from a private clinic's toilet succumbed on Tuesday. Police are contemplating altering the case based on postmortem findings.

A 19-year-old girl who was in a relationship with a lorry driver went to a private clinic on October 24 after experiencing labour pains. Despite her parents' knowledge of her pregnancy, she went alone.

She told the clinic staff that she had diarrhoea and locked herself in the toilet for nearly two hours. When the staff checked in on her, they found she had given birth there and shifted both of them to Government Stanley Hospital.

The girl is undergoing treatment; however, the newborn succumbed and was taken for autopsy. The reports indicated injuries, following which officials are considering altering the case to murder. The girl has not been arrested yet. The lorry driver has married another woman. Further probe is ongoing.

Woman arrested for allegedly setting husband on fire after domestic quarrel in Virudhunagar

VIRUDHUNAGAR: A 35-year-old construction worker, Shankar Guru, died after his wife, Sankareswari, allegedly poured kerosene on him and set him on fire following a domestic quarrel at their house in VVR Colony in Allampatti, Virudhunagar, in the early hours of Tuesday.

According to police, Shankar Guru frequently returned home intoxicated and quarrelled with his wife. The couple had divorced in 2022 but later reunited and resumed living together.

On Monday night, Shankar Guru returned home after consuming alcohol and picked up a quarrel with Sankareswari in the early hours of Tuesday. In a fit of anger, Sankareswari allegedly poured kerosene on her husband and set him on fire, said the police source. She subsequently surrendered at the nearby Virudhunagar East police station.

The police recovered Shankar Guru's body and sent it to the Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Virudhunagar SP Gautham Goyal conducted an inquiry.

History sheeter hacked to death in Indira Nagar

Chennai: A 22-year-old history sheeter was murdered in broad daylight in Adyar's Indira Nagar on Tuesday. The police identified the victim as Maithreyan, originally from Mylapore and currently residing in Tiruvanmiyur.

According to officials, Maithreyan was listed as a C-category history sheeter with multiple criminal cases. Last week, he had secured bail in a case with a condition to report at Mylapore police station every day. Around 11 am on Tuesday, he was returning from the station in his autorickshaw when he was intercepted by a gang.

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Missing 7-year-old found dead in Madurai's abandoned house

A seven-year-old boy who went missing while playing near his house at Thaniyamangalam near Melur in Madurai district yesterday was found dead in an abandoned house nearby on Monday.

The deceased, Muthuchelvan, a Class 3 student, had left home around 11 am on Sunday to play and did not return. His relatives and villagers searched for him with police assistance. Police recovered the body and sent it to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai for a post-mortem examination. Senior police officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.

College student killed in clash over wastewater

A 20-year-old college student was hacked to death on Sunday night following a clash between two families over wastewater flowing in front of their houses at Alwarkarkulam near Srivaikuntam in Thoothukudi district.

The deceased, Isakkiraja, son of Mariappan, was a second-year student at an arts and science college near Srivaikuntam. The families of Mariappan and Sundararajan had reportedly been at loggerheads for a long time over the issue, the police said.

During an argument on Sunday night, both parties took to weapons and Isakkiraja was killed during the clash. The police have booked over 10 people in the issue.

Man held after pregnant wife dies by suicide in Otteri

Police have arrested a man on charges of abetment to suicide after the death of his pregnant wife in Otteri. The arrested man was identified as Santhosh (29), who worked in a mobile phone accessories shop.

Santhosh had married Kokila (26) on March 6 this year after being in a relationship with her. The couple lived in a rented house in Pudhu Vazhai Nagar.

Police said differences had developed between them within months of their marriage and the duo had frequent arguments. The couple had an argument on Saturday too after which Santhosh left the house. Kokila had video-called Santhosh on Saturday night and threatened to kill herself.

When Santhosh reached the house, he found her unconscious and rushed her to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. Doctors declared her brought dead after which Otteri Police rescued her and sent the body for a postmortem. 

Meanwhile, Kokila’s family filed a complaint alleging that she had been subjected to dowry harassment by Santhosh’s family and protested demanding his arrest.

After investigations, police arrested Santhosh. As the couple had been married for less than a year, the police have recommended an RDO inquiry.

Man held for sexual assault of toddler in Ennore

Avadi City Police on Monday arrested a 32-year-old man for sexually assaulting a two-and-half-year-old girl child in Ennore. The arrested person was identified as D Ranjithkumar, a fisherman, a neighbour of the victim.

Police said that he was separated from his wife and lives alone, and that he had lured the child to his house twice last week and had sexually abused her.

The child’s parents, who noticed injuries on her body, took her to the Institute of Child Health in Egmore. The incident came to light on October 23, when doctors examining the child suspected sexual abuse and alerted the authorities. 

Based on the information received from the hospital and a complaint filed by the child’s mother, the Ennore All Women Police Station registered a case and launched an investigation on the same day. After investigations, Police arrested the accused under the Pocso Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences).

The child is undergoing treatment. The accused was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. 

Techie flees after running over sleeping senior citizen in Chengalpattu; nabbed

An elderly man was killed after a techie who was reversing his car from a marriage hall reportedly ran over him, unmindful of the man sleeping on the roadside in Chengalpattu on Saturday.

Visuals showed the victim's friend sitting beside the body, holding an umbrella over it to protect it from the rain while they waited for an ambulance to arrive.

The deceased was identified as Kumar (77), who lived in a thatched hut in the neighbourhood. According to local residents, Kumar was sleeping along the roadside when a car reversing from a nearby marriage hall ran over him, killing him on the spot.

Police sources said the techie, who was behind the wheel, got down to check on the man but drove off upon seeing a mob gathering at the scene, as his wife and child were inside the vehicle.

The elderly man was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Meanwhile, the Chengalpattu police traced the car using CCTV footage and arrested the driver, G Saravanan (43), an employee with a private IT firm.

Bizman held under Pocso in Tirunelveli

A 52-year-old real estate businessman was arrested under the Pocso Act at Panagudi in Tirunelveli district for allegedly sexually harassing a six-year-old girl on Sunday.

According to police the accused was found committing the sexual offence after examining the CCTV footage. The accused was sitting in front of a church in the area on the night of October 23 when the girl walked alone on the road, said the police, adding that he allegedly called her over and sexually abused her.

The girl went home crying and told her parents, who lodged a complaint. The police registered a case under the Pocso Act and arrested him.

Special Sub-Inspector transferred to Armed Reserve on bribe charges

Tirunelveli District Superintendent of Police Viswesh Sastri on Saturday transferred a Special Sub-Inspector attached to the Seethaparpanallur police station to the Armed Reserve following a complaint that he accepted a bribe in a sand smuggling case.

According to the police, Special Sub-Inspector Muthupandi (54) is alleged to have received Rs 5,000 from the owner of a lorry linked to a sand smuggling case under investigation.

