Under the direction of Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G S Sameeran, the Solid Waste Management Department has launched a citywide drive to clear public spaces, roads and stormwater drains of firecracker debris, Corporation sources said on Sunday.

As part of the initiative, the civic body has deployed 600 personnel and 350 vehicles and distributed 30,000 designated collection bags, each with a capacity of 50 kg, to conservancy workers.

Residents and administrators of residential complexes, classified as bulk waste generators, have been urged to segregate firecracker waste from regular household garbage, including biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, and hand it over separately to conservancy workers

The Corporation has also intensified cleaning operations, deploying mechanical sweepers and overnight road-cleaning teams during the festival period.

Awareness campaigns are being conducted through battery-operated vehicles across neighbourhoods, along with outreach programmes in schools, colleges and public spaces.

The civic body has issued safety guidelines, urging people to use only approved green crackers to minimise noise and air pollution.

The police said the teams would monitor key roads to prevent youngsters from organising races or performing dangerous stunts that could endanger other road users.

As many as 18,000 personnel will be on duty during Deepavali and Greater Chennai Police have made elaborate security arrangements to ensure the safety and security of the public, who are expected to congregate in large numbers in commercial hubs like T Nagar and Purasaiwalkam for shopping until Deepavali day.

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

Meanwhile, the police have also coordinated with the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Department to ensure safety near shops selling firecrackers.

The Greater Chennai Police also advised the public to follow the Supreme Court's directions and the Tamil Nadu government's guidelines on bursting firecrackers. Residents are permitted to burst crackers between 6 am and 7 am and between 7 pm and 8 pm on Deepavali day.

The police identified the deceased as Prathap (24) and his friend, both from Katpadi in Vellore, who were working in a private firm in Chennai. On Saturday early morning, they were travelling to their hometown in Vellore to celebrate Deepavali with their families.

Officials said they were riding the bike at a high speed on the flyover near Sunguvarchathram when heavy rain was lashing the area. The rider lost control of the vehicle, causing it to skid and crash into the parapet of the flyover.

On impact, both of them suffered severe head injuries, as they were not wearing helmets. The onlookers alerted the ambulance and police. The ambulance personnel rushed to the spot, rescued the injured youths, and shifted them to a nearby hospital. However, doctors there declared both of them dead on arrival.

On information, the Sunguvarchathram police visited the spot and held inquiries. The bodies were sent to the Kancheepuram Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. Further investigations are under way.

Trio robs couple at knifepoint

The city police arrested three men for allegedly threatening a young couple at knifepoint and robbing them at the Elliots Beach in Besant Nagar during the early hours of Friday. Officials said the trio decamped with two mobile phones and a gold chain weighing two sovereigns.

The complainant, a 23-year-old man working as a marketing executive, had come to the beach with his girlfriend around 2 am. They were sitting on the beach talking, and when it started raining at about 3.30 am, the couple moved towards a shop on the beach to take shelter.

That was when four men approached and threatened them. One of the suspects held a knife to the man’s throat while the others took two mobile phones and the woman’s gold chain. Based on the man’s complaint, the Shastri Nagar police registered a case and launched an investigation. The police identified the suspects as Arya (35) from Kerala, and Ashwin Kumar (33) and Raj (21) from Chennai.

Investigators found that the three men rode horses at Elliot’s Beach. All three of them were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Search is on for another suspect who is at large.

Man held for abusing 3 boys he lured with Deepavali gifts

A 38-year-old man was arrested by the Kasimedu police for allegedly sexually abusing three 12-year-old boys after luring them to a hotel room on the pretext of buying them Deepavali gifts.

The boys were playing in their neighbourhood when the accused, identified as Vikram, approached them and offered to buy them festival gifts. He took them to a hotel and confined them in a room.

The probe revealed that Vikram forced the boys to massage him, touch him inappropriately and consume alcohol. He also allegedly burnt them with cigarette butts before leaving them near their homes that night.

After the parents alerted the police, investigators examined CCTV footage from the areas where the children had been taken and traced Vikram. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

Tiruvallur: Guest worker from Bihar stabs 45-year-old to death over drunken brawl

A 22-year-old guest worker from Bihar was arrested for allegedly stabbing a 45-year-old construction worker to death at his house in Ayanambakkam near Tiruverkadu, on Friday night. The attack was triggered by a drunken brawl the previous night, police said.

