The newly formed corporate body aims to execute major state government infrastructure projects valued above Rs 200 crore while driving revenue generation through unused government lands and competitive private-sector tenders, according to a GO issued on Monday.

The initiative stems from a recent announcement made on the floor of the Assembly by the Minister for Public Works and Sports Development.

Driven by the state's expanding infrastructure demands, the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure and Construction Corporation (TNICC) is designed as an agile, self-sustaining institutional mechanism equipped with professional expertise and operational flexibility.

Operating as a Project Management Consultant (PMC), the corporation will centralise project management, implement modern technologies, and provide high-quality architectural designs and quality control services.

Its operational scope encompasses developing modern townships, industrial hubs, technology parks, IT cities, and business parks, alongside optimising underutilised government land parcels to create sustainable state revenue.

Furthermore, the corporation is authorised to participate in competitive tenders floated by national and international private entities.

The government order added that the corporation starts with an authorised share capital of Rs 15 lakh and an initial paid-up capital of Rs 10 lakh.

Stringent governance guidelines have been mandated so that all major works will be assigned through open competitive bidding on the e-procurement portal in strict compliance with the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act, 1998.

Each assigned project will carry independent funding and a designated agency fee from user departments.

By bridging the gap between public infrastructure delivery and commercial competitiveness, the TNICC is poised to redefine the state’s urban landscape, accelerating decision-making processes to meet long-term economic and infrastructural goals.

The victim was a local history-sheeter identified as Prithiviraj, and he was killed in the violent encounter in Reddiachavadi, on Deepavali night, allegedly by Arulasaru, police said.

Upon receiving information, a local police team traced the suspect who was hiding in a cashew grove in Epputhur and tried to nab him. However, he attacked the police with a knife, injuring a Sub-Inspector of Police and attempted to flee.

Immediately, the police opened fire, shooting him in the leg and apprehended him.

Both the suspect and the injured Sub-Inspector are currently receiving treatment at the Cuddalore government hospital, the official said, and added that the murder suspect was successfully apprehended within four hours of the occurrence of the crime. PTI JSP JSP KH

SSI Senthil Kumar was returning home after duty in plain clothes when he noticed a group of youngsters bursting crackers on the road. He advised them to clear the road to avoid inconvenience to the public and attempted to record their activities on his mobile phone.

While trying to apprehend one of the youngsters, an individual allegedly struck him with his elbow, causing him to collapse.

A police patrol team that reached the spot rushed him to a hospital. However, he did not survive.

The Superintendent of Police, Theni district, visited the scene. Police have arrested three persons from the locality in connection with the incident.

Senthil Kumar had a history of heart-related ailments. The circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

House gutted as rocket cracker explodes inside

A house was gutted in fire after a rocket cracker burst inside the premises during Deepavali celebrations, in Sriperumbudur on Sunday.

Gangadharan of Veerasamy Pillai Street was at home when the incident occurred. A group of children were bursting firecrackers on the street near his house. At the time, a rocket firecracker entered Gangadharan's house and exploded, setting household articles, including a sofa, air conditioner and bureau, on fire.

The fire spread rapidly throughout the house, seeing which, Gangadharan and family members rushed out of the house in panic. Neighbours who witnessed the incident immediately alerted the Sriperumbudur Fire and Rescue Services. Firefighters rushed to the spot, doused the fire, and brought the situation under control.

While no one was injured in the incident, all household articles were gutted in the fire, and the house also suffered extensive structural damage.
The Sriperumbudur police have registered the case, and further investigation is on.

Two run over by trains in separate incidents

A guest worker was among two people run over by trains in separate incidents in the late hours on Sunday.

Bijoykumar Behurah (44) of Cuttack, Odisha, involved in construction work in Thanjavur's Papanasam, was run over by a train while consuming liquor with his friends on a track in the Papanasam-Pandaravadai section. His friends had escaped in a fraction of a second.

The Railway police registered a case and are investigating. Similarly, Manikandan (36) of Punnai Nallur near Thanjavur was crossing the railway track between the Thittai-Thanjavur section when the Mayiladuthurai-Sengottai intercity express train hit him. Manikandan died on the spot.

Thanjavur railway police registered a case and retrieved the body for autopsy. Further investigations are ongoing.

3 murdered in Tiruchy on Deepavali night 

Deepavali night in Tiruchy saw three murders, including that of two minors, in separate incidents.

