The deceased has been identified as Jameer Hussain (28) from West Bengal. He had been living in Kodungaiyur.

An overhead water tank belonging to the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), located on 2nd Main Road, RV Nagar, Kodungaiyur, had developed structural issues and was being demolished.

Jameer Hussain and a few other workers had been engaged in the demolition work for the past few days.

On Friday, while they were carrying out the work as usual, an iron rod suddenly broke off from the top portion of the tank and fell on Jameer Hussain. He was moved to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Addressing employees, Asokan highlighted the ideals of freedom, unity and progress envisioned by the nation's founders. He urged employees to uphold integrity, inclusivity and responsibility while contributing to nation-building through professional excellence and civic commitment.

Asokan also shared encouraging milestones in IndianOil’s global brand performance, reaffirming the corporation’s leadership position in the energy sector. The celebrations featured a march-past by Territorial Army personnel and IndianOil security personnel. Long Service Awards were presented to employees who had completed significant years of service with the corporation.

Incentive awards were also given to the children of employees for achieving higher qualifications. The event concluded with cultural performances by IndianOil staff.

The project, valued at around Rs 43 lakh, involved transforming the existing static water fountain into a fully engineered installation featuring choreographed water jets, lighting and customised song programming, all synchronised to create a coordinated audiovisual experience.

Located at the heart of the campus between the central library and the administrative building, Gajendra circle is a familiar gathering point for students and a venue for campus events and celebrations. The landmark is distinguished by its iconic sculpture of two elephants facing opposite directions beneath the central water feature.

IIT-Madras director V Kamakoti said that the initiative was conceived to help students deal with anxiety and stress. “Listening to music, along with water and light, is a great medicine for students to lower their anxiety,” he said.

Dean (students) Satyanarayana Gummadi delivered the welcome address, while music director Ramesh Vinayagam explained the conceptualisation of the fountain. The institute’s press note said that the initiative was aimed at enhancing student wellbeing by creating an accessible space for relaxation amid academic routines.

Police said that the cash management firm had dispatched a van from a private bank's Velachery branch on Friday night carrying Rs 4.69 crore in 105 cash boxes.

The team ferrying the cash had finished loading the money at 14 ATMs before reaching another ATM on Paper Mills Road. While preparing to load cash into the machine, the employees discovered that three cash boxes were missing.

The team then retraced its route and found two boxes on Murasoli Maran bridge in Perambur, but they were empty. The boxes reportedly contained Rs 24 lakh. They claimed the boxes must have slipped from the vehicle and that the door may not have been properly fastened.

Following a complaint, the ICF police registered a case and began investigating the van's movement and the handling of the cash during the operation.

The staff - a driver, a security guard and two cash custodians - have been detained for questioning. Police are also analysing the CCTV footage from the route covered by the van.

The deceased was identified as A Dharmaraj (53), attached to the Avadi Battalion. He resided at the New Police Quarters in SM Nagar, Avadi. Police sources said that Dharmaraj was part of the Avadi band contingent deployed for the Independence Day celebrations.

Around 8.15 am, he complained of severe chest pain and collapsed on the premises. An ambulance rushed him to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where he was admitted. Dharmaraj succumbed later in the day without responding to treatment, police said.

After the postmortem, his mortal remains were taken to the Tamil Nadu Special Police Battalion campus in Avadi, where senior officers and colleagues paid their last respects. The body was later taken to his native village in Thoothukudi district, where the last rites will be held on Sunday.

During the ceremony, the Mayor also released tricolour balloons and received a guard of honour from NCC cadets and band troops. Corporation school students and special children from Guru Vishwaashram Special School presented cultural programmes.

As part of the celebrations, Priya presented appreciation letters to prompt property taxpayers and the Manimegalai Awards to outstanding women self-help groups. She also presented medals and certificates to 180 corporation officials and staff members in recognition of their exemplary service.

Deputy Mayor M Magesh Kumaar, Commissioner GS Sameeran and senior officials attended the celebrations.

At the CMWSSB headquarters, its Managing Director T Anand unfurled the national flag in the presence of senior engineering directors and administrative officials.

According to the tender notice, CMRL has announced two contracts covering commercial properties and vacant land.

The first contract involves a tender-cum-auction for licensing built-up commercial spaces and vacant land for parking on Jawaharlal Nehru Road at Ekkaduthangal. The second focuses on the licensing of built-up commercial spaces at selected elevated and underground Metro stations in Phase-I and its extensions Metro stations.

The initiative provides prospective businesses with opportunities to establish commercial operations at locations connected to the Metro infrastructure. This will also boost non-fare revenue for CMRL. The inclusion of both elevated and underground stations means the tender covers different categories of Metro properties, while the Ekkaduthangal package separately includes vacant land intended for parking, said CMRL official.

A key feature of the procurement is that it would operate on a rolling basis. The list of properties would be updated as the process progresses and will continue until all contracts are awarded.

The rolling arrangement allows CMRL to update the availability of properties during the tender process rather than limiting the exercise to a single fixed set of spaces. CMRL has also clarified that addition, modification or deletion of spaces will be published only on the designated e-procurement website.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay presented the award during the Independence Day celebrations here. Dr Mohan’s daughter, Dr RM Anjana, MD of the centre, and president of MDRF, received it on his behalf.

Instituted in honour of former President and eminent scientist Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the award recognises individuals for significant contributions to science, humanities and student welfare. Dr Mohan is the first medical doctor to receive the State honour.

For more than 50 years, Dr Mohan has worked to advance diabetes care, research and education, with studies spanning diabetes among Indian populations, complications, genetics, nutrition and prevention. He has authored more than 1,900 scientific publications, which have received over 257,000 citations. His h-index stands at 176 and i10-index at 1,268. He has also been consistently ranked among the world’s top 2% of scientists.