The money was reportedly transferred through his wife's GPay account.

Guest worker killed over card game in Chennai

A 26-year-old guest worker from Nepal was murdered after an argument during a card game in Perungudi on Saturday. Thoraipakkam police have registered a murder case and launched a search for the absconding suspect.

The victim has been identified as Ganeshkumar, who had been employed at a metal fabrication unit in Perungudi and was staying with his brother-in-law Umesh. The police said the suspect, Saurav (25), also a Nepali national, was working at a private eatery. Ganeshkumar and Umesh had gone to Saurav's house on Friday night. During a card game, a heated exchange between Ganeshkumar and Saurav turned into a physical confrontation. Saurav attacked Ganeshkumar with a knife.

Chennai: Woman dies after pushed to floor while rescuing son

A 62-year-old woman died after she was pushed to the floor while trying to rescue her son, who was being attacked by a group of men during a family dispute in Perungalathur. The deceased, Naseema Bee (62), was the mother of Vasivudeen (43), a resident of Kamarajar Street in Perungalathur.

Vasivudeen lives with his wife, Naseema (40). Police said an argument broke out between Vasivudeen and his wife on Wednesday.

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Kancheepuram silk showroom owners arrested in Rs 20 crore fraud case

Two owners of a popular silk saree showroom in Kancheepuram have been arrested by the Kancheepuram District Crime Branch police in connection with an alleged Rs 20 crore fraud involving wholesale saree suppliers from Rajasthan, Chennai and Salem.

Krishnamoorthy (52) and Sathish (50), both residents of George Town in Chennai, jointly operated Murugan and Kalikambal Silks, located near Rangasamy Kulam in Kancheepuram.

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Sathankulam man kills teen lover’s mother for opposing relationship

A 23-year-old man launched a sickle attack on a couple in their house, killing the woman and injuring the man and their minor son, and kidnapped her two minor daughters, at Mudalur near Sathankulam early on Friday. The girls were rescued shortly and the man, Gnanaprakash of Anandapuram, was apprehended by the Thoothukudi police after the girls shared their live location with them via WhatsApp.

The father Muthukrishnan (50) and son Pleasant Raja (12) sustained grievous injuries and are in the intensive care unit of the Government Super Specialty Hospital in Tirunelveli. Muthukrishnan’s condition is said to be critical.

2 lorry drivers confess to murder of coworker in Tiruvallur

Two lorry drivers allegedly confessed to murdering their colleague following a drunken quarrel and burying his body in an isolated spot near Alamathi in Tiruvallur district, police said. The police are scheduled to exhume the remains on Saturday in the presence of a Tahsildar.

The deceased, M Gokul (27), a native of Kanniyakumari district, worked as a lorry driver for a private transport company in Alamathi. His younger brother, Rahul, lodged a complaint with Sholavaram police stating that Gokul had been missing since October 7.

Following the complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation. They examined CCTV footage from the Alamathi area and identified two suspects, Ayyappan (18), and Sathish (33), who worked as lorry drivers.

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According to reports, one litre of petrol is being sold at Rs 107.77, while diesel costs Rs 99.55 per litre in Chennai on Friday.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The increase took cumulative hikes since May 15 to nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

Until May, fuel prices had largely remained unchanged since April 2022, except for a Rs 2 per litre reduction announced in March 2024 ahead of the national elections.

Why have fuel prices been increased?

Global crude oil prices had surged more than 50 per cent since late February following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.

State-run retailers had delayed passing on higher input costs for weeks, a move the government said was intended to shield consumers from inflation. Opposition parties, however, accused the administration of holding back price increases until after key state elections.

The May 15 increase came after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expanded its electoral footprint by winning three of five state and UT elections, including West Bengal.

Retail fuel prices were first raised by Rs 3 per litre on May 15, followed by a 90-paise increase on May 19 and another hike on May 23, when petrol prices rose by 87 paise and diesel by 91 paise per litre.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The cumulative increase since May 15 stands at nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

The increase varies across cities due to differences in local taxes.

Petrol rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

November 05 - Rs 107.77

November 04 - Rs 107.77

November 03 - Rs 107.77

November 02 - Rs 107.77

November 01 - Rs 107.77

Diesel rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

November 05 - Rs 99.55

November 04 - Rs 99.55

November 03 - Rs 99.55

November 02 - Rs 99.55

November 01 - Rs 99.55

While political career in Los Angeles began with community activism, her engagement with urban issues and the relationship between citizens and local governments brought her to India. In 2010, she co-founded Transparent Chennai, an initiative focused on urban poverty and challenges faced by the marginalised.

Nithya comes from a Malayali family with roots in Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur. Her father R Venkatraman worked with Keltron before relocating to the United States, and her mother Sudha worked with Indian Overseas Bank.

Nithya moved to the US with her family when she was six.

She studied political science at Harvard University and completed a master's degree in urban planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She subsequently came to Chennai and founded the civic research initiative Transparent Chennai, under the Centre for Development Finance at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR).

The initiative sought to make information about the city's civic infrastructure accessible to residents and use it to hold public authorities accountable.

In 2011, nearly 100 volunteers were mobilised to survey ward 176, covering parts of Adyar and Besant Nagar. They mapped garbage accumulation, public toilets and pedestrian infrastructure. Transparent Chennai also worked in Kalyanapuram, a settlement along the Cooum, where residents faced irregular garbage collection and inadequate sanitation. The team documented overflowing garbage, poorly maintained toilets and road deficiencies. Following meetings involving residents and the local councillor, improvements were made to toilet facilities, drainage and roads.

In 2015, she was associated as an adviser with the Transparent Cities Network, which published Eviction Mapping: Uncovering Chennai's Invisible Injustice. The study documented 63 evictions between 2005 and 2015, affecting an estimated 30,293 families, and highlighted the absence of a comprehensive official record of displacement.

She eventually moved to Los Angeles in 2013 and continued her community work among the homeless. She worked with the city's administrative officer, gaining experience in municipal administration and public spending.

Nithya entered electoral politics in 2020, contesting the Los Angeles City Council election. She became the first South Asian and the first Asian-American woman elected to the council and won a second term in 2024.

Raman has often been compared to New York City politicians Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The duo were secured based on a complaint from Madhankumar (27), native of Kallakurichi living in the city. On Wednesday night, the complainant who was waiting for a Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus to travel to Tambaram from Mogappair had asked the duo for directions.

They offered to drop him at Tambaram in their two wheeler.

Madhankumar obliged and travelled as a pillion rider. After riding towards the Maduravoyal bypass road, the men stopped near Adaiyalampattu in Vanagaram and demanded his valuables. When he refused, they allegedly assaulted him and snatched his mobile phone before fleeing.