The deceased was identified as Kamalakannan. He is separated from his wife and after she moved away with their two sons, his mother lived with him.

The accused, Arvind Kumar of Muzaffarpur district in Bihar, worked as a cook at a hotel in Thiruverkadu.

On Thursday, they were drinking at Kamalakannan's house when an argument broke out and Kamalakannan assaulted Arvind, leading to an enmity. To exact revenge, Arvind went to Kamalakannan's house on Friday night while under the influence of alcohol.

They entered into a fresh altercation, following which the Bihar man took out a knife and stabbed Kamalakannan repeatedly in the abdomen. He suffered fatal injuries and died on the spot.

On receiving information, the Tiruverkadu police reached the house and sent the body to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Arvind initially went into hiding but was arrested from a hideout on Saturday morning.

The police produced him before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody. Further investigations are on.

Debt-saddled IT manager turns to chain-snatching, caught by public in Tambaram

After facing a huge loss in online trading, which left him saddled with a sizeable debt, a 46-year-old project manager with an IT company took to chain-snatching to pay off his loans – only to be caught by the public, who gave him a sound thrashing before handing him over to the police in Tambaram.

Chennai: Horse-rider trio robs couple at knifepoint on Besant Nagar beach, arrested

The city police arrested three men for allegedly threatening a young couple at knifepoint and robbing them at the Elliots Beach in Besant Nagar during the early hours of Friday. Officials said the trio decamped with two mobile phones and a gold chain weighing two sovereigns.

The complainant, a 23-year-old man working as a marketing executive, had come to the beach with his girlfriend around 2 am. They were sitting on the beach talking, and when it started raining at about 3.30 am, the couple moved towards a shop on the beach to take shelter.

That was when four men approached and threatened them. One of the suspects held a knife to the man's throat while the others took two mobile phones and the woman's gold chain.

Based on the man's complaint, the Shastri Nagar police registered a case and launched an investigation. The police identified the suspects as Arya (35) from Kerala, and Ashwin Kumar (33) and Raj (21) from Chennai.

Investigators found that the three men rode horses at Elliot's Beach. All three of them were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Search is on for another suspect who is at large.

Youth detained after molestation bid on school girl on bus

Ariyalur police secured a youth who reportedly misbehaved with a Class 12 girl on a moving TNSTC bus on Thursday late evening. School students were returning home after class on Thursday evening by a TNSTC bus bound from Ariyalur via V-Kaikatti.

When the bus was proceeding from Ariyalur, a youth who was said to be in an inebriated condition attempted to misbehave with one of the girls.

As the girl raised the alarm, the co-passengers secured the youth and handed him over to the Ariyalur All Women police. He was identified as Arun, a driver from Ponparappi Kudikadu village near Sendurai.

NIT Tiruchy student kills self in hostel

A final-year student from NIT, Tiruchy, committed suicide by hanging in the hostel room here on Friday, frustrated over a relationship failure.

A Shirthick (21), a resident from Chrompet in Chennai, was pursuing BTech at NIT, Tiruchy. As his hostel room remained shut for a long time, his classmate Prassanna opened the window to check. He found Shrithick hanging dead.

Soon, the institute alerted the Thuvakudi police, who sent his body to Thuvakudi GH. The police found that Shrithick was in love with his senior.

The police also retrieved letters written to his lover and family members. Further investigations are on.

Man held for land records tampering in Tiruvarur

A man was arrested for allegedly tampering with official land records at a Sub-Registrar office in Tiruvarur to facilitate the illegal transfer and sale of properties, police said on Thursday.

Based on a complaint lodged by the District Registrar, Tiruvarur, the CB-CID registered a case on August 21 against the accused Sasikumar, along with officials of the Tiruvarur Joint Sub-Registrar Office and other private individuals.

Sasikumar conspired with officials to erase existing particulars in official records and insert fabricated details to illegally obtain 'pattas' for properties belonging to the Virudhachalam Kumara Devar Mutt, the Tiruvarur Dakshinamurthy Mutt, certain temple lands, and private lands located in Adiyakkamangalam Village. The accused subsequently sold these properties. Sasikumar was arrested on November 3.