Dr Mohan’s major honours include the Padma Shri, Dr BC Roy National Award, Harold Rifkin Award for Distinguished International Service and Kelly West Award for Epidemiology. In 2025, he received the Diabetes Global Impact Prize from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

The 16-year-old was killed by a group of students in his school led by a Class 11 student, who ganged up and attacked him at a ground near Tiruvottiyur bus terminus on Friday.

The police said that an argument between two students over who is the senior in the school escalated into the fatal attack. Police investigations revealed that the two students had a face-off on Thursday (August 13) and the school headmaster had pacified and sent them on their way.

On Friday evening, after school hours, the Class 12 student was walking back home when the rival student, who was with a group of friends at a ground near Tiruvottiyur bus stop, confronted him. The group ganged up and attacked him and fled the scene.

The injured boy was moved to the Government Stanley Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The Tiruvottiyur police have secured 12 students from the same school in connection with the boy's death.

The police said that all the boys will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) and sent to a government home for boys.

Balamurugan told DT Next that he launched the hunger strike at his residence in Tiruvottiyur after police and officials denied his requests for a venue. "I started my hunger strike on July 27 at my house because police and officials denied my request for a space. I have completed 20 days. The TVK government denied me a venue and tried to suppress my protest. It is acting on the instructions of the BJP and RSS," he alleged.

Balamurugan said his demands included the resignation of the CJI over his reported remarks concerning cockroaches, the resignation of the Union Home Minister over the alleged brutal attack on students in Delhi, and an exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET. "Until these demands are met, I will continue my hunger strike," he said.

Balamurugan was suspended in January 2024, two days before his retirement, after writing to the President of India seeking the dismissal of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He later joined the DMK in February 2026.

Meanwhile, S Manirathinam, brother of S Anitha and a prominent anti-NEET activist who had also undertaken a hunger strike in Chennai demanding the abolition of NEET and recently concluded his protest, met Balamurugan at his Tiruvottiyur residence and extended his support. Manirathinam appealed to the State government to intervene, hear Balamurugan's demands and take steps to resolve the issue.

The yellow metal is now priced at Rs 1,13,760 per sovereign and Rs 14,220 per gram, after an increase of Rs 20 per gram.

Earlier on August 14, the price of 22-carat gold stood at Rs 1,12,320 per sovereign and Rs 14,040 per gram.

Silver prices remain unchanged

Meanwhile, silver prices remain unchanged and continue to sell for Rs 255 per gram (Rs 2,55,000 per kg) on August 15.

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

Gold remains significantly higher compared to last year. Prices have increased from Rs 74,240 per sovereign (Rs 9,280 per gram) on August 15, 2025, to Rs 1,13,760 per sovereign (Rs 14,220 per gram) on August 15, 2026, marking an increase of Rs 39,520 or about 53.23%.

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

August 14, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,12,320 | 1 gram - Rs 14,040

August 13, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,13,760 | 1 gram - Rs 14,220

August 12, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,13,600 | 1 gram - Rs 14,200

August 11, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,14,000 | 1 gram - Rs 14,250

August 10, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,11,600 | 1 gram - Rs 13,950

Silver price over the last five days:

August 14, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 255

August 13, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 260

August 12, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 260

August 11, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 260

August 10, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 250

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 Saturday.

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:

August 14 - Rs 107.77

August 13 - Rs 107.77

August 12 - Rs 107.77

August 11 - Rs 107.77

August 10 - Rs 107.77

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

August 14 - Rs 99.55

August 13 - Rs 99.55

August 12 - Rs 99.55

August 11 - Rs 99.55

August 10 - Rs 99.55

Noting that the appeal involved arguable issues and that its final hearing was likely to take some time, Justice M Nirmal Kumar suspended the sentence until disposal of the appeal.

The court directed Shaji to execute a bond for Rs 10,000 with two sureties, and appear before the trial court once every three months, on the first working day from September at 10.30 am. The trial court was permitted to take appropriate action if he breached the conditions.

Shaji, along with his friends Kumar, Syed Anwar and Anil Rao, had been arrested in the case and later released on bail. During the trial, Syed was discharged, while proceedings against Anil were quashed.

The case against Shaji and Kumar was tried by the VII Additional Sessions Court, Chennai. After nearly 13 years of trial, the court convicted Shaji on June 29 and acquitted Kumar.

Shaji was sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and had to pay a fine of Rs 10,000. He was also sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 500 under another charge. Both sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Challenging the conviction and sentence, Shaji moved the High Court with a criminal appeal. During the hearing, the Government Advocate (Criminal Side), appearing for the police, submitted that there had been initial slackness in the investigation, but the probe was subsequently transferred to and monitored by higher officials, following which a charge sheet was filed

The advocate also contended that the accused had delayed the trial by filing successive petitions and argued that lapses in the investigation could not benefit the petitioner or justify the suffering and denial of justice caused to the victims.

The prosecution further submitted that Shaji had absconded after the trial court’s judgment and was now in prison, and strongly opposed suspension of his sentence.

The department said that 95% of trainees who completed their courses at government ITIs last year secured employment with leading industries.

On Friday, the minister handed over appointment orders to 10 trainees who secured jobs. He also distributed free textbooks, uniforms, footwear and drawing instrument kits to students beginning their training this year.

Five teams comprising 17 trainees from government ITIs that won prizes in the Ninth State-level skill competition conducted by the department in June were awarded Rs 50,000 each along with certificates of appreciation.

Tamil Nadu currently has 132 government ITIs with 36,344 seats and 277 private ITIs with 26,388 seats. Training is offered in 70 engineering and 34 non-engineering trades, including popular courses such as fitter, electrician, AC mechanic, welder and computer-related trades.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a petty argument between two students escalated into one of them ganging up and attacking another leading to his eventual death.