Based on Madhankumar’s complaint, Vanagaram police registered a case and began an investigation. The police identified the suspects as Vignesh (20) of West Mogappair, and a 17-year-old boy.

Special teams traced and arrested them at separate locations in the city on Thursday.

While being taken to the police station for further enquiry, the minor pushed the policeman accompanying him and escaped from the vehicle.

Police personnel have launched a search for the absconding boy.

The move was in sync with the state's policy decision to remove such structures hindering public, the official said.

YSRCP followers had put up cutouts welcoming Reddy and Vijay for a family wedding of the former Andhra CM.

Supporters had erected large cutouts of the two leaders near the wedding venue. However, Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) workers moved quickly to clear them because they directly violated the strict laws regulating public spaces.

"Also, coinciding with the northeast monsoon, the GCC has actively deployed workers to remove dangerous hoarding frames and public banners across the city zones," the official added.

Later in the evening, Chief Minister Vijay attended the grand wedding reception of Y S Anil Reddy's daughter (Shreya) at a private hotel here. Anil is Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's cousin.

The high-profile event brought together several notable figures.

Vijay arrived at the venue and was seen alongside Jagan Mohan Reddy and BRS Working President K T Rama Rao (KTR). Chief Minister Vijay was accompanied by his mother Shoba Chandrasekhar.

Visuals emerging from the venue showed CM Vijay in a brown suit and popular actress Trisha in a pink saree walking up to the stage and presenting bouquets and posing for photographs with the newly married couple, Shreya and Ujuval.

Industrialist Gautam Adani and several prominent political and business leaders too attended the grand wedding reception.

According to CMRL, the Green and Blue Lines together accounted for 1,02,40,136 passengers in October, while the 14.64-km Yellow Line, connecting Poonamallee Bypass with Vadapalani via Porur Junction, recorded 5,83,272 passengers. The Yellow Line comprises 11 elevated stations and has added a new travel corridor to the city's Metro network.

The month's highest single-day ridership was recorded on October 16, when 4,51,705 passengers travelled by Metro. The figures indicate sustained patronage across the existing network, along with growing usage of the newly introduced corridor.

The October ridership also marks a significant increase compared with the previous months. The Metro network had recorded 74.06 lakh passengers in June, followed by 1.06 crore in July, and 1.04 crore in August. The ridership stood at 1 crore in September before climbing to 1.08 crore in October. The latest figures show that the ridership has consistently remained above the one-crore mark for four consecutive months.

The Yellow Line was inaugurated on October 11 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Train services on the 15-km operational stretch, connecting 11 elevated stations, are currently available between 6 am and 9 pm in both directions.

The Singara Chennai National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) emerged as the most preferred ticketing option in October, accounting for 52.05 lakh passenger journeys. Single-journey paper QR tickets purchased at station counters accounted for 22.52 lakh journeys, while the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform recorded 13.95 lakh.

Among other digital ticketing options, WhatsApp ticketing through 83000 86000 recorded 4.74 lakh journeys, followed by the Chennai One app with 4.26 lakh, Paytm with 3.35 lakh and PhonePe with 1.76 lakh. Static QR tickets purchased at stations accounted for 2.20 lakh journeys, while online ticketing recorded 2.02 lakh. The Stored Value Pass (SVP) on the CMRL mobile application was used for 1.33 lakh journeys.

CMRL offers a 20 per cent fare discount for passengers using NCMC cards and digital QR ticketing options, including WhatsApp, Paytm, PhonePe and the digital SVP available on its mobile application. However, the discount does not apply to single-journey paper QR tickets purchased at ticket counters.

On the Yellow Line, the last train will depart at 11 pm, instead of the regular 9 pm.

The revised timings have been announced for November 5 and 6 in view of the expected increase in passenger traffic during the festive season.

According to CMRL, on Friday (November 6), evening peak-hour services on Green, Blue, and Yellow lines will commence at 4 pm, an hour earlier than the usual 5 pm, and continue until 9 pm, instead of 8 pm. On Thursday, evening peak-hour services on all three corridors were extended till 9 pm, instead of the usual 8 pm.

The extension of last train timings on Friday is expected to benefit passengers travelling across the city to reach bus terminals and railway stations to board services to their hometowns for the festival.

Held at DMDSC's Gopalapuram centre ahead of World Diabetes Day on November 14, the event featured the Dr V Mohan Diabetes Golden Jubilee Medal for Conquering Diabetes Awards and the Hinduja Foundation T1D Academic Excellence Awards.

The Golden Jubilee awards recognised individuals who continue to manage Type 2 diabetes after five decades, while the academic awards honoured students who excelled while managing Type 1 diabetes.

The awards were presented by Dr Mohan, chairman of DMDSC and MDRF; Dr Ashish Mendhi, programme director of the Hinduja Foundation; Dr RM Anjana, managing director of DMDSC and president of MDRF; and Dr Ranjit Unnikrishnan, vice-chairman of DMDSC.

"Living with Type 2 diabetes for more than 50 years and continuing to manage the condition is a remarkable achievement," said Dr Mohan, stressing the importance of appropriate treatment, regular monitoring and consistent diabetes management.

In his chief guest’s address, Dr Mendhi said children and young people with Type 1 diabetes deserved opportunities to learn, grow and realise their potential. Recognising their academic achievements, he said, encouraged them to pursue their aspirations while managing the condition.

The civic body has floated tenders for the short-term flood preparedness initiative. Under the project, GCC will station one professional-grade drone equipped with high-definition cameras alongside a qualified operating team of certified operators in every zone.

The drones will monitor low-lying and vulnerable locations, streaming real-time live video feeds directly to designated GCC command centres at both the zonal level and the Ripon Buildings headquarters.

The live transmission and archived aerial footage will allow civic officials to evaluate ground conditions in real time, assess waterlogging levels, and coordinate prompt relief operations. Operating teams will align daily flight schedules, deployment priorities, and specific flight locations with zonal officials. All live streams, flight logs, and recorded datasets will remain strictly confidential and secured for post-event analysis.

Speaking to DT Next, a senior GCC official said: "We have taken up this initiative as a pilot project. Based on its success, the operation will be expanded in subsequent phases. The drone units will be active during the monsoon period to end.”

After completion of the renovation work, the bungalow will be renamed Vettri Illam. The renovation includes the installation of modern security features and other facilities required for the Chief Minister's official functions.

Vijay inspected the bungalow to review the progress of the renovation work.

The decision to shift his camp office from Foreshore Estate to Raja Annamalaipuram was reportedly taken in view of the inconvenience caused to residents in the Foreshore Estate area whenever the Chief Minister stays at his residence there.

The parking of security vehicles and the movement of the Chief Minister's security convoy have reportedly caused difficulties for residents in the neighbourhood.

To address these concerns, the Chief Minister has decided to shift his camp office from Foreshore Estate to the renovated bungalow at Raja Annamalaipuram.