Woman arrested for stealing gold, cash in Chennai

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.

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.

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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.

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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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Deepavali is celebrated with great enthusiasm across Tamil Nadu, with people bursting firecrackers and exchanging sweets. In Chennai, residents began bursting crackers in several neighbourhoods on Wednesday, continuing the celebrations from early Thursday morning.

Royapuram records highest AQI of 238 in Chennai

Despite rainfall, people burst firecrackers during breaks in the showers, particularly in the evening between 7 pm and 8 pm.

The celebrations have contributed to a rise in air pollution across the city. Royapuram recorded the highest AQI of 238, followed by Perungudi at 175, Manali at 168, Kodungaiyur at 166 and Arumbakkam at 165.

The city's average AQI has also increased significantly compared to the corresponding period last year. It stood at 56 on November 6 and 74 on November 7 last year, while this year it has reached 159.

The deteriorating air quality has caused concern, with residents facing discomfort due to increased pollution.

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 Sunday.

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 07 - Rs 107.77

November 06 - Rs 107.77

November 05 - Rs 107.77

November 04 - Rs 107.77

November 03 - Rs 107.77

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

November 07 - Rs 99.55

November 06 - Rs 99.55

November 05 - Rs 99.55

November 04 - Rs 99.55

November 03 - Rs 99.55

The Solid Waste Management Department has taken necessary steps, said GCC commissioner GS Sameeran, urging the public to collect firecracker waste from their homes and residential areas separately and hand it over to GCC conservancy workers visiting their localities.

The civic body has distributed 30,000 specially designated bags, each with a 50 kg capacity, to cleanliness workers, who will use them to collect the waste from the public. The civic body has deployed 600 personnel and 350 vehicles for the exercise.

The residential complexes classified as bulk waste generators (BWGs) have been asked to collect all such waste within their premises at a designated spot, without mixing it with other waste, and hand it over to cleanliness workers.

Bhuvaneswari, a 24-year-old MBA graduate from Chitlapakkam near Tambaram, has been working at a private finance company in Tambaram for the past month. The incident happened on Thursday evening, when she was returning from work by bus and got down at Sanatorium.

As she was walking towards Chitlapakkam through the Sanatorium foot overbridge, she noticed several elderly, destitute people sitting there. Taking pity over their condition, she distributed laddus that she had bought.

At that moment, an unidentified man approached her, attacked her with pepper spray on her face and attempted to snatch the gold chain she was wearing. Despite being shocked by the attack, Bhuvaneswari raised an alarm. Hearing her cries, the public rushed to her rescue, caught the man, and thrashed him before handing him over to the Tambaram police.

During interrogation, the police identified the accused as Kuppusamy (46), a resident of Pammal near Pallavaram, who was working as a project manager at a private IT firm on Old Mahabalipuram Road. During their investigations, the police found that Kuppusamy had lost a large amount of money in online trading and was struggling with mounting debts.

To clear his liabilities, he had even sold his house in Pammal, worth around Rs 60 lakh. However, he was unable to settle his debt fully.

Unable to meet his financial commitments, he decided to commit chain-snatching in an attempt to raise money to repay his loans. The Tambaram police arrested Kuppusamy and are continuing their investigation.

After the boat was caught in Cyclone Murasu, seven of them died, while search is under way for the remaining two.

In its statement clarifying the sequence of events, the Coast Guard (ICG) said the boat, Sri Sengalamman, left Kasimedu on October 29. After receiving warnings that Cyclone Murasu would make landfall between Nellore and Narsapur on the night of November 2 and 3, it took shelter at Nizampatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

Despite weather warnings, the men left with the trawler from Nizampatnam on November 2 night, as Cyclone Murasu crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast. ICG said the crew may have mistaken a temporary lull in winds for the storm having passed.

Around noon on November 3, the Coast Guard received the first report the trawler getting caught in the fury of the storm. Within a couple of hours, a search aircraft from Chennai was airborne, while a ship stationed at Krishnapatnam was deployed the same day. Coordinated aerial and maritime searches were conducted on November 3, 4, and 5, it said.