The prime suspect, a Class 11 student, had failed in Class 10 and joined the school after clearing exams. “Two days ago, the two boys had a heated argument over who was senior, which escalated into Friday’s incident,” a police officer said.

On Friday evening, after school, the Class 11 student along with 10 other students, confronted the Class 12 student, which escalated into a brawl. Upon seeing the commotion, members of the public had alerted the police. But by the time the police reached the scene, the Class 12 boy was unconscious.

He was moved to a hospital where he was declared as brought dead after which police moved his body to the Government Stanley Hospital for post-mortem.

Tiruvottiyur Police have registered a case of murder and are investigating.

Sweta was a translator at the hospital. She assisted foreign nationals and patients from other states by translating medical information, explaining treatment procedures and counselling them on hospital charges.

Preliminary probe revealed that Sweta was questioned by the administrative department head and two HR managers over a miscommunication with a patient about fee particulars.

After the meeting, she jumped off the fourth floor. She was rescued and moved to a private hospital for further treatment. Aminjikarai police are investigating.

Her elder son lives abroad while her daughter lives in New Delhi and another son lives in another neighbourhood in Chennai.

Radha’s domestic help, Ammu (31) told her neighbour that repeated knocks on the apartment door had gone unanswered after which the neighbour alerted Radha’s son who lives nearby. When he arrived and opened the apartment, he found his mother dead on a sofa in the living room with injuries to her face and neck.

Police reached the scene and moved her body to a hospital. They examined CCTV footage from a neighbouring building and identified two men entering the locality. While questioning, police found that Ammu had conspired with the duo to murder Radha and rob her of her jewellery.

Investigators said Ammu had returned to the apartment the next morning and pretended to discover the crime in an attempt to divert suspicion. Police recovered 12 sovereigns of gold jewellery from the accused.

Pondy Bazaar Police have arrested her and the duo, and are questioning them.

“The entire physical work from the Railway side has been completed. The track and platform part is the main component for us. That work, we got a deposit from the State government and we have completed it,” said Shailendra Singh, GM, Chennai Railway Division.

He added that the station’s platform 1 was completed, while Platforms 2 and 3 were nearing completion. A temporary booking office and toilet block have also been completed on Platform 1.

“The remaining major work is the skywalk connecting the bus terminus with the railway station across GST Road,” he added.

The skywalk is crucial as it would allow passengers from the terminus to reach the railway station without crossing GST Road at the road level. “Around 30% of the work is completed. The portion crossing the railway tracks requires sanction from the Principal Chief Engineer, Southern Railway, for which the State government has submitted a request,” Singh stated.

Meanwhile, the Railways and the State government are working on a draft MoU to finalise the maintenance arrangements after the station is commissioned.

The Chennai Railway Division crossed the Rs 5,000 crore mark in annual earnings for the first time, recording Rs 5,038.30 crore in 2025-26, marking a 9.26% increase over the previous financial year. Passenger traffic also increased during the year, with 432.98 million travelling on its services, up from 425 million in 2024-25. Freight loading stood at 11.33 million tonnes, registering a 6.20% increase.

Four major capacity augmentation projects sanctioned by the Railway Board are in different stages of preparation – Chengalpattu-Arakkonam doubling project, Tambaram-Chengalpattu fourth line, Perambur-Ambattur fifth and sixth lines, and Attipattu-Gummidipoondi third and fourth lines.

The 67.79-km Chengalpattu-Arakkonam doubling project has a sanctioned cost of Rs. 926.52 crore. Once completed, the capacity of the section is expected to increase from 13 trains a day to up to 50 trains a day. The project is also an important link in the proposed 192-km circular suburban rail grid connecting Beach, Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Arakkonam and Avadi.

The Tambaram-Chengalpattu fourth line, covering 30.021 km, has a project cost of Rs 713.56 crore. The 6.4-km Perambur-Ambattur fifth and sixth lines have been sanctioned at Rs 177.82 crore, while the 22.52-km Attipattu-Gummidipoondi third and fourth line project has a sanctioned cost of Rs 365.42 crore.

Though the projects have received sanction, execution has not begun uniformly across the four corridors. The division said that the works were at different stages, including drawing approvals, tendering and tender finalisation, and execution will follow these processes.

The arrested men have been identified as Amarnath Jaiswal (64), a notorious railway robber, and his associate Rajan Kumar.

While Jaiswal was arrested in Siliguri in West Bengal, Kumar was arrested in Patna in Bihar. Police recovered 4 lakh cash from Kumar. However, the stolen diamond jewellery has not yet been recovered.

Police are now searching for two more suspects – Ranjan Kumar and Ashok Kumar – who are believed to have been involved in the robbery.

Deepak Sanchetti (47), a resident of Vepery, works as a manager at a diamond and gold jewellery showroom in T Nagar. On July 23, he travelled from Madurai to Chennai on Ananthapuri Express carrying sample diamond jewellery worth around 3 crore in a bag.

On the morning of July 24, before reaching Tambaram, Deepak noticed that the bag was missing and filed a complaint with the Tambaram Railway Police. Since an Apple Watch was inside the stolen bag, police tracked its location and found that it was showing between Tiruchy and Vriddhachalam. Based on this clue, special teams examined CCTV footage and passenger details and found that Jaiswal, along with Ranjan and Ashok, had travelled in the same coach as Deepak. A special team arrested Jaiswal in West Bengal and arrested him with the help of local police. Another team travelled to Patna and arrested Kumar.

During interrogation, police found that Jaiswal had 36 cases against him at various railway police stations in the country. Police said he was known for travelling along with passengers and stealing their belongings within a short span of time.

Police suspect that when Deepak had gone to the washroom between Tiruchy and Vriddhachalam, the accused had stolen the bag, taken the jewellery from the bag in the train toilet and transferred it to their own bags before throwing the original with the Apple Watch out of the moving train.