Hearing a petition filed by the NGO People for Cattle in India challenging the procedure followed for the transfer of captive elephants, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that all such transfers must strictly comply with statutory requirements and earlier directions.

Senior advocate Meenakshi Arora, appearing for the petitioner, said the environmental law framework governing inter-state movement of elephants envisages several stages of verification, clearances and consultations, a process that ordinarily requires a minimum of around 50 days.

The senior lawyer pointed out that the transfer request in the present case was made on September 4, while the elephant reached Chennai by September 13, covering a distance of nearly 3,000 km in nine days.

Arora said it was not possible to complete all the verifications and procedural requirements prescribed under the rules within such a short period.

She also submitted that the high court had merely directed the authorities to decide the pending application and had not ordered the elephant's transportation within any specified time frame.

Seeking interim protection, the counsel contended that the haste with which the clearances were granted raised serious questions about compliance with the statutory scheme.

The bench, however, observed that all the elephants in question had already been transferred and indicated that their return could not be ordered at this stage.

"If it was a hasty exercise and it was brought to our notice, we would have interdicted it," the CJI said, referring to earlier interventions by the top court concerning captive elephants.

The court had consistently insisted on verification of their identity and ownership, besides proper regulation of their transportation and treatment, the CJI said.

Referring to its earlier directions, the bench noted that the court had been concerned about the issue since around 2021 and had restrained the capture of wild elephants.

The senior lawyer sought permission to withdraw the petition with liberty to move an appropriate application in the ongoing proceedings, which the bench permitted.

The yellow metal is now priced at Rs 1,07,080 per sovereign and Rs 13,385 per gram, after an increase of Rs 285 per gram.

On Wednesday afternoon, November 4, gold was priced at Rs 1,04,800 per sovereign and Rs 13,100 per gram.

Silver prices remain unchanged

Meanwhile, silver prices remain unchanged at Rs 210 per gram (Rs 2,10,000 per kg) on November 5.

On November 4 afternoon, silver was also priced at Rs 210 per gram.

Gold rate today vs gold rate on this day, last year

Gold prices remain higher compared to the same day last year. On November 5, 2025, gold was priced at Rs 89,440 per sovereign (Rs 11,180 per gram). At today's rate (November 5, 2026) of Rs 1,07,080 per sovereign (Rs 13,385 per gram), the price has increased by Rs 17,640 per sovereign, or around 19.72 per cent.

Gold price (22-carat) over the last five days:

November 4, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,04,800 | 1 gram - Rs 13,100

November 3, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,02,400 | 1 gram - Rs 12,800

November 2, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,02,200 | 1 gram - Rs 12,775

October 31, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,01,840 | 1 gram - Rs 12,730

October 30, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,04,320 | 1 gram - Rs 13,040

Silver price over the last five days:

November 4, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 210

November 3, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 200

November 2, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 200

October 31, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 200

October 30, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 210

The start-up emerged as the only Indian company to qualify in a globally competed tender that initially attracted five participants, including established international defence and shipbuilding companies. Italy’s Fincantieri, Germany’s RENK and Spain’s Navantia were among the global players in the competition. Following technical and commercial evaluation, three companies qualified for the final stage, with AstraYAN emerging L1.

The development comes after the Defence Ministry signed contracts worth Rs 53,866.50 crore on November 2 for eight Next Generation Corvettes. GRSE will build five vessels under a contract worth approximately Rs 32,000 crore, while Goa Shipyard Limited will construct the remaining three.

The selection process, which spanned more than a year, involved technical evaluation by the Indian Navy, the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation, and the shipyards.

The assignment involves integrating the propulsion machinery, transmission architecture and control systems into a unified operating system. The corvettes will feature a Combined Diesel and Gas Turbine-Cross-Connect propulsion arrangement, combining diesel engines and gas turbines to meet varying operational requirements.

AstraYAN founder Amit Batra said, “Having sovereign control over the core design and technologies of a vessel is essential.” He noted that while India had developed considerable capabilities in warship construction, several critical technological components remained dependent on foreign suppliers. Indian start-ups, he said, could help bridge these gaps through sustained engagement with the Navy and shipbuilders.

The celebrations will feature the launch of ‘DakshinaChitra The Living Museum: The Journey of an Idea’, a book that traces the institution’s vision and history. The event will also open* two exhibitions: Heritage Trail, a photographic journey through three decades of DakshinaChitra’s evolution, and Crafting a Southern Canvas, which offers rare glimpses into the museum’s collections and archives.

The programme will begin at 4 pm with the inauguration of the Heritage Trail photographic exhibition by Olivier Ortiz, Executive Director, Alliance Française of Madras.

This will be followed by the launch of the book, DakshinaChitra – The Living Museum: The Journey of an Idea. Apart from this, there will be a live folk performance by Gajendran and his troupe.

The celebrations will conclude with a guided tour of the museum grounds, allowing guests to explore DakshinaChitra and its three-decade-long journey of preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of South India.

According to reports, one litre of petrol is being sold at Rs 107.77, while diesel costs Rs 99.55 per litre in Chennai on Thursday.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The increase took cumulative hikes since May 15 to nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

Until May, fuel prices had largely remained unchanged since April 2022, except for a Rs 2 per litre reduction announced in March 2024 ahead of the national elections.

Why have fuel prices been increased?

Global crude oil prices had surged more than 50 per cent since late February following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.

State-run retailers had delayed passing on higher input costs for weeks, a move the government said was intended to shield consumers from inflation. Opposition parties, however, accused the administration of holding back price increases until after key state elections.

The May 15 increase came after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expanded its electoral footprint by winning three of five state and UT elections, including West Bengal.

Retail fuel prices were first raised by Rs 3 per litre on May 15, followed by a 90-paise increase on May 19 and another hike on May 23, when petrol prices rose by 87 paise and diesel by 91 paise per litre.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The cumulative increase since May 15 stands at nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

The increase varies across cities due to differences in local taxes.

Petrol rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

November 04 - Rs 107.77

November 03 - Rs 107.77

November 02 - Rs 107.77

November 01 - Rs 107.77

October 31 - Rs 107.77

Diesel rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

November 04 - Rs 99.55

November 03 - Rs 99.55

November 02 - Rs 99.55

November 01 - Rs 99.55

October 31 - Rs 99.55

As part of the trial, DigiYatra verification is being tested for passengers travelling to Dubai and Colombo on Indigo Airlines. It will gradually be extended to additional international flights and other airlines.

DigiYatra has been in operation at Chennai airport for domestic departures since April 2024. Under this system, passengers can complete entry verification digitally, reducing the time required to enter the airport. As the facility was available only for domestic passengers, there were continuous requests from travellers flying abroad to extend the service to the international terminal as well.