The minors, Rahul from Inam Samayapuram and his cousin R Vishal, both 17,  were riding along the Pullambadi canal near Samayapuram tollgate on a two-wheeler when they were confronted by an unidentified group that had been tailing them, the police said.

They allegedly attacked the duo with lethal weapons, killing Vishal on the spot. Rahul sustained a slit throat and succumbed on the way to the hospital, the police said.

Superintendent of Police Dongare Pravin Umesh ordered three special teams headed by the Lalgudi DSP Rajmohan to nab the culprits. The police secured three suspects by Monday evening.

In another incident, an IT employee, X Christopher (21), from Irungalur near Samayapuram, was killed in front his house after a fight broke out with two-wheeler-bound V Donald (28), who lived in the same area, objected to Christopher bursting crackers on the street.

Wild jumbo tramples man to death in Tenkasi

A 72-year-old retired Highways Department employee was trampled to death by a wild elephant near Puliyarai in Tenkasi district on Sunday morning.

Subbaiah had gone to his farm in Kottavikulam, near Puliyarai, around 7 am on Monday when a wild elephant came charging along the same path. Scared, Subbaiah tried to escape, but the elephant kicked him in the chest, and he died on impact

Kadayanallur MLA TM Rajendran urged the State government and district administration to provide compensation to Subbaiah's family and urged for round-the-clock monitoring by the Forest department as wild elephants and boars are increasingly entering residential and farm areas.

Man hacked to death in Perambalur during Deepavali celebration

A 50 year old man was hacked to death in Perambalur after the Deepavali celebrations turned violent in the wee hours of Monday.

Sources said, R Ravi, a resident from Nochiyam village near Perambalur had reportedly gone out to celebrate Deepavali with his friends. Since he failed to return even on Monday morning, the anxious family members went in search of him and they were shocked to see Ravi was lying dead near Mariamman temple premises with severe cut injuries.

Soon they passed on the information to the Perambalur Town police who rushed to the spot and retrieved the body and sent it to Perambalur GH. Police said that the murder had occurred in the early hours on Monday. The police had also retrieved the CCTV footage’s from the spot and commenced investigation. Finger print experts and sniffer dog squad also visited the spot and conducted investigation.

Based on the complaint by Ravi’s mother Sarasu, a case was registered and investigations are underway.

Gang murders two minor boys in Tiruchy

Two minors were brutally murdered near Samayapuram in Tiruchy in the late hours of Sunday (November 8).

Sources said Rahul (17), a resident of Inam Samayapuram, was staying at a relative's house in the locality after the death of his parents. He was doing odd jobs to earn a living.

On Sunday, around 11.30 pm, Rahul, along with his cousin, R Vishal (17), was walking along the Pullambadi canal near the Samayapuram tollgate when they were confronted by an unidentified gang. The duo were brutally attacked with lethal weapons. Vishal died on the spot, sustaining severe cut injuries to his head and face, while Rahul was left struggling for his life with a slit throat. The assailants fled the scene under the cover of darkness.

Passersby who noticed the incident alerted the police, who rushed to the spot, retrieved Vishal’s body and shifted the injured Rahul to hospital.

However, Rahul too succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Subsequently, both bodies were sent to Tiruchy Government Hospital (GH) for post-mortem examination.

A case has been registered, and an investigation is under way.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Dongare Pravin Umesh, who visited the spot, conducted an inquiry and ordered the formation of three special teams to nab the culprits.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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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He said the report would have been a landmark document, similar to the Rajamannar Committee report, which examined the question of state autonomy. He added that the comprehensive report would have triggered wider debates on federalism.

Stalin said that although the government could dissolve the committee through a Government Order, it could not erase the ideas, questions and knowledge-sharing initiatives that had emerged from its deliberations.

"The TVK-led government has lost an opportunity to strengthen constitutional federalism by discontinuing the committee. The present government may realise its mistake sooner or later, " Stalin said.

Stalin said the government's justification that the committee's functions were equivalent to those of the Tamil Nadu State Law Commission was not convincing. He claimed that most of the work on the second part of the report was already complete and that discontinuing the committee wasted the work undertaken, along with the knowledge, expertise, and experience of its members.

He also expressed anguish and disappointment over the decision, sharing the committee members' concerns.