Police said they had travelled up to Chennai and later contacted Kumar, who was called to Chennai by flight and handed over the stolen jewellery.

Freedom begins with the right to choose

At 18, Samyuktha Adurthi started her own company. The experience changed what freedom meant to her. “I feel like at this stage, freedom does not mean doing whatever I want without any consequences. I feel like it means having the right to choose my own path and having the strength to accept and face those consequences,” Samyuktha says.

Initially, she associated freedom with making her own money and being able to make decisions without permission. But building a company while pursuing college made her see freedom differently. “A lot of people confuse freedom with having no responsibility. But true freedom for me is the ability to decide which responsibility I want to take.”

Santhosh, an intern at a film production company, sees that ability to choose as the freedom to experiment. “Freedom means the freedom to experiment with life. The freedom that enables one to make decisions about their life.” But that freedom exists alongside dependence. “Financially, I'm still dependent on my parents, but my parents support me in whatever decision I make.”

When money becomes freedom

For Samyuktha Adurthi, financial independence transformed that ability to choose. “I started working for freedom. I did not work for money,” she says. Earning her own money, she says, gives her negotiating power, confidence and the power and privilege to walk away from scenarios that make you uncomfortable.

Mukhilan, who works at an MNC, sees financial independence differently. “Adult money is different,” he says. But for him, freedom also means learning to step away from FOMO (fear of missing out) — the pressure to keep up with the things everyone else seems to have. “The fear of missing out is running on a treadmill that won't stop until you stop it.”

Kannan S, a college student, says that financial freedom means being able to look after himself. “Freedom means to be financially independent and being able to take care of myself without anyone's help.” He feels independent when it comes to choosing his education and career, but money remains a limitation. “I need to be a bit cautious in spending the leisure money I'll be having since no ‘extra’ money would be given and each transfer needs a proper explanation.”

The pressures that come with choosing

Mukhilan opines that the biggest barrier to freedom at this stage is career pressure. He describes a corporate world where comparison can extend from salary and education to lifestyle and appearance. “Benchmarking and setting up standards high is great for pushing the human limits,” he says, but “deep down, the crux of this social judgement and trying harder to constantly fit into society will cost one’s emotional freedom.”

Santhosh sees a different pressure, particularly for men. “Traditionally, we have applied roles to genders and the rule dictates men should work hard, earn money, and provide for the family.” He says the expectation makes him rethink a future where he can “allow myself to be selfish and ‘provide’ and look after myself well.”

Kannan also recognises that expectation, saying men are traditionally expected to be the only breadwinner, even as he notices a positive change among his generation.

For women, freedom can come with a checklist

For 19-year-old Nirmalya Madhu, the limits can appear in small decisions. She describes a recent incident when she took a different road home after dance class and her parents questioned her about it. “I kept thinking, ‘If I'm free to choose what I study and where I study, why can't I even choose which road I want to take home?’” she asks. The incident made her question whether she was truly free in the smaller choices that make her feel independent.

She adds that gender can mean having fewer freedoms around going out, travelling or simply making choices. “Maybe if I had been born a boy, I would have had at least a little more freedom,” she says, adding that “even an extra five per cent of freedom would sometimes feel significant to me.”

Samyuktha's experience is different but carries a similar complication. As a young woman and founder, she says she often has to prove herself professionally. “For many young women, freedom is technically available, like you can; freedom is there, but there is a checklist that has to be ticked off.”

Is Gen Z emotionally freer?

Nirmalya feels her generation has greater freedom to express itself. “Gen Z women have more freedom to express themselves compared to previous generations,” she says, pointing to conversations around sexuality, feelings, emotions, mental health, family pressure and work pressure. She also sees social media as having created spaces for young people to discuss their experiences.

The FOBs will come up at Urapakkam near Sivan Temple, Guduvanchery near the EB office, Guduvanchery near the railway station and MM Nagar near Ford Junction.

The four locations have been identified as black spots, and the project is intended to improve pedestrian safety on the highway. The Rs 11.38-crore project has several safety features beyond the pedestrian bridges. CCTV cameras will be installed at all four locations and connected to the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) at the NH-32 toll plaza, enabling the facilities to be monitored remotely.

The FOBs will have lifts on both sides of the highway, each capable of carrying at least 16 pedestrians. This is expected to make the crossings more accessible to senior citizens and people with mobility difficulties.

The entire pedestrian walkway, including the approaches, staircases and lift areas, will be illuminated. NHAI has also planned solar panels over the FOBs and their approach ramps.

Road safety infrastructure will include guard rails, road studs, chevron signs and information, cautionary and regulatory signboards around the crossings. The structures will maintain a minimum vertical clearance of 5.5 metres above the highway.

The proposed FOB near the Guduvanchery railway station is likely to be particularly useful for commuters and pedestrians accessing the station. The other locations also witness pedestrian movement across the busy highway.

NHAI had already built lift-equipped FOBs at several locations along the corridor in 2024. These included Perungalathur near Iraniyamman Temple, Vandalur near the railway station, Thailavaram near Estancia Tech Park, Thailavaram near Valliammal Engineering College, Kattankolathur Junction, Maraimalai Junction near Township and Singaperumal Koil railway station.

Anna University has decided to introduce a series of new academic initiatives, including Civil Services examination coaching, GATE-based internal assessments and project-oriented learning, from this academic year.

Under the new initiative, students interested in appearing for civil services examinations will be identified from the first year itself and provided coaching, training and guidance. The university will also create awareness among engineering students about career opportunities in central and state government departments, in addition to jobs in the private engineering sector.

Speaking to DT Next, Anna University Registrar Dr V Kumaresan said creating an understanding of and interest in engineering from the first year would help students develop into outstanding graduates by the end of their four-year programme.