Following their requests, the Airports Authority of India initiated the DigiYatra international passenger trials from November 1. The trial will continue till December 31.

During the initial phase, the facility is being tested for Indigo flights operating from Chennai to Dubai and Colombo. It will gradually be extended to additional international flights and other airlines.

International passengers who wish to use the facility must create a valid digital identity through the DigiYatra mobile application using their e-passport. Then, the e-passport will be scanned, and the electronic chip information embedded in the passport will be verified using a smartphone.

The digital identity generated through this process will be stored in the DigiYatra digital wallet on the passenger's smartphone. To assist passengers with registration and explain how to use the facility, airport authorities are planning to deploy support personnel called Digi Buddies.

However, DigiYatra’s introduction will not replace the mandatory document verification procedures carried out by airlines or the formalities conducted by immigration officials. These procedures will continue as usual for international passengers.

The Chennai airport already has a fast-track immigration system for international passengers, enabling eligible travellers to complete immigration checks quickly without long waiting periods.

Airport officials said the new digital facility is expected to make the overall departure process smoother and reduce waiting time for international passengers travelling from Chennai.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had announced in the Assembly that the plant would be established at an estimated cost of Rs 4,800 crore to augment drinking water supply to north Chennai, Avadi, Ponneri, and Minjur.

CMWSSB currently supplies around 1,240 MLD of water for domestic consumption and industrial use. More than 75% of its supply is sourced from six reservoirs, including Red Hills, Poondi, Chembarambakkam, and Veeranam, while the rest comes from other sources, including desalination plants.

The city currently has two operational desalination plants at Nemmeli on East Coast Road, with a combined capacity of 260 MLD. A 100 MLD desalination plant at Minjur is undergoing repairs, while another 400 MLD plant is under construction at Perur.

The proposed Minjur plant is expected to strengthen Chennai's water security by augmenting supply and reducing dependence on reservoir storage, particularly during periods of poor monsoon rainfall.

With the completion of the ongoing and proposed projects, Chennai's total desalination capacity will increase to 1,160 MLD.

The project, undertaken by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) based on technical advice from experts at IIT Madras, was launched in June 2025.

The work was supposed to be completed by December 2025, ensuring that rainwater that would accumulate inside the airport could be channelled directly into the Adyar River. But, only 2.3 km of the proposed 4.3-km drainage has been completed, while work on the remaining 2 km is still in progress.

Every monsoon, heavy rainwater flowing from the Tirusulam Hills, GST Road and surrounding areas of Meenambakkam enters the airport. Water accumulates around aircraft parking bays and runway areas, disrupting flight operations. At times during intense rainfall, flights have been delayed, diverted or cancelled, and the airport has faced temporary closures.

The delay in completing the SWD project has raised questions over whether similar disruptions could occur this year. On October 17, around two hours of heavy rain affected nearly 20 flight services at the airport.

One flight that could not land in Chennai was diverted to Hyderabad. Rainwater also flooded the arrival terminal’s portico, leaving passengers struggling to reach vehicles after exiting the terminal.

With November and December witnessing intense rainfall and the possibility of cyclones, concerns remain over the airport’s preparedness.

Airport officials, however, have assured that major disruptions are unlikely this monsoon. “Measures have been taken to prevent waterlogging around critical operational areas. The present situation is different from the floods of 2015, when heavy rainfall and the large-scale release of water from Chembarambakkam reservoir led to severe flooding along the Adyar River,” one of the officials clarified. “Also, the Adyar River has since been desilted and deepened to improve its capacity to carry floodwater. The project has encountered technical and operational challenges related to aviation safety and security.”

The airport has two runways, and restrictions apply to structures and equipment operating close to them. Sections of the proposed drainage channel came within 100-110 metres of a runway, creating complications because of the applicable safety requirements. The alignment had to be modified to address the issue.

The installation of concrete slabs over the drainage channel has also posed difficulties. The slabs need to be transported to the site and lifted into position using cranes, but crane operations near runways are subject to aviation safety restrictions. Officials further said that clearance from defence authorities was required for work in certain areas, contributing to additional delays.

When contacted, an AAI official at the airport said, “The existing drainage is capable of handling the rainwater. The situation was different last week, the rain was extreme so there was waterlogging in a few areas. The IIT drainage project is under way, and once it’s completed there will be no waterlogging even for very extreme rains. This year flight operations will not face major disruptions during rains.”

Responding to the report, officials and workers from the State Highways Department (Tiruvallur Division) inspected the site and began repair work to cover the dangerous gaps along the pathway.

Explaining the cause, a senior Highways official said, “Telecommunication service providers periodically remove the footpath slabs to repair underground cables without prior permission at night. This uncoordinated work led to gaps between the slabs and some being damaged. We’ve now closed all gaps on the ROB footpath along Thirumazhisai–Uthukottai Road (SH-50).”

While welcoming the prompt action, residents urged authorities to complete the remaining maintenance work on the structure. K Baskar, a resident of Manavalanagar, stated: “Authorities must also take the effort to clear the dense creepers and overgrown bushes on the staircase on the other side of the ROB for pedestrian safety.”

Traders said that GCC officials had assured them that parking arrangements would be made as part of the pedestrian plaza project.

“We had asked for a parking space for two-wheelers belonging to shop owners, staff and customers. Officials assured us that designated parking would be provided under the plaza regulations. But nothing has materialised,” said R Mohamed Farook, secretary, Madras Washermenpet Cut Piece Cloth Merchants’ Association. “Officials recently informed us that a site near Anna Poonga has been identified for two-wheeler parking, but a final decision is yet to be taken.”

The MC Road and adjoining localities with nearly 2,000 shops is perennially overcrowded with pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Widening of footpaths on both sides has narrowed the carriageway, leaving little space for vehicles moving in opposite directions. Autorickshaws, two-wheelers and cars frequently cause traffic bottlenecks, while customers have resorted to parking on the footpaths, undermining the project’s pedestrian-friendly objective.

Traders have urged the State government and GCC to allocate funds and develop decentralised parking facilities at the northern, central and southern ends of the road. “A single parking facility at one end will be impractical for a commercial stretch of this length,” a trader told this reporter. “Land can be procured on a long-term lease, or bought from private properties to create adequate parking infrastructure.”

A senior Corporation official said that alternative sites were being explored but they faced resistance from users of Robinson Park. “We face opposition from people who use Robinson Park when we conduct ground inspections. We’re exploring other locations and need public support,” the official said.

Among the locations suggested by traders are vacant site on the BSNL office premises along MC Road, Kamaraj Park and its library, a portion of Robinson Park and vacant spaces within the Corporation office premises.

A Sham, a Royapuram resident, said, “We welcome the pedestrian plaza, but GCC should develop a multi-level parking facility to regulate haphazard parking on MC Road.”