Talking to reporters after inspecting the Connemara Public Library here, he said the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has commenced an investigation into alleged irregularities in the procurement of books published by Akal Vilakku Publications.

The minister said 523 books from the publishing house had been stocked at the Connemara Library alone, with the purchases dating to 2025. He alleged that books bearing the names of Nivedha Paulraj, Nivedha Mohan, Vijay Balu and Vijay Adithan had been procured under questionable circumstances, suggesting that the alleged racket had been operating for several years and predated the present government.

Referring to economist Jean Drèze’s reported denial of authorship of a book purchased for the Kalaignar Centenary Library in 2023, Rajmohan said the controversy had brought global embarrassment to the State.
Alleging that such irregularities could not have occurred without the support of influential politicians or officials, he said the representatives of publishers’ associations have expressed unfamiliarity with Akal Vilakku Publications.

Announcing corrective measures, the minister said the government would cancel pending book procurement orders, including those intended for the Kamarajar Library in Tiruchy, and remove questionable publications from public libraries across the State. “Those who think they can escape by shifting the blame onto us will find that the law will not allow it. Corruption in the name of Periyar cannot be condoned,” he said.

Describing the alleged racket as a conspiracy involving political influence and intellectual power, Rajmohan said the DVAC investigation was only the beginning and that a separate committee could be constituted if necessary. He added that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had directed officials to ensure a swift and impartial investigation.

The deceased was identified as Dhanush, a resident of 62nd block in Sathyamoorthy Nagar in Vyasarpadi. According to the police, Dhanush had three criminal cases registered against him.

Around 10 pm on Sunday, Dhanush's elder brother, Silambarasan, was walking along the 58th block when a man who was in an inebriated state confronted and assaulted him. When Silambarasan came home and informed the family members about the attack, Dhanush got enraged and left home to confront the man, later identified as Appu Kutty. However, Appu Kutty's sons, Surya and Badshah, along with three others, ganged up and attacked Dhanush with sickles.

After they fled the spot, the residents rescued and rushed Dhanush to Stanley Government Hospital, where he died despite treatment.

An investigation by the MKB Nagar police revealed that the two families had an earlier dispute linked to a relationship involving Dhanush's sister-in-law and one of the assailants. The police have registered a case and launched a search for the six suspects.

According to official figures, liquor sales stood at Rs 234.75 crore on November 7, the eve of Deepavali, and Rs 206.63 crore on November 8, taking the two-day total to Rs 441.38 crore.

Among the five Tasmac regions, Tiruchy registered the highest sales at Rs 98.97 crore, followed by Chennai at Rs 95.85 crore. Madurai accounted for Rs 88.38 crore, Salem Rs 87.52 crore, and Coimbatore Rs 70.66 crore.

The festive sales have also brought the newly revised empty-bottle buyback mechanism into focus. Under the system, which came into effect on November 1, a Rs 10 Environmental and Social Welfare Cess is incorporated into the revised maximum retail price (MRP) of liquor bottles. Consumers are entitled to a refund of the amount upon returning eligible empty bottles.

Sources said consumers purchasing liquor in parcels during the two-day festive period had largely not returned empty bottles, resulting in an estimated Rs 38 crore remaining unclaimed under the scheme. The amount, however, cannot be treated as net profit, as the cess is intended for environmental and social welfare purposes and is refundable against eligible bottle returns.

With Monday being a public holiday following Deepavali, TASMAC has projected sales of around Rs 192 crore for the day. If the estimate materialises, the three-day festive sales will total approximately Rs 633.38 crore, officials added.-

The home on Perumbakkam Road in Tiruvannamalai operates under approval from the Social Security department and houses 46 girls. With many returning home for Deepavali, around 10 girls stayed back. Compound wall construction was under way at the home, and Samuthiram lake is located behind it. Following rainfall over the past few days, the lake is currently holding a large volume of water.

On Monday afternoon, more than 11 girls, accompanied by the home's nurse Thenmozhi and a caretaker, went to Samuthiram lake behind the facility to bathe.

Initially, four girls entered the lake with the assistance of Thenmozhi. As they entered the water one after another, the five reportedly got caught in a deep section of the lake and drowned without realising how deep it was.

The other girls raised an alarm, following which residents from nearby areas rushed to the spot and entered the water to rescue them. Meanwhile, they alerted the Tiruvannamalai West police and Revenue Department officials.