He said the university would also continue to periodically update its curriculum in line with technological developments and take steps to improve the quality of engineering education.

As part of the GATE-oriented initiative, students will be asked to refer to question papers from the previous five years, identify questions relevant to the subjects they are studying and work out the answers with the help of textbooks. The exercise is intended to familiarise students with the pattern and nature of questions asked in the GATE examination.

Students, particularly those from rural backgrounds, often find it challenging to cope with college-level Mathematics and other technical subjects. Differences in exposure and learning environments can also affect their academic performance and placement prospects, sometimes resulting in arrears.

To bridge this transition gap, the new teaching and learning practices will be introduced at Anna University, its four campus colleges and 16 constituent colleges. Anna University has 419 engineering colleges under its jurisdiction,

The university will also introduce LEAP (Learn Engineering through Projects), under which students will receive practical, project-based training alongside the teaching of individual subjects.

The deceased was identified as R Ranjan of Sanaputhur village near Gummidipoondi. Ranjan had completed school recently and had enrolled in a college in Chennai to continue education.

Investigations revealed that on Thursday night, Ranjan left home telling that he was going to meet friends, but never returned. On Friday morning, villagers found his body with grievous injuries in a grave in the outskirts of their village.

Pathirvedu Police rushed to the scene upon information, secured his body and moved it to a GH for post-mortem. They said that Ranjan would frequently consume liquor with his friends. A few days ago, he had a fight with a friend, following which neighbours intervened and settled the dispute.

Preliminary probe revealed that Ranjan had made derogatory remarks about another man’s wife, and the man ganged up and murdered him. “He came home around 8.30 last night and left immediately. People say he was last seen with four boys. We did not know who they were. He celebrated his birthday only last week,” said a relative of the deceased.

Pathirvedu Police have registered a case of murder and are investigating.

Former minister P Thiaga Rajan said on X that the flight had made an aborted landing attempt and that the co-pilot later explained it was due to an ATC instruction based on “unexpected movement on the runway”.

Rajan said he had experienced aborted landings elsewhere, but they had generally been related to weather conditions. He expressed concern that such incidents could indicate “Infrastructure/ATC overload” and urged the DGCA and Ministry of Civil Aviation to analyse every such instance and draw lessons to improve runway protocols.

Responding to the post, Chennai Airport said the IndiGo Hyderabad-Chennai flight was on final approach at around 3.28pm and approximately 1 nautical mile from touchdown.

At 3.25pm, an IndiGo flight from Port Blair had landed and subsequently reported a suspected bird strike while taxiing. Following the report, a runway inspection was required to ensure the runway and associated movement area were safe for continued operations.

“The Hyderabad-Chennai arrival was instructed to go around” to facilitate the inspection, the airport said, adding that the manoeuvre was undertaken as a precautionary safety measure.

The flight subsequently continued its approach and landed safely at around 3.45pm, Chennai Airport said.

Syed had visited Sri Lanka on a tourist visa and returned to Chennai on Thursday evening by a Sri Lankan Airlines flight from Colombo.

After getting off the flight, he had completed immigration and Customs formalities and then proceeded to the Metro station inside the airport premises to reach Broadway. While he was near the ticket counter at the Metro station, Syed suddenly collapsed.

Fellow passengers and Metro staff immediately alerted the airport medical team, who rushed to the spot and provided first aid to an unconscious Syed on the first floor of the station. However, he did not respond to treatment and died at the spot.

Following the incident, the airport police recovered the body and sent it to the Tambaram GH for post-mortem. Police have registered a case and are conducting an inquiry.

Members of the public, who noticed the dead body with injuries near the Kallukuttai area behind Anna Square on Marina Beach, alerted the police after which it was recovered and sent to the Government Hospital for post-mortem.

During inspection, officers seized liquor bottles, a mobile phone and a handbag found near the body.

Sriram was a resident of Virugambakkam, and employed at an eatery there. After investigations, police apprehended his friend, Sunny Saha (26), also from Nepal, who works at another eatery. Sunny was arrested before he attempted to flee from the city.

Investigations revealed that the duo had been drinking on Thursday night when an argument about money that Sriram owed to Sunny escalated. In a drunken rage, Sunny picked up a wooden log nearby and attacked Sriram, killing him on the spot, before fleeing.

The price of potato, snake gourd, drumstick, okra and capsicum remains uncanged.

Which vegetable prices increased today ?

Ooty carrot – Rs 90 per kg, up by Rs 20 (compared to July 28)

Onion – Rs 38 per kg, up by Rs 3

Tomato – Rs 25 per kg, up by Rs 13

Beans – Rs 90 per kg, up by Rs 20

Beetroot – Rs 60 per kg, up by Rs 10

Green chillies – Rs 80 per kg, up by Rs 10

Coconut – Rs 60 per piece, up by Rs 5

Which vegetable prices decreased today ?

Spinach – Rs 5 per bunch, down by Rs 2

Small onion – Rs 70 per kg, down by Rs 5

What are the prices of essential vegetables ?

Onion: Rs 38 per kg

Small onion: Rs 70 per kg

Potato: Rs 25 per kg

Tomato: Rs 25 per kg

Coconut: Rs 60 per piece

What are the prices of other vegetables ?

Green chillies: Rs 80 per kg

Snake gourd: Rs 30 per kg

Drumstick: Rs 30 per kg

Okra: Rs 30 per kg

Bitter gourd: Rs 50 per kg

Capsicum: Rs 50 per kg

How much do herbs cost today ?

Coriander: Rs 7 per bunch

Mint: Rs 6 per bunch

Curry leaves: Rs 25 per bunch

The yellow metal is now priced at Rs 1,12,320 per sovereign and Rs 14,040 per gram, after a decrease of Rs 180 per gram.

Earlier on August 13, the price of 22-carat gold stood at Rs 1,13,760 per sovereign and Rs 14,220 per gram.