During the search, they found a submerged green-hulled boat, apparently Sri Sengalamman, off the Andhra coast around 9.35 am on November 5. Of the nine fishermen, seven bodies have been recovered, while the search for two was continuing, it added.

Earlier, relatives of the fishermen had told DT Next that the crew contacted nearby fishing vessels and the boat owner after the vessel stalled due to strong winds and heavy rain that stopped its engine. The families accused the boat owner and the Coast Guard of failing to ensure the fishermen's safety, arguing that timely intervention could have saved them.

After the video clip of the lawyer went viral on social media on December 20, 2021, a division bench took suo motu cognisance of the incident and directed the CB-CID to register an FIR. Accordingly, a case was registered under Sections 228, 292 (2) (a) and 294 (a) of the IPC, and Section 67A of the IT Act.

According to the final report filed by the police, the lawyer had sexually exploited the woman, who worked as his office assistant and domestic help, on several occasions. He had allegedly taken advantage of her family's financial difficulties by offering her money, new clothes, and food, said the police.

The lawyer, RD Santhanakrishnan, filed a plea seeking to quash the pending criminal case. During the hearing, his counsel, C Paul Kanagaraj, contended that even if the final report and supporting materials were accepted in full, no offence was made out against him.

He argued that the incident had taken place inside a closed room in his advocate's office and not in a public place. He also submitted that the lawyer had no intention of insulting or interrupting judicial proceedings.

After hearing the plea, Justice M Nirmal Kumar noted that virtual hearings were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic due to restrictions on physical court proceedings and limited access to courts. It was undisputed that the petitioner was accidentally shown on the virtual platform while logging into the hearing.

Therefore, he had unknowingly disrupted the proceedings, and a private act was streamed due to a lack of technological knowledge, particularly when virtual hearings and the use of electronic devices were still at an early stage.

Noting that Section 228 IPC punishes intentional insult or interruption of a public servant, the court said there was no material to show that the lawyer intended to disrupt the proceedings or knew that his conduct would be displayed during the virtual hearing.

Regarding Section 294 (a) IPC, the court observed that the provision applies to obscene acts in public places. The lawyer had not knowingly switched on the camera, and no participant had complained of annoyance caused by the incident. The court also recalled that the division bench had earlier observed that the lawyer's act, by itself, did not constitute an offence.

On the sexual harassment charges, the court found no evidence of unwelcome physical contact, sexual overtures, demands, or remarks by the lawyer. It also found no material to establish offences under the IT Act or the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.

Considering the available materials, the court quashed the criminal proceedings pending against him.

For chef Goku, one such festive favourite is Munthiri Kothu, a traditional sweet from the Kanniyakumari and Nanjil Nadu regions. Interestingly, it is not a recipe he claims as a family heirloom. His maternal grandmother and father travelled extensively across Tamil Nadu for work, and during these travels, his grandmother picked up the recipe. She would make it during Deepavali, and the tradition has since continued through his mother, who prepares it today. The sweet remains one of his personal favourites.

Made with roasted whole green gram, grated coconut, jaggery and sesame seeds, Munthiri Kothu has a distinctive preparation. The ingredients are combined to make a sweet filling, shaped into small balls, dipped in a thick rice batter and deep-fried until crisp and golden. The result is a traditional festive sweet that carries with it a story of how culinary practices travel across regions and find a place in family kitchens.

For Goku, the gradual disappearance of such preparations reflects a larger change in our relationship with food. Earlier, food was closely connected to seasons, agriculture, communities and family traditions, with recipes passed down orally from one generation to another. Today, smaller families, busy schedules and the convenience of commercially available sweets and savouries have changed the way people prepare for festivals.

"Many recipes were never documented. They existed in the hands and memories of home cooks. When that generation stops cooking, we risk losing not just the recipe but also the techniques, proportions and stories behind it," he says.

He also points out how regional variations are gradually being replaced by a smaller selection of popular festive foods. Traditional rice varieties, millets, indigenous pulses, native oils and regional sweeteners, which once formed an integral part of local cooking, are also becoming less accessible in everyday kitchens.