Concurring with him was Royapuram MLA KV Vijay Damu, who piped in: “We do have some suggestions for a suitable parking space. We’ve proposed allotting a site near the compound wall of Robinson Park.”

GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran said that the Corporation would consult stakeholders and work towards a solution. “We’ll consult all stakeholders and find a solution to the parking issue on MC Road. The project works will be completed by the end of November,” he said.

The deceased, Anandraj of Vasudevan Nagar in Jafferkhanpet, was working as an engineer at a private software firm in Ramapuram. According to the police, he was involved in online trading and had borrowed money from banks, friends, and relatives to invest. However, he suffered heavy losses and accumulated debts of more than Rs 60 lakh, and had been under severe mental stress for the past few days.

On Sunday, his wife went to her mother's house along with their three children, leaving Anandraj alone at home. When she tried calling him on Monday evening, he did not answer. On her return, she found their house locked from outside and his mobile phone switched off. She then lodged a missing complaint at the MGR Nagar police station.

Meanwhile, Anandraj had left home and checked into a hotel in Chengalpattu at around 7.30 pm on Monday. As the room remained locked for a long time the next day, the hotel staff became suspicious and informed the Chengalpattu Town police. When the broke open the door, the police found Anandraj dead inside. His body was sent to Chengalpattu District Government Hospital for autopsy.

The police found a letter Anandraj wrote to his family, stating that he had borrowed money from banks, friends and relatives, and lost it all in online trading. He also apologised to his wife and family.

Chengalpattu Town police have registered a case and are conducting further investigations.

EIR-22, one of the world’s oldest working steam locomotives, was flagged off from Egmore by SR general manager U Subba Rao, additional general manager Vipin Kumar and Chennai divisional railway manager Shailendra Singh. Officials travelled on the locomotive and arrived at Royapuram for the event. 

Inaugurated on June 28, 1856, Royapuram station played a key role in the introduction of passenger train services in South India. The first passenger train from the station began its journey to Walajah Road on July 1, 1856. Built in England in 1855 for the East Indian Railway Company, EIR-22 remained in service until 1909. After being kept on static display, it was restored by Perambur Loco Works in 1997.

In 1998, it received a Guinness record recognising it as the world’s oldest working steam engine in commercial service. The event included a photographic exhibition inside the station’s heritage building, featuring the station's history and vintage railway equipment.

The exhibits included an Edmondson ticket machine, a station master’s table, a century-old signboard, an old weighing bridge and antique signal lamps.

The injured man, Nithish Kumar (24), a native of Kallakurichi, was staying at Mudichur near Tambaram. He had recently joined a private taxi firm as a driver.

According to police, Nithish had downloaded an app called Bolo, and contacted a person through the app. The person, speaking in a female voice, asked him to meet in person and shared a location. Following the directions, he reached Kurinji Nagar in West Tambaram, and found 4 men waiting instead of a woman.

Realising that he had been tricked, he tried to leave but they stopped him and demanded Rs 10,000. They also threatened to file a false police complaint, accusing him of entering a house and misbehaving with women.

Fearing the threat, Nithish called his friend Parthiban and asked him to bring money. Parthiban arrived with another friend on a two-wheeler. An argument broke out between the two groups, following which the gang left.

Later, Nithish and his friends went to a petrol bunk on Kishkinta Road. The same gang arrived there on a motorcycle and picked another fight. During the altercation, one of the gang members attacked Nithish on the head with a machete and fled.

He was rushed to Tambaram District GH in a 108 ambulance. Doctors administered 15 stitches for his head injury.

Based on information from the hospital, Peerkankaranai police registered a case and examined CCTV footage. They identified Harish (23), Anbarasu (21), Abhishek (20), Ajith (19) and a 17-year-old boy – all residents of Kurinji Nagar.

Commissioner A Amalraj has directed the personnel to focus on crowd control, crime prevention, traffic regulation among other duties with strengths drawn from all wings of the city police, Armed Reserve, Tamil Nadu Special Police and Home Guards.

Special security arrangements have been made in T Nagar, Washermenpet, Purasawalkam and Flower Bazaar where people throng to purchase crackers, dresses, police said. A total of 25 temporary watch towers have been set up at the commercial hubs: 10 in T Nagar, 2 in Washermenpet, Kilpauk and Flower Bazaar have 4 each, 2 in Triplicane, and 1 in Adyar. Police personnel with binoculars will be monitoring the crowd on a rotational basis.

A total of 12 temporary Police Control rooms and 37 Temporary help desk have been set up in T Nagar, Washermenpet, Purasawalkam and Flower Bazaar areas, monitoring CCTV camera records, tracking the movement of criminals and arrangements have been made to hand over the missing boys and girls to the appropriate people. Also, police personnel wearing body worn cameras (100) would be monitoring the crowds.

Safety slogans and crime prevention precautionary measures slogans are to be broadcasted through wide LED screens in T Nagar, Washermenpet, Purasawalkam and Flower Bazaar areas and warnings and instructions will be given to the public. In the above shopping hubs, through 66 Public Address Systems, instructions will be given to prevent the occurrence of theft, crimes and not to cause traffic jams, and instructions regarding the methods of protecting cell phones, money, gold jewelry and belongings will also be issued frequently.

Seven Drone cameras will be used for monitoring crowded areas to prevent crime incidents, an official release stated To thwart criminal activities, cops are deployed on rotation basis and an exclusive WhatsApp group has been created to share information to prevent and detect criminal activities.

Four-wheeler and two-wheeler patrolling have been increased for better monitoring. Traffic patrol vehicles (Traffic Marshall) have been pressed into services in T Nagar, Purasawalkam, Washermenpet and Flower Bazaar areas to regulate traffic. Baggages of the public will be vetted randomly through Mobile X-Ray Baggage Scanner vehicle at commercial establishments, shopping malls and at places where people throng in large numbers.

Women are urged to wear scarves to prevent chain snatching. Mufti policemen and women will be deployed in crowded areas to monitor the criminals and to prevent crimes.

As a precautionary measure, 108 Ambulance with medical teams, and Fire Engines with fire fighters are in place to attend to any untoward incident, if any. Adequate safety measures have been taken in and around cracker shops to prevent any untoward incident.

The start-up emerged as the only Indian company to qualify in a globally competed tender that initially attracted five participants, including established international defence and shipbuilding companies. Italy’s Fincantieri, Germany’s RENK and Spain’s Navantia were among the global players in the competition. Following technical and commercial evaluation, three companies qualified for the final stage, with AstraYAN emerging L1.

The selection process, which spanned more than a year, involved technical evaluation by the Indian Navy, the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and the shipyards.

The assignment involves integrating the propulsion machinery, transmission architecture and control systems into a unified operating system. The corvettes will feature a Combined Diesel and Gas Turbine–Cross-Connect (CODAG-CC) propulsion arrangement, combining diesel engines and gas turbines to meet varying operational requirements.