Silver prices decrease

Meanwhile, silver prices decreased by Rs 5, to sell for Rs 255 per gram (Rs 2,55,000 per kg) on August 14.

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

Gold remains significantly higher compared to last year. Prices have increased from Rs 74,320 per sovereign (Rs 9,290 per gram) on August 14, 2025, to Rs 1,12,320 per sovereign (Rs 14,040 per gram) on August 14, 2026, marking an increase of Rs 38,000 or about 51.13%.

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

August 13, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,13,760 | 1 gram - Rs 14,220

August 12, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,13,600 | 1 gram - Rs 14,200

August 11, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,14,000 | 1 gram - Rs 14,250

August 10, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,11,600 | 1 gram - Rs 13,950

August 8, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,11,720 | 1 gram - Rs 13,965

Silver price over the last five days:

August 13, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 260

August 12, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 260

August 11, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 260

August 10, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 250

August 8, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 250

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:

August 13 - Rs 107.77

August 12 - Rs 107.77

August 11 - Rs 107.77

August 10 - Rs 107.77

August 9 - Rs 107.77

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

August 13 - Rs 99.55

August 12 - Rs 99.55

August 11 - Rs 99.55

August 10 - Rs 99.55

August 9- Rs 99.55

He was apprehended at the Perambur railway station, and about 4 kg of ganja was seized.

The Triplicane Prohibition and Enforcement Wing (PEW) received a tip-off about the movement of narcotics, after which a team intercepted the suspect, identified as Karthik.

During interrogation, he disclosed that he was associated with Vellaikkali, a history-sheeter currently lodged in Puzhal Prison. Karthik was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

Vellakali was in the news earlier this year when a rival gang hurled country bombs at a police escort team accompanying the gangster when the police vehicle halted at Perambalur. Days later, the main suspect behind the hurling of country bombs was shot dead by the police.

In another case, the police arrested three men who were caught smuggling banned oral tobacco products. About 1,605 kg of gutkha products were seized from the vehicle.

Police sources said that a seizure was made on Wednesday during vehicle check on Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam radial road. The three arrested men are identified as Ramarajan (37), Nandakumar (38) and Subham (19).

“At Theatre Genie, we are always looking for ways to make theatre feel like a live experience rather than something that the audience simply watches from a distance,” says Girish. The production pairs comedy with the supernatural, with slapstick, banter, mime, and ghost sequences adding to the theatrical experience.

For Girish, immersion means that audiences cannot always tell where the performance begins and ends. Actors can appear within the audience or enter through unexpected parts of the venue, making their reactions part of the atmosphere. “The idea is that for those 90 minutes, the audience is not just looking at a haunted palace from outside. They feel like they have walked into it,” he says.

The comedy, however, is not built solely around the ghosts. Creative consultant Niveditha says the humour comes from the characters and the different ways they react to the supernatural. “Some are frightened, some are sceptical, some are curious,” she says, adding that the team has focused on character behaviour, timing and physicality rather than predictable ghost jokes.

The production also leaves room for spontaneity. While the broad structure is rehearsed, actors have to respond to unexpected audience reactions without disrupting the story. “Every audience changes the energy of the performance slightly,” says Niveditha.

And audiences may want to keep their eyes open beyond the stage. “Don't assume that everything you need to watch is happening directly in front of you,” she says.

Areas including Pillaiyar Koil Street, Valluvar Salai, TSD Nagar 1st Street and Janakiram Colony Extension Road have been frequently witnessing cattle roaming freely on the streets. Residents said children, women and senior citizens are particularly affected, especially during the evening when the cattle move around in herds.

Blaming cattle owners for not properly securing the animals, Kumaresan, an Arumbakkam resident, said, "They roam freely on the streets and often lie down in front of houses and along roads, causing major inconvenience to pedestrians and motorists."

Hygiene in these areas also takes a hit as the strays defecate in front of buildings. The stench and cleanliness particularly worsen in the monsoon, leaving the roads dirty. Residents also said the cattle often rummage through garbage bins in search of food, scattering waste on the roads and creating additional sanitation concerns.

Mala, another resident, said, "A large number of cattle can be seen near the Chennai Middle School. Parents who come to pick up their children after school are worried about their safety."

A Chennai Corporation official said, "Action to catch and remove stray cattle roaming on the roads will be taken soon. Owners of impounded cattle will be fined Rs 10,000, and further action will be taken against those who violate the rules."

Historian Meenakshi Devaraj says Aadi has traditionally been as important to agriculture as Thai. “Just as the harvest Pongal festival was celebrated with grandeur, the seed-sowing month of Aadi was also celebrated. References to Aadi Perukku can be found in literature dating back to the Sangam period. The festival marks the rise of water levels in rivers and the beginning of a period important to farming. Several Tamil proverbs also speak of the significance of Aadi in the agricultural calendar,” she says.

Over time, the month took on a stronger association with the worship of female deities, particularly Mariamman. “When the cult of women worship emerged, the Mariamman worship that you see now in Aadi would have emerged,” adds Meenakshi.

The agricultural roots of the month can still be seen in the way Aadi is celebrated. In Chennai, residential communities organise Aadi celebrations, while Mariamman temples see women gathering for special prayers and offerings. Food remains an important part of these occasions.

Meenakshi points to koozh and other traditional preparations as examples of food that connect present-day celebrations with older practices. “Kumba soru, a preparation where meat, fish and rice are brought together and made into a heap as an offering to Mariamman, bears a striking resemblance to the ‘Perum Soru’ mentioned in early Tamil literature,” she tells us.

Pongal pots lined up outside Mariamman temples are another familiar sight during the month. She says traditional Pongal cooked over a firewood stove can sometimes be seen more commonly in Chennai during Aadi than during the Pongal festival itself.