For him, preserving these preparations requires more than simply writing down the ingredients. It involves travelling to villages, spending time with older home cooks and documenting recipes in their original context. The techniques behind fermentation, roasting, grinding, cooking temperatures, seasonal variations and traditional equipment are equally important. A preparation from Nanjil Nadu, for instance, could be considerably different from its counterpart in Chettinad or Kongu Nadu, and these distinctions deserve recognition.

He believes chefs, researchers and food storytellers have a responsibility to bring these preparations back into conversations, restaurants and contemporary kitchens through pop-ups, tasting menus, food festivals and workshops. More importantly, preserving a recipe also means preserving the farmers, ingredients and ecosystems that make it possible. Younger generations, he feels, should see traditional food as something exciting rather than something they are expected to eat simply because it is part of their heritage. The objective should be to keep these recipes alive in people's kitchens rather than preserve them only in books.

Another traditional savoury preparation he shares is Nada Murukku, made using equal quantities of rice flour and besan, seasoned with fennel seeds and salt. Hot oil is incorporated into the flour mixture before water is added to make a soft, pliable dough. The dough is passed through a murukku press fitted with a ribbon-style disc and deep-fried until crisp and golden.

Meanwhile, Indra Narayan, popularly known as the Millet Queen, approaches festive food traditions from a different perspective. For her, the connection with traditional festive food is rooted in family memories. Rava ladoo and murukku were regular Deepavali preparations in her household, made first by her grandmother and later by her mother. She recalls celebrating the festival with her siblings, memories that remain special to her even today.

Her relationship with millets began in 2012, when she switched to them for health reasons. What started as a personal dietary change gradually developed into an interest in exploring their taste and texture.

"I used to make it with rice first. Now, I have started trying this immediately. The current generation does not make it at all," she says, referring to traditional festive preparations. She feels that people are increasingly buying ready-made murukku instead of making it at home. While she believes there is room to enjoy sweets occasionally, she encourages people to prepare them at home and explore alternative ingredients.

One of her festive creations is a little millet rava ladoo, which gives the familiar sweet a millet-based twist. The preparation involves soaking little millet for five hours, drying and roasting it before grinding it into a powder. Roasted peanut powder, jaggery and cardamom are added, followed by chopped roasted cashews. Warm ghee is gradually incorporated before the mixture is shaped into ladoos. She also suggests that the preparation can be attempted with other millet varieties.

Her other offering is little millet poha murukku. Millet poha is powdered and sieved before being combined with besan, little millet flour, cumin seeds, carom seeds, chilli powder and salt. Hot oil and water are added to make a soft dough, which is shaped using a murukku press and deep-fried until crisp. Both preparations are simple enough for home cooks, including beginners, to attempt.

For Indra, the idea is to make traditional recipes relevant to the current generation without completely moving away from familiar festive flavours.

On the question of making traditional festive food healthier, Goku believes that flavour should remain central. Tamil cuisine has always made use of seasonal ingredients, native grains, pulses, coconut, sesame, palm jaggery and locally available produce. These ingredients offer opportunities to revisit traditional preparations, but he cautions against replacing every ingredient with millets simply because they are considered healthier. Understanding the character of each ingredient and using it where it makes culinary sense, he says, is more important than making substitutions for the sake of it.

Deepavali shopping during my childhood would begin almost a month in advance. More than the shopping itself, what I eagerly looked forward to was the rose milk and juices we enjoyed between our shopping trips. Deepavali day would begin as early as 4 am. Gingelly oil, shikkai, sweets, crackers and new clothes would be placed before the pooja room and worshipped. This would be followed by the ritual of boiling gingelly oil. The practice of adding a few extra ingredients, such as garlic and pepper, to the oil became part of our family tradition only in later years.

A proper oil bath using shikkai would follow. The aroma of gingelly oil and shikkai was the fragrance that marked the beginning of my childhood Deepavali mornings. I still follow this ritual religiously!

In the background, Nadaswaram music would play as we took our oil baths. My grandmother would insist on this auspicious Mangala Isai. She would often narrate stories of her childhood, when, on special occasions such as Deepavali, two Nadaswaram musicians would visit their home and perform.

After being drenched in gingelly oil and shikkai and dressed in our new clothes, the next activities would be bursting crackers and indulging in the Deepavali feast.

As the popular saying goes, Ennai chatti vaikkaatha Deepavali kidaiyaathu - there is no Deepavali without placing the oil pan on the stove! Sweets and savouries were a given.