AstraYAN founder Amit Batra said, “Having sovereign control over the core design and technologies of a vessel is essential.” He noted that while India had developed considerable capabilities in warship construction, several critical technological components remained dependent on foreign suppliers. Indian start-ups, he said, could help bridge these gaps through sustained engagement with the Navy and shipbuilders.

The development comes after the Defence Ministry signed contracts worth Rs 53,866.50 crore on November 2 for eight Next Generation Corvettes. GRSE will build five vessels under a contract worth approximately Rs 32,000 crore, while Goa Shipyard Limited will construct the remaining three.

The crew had set out for deep-sea fishing on October 29 in a vessel bearing the registration number TN 02 MM 2584, owned by a local fisherman identified as Selvalagan, said fellow fishermen from Kasimedu.

According to fisherman Sathish Kumar, communication with the boat was severed at 3 pm on November 3. He noted that the crew was instructed to return to shore due to the rough weather but could not make the journey, prompting them to drop anchor alongside another vessel.

"Up until 3 pm yesterday, we had communication with them. They said they could not return and had dropped anchor," Kumar said. "But this morning, Saravanan and Surya, the drivers of the nearby boat, informed us that the vessel was no longer at its anchored spot," he added.

Following the disappearance, the fishing community submitted formal complaints to the Assistant Director of Fisheries, the Coast Guard, and state ministers, seeking immediate intervention.

"We have submitted letters to the Coast Guard and the state government, but we have not received any information yet," Kumar added.

"The family members are highly distressed. We request the Tamil Nadu government to take immediate action and deploy Coast Guard ships and helicopters to rescue the nine men," added Kumar.

The yellow metal is now priced at Rs 1,02,600 per sovereign and Rs 12,825 per gram, after an increase of Rs 25 per gram.

On Tuesday, November 3, gold was priced at Rs 1,02,400 per sovereign and Rs 12,800 per gram.

Silver prices remain unchanged

Meanwhile, silver prices remain unchanged at Rs 200 per gram (Rs 2,00,000 per kg) on November 4.

On November 3, silver was also priced at Rs 200 per gram.

Gold rate today vs gold rate on this day, last year

Gold prices remain higher compared to the same day last year. On November 4, 2025, gold was priced at Rs 90,000 per sovereign (Rs 11,250 per gram). At today's rate (November 4, 2026) of Rs 1,02,600 per sovereign (Rs 12,825 per gram), the price has increased by Rs 12,600 per sovereign, or around 14.28 per cent.

Gold price (22-carat) over the last five days:

November 3, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,02,400 | 1 gram - Rs 12,800

November 2, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,02,200 | 1 gram - Rs 12,775

October 31, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,01,840 | 1 gram - Rs 12,730

October 30, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,04,320 | 1 gram - Rs 13,040

October 29, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,05,560 | 1 gram - Rs 13,195

Silver price over the last five days:

November 3, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 200

November 2, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 200

October 31, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 200

October 30, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 210

October 29, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 215

According to reports, one litre of petrol is being sold at Rs 107.77, while diesel costs Rs 99.55 per litre in Chennai on Wednesday.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The increase took cumulative hikes since May 15 to nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

Until May, fuel prices had largely remained unchanged since April 2022, except for a Rs 2 per litre reduction announced in March 2024 ahead of the national elections.

Why have fuel prices been increased?

Global crude oil prices had surged more than 50 per cent since late February following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.

State-run retailers had delayed passing on higher input costs for weeks, a move the government said was intended to shield consumers from inflation. Opposition parties, however, accused the administration of holding back price increases until after key state elections.

The May 15 increase came after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expanded its electoral footprint by winning three of five state and UT elections, including West Bengal.

Retail fuel prices were first raised by Rs 3 per litre on May 15, followed by a 90-paise increase on May 19 and another hike on May 23, when petrol prices rose by 87 paise and diesel by 91 paise per litre.

On May 25, petrol was raised by Rs 2.61 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.71. The cumulative increase since May 15 stands at nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

The increase varies across cities due to differences in local taxes.

Petrol rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

November 03 - Rs 107.77

November 02 - Rs 107.77

November 01 - Rs 107.77

October 31 - Rs 107.77

October 30 - Rs 107.77

Diesel rates (per litre) in Chennai across last 5 days:

November 03 - Rs 99.55

November 02 - Rs 99.55

November 01 - Rs 99.55

October 31 - Rs 99.55

October 30 - Rs 99.55

Indian authorities are working in close coordination with Nepali officials for the early repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased, B Vasanth Kumar, the Indian Embassy in Nepal said.

Vasanth had been living in Canada with his wife and 12-year-old son for the past seven years. He was a stay-at-home dad who took care of his son, who had health complications.

Vasanth, who had flown to Nepal from Canada, had called his aged parents Balaramanadu (80) and Parameshwari (74) in Chennai on Monday. His wife has been informed, the police said. Vasanth's younger brother lives in the UK. On the request of Vasanth's parents, the Tamil Nadu government is coordinating with Nepal authorities to bring his mortal remains to Chennai.

The two helicopters collided while landing at Pheriche in Ward 4 of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality of Solukhumbu district on Tuesday, according to a Nepal Police statement.

The helicopters, operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, collided at around 8.11 am (local time), according to the District Police Office, Solukhumbu. Both helicopters took off from Lukla Airport, the gateway to Mt Everest. Police Inspector Mausam Tamang said Vasanth Kumar was aboard the Fishtail Air helicopter.

Shailesh Krishna Patel, a 49-year-old Indian-origin resident of New Zealand who was also aboard the same helicopter, was injured in the collision. He was airlifted to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu by a Prabhu Helicopter, Tamang said.

Nepalese pilots, Rabindra Prajapati of Fishtail Air and Prajwal KC of Dynasty Air, were also injured in the incident and have been taken to Kathmandu for further treatment. Dynasty Air helicopter was carrying cargo.

Pheriche lies on the way to the Mt Everest Base Camp, 150 km northeast of Kathmandu.

The police said Vasanth’s body was taken to a hospital in Lukla and was soon be sent to Kathmandu for postmortem.

The number of passengers aboard the two helicopters at the time of the collision has yet to be confirmed.

The 275-metre skywalk, which will connect the proposed Kilambakkam railway station on the opposite side of GST Road with the bus terminus, has missed several deadlines since the project kicked off three years ago.

The Rs 79-crore project was expected to provide seamless rail connectivity to the sprawling terminus. However, the latest postponement means passengers will have to wait until Pongal to use the facility.

The KCBT was inaugurated on December 30, 2023, while work on the railway station began in September 2023. The skywalk integration project was launched in December 2023. Despite repeated assurances, the crucial connectivity link remains elusive.