The five were pulled out of the lake and found unconscious. They were taken in a 108 ambulance to the Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared all five dead.

The deceased were identified as Thenmozhi (29) of Valuthalankunam village; Vijayalakshmi (16), Alli (14) and Bhumika (13), daughters of Venkatesh from Karapattu village near Pudupalayam; and Valliyammal (16) of Nedungampoondi village.

Vijayalakshmi, Alli and Bhumika were dropped off at the children's home on Monday morning after the Deepavali holidays.

The police are investigating whether the girls had obtained permission from senior officials at the children's home before going to the lake or had gone there on their own.

Meanwhile, residents gathered in front of the children's home after learning about the incident. Police personnel were deployed there to maintain security.

The festival commences on Tuesday, with Soorasamharam, the ceremonial enactment of Lord Murugan's victory over the demon Surapadman, scheduled for November 15, followed by Thirukalyanam on November 16. HR&CE Minister S Ramesh said the department expects one lakh devotees on each of the first five days, six lakh on Soorasamharam day and two lakh for the celestial wedding.

Eleven temporary shelters covering 1,02,673 sq ft are being established for devotees observing the fast, alongside 300 temporary toilets. Free meals will be provided to 15,000 devotees throughout the day. The department will also distribute six lakh water bottles, one lakh biscuit packets and refreshments. Four free shuttle buses will facilitate travel for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Security arrangements include 493 CCTV cameras, six surveillance towers along the seashore and more than 5,000 police personnel deployed in shifts. Parking facilities for 10,000 vehicles and temporary bus stops at 12 locations are being established.

Medical camps, ambulances and fire services will remain on standby. Around 400 sanitation workers and 789 outsourced personnel will be deployed. LED screens at 26 locations will relay festival proceedings.

The victims included a Special Sub-Inspector (SSI) of police in Theni, police said.

Two people were killed in a double murder in Tiruchirappalli district, and a man was killed in Chennai. Police have formed special teams to trace the accused.

In Theni, SSI Senthil Kumar was attacked by a group of youths after he admonished them for bursting firecrackers in the middle of a road, blocking traffic, while making reels. He succumbed to his injuries on Monday.

In Cuddalore, a history-sheeter, Prithiviraj, was stabbed to death with a beer bottle during a clash with Arularasan.

Police tracked down Arularasan, shot him in the leg and arrested him.

In Vyasarpadi, Chennai, Dhanush, a young man, was chased down a street and hacked to death with sharp weapons by a group of assailants.

Police said an earlier enmity between the victim and the accused was the initial reason for the attack.

Dhanush, an auto-rickshaw driver, had gone to question the attackers of his brother when a group of six people assaulted him. He sustained severe injuries and died while being taken to the Stanley Government Hospital.

The MKB Nagar police registered a case. Two special teams were formed to arrest the six suspects, who are absconding.

The Greater Chennai Police had deployed over 18,000 personnel across the city for Deepavali security. Police said the Vyasarpadi murder was a targeted, localised conflict and not a lapse in general crowd control.

In Samayapuram in Tiruchirappalli district, two 17-year-old daily wage labourers were intercepted and hacked to death with sharp weapons by unidentified assailants near the Pullambadi canal late at night. Three special teams are tracking the culprits.

In another incident in the district, a 20-year-old IT employee, who works in Chennai and had come home for the holidays, was stabbed to death. He and his friends were bursting firecrackers when an argument broke out with residents, who objected to the direction in which the crackers were being burst. He was struck in the chest with an iron tool.

In Perambalur district, R Ravi (50), who had gone out to celebrate the festival with friends, was found dead near a temple in the early hours of Monday, police said.

A 25-year-old man was beaten to death near Aruppukottai following a clash on Deepavali night, and two murders were reported from Sivaganga district.

Police said most of the incidents, including the killings of the SSI and the IT employee, were triggered by intoxication, rowdy behaviour and sudden rage. Minor disputes over firecrackers being burst on public streets or pointed towards houses escalated into fatal clashes, they said.

In cases involving history-sheeters, such as the Tiruchirappalli double murder and the Cuddalore gang feud, police said the attackers used the noise of firecrackers, reduced public vigilance and festive distractions at night to settle old rivalries.