In our Chennai-origin household, where non-vegetarian food was relished, a sumptuous non-vegetarian breakfast was an essential part of the celebration. In our home, it was paya for breakfast, for which my mother would begin preparations the previous day itself.

More often than not, the day following Deepavali would mark the beginning of the Sashti fast and penance. Perhaps that was another reason people indulged in a lavish feast before embarking on the strict observances the following day.

Looking back, Deepavali was not merely about new clothes, crackers or sweets. It was the aroma of gingelly oil and shikkai, the sound of Mangala Isai, my grandmother’s stories, my mother’s preparations and the little joys of childhood that made the festival truly special.

For me, more than the crackers, sweets or new dresses, Deepavali will always be remembered for my grandmother’s stories and the elaborate oil baths she lovingly gave us.

- As told to Merin James

The accused, identified as Dinesh, broke his left arm, allegedly while attempting to escape from the police station.

After receiving information about a man wielding a weapon creating a ruckus at the bus terminus, sub-inspector Senthil Nathan rushed to the spot. When the official tried to pacify and apprehend the man, the accused allegedly tried to attack the sub-inspector with the machete that he was brandishing.

Senthil Kumar used his uniform belt to defend himself, overpowered the man, and took him to the police station for questioning. There, Dinesh allegedly attempted to escape by climbing over a wall. He fell and fractured his left arm, claimed the police.

The Red Hills police registered a case against him for obstructing the government servant from discharging his duty, threatening a policeman in uniform, possessing a weapon and threatening the common public. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

According to the transport department, a total of 5,087 buses, comprising 2,191 regular services and 2,896 special buses, were operated from Chennai until midnight on Friday. This was 93.67% of the 5,431 buses planned for the day.

On Thursday, the first day of the special operations, 3,209 buses, including 2,191 regular services and 1,018 special buses, were operated, ferrying 1.40 lakh passengers.

In all, 8,296 buses were operated over the two days, carrying 3.79 lakh passengers.

The Tamil Nadu transport department has planned to operate 15,659 buses over three days from November 5 to 7 to handle the Deepavali rush. This includes 6,573 regular buses and 9,086 special services, comprising 7,427 government buses and 1,659 private buses.

For Saturday, 5,167 buses, comprising 2,191 regular services and 2,976 special buses, have been planned.

Special buses are being operated from five locations in Chennai: Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT) at Kilambakkam, Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Bus Terminus at Koyambedu, Madhavaram New Bus Terminus, CMDA Kalaignar Centenary temporary bus terminus and the temporary bus terminus at Maraimalai Nagar.

Supply to Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, and Adyar zones will be affected, said the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).

In a statement, the CMWSSB said the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is undertaking road widening works at Maruvai village near Vadalur in Cuddalore district. As part of the project, the main drinking water pipeline from Veeranam lake to Chennai will be realigned.

Due to this, the North Water Treatment Plant will remain temporarily shut, affecting water supply from 6 am on November 11 to 6 am on November 15 in the Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, and Adyar zones.

The supply will be reduced also in Nandanam and Mylapore, and wards 122 to 126 in the Teynampet zone. The whole of Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, and Adyar zones will also be affected.

The CMWSSB has advised residents in these areas to store adequate quantities of drinking water in advance. For emergency requirements, residents can book water tankers through the board's official website (https://cmwssb.tn.gov.in), using the 'Dial for Water' service.

However, tanker water supply to public street taps and storage tanks in areas without piped water connections and low-pressure zones will continue as usual.

The yellow metal is now priced at Rs 1,05,280 per sovereign and Rs 13,160 per gram, after an increase of Rs 20 per gram.

Earlier, on November 6, the yellow metal was priced at Rs 1,07,080 per sovereign and Rs 13,385 per gram.

Silver price increases

Meanwhile, silver prices has increased at Rs 250 per gram (Rs 2,50,000 per kg) on November 7.

On November 6, silver was priced at Rs 210 per gram

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

Gold remains significantly higher compared to last year. Prices have increased from Rs 90,160 per sovereign (Rs 11,270 per gram) on November 7, 2025, to Rs 1,05,280 per sovereign (Rs 13,160 per gram) on November 7, 2026, marking an increase of Rs 15,120 per sovereign or about 16.77% per cent.