For contemporary artist and educator Radha Kannan, Aadi is closely tied to memories of her hometown, Sirkazhi near Chidambaram and its agricultural landscape. “Aadi is an important month for agriculture. The southwest monsoon starts around June in Kerala and other places and our water systems receive more water during this time. The Aadi winds are also very strong,” she says.

Aadi Perukku remains particularly important in the villages around the Cauvery. Families prepare several varieties of rice and take them to the riverbank, offering food and prayers as a gesture of gratitude for the water. “Even today, in villages, it happens with a lot of vigour and enthusiasm. Families spend time together on the riverbanks,” says Radha.

The month is also filled with different forms of worship. Aadi Fridays are associated with Amman and Shakti worship, while some communities observe serpent worship and other rituals connected with nature. Aadi Krithigai is dedicated to Murugan, while Aadi Pooram celebrates Andal and holds particular significance for Vaishnavites.

In cities, however, Aadi has inevitably changed. “Work, travel and busy schedules have made it difficult for many families to follow every tradition in the way previous generations did. But I feel that observing the month does not have to mean reproducing the past exactly. Remembering it in any small way matters. Whether they follow the rituals religiously or not, people still prepare traditional food and celebrate in whatever way they can,” observes the artist.

For her, keeping Aadi relevant is about understanding its meaning rather than simply repeating its rituals. “Life has changed now and we should adapt to those changes. At the same time, we shouldn’t forget our roots."

The best way to ensure that Aadi continues is to explain it to the next generation. “Parents can tell children the scientific reason behind these traditions. If we teach the young generation the significance of Aadi, I am sure they will follow the rituals and culture. When they know why we celebrate Aadi Perukku and the other festivals, they will understand their value,” concludes Radha.

A senior Southern Railway official told DT Next that the Construction department had submitted solutions to the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) earlier; however, the safety authority has now sought further clarification. The department is currently working on a response, while holding discussions with the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) and PCM on the technical aspects.

"The exercise is still at the proposal stage, and rectification work is yet to be commenced at the station," the official said, adding that the technical details were still being worked out by the departments concerned. The official refused to elaborate on the kind of proposal which has been made.
The Southern Railway had earlier proposed using steel channels and cement chequered tiles to bridge the excessive gap between the platform and train. With the proposed solution still being examined in response to the latest CCRS queries, the opening of Adambakkam station is therefore likely to take some more time.

The gap between the train coach and platform was flagged during the CCRS inspection of the 4.5 km Velachery-St Thomas Mount MRTS extension in March 2026. The problem occurs at the curved section of track at Adambakkam station. The station has remained closed to passengers even after the extension was commissioned on March 14.

More than three decades since buying a stethoscope and keeping his hopes alive, Sureshkumar has cleared NEET and secured an MBBS seat at Nagapattinam Government Medical College, all at the age of 51.

Sureshkumar, who is currently a vice-president of a diagnostics company in Chennai, attended the special category counselling for MBBS and BDS courses at the Omandurar Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital campus on Thursday (August 13).

He participated under the persons with disabilities category and opted for MBBS at the Nagapattinam medical college.

A double PhD holder, one in pharmacy and another in diagnostics, it was Sureshkumar’s long-standing interest in science, particularly Botany and Zoology, that helped him persevere with the NEET.

When family circumstances demanded, a young Sureshkumar, who had just passed Class 12, had to lock away his stethoscope along with his dreams of a career in medicine, and tread a different path.

"Even after completing my PhDs, my desire to become a doctor remained strong. Since there has been no upper age limit for seeking MBBS admission, and a NEET qualification has been a requirement, I decided to try the first time in 2022. This year, I finally cracked NEET," he told DT NEXT.

In 2022, the age criterion for NEET was relaxed, allowing candidates of any age to take the exam.

Sureshkumar said teaching Botany and Zoology to his two school-going sons helped him prepare for NEET. "Teaching them helped me revise the subjects," he noted.

Sureshkumar’s love of medicine reflects in his children’s names, too Landsteiner Suresh, after the scientist Karl Landsteiner, who discovered the ABO blood group system, and Jonas Suresh, after Jonas Salk, who developed the first effective polio vaccine.

Sureshkumar said he chose the Nagapattinam medical college so he could also take care of his 78-year-old mother.

Sureshkumar, for whom age is just a number, can’t wait to begin his classes. “Learning alongside youngsters will expose me to many new things. I consider myself young after all,” he quipped.

Aspiring to serve in villages, the idealist in him said, "If the government posts me in a rural village, I am ready to work without a salary."

In Mylapore and surrounding areas, families dependent on these variants said they were often unable to obtain their required quantity at Aavin parlours.

The disruption is particularly difficult for households with children and elderly members, while families that depend on the relatively affordable Green Magic are being forced to look for costlier alternatives.

Civic activist R Ramesh said, "In Mylapore and surrounding neighbourhoods, ordinary households are bearing the brunt of a sudden shortfall in Aavin's Green Magic and Nice variant (Blue) milk packets at authorised parlours."

According to Ramesh, the same variants are available at some provision stores, larger retail outlets and online platforms, but consumers sometimes have to pay about Rs 2 above the printed MRP. He said the price difference, though small per packet, was adding to the monthly burden on families who purchase several packets every day.

Lalitha, a consumer in Perambur, said the uncertainty over availability had disrupted the morning routine of households.

"We depend on Aavin milk every day, but lately we cannot be sure that our regular packets will be available at the nearby parlour. We have to visit other shops or buy another private brand when stocks run out," she told DT Next.

Retail vendor N Muthuvel in Perambur said the reduction in supply was affecting retailers as well as consumers.

"Earlier Aavin supplied milk twice a day, morning and evening. Now the evening supply has been cut, while the morning quantity is also lower than in August 2025. Even dealers have reduced our retail supply, and we are struggling to meet consumer demand," he told this newspaper.

The Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers' Welfare Association has urged the government to prioritise supplies to authorised parlours and retail outlets.

Association founder and state president SA Ponnusamy has also sought a temporary halt to online sales through Swiggy, Zomato and Dunzo, alleging that increased supplies to online platforms were affecting neighbourhood distribution.

The association has further alleged that certain Aavin officials were diverting supplies and deliberately creating an artificial shortage. It also raised allegations of demands for unofficial payments from some parlour operators.

Noting that Aavin's daily sales had remained around 31.5 lakh litres through 29 district unions and online channels, the association argued that distribution constraints, coupled with inadequate milk procurement in recent years, had aggravated the situation.

The Milk and Dairy Development Minister and the Aavin Managing Director could not be reached for comment.

The Board, in response to the report, said the road surface had become slushy and slippery following light showers.

"As an immediate remedial measure, the slushy portion is being scraped and removed. Suitable filling material is being filled and compacted to restore the road to motorable condition," it said.

The Board further said the pipeline work on the 3rd Main Road was completed on June 21. Of the 60 household sewage connections to be provided, 24 had been completed, while work on the remaining connections was under way.

"Upon completion of the remaining HSC connections, the same will be handed over to GCC for permanent road restoration works," it said.

Residents had complained about the difficulties faced while navigating the road, which becomes muddy and hazardous whenever it rains, posing a threat to commuters, pedestrians and children using the stretch.

The CMRL has invited bids to prepare a Detailed Feasibility Report (DFR) cum Detailed Project Report (DPR) to examine the feasibility of operating the proposed Water Metro system along the entire stretch. The move could revive the Buckingham Canal as a potential public transport corridor and provide an additional mobility option for Chennai and its expanding suburban areas, complementing the Metro Rail, suburban railway and bus networks.

The feasibility study follows the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) released by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) in 2025, which proposed developing an inland waterway along the Buckingham Canal.

The CMP had identified the 35-km stretch between Central and Kovalam as a priority, with a further 20-km extension up to Mahabalipuram. The waterway was proposed to ease pressure on parallel road corridors and can also be used for tourism and recreational purposes. It had also suggested taking up the northern stretch from Central towards Ennore and Pulicat.

However,  theCMRL has now proposed preparing the DFR for the entire Ennore-Mamallapuram stretch.

The CMP had also highlighted several challenges that need to be addressed before the waterway can be developed as a viable transport corridor. These include existing infrastructure constraints, the presence of MRTS stations, low-clearance bridges and encroachments along the canal alignment.

The plan had stressed the need for ecological restoration and improvement of water quality, besides assessing the operational viability of water transport considering seasonal fluctuations in water levels and maintenance requirements.

"The biggest opportunity is also the biggest challenge: Chennai must first restore the waterways before expecting them to become reliable transport corridors," said a member of the Civic Action Group (CAG).

Sources in the civic body said the decision was taken after consultations with the State government.

In an official statement, the civic body said it had revised property tax assessments identified as under-assessed and had received several grievance petitions from the public seeking reconsideration of the revisions.

It said property tax amounts would immediately revert to the rates prevailing before the latest reassessment exercise. For taxpayers who have already paid the revised demand, the excess amount would be adjusted as advance tax against subsequent half-year periods.

The steep surge in tax, and the manner in which it was imposed, drew widespread criticism on social media, with several residents posting details of the demand notice that were sent to them in the recent days.

The GCC has around 14.5 lakh registered property taxpayers across its 15 zones. It had identified more than 3.5 lakh property owners who were paying under-assessed or incorrect amounts, including 1.5 lakh residential property owners who had self-declared discrepancies in property values.

The revised assessments were to take effect from the second half of 2025-26. So far, the corporation has collected Rs 11.42 crore from nearly 30,000 property owners, who received revised demand notices. The revision was expected to generate an additional Rs 170 crore annually.

The discrepancies were identified using Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, satellite data, official records, and the self-declaration drive. After it triggered a storm, property owners were given 15 days to file appeals, which the GCC had said would be disposed of within 30 days.

The move triggered strong opposition across the city. On Thursday, property owners thronged the offices of Regional Deputy Commissioners (RDCs) to submit objections, with some engaging in heated exchanges with officials.

Meanwhile, Mayor R Priya and Deputy Mayor M Magesh Kumaar said the reassessment exercise was implemented without consulting them.

Sankaraiah (73) of Renigunta in Andhra Pradesh was staying in Alandur and was frequently seen roaming around the airport area.

While travelling on the MTC bus a few days ago, Sankaraiah was heard speaking over the phone about a vacancy in the Customs Department at Chennai airport.

Ramamoorthy of Mahalakshmi Nagar in Tambaram, who was seated nearby, overheard the conversation.

Ramamoorthy told Sankaraiah that his daughter was an engineering graduate and asked whether he could help her secure the job.

Sankaraiah told him that an application form would cost Rs 2,500 and that he would charge another Rs 500 for arranging the job. Believing him, Ramamoorthy paid Rs 3,000.

Sankaraiah assured him that his daughter would get the job in two days and asked him to provide financial assistance later. He contacted Ramamoorthy again on Wednesday and claimed that it was the last day to submit the application.

He asked him to bring Rs 65,000 to pay Customs officers and meet him near the Metro station's entrance inside the airport premises.

Ramamoorthy arrived with cash, but got suspicious when Sankaraiah demanded money. He then caught hold of him and handed him over to the Chennai Airport police.

During interrogation, police found that Sankaraiah had been cheating people by claiming that he could arrange jobs at the airport.

Police arrested him, produced him before the Alandur court and remanded him in Puzhal prison.

The police are also planning to seek his custody for further questioning to find out whether he had cheated other people using the same modus operandi.