Named the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure and Construction Corporation (TNICC), the new entity will be established with an initial corpus fund of Rs 1 crore. It is envisaged as a world-class organisation capable of competing with private-sector players in the infrastructure and construction sector.

The corporation will undertake the development of new townships, industrial hubs, technology parks, information technology cities and business parks. It will also provide architectural planning and quality control services for construction projects.

According to an order issued by the Public Works Department, TNICC will undertake State government construction projects costing more than Rs 200 crore. It will also develop buildings on unused government land to generate revenue for the State.

"Each work assigned to TNICC shall carry its own funding and a stated agency fee from the user department. The scope of TNICC may exclude commercial development of land parcels that are currently within the scope of Chennai Metro Asset Management Limited (CMAML)," the order stated.

The corporation is expected to provide a dedicated institutional mechanism for implementing major government construction and infrastructure projects, while ensuring professional planning and quality control.

The 13-year-old boy, a Villupuram resident, died in a domestic LPG cylinder blast. The other victim, who sustained burn injuries in an incident in Cuddalore, succumbed at Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.

As many as 430 people were admitted to hospitals across the State for burn injuries sustained between Saturday and Monday, while another 1,322 received outpatient treatment, taking the total number of burn cases treated to 1,752.

Men accounted for the largest share of burn cases, with 765 receiving outpatient treatment and 299 requiring hospitalisation. Among women, 175 were treated as outpatients and 32 were admitted. Children below 15 years accounted for 382 outpatient cases and 99 inpatient admissions.

The 108 emergency ambulance service received 39,634 calls during the 48-hour period, including 6,317 trauma-related calls, 462 related to burns and 1,627 concerning assault injuries. As many as 1,283 ambulances were deployed across the State. The Government Thanjavur Medical College Hospital recorded the highest inpatient load among the five government hospitals listed, with 237 admissions, followed by Government Madurai Medical College Hospital (206), Government Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital (185), Government Hospital, Periyar Nagar (138) and Government Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital (91). Overall, 4,098 patients were admitted for trauma, burn and assault-related injuries during the period.

Ramadoss, in a statement, alleged that Karnataka's attempt to stir "unnecessary tension by distorting" a non-existent Apex Court order—despite clear judicial mandates restricting upper riparian states from constructing new dams without lower riparian states' consent—is unacceptable.

Terming Shivakumar’s claims as completely false, Anbumani said they were aimed at diverting attention from the core issue and misinterpreting the apex court's ruling.

He further emphasised that Karnataka holds no inherent right to construct the dam.

With the Karnataka Assembly elections due in 15 months, Anbumani also accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of attempting to politicise the Mekedatu issue to secure votes across the 11 districts in the Cauvery basin.

Meanwhile, Vaiko urged the Tamil Nadu government to expedite the legal proceedings pending before the Supreme Court to put a permanent end to the Mekedatu project.

"The fundamental essence of the Supreme Court's ruling is that the upper riparian state of Karnataka must not construct check dams or undertake any actions that obstruct the flow of Cauvery water entitled to the lower riparian state of Tamil Nadu, as upheld by the court", he added.

"However, Shivakumar is attempting to build the Mekedatu dam by securing clearances from the Union BJP government, in blatant violation of the Cauvery Tribunal's final verdict and the Supreme Court's rulings. This is highly condemnable", he alleged.

However, the complainant later denied being assaulted in a video recorded alongside the legislator.

According to the complainant, Karthik Kumar, a resident of Kannan Biran Colony in Thuraiyur, his locality had been facing a drinking water shortage for the past week, while garbage had also accumulated in the area. He alleged that despite approaching the municipal authorities, no action had been taken to address the problems.

Kumar further claimed that he had repeatedly tried to contact his constituency MLA, Ravi Shankar, over the phone but received no response.

On Diwali, Kumar, who had visited the Mannachanallur area for personal work, reportedly approached Ravi Shankar, who resides in the area, to bring the civic grievances to his attention.

Kumar alleged that the MLA used abusive language and physically assaulted him, including kicking him, before chasing him away. A video purportedly showing the incident went viral on social media, triggering criticism and raising questions about the conduct of an elected public representative towards a constituent seeking redressal of civic issues.

The incident sparked a debate on social media, with users questioning the alleged behaviour of the legislator towards a constituent who had approached him with complaints about basic civic amenities.

According to reports, Kumar is currently undergoing inpatient treatment at the Mannachanallur Government Hospital.