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

November 6, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,07,080| 1 gram - Rs 13,385

November 5, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,07,080 | 1 gram - Rs 13,385

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

Silver price over the last five days:

November 6, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 210

November 5, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 210

November 4, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 210

November 3, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 200

November 2, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 200

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:

November 06 - Rs 107.77

November 05 - Rs 107.77

November 04 - Rs 107.77

November 03 - Rs 107.77

November 02 - Rs 107.77

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

November 06 - Rs 99.55

November 05 - Rs 99.55

November 04 - Rs 99.55

November 03 - Rs 99.55

November 02 - Rs 99.55

“Last year, a few communities came to us the day after Deepavali saying there was so much cracker waste in their driveways and outside their premises. When it rains, the waste gets washed away and leaches into the ground. We thought we should organise this ourselves rather than leave individual communities to deal with it,” said Harsha Koda, Federation of OMR Residential Associations (FOMRRA).

The collected material will be picked up on November 10 and sent to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) for processing. The initiative is being coordinated by FOMRRA and SIMPLE, in collaboration with Bisleri’s ‘Bottles for Change’ recycling initiative.

The drive will focus on two categories of waste: plastic, cardboard and carton packaging from firecrackers, including hollow cylinder packaging from burnt aerial shots, and metal remains of burnt sparklers. Residents have been asked to segregate these materials separately and store them in designated areas within their communities.

Organisers have formed a coordination group where residents can clarify doubts about what can be handed over for collection and how the materials should be segregated.

This is the second time the localities have been flooded since the onset of the northeast monsoon. Pedestrians, particularly students and office-goers, found it difficult to navigate the waterlogged streets.

Residents said that the run-off from adjoining streets flowed into these low-lying areas after every spell of rain, leaving water stagnant for days. During last week’s rainfall, floodwater even entered several houses.

They also expressed concern over the risk of waterborne diseases and mosquito breeding, as sewage was mixing with rainwater. Residents said that the problem recurred every monsoon and urged the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to find a permanent solution.

Hanif, a resident of VOC Street, said, “Since rainwater is not draining properly through the storm water drains (SWDs), sewage is also overflowing through the pipes of houses in the low-lying areas. This has caused severe inconvenience to residents.”

Concurring with him was another resident, Selvi, who said, “Periyar Street is an important road linking to MGR Market. During the rainy season, it becomes very difficult to use this road. A woman walking along the street recently slipped and fell into the stagnant water. People are scared of using this road and often walk gingerly to avoid falling.”

A Corporation official told this reporter that said steps were being taken to drain the stagnant water from the affected areas. “Workers are clearing blockages in SWDs and taking measures to remove the accumulated water at the earliest,” he added.

The accident occurred around 5 am when the van was heading from Paiyanur to Kelambakkam, carrying 20 women employees from a private factory near Kelambakkam.

When the van was riding along the OMR near Paiyanur village, a cow suddenly crossed the road. Trying to avoid hitting the animal, the driver swerved and veered onto the opposite side of the road and crashed into an MTC bus coming from Tiruporur towards Mahabalipuram. Following the collision, the van overturned into a roadside drainage. 

Upon hearing the cries, residents rushed to the spot and began rescue operations. Mahabalipuram police and Fire and Rescue Services arrived and assisted in rescuing the injured while regulating traffic. 

In the accident, two women employees, identified as Durga Lakshmi (34) from Thirukazhukundram and Jeyalakshmi (40) from Koovathur, died on the spot. The cow that crossed the road also died.

Nine women sustained serious injuries. They were identified as Aishwarya (25), Regina (33), Uthra (26), Aishwarya (35), Ritha (30), Muthulakshmi (33), Sudha (36), Dhanalakshmi (32) and Tamil (26). They were rushed to the Chengalpattu GH for treatment. 

Another nine women sustained minor injuries and were admitted to the GH at Poonjeri. Meanwhile, the van driver jumped out of the vehicle and fled from the spot. Police are searching for him. 

Mahabalipuram police have registered a case and are investigating the accident. Following the incident, traffic on the OMR was affected for nearly an hour.