A senior Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) official attributed the delay to the technically challenging GST Road crossing, which involves two spans of 33 metres and 43 metres without intermediate supports.

"Because of the full cantilever projection, the work cannot be carried out casually. There should not be any deflection," the official said. Temporary supports beneath deck 1 on the bus terminus side would be removed soon, while deck 2 is scheduled to be installed after Deepavali.

The latest postponement follows a series of missed deadlines. In May, CMDA officials said the remaining portion would be completed the following week and the entire integration work by the end of June. By July, the target had shifted to the first week of December. The authority had then cited delays in obtaining traffic police clearance and the Southern Railway's permission to install a girder across the tracks.

The railway station, too, remains caught in the delay. The Southern Railway had earlier indicated that it would be ready for Deepavali. However, commissioning is now contingent on the completion of the skywalk.

GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran said that legal action would be initiated against those found discharging sewage into SWDs across the city.

In a circular issued to prevent such violations, he directed officials of GCC and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) to conduct joint inspections to identify and seal illegal connections. The civic body will maintain a registry recording the locations of illegal outlets, property owners or occupiers, inspection findings, blocked connections and fines imposed and collected to ensure follow-up action.

Building owners will also be advised to obtain authorised sewage connections through CMWSSB. Each GCC zonal officer has been directed to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate joint inspections with CMWSSB officials, monitor enforcement and submit regular reports to the Corporation Commissioner. Details of fines collected must also be uploaded immediately to the GCC app.

According to the fines approved through a GCC council resolution, ordinary residential buildings will attract a penalty of Rs 10,000 and ordinary commercial buildings Rs 25,000. The fine will be Rs 50,000 for special residential buildings and Rs 1 lakh for special commercial buildings.

Multi-storey residential buildings will face a penalty of Rs 2 lakh, while commercial multi-storey buildings will attract the maximum fine of Rs 5 lakh.

Despite submitting representations to government officials and the Tourism Minister, traders are yet to receive licences to operate stalls at the government-owned grounds.

Many had been permitted to set up firecracker stalls at private premises across the city, while those at Island Grounds continued to wait for clearance. Habib Rahman, a member of the association, said the delay had left traders facing heavy financial losses.

“This year’s Deepavali sales are completely ruined for us. We borrowed money at high interest rates, took loans, travelled to Sivakasi and purchased firecrackers. Our stocks from Standard Company and other manufacturers are now lying in godowns. Recovering the investment will be extremely difficult,” he fumed.

Rahman explained that traders were usually given 25 days at Island Grounds, including 10 days to set up stalls and 12-15 days for sales. However, this year, the entire period had been reduced to barely 12 days, leaving them with only five days for business. Traders had expected the licences to be issued on November 3 with sales scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

Another trader, M Habib, said, “Sheds have been installed and other arrangements completed, but we cannot stock the stalls without licences. This delay has affected the livelihoods of nearly 200-300 workers.”

Another trader said that rising raw material costs had pushed up firecracker prices this year. “Last year, sales had begun a week before Deepavali, but the delay in approvals had stalled business this time, adding to our financial burden,” he rued.

Prasath Sivakaminathan, Convenor of the Chennai Data Centre Summit 2026, said the sector's revenue was expected to grow from the current USD 2 billion to over USD 10 billion. He was speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the summit organised by the Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE), Chennai Chapter, in Chennai on Saturday.

He said Chennai and Mumbai had significant growth potential as India's data centre capacity was projected to increase seven-fold to 12 GW. Chennai already has established data centres in Ambattur and Siruseri, while new facilities are expected in Kancheepuram and along the east coast, including Thoothukudi, Thanjavur and Cuddalore.

He added that the expansion would generate revenue and employment opportunities. However, Tamil Nadu needed to strengthen its infrastructure and logistics to retain its position in the country's data centre sector. He cautioned that Hyderabad could overtake Tamil Nadu amid growing investments in Andhra Pradesh, particularly Visakhapatnam.

ISHRAE Chennai Chapter president R Krishnan said the summit brought together industry leaders, technology providers, operators and infrastructure specialists to discuss the evolving AI-driven data centre ecosystem.

The event attracted over 230 delegates from across the country. Its technical sessions covered AI server evolution, high-density computing, power infrastructure, advanced cooling technologies and sustainable operations.

Prof R Saravanan, president of ISHRAE, highlighted the need for renewable energy integration, liquid cooling technologies, efficient water management and sustainable refrigerants to support the sector's growth.

The technical issue disrupted ticketing services across Metro stations, preventing passengers from purchasing tickets to continue their journeys.

Commuters who had already completed their journeys also faced difficulties exiting the stations, as the system failed to process their exit transactions smoothly. The disruption led to inconvenience for passengers, particularly those in a hurry to reach their destinations during the evening hours.

Both passengers waiting to enter the stations and those attempting to leave after their journeys were affected. Speaking to DT Next, G Venkatesan, secretary, TN Secretariat Association, said, “I boarded the train at Government Estate Metro station and reached Vadapalani Phase I station at 6:15 pm. I had booked the ticket through the mobile App. But due to a glitch, I was unable to scan my ticket at the Automated Fare Collection (AFC) gate to exit the station.”

Venkatesan added that he was stranded inside the station for nearly an hour. Also, he pointed out that staff at the ticket counter too suffered unable to print tickets. The technical glitch, which lasted around an hour, caused considerable frustration among commuters who depend on the Metro for their daily travel. Normal ticketing and exit operations were restored.

“I am unsure if all stations faced the issue. But such incidents during peak hours are irritating,” added Venkatesan.

Muthuvel alias BM Chettiar of Villivakkam was arrested based on a complaint from a businessman, Manivannan, who was promised Rs 50 crore loan after paying Rs 2 crore advance. He allegedly cheated Manivannan and threatened him demanding additional money.

Muthuvel and his aide Jagan were arrested in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, on October 20 and brought to Chennai. Officials said fraud cases involving more than Rs 100 crore were pending against them in various stations. Following recommendation by CCB, Commissioner A Amalraj ordered their detention under the Goondas Act.

The police suspect that current leak from improperly buried underground electric cables have led to the electrocution, and have sought a technical report from Tangedco officials.

The deceased was identified as Sakthivel, a native of Tiruvannamalai district, who was working with a hardware store in the city.

According to the police, their probe revealed that he was riding back to his accommodation after his duty hours when he lost control and tumbled into stagnant rainwater.

He sustained fatal electric shock and had died on the spot, said officials.

The passerby who noticed the incident immediately alerted the authorities, after which personnel from Madhavaram Traffic Investigation Wing (TIW) rescued and took him to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital. A case has been registered and further investigations are under way.

Commuters complained to the police personnel that the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway stretch is riddled with several craters and potholes and urged them to take it up with the authorities concerned, and also post additional traffic personnel to regulate traffic.