Meanwhile, allegations have also emerged that police personnel asked Kumar to leave the hospital and warned him against filing a complaint against the MLA. These claims have not been independently verified.

However, in a subsequent video recorded alongside Ravi Shankar, Kumar denied that the legislator had assaulted him and claimed that the incident was being misrepresented on social media.

The contrasting claims have added another dimension to the controversy, with the incident attracting considerable attention across social media platforms.

Further investigation is still underway.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced a relief of Rs 40 lakh for the family of the SSI.

According to the police official, SSI K Senthil Kumar, who was returning home after work in civilian clothes, noticed a group of local youth bursting high-decibel firecrackers directly in the middle of a public road at Samadharmapuram.

They had blocked vehicular traffic so they could film video reels for social media.

Kumar (56), who was attached to the Theni DSP office, took note of the public nuisance and traffic disruption, scolded the youth, and advised them to move to the side of the road. However, the group ignored his warning and argued with him.

The SSI then pulled out his mobile phone and began to record a video of their violations to send to the police control room. Enraged by this, the gang surrounded and physically assaulted him, the official said.

During the ensuing scuffle, the SSI tried to apprehend one of them but was hit hard, receiving a severe elbow blow that caused him to lose balance, collapse, and lose consciousness. He was rushed to the Theni Government Medical College Hospital but succumbed to his injuries on Monday, the police official said.

The police noted that the officer had a pre-existing heart condition which likely compounded the fatal effect of the physical assault.

Following the incident, the Theni police made multiple arrests and are investigating further.

According to a release from the state government, Kumar was attached to the Palanichettipatti police station but was on deputation at the Theni Deputy Superintendent of Police camp office.

Expressing his profound grief over the incident, CM Vijay stated that the untimely demise of the officer is an irreparable loss to both the state police department and his family.

Apart from offering his deepest condolences to the bereaved family, relatives, and colleagues, the chief minister ordered an immediate relief of Rs 40 lakh to support the grieving family.

Paying tributes to his sacrifice, the police said Kumar "laid down his life in the line of duty to protect the public, even after completing his duty hours."

Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin said under the current rule, there is no safety for the people or policemen who are supposed to protect the people.

The law and order situation in the state was going out of control, he said, and claimed that a Deputy Speaker beat up the people who came to petition him and even threatened them. "This is a disgrace that Tamil Nadu has never seen before. The day is not far when these circus rulers will answer for the tears and bloodshed of the people of Tamil Nadu," Udhayanidhi said on 'X'.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the murders on a single day coinciding with Deepavali reflected the status of the prevailing law and order situation in Tamil Nadu. It also deteriorated to the point where the entire state is seeing bloodshed.

"The TVK government has pushed the law and order situation to the point where rowdies and criminals are roaming the streets fearlessly, threatening to kill those who confront them," Palaniswami said in a statement.

"The most horrific of the crimes is the shocking beating of SSI Senthil Kumar, who was supposed to protect the public in Theni, by rowdies. If even the Khaki shirt is not safe here, where is the safety for the common people," he asked.

He further said, "Will this 'reel' Chief Minister @actorVijay now understand that politics is not a cinema set; and the Chief Minister's chair is not a platform for delivering 'punch dialogue'?"

The former CM demanded that the government provide Rs 1 crore as compensation to the police official who died in the line of duty.

Expressing shock over the incident, PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss said strict action must be taken to maintain law and order without any compromise.

"As many as 10 people, including a police Special Sub-Inspector, were murdered in various incidents across Tamil Nadu, from Chennai to Theni, during the Deepavali festival. It is condemnable that even police personnel entrusted with maintaining law and order are now facing a situation where their own safety cannot be guaranteed," he said.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy claimed that the law-and-order situation in the state has deteriorated to a dangerous level, and the role of liquor and rising drug peddling can no longer be ignored.

"A uniformed police officer was killed by a drunken mob, and a rowdy was killed in a brawl ...the state's control over public spaces has clearly weakened," he said.

Ahead of the festival, commercial establishments and hundreds of temporary pavement shops witnessed heavy business in several areas surrounding the historic Rockfort in Tiruchirappalli, including NSB Road, Teppakulam, Periyakadai Veethi, Chinnakadai Veethi, Melapulivaar Road and College Road.