Health Minister KG Arunraj inaugurated the Rs 1.60 crore haemodialysis centre at the Anna Nagar Government Peripheral Hospital. The facility was established through a partnership involving Rotary organisations, Kamdar Foundation and Wockhardt Foundation, which jointly provided the medical equipment.

The centre is equipped with 10 dialysis machines manufactured by Germany-based Fresenius, a reverse osmosis water purification system, an effluent treatment plant, central air-conditioning and a diesel generator. The hospital provided the infrastructure, including the building, electricity and water supply.

Once fully operational, the centre will be able to treat 30 patients a day and provide approximately 750 dialysis sessions a month. Wockhardt Foundation will manage the dialysis services, while treatment expenses will be covered under the CM’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme.

Separately, Arunraj and School Education Minister Rajmohan inaugurated an extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) machine, worth Rs 83.50 lakh, at the advanced haematology and bone marrow transplant unit of the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Egmore.

Donated by Rotary Club of Anna Nagar Aditya and the UK-based Rotary Club of Lickey Hills under the Rotary Global Grant project, ‘Cancer Warrior Kids’, the equipment uses a patient’s blood cells and ultraviolet-A light to regulate immune responses. It’s particularly useful in managing graft-versus-host disease, a complication that can arise after an allogeneic bone marrow transplant.

The facility is expected to strengthen specialised post-transplant care for children, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

The deceased was identified as Muthupriya (33), a native of Kalaiyarkovil in Sivaganga. Her husband, Vivek (38), works as a driver at a hotel.

The couple had been married for five years after meeting through matrimony site and have a daughter, Thiruvenba. Police said Vivek frequently quarrelled with Muthupriya, alleging that she had deceived him into marrying her.

On Thursday night, another argument broke out between them at their residence on Pachaiyappan Eighth Cross Street, Periyar Nagar, Palavakkam. Around 1 am on Friday, Vivek took a kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed Muthupriya, killing her on the spot. 

After the incident, he took their daughter on his two-wheeler to his brother Vinoth’s house in Mudichur, near Tambaram, and left her there. He then rode to the Neelankarai police station and surrendered, informing the police that he had killed his wife. 

Upon receiving information, a police team visited the house and found Muthupriya lying dead in a pool of blood. Her body was sent to the Government Royapettah Hospital for postmortem. The Neelankarai police have registered a case and are investigating the incident. Police sources said that Vivek had received treatment for a mental health-related condition around three months ago.

Police sources said that Vivek had received treatment for a mental health-related condition around three months ago.

A total of 3,209 buses, including 2,191 regular services and 1,018 special buses, were operated until midnight on Thursday. The special services comprised 862 government buses and 156 private buses.

The Tamil Nadu transport department has planned to operate 15,659 buses over three days from November 5 to 7 to handle the festive rush. This includes 6,573 regular buses and 9,086 special services, comprising 7,427 government buses and 1,659 private buses.

On Friday, 5,431 buses, including 2,191 regular services and 3,240 special buses, have been scheduled. Another 5,167 buses, comprising 2,191 regular services and 2,976 special buses, will be operated on Saturday.

Special buses are being operated from five locations in Chennai: Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT) at Kilambakkam, Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Bus Terminus at Koyambedu, Madhavaram New Bus Terminus, CMDA Kalaignar Centenary temporary bus terminus and the temporary bus terminus at Maraimalai Nagar.

The yellow metal is currently priced at Rs 1,07,080 per sovereign and Rs 13,385 per gram.

On Thursday, November 5, gold was priced at Rs 1,07,080 per sovereign and Rs 13,385 per gram.

Silver prices remain unchanged

Meanwhile, silver prices also remains stable at Rs 210 per gram (Rs 2,10,000 per kg) on November 6.

On November 5, 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 6, 2025, gold was priced at Rs 90,560 per sovereign (Rs 11,320 per gram). At today's rate (November 6, 2026) of Rs 1,07,080 per sovereign (Rs 13,385 per gram), the price has increased by Rs 16,520 per sovereign, or around 18.24 per cent.

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

November 5, 2026: 1 Sovereign - Rs 1,07,080 | 1 gram - Rs 13,385

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

Silver price over the last five days:

November 5, 2026: 1 gram - Rs 210

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

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.