With people making large purchases of clothes and other essential items during the final phase of Deepavali shopping, particularly at discounted prices, huge quantities of garbage have accumulated across the busy shopping areas.

Tiruchirappalli City Corporation, which collects around 480 tonnes of garbage daily from its 65 wards, has intensified its post-Deepavali sanitation operations.

Garbage generated during the festival includes discarded polythene covers, plastic bags, paper waste, empty firecracker and sweets boxes, firecracker remnants and used banana leaves. Sanitation workers are engaged in clearing the accumulated waste from major commercial streets and shopping areas.

While around 780 tonnes of garbage were removed following Deepavali celebrations last year, the Corporation has undertaken an intensive operation to clear approximately 800 tonnes of waste this year.

Around 400 sanitation workers have been deployed exclusively in areas including Rockfort, Singarathope, Super Bazaar, Periyakadai Veethi, Chinnakadai Veethi and Gandhi Market Road.

In addition, a total of 1,150 sanitation workers have been engaged across Tiruchirappalli city to ensure the removal of festival waste and restore cleanliness.

Last year, rainfall created difficulties for sanitation workers in clearing the accumulated garbage. However, the absence of rain this year has enabled workers to carry out the cleaning operations at a faster pace.

The Corporation is continuing its large-scale cleaning drive to restore normalcy in the city's busy commercial areas following the Deepavali festivities.

According to Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services Department, 985 people, including 597 men, 98 women and 290 children, have received treatment and returned home.

The remaining 131 people, comprising 103 men, nine women and 19 children, are still undergoing treatment in hospitals.

How many emergency calls were received?

The Fire and Rescue Services Department's control room received 160 emergency calls during the festival.

Of these, 104 calls were related to fires caused by firecrackers, while the remaining 56 concerned other fire accidents.

Condemning Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, Udhayanidhi alleged poor governance and said the sound of knives during Deepavali celebrations was louder than firecrackers.

"If the Chief Minister visits prisons for inspection, inmates escape, and when he visits police stations, policemen are murdered. There is no safety for the public or even for the police personnel entrusted with protecting them," Udhayanidhi said.

Calling Vijay a dummy Chief Minister and a paper-knife CM, he questioned how long the government would keep cheating people by announcing reviews, appointing officials, and levelling allegations against the DMK.

"The day is not far when those in power will have to answer for the tears and blood of the people," Udhayanidhi said.

According to the weather department, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts are likely to experience heavy rainfall at isolated places. Similar weather conditions have also been forecast for the Karaikal region of Puducherry.

The department attributed the prevailing weather conditions to an atmospheric circulation over the Comorin Sea and adjoining areas, along with a trough extending from southern Tamil Nadu to the east-central Arabian Sea.

These weather systems are expected to trigger widespread atmospheric instability, resulting in thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds across several parts of the state.

The meteorological centre has also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds and rainfall at isolated places in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Virudhunagar, Dindigul, Madurai, Theni, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts.

Other parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are likely to receive light rainfall at a few places, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.

Meanwhile, Chennai and its surrounding areas are expected to experience generally cloudy skies throughout the day, with light rain or thundershowers likely at isolated locations.

The latest forecast follows significant rainfall recorded across Chennai and several other parts of Tamil Nadu during the previous 24 hours.

According to rainfall data released by the weather department, Parimunai and Maduravoyal in Chennai recorded the highest rainfall of 9 cm during the 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday. Nungambakkam and Tondiarpet in Chennai, along with Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi district, recorded approximately 8 cm of rainfall during the same period.

The continuing spell of rainfall has brought several districts under the influence of unstable weather conditions, with the possibility of further showers in coastal and southern regions.

The weather department’s forecast indicates that rainfall activity could remain concentrated in the Cauvery delta districts and adjoining coastal areas, while intermittent thunderstorms are expected elsewhere. Residents, particularly those in districts facing heavy rainfall, have been advised to remain cautious during thunderstorms and strong winds.

The dam, located near Sathyamangalam in Erode district, is one of the most important water sources for agricultural activities and drinking water supply in western Tamil Nadu.

According to the latest figures, the inflow into the reservoir has increased from 5,203 cubic feet per second (cusecs) to 6,029 cusecs, reflecting a rise of 826 cusecs.

The increased inflow has also resulted in a gradual rise in the reservoir’s water level, which has climbed from 76.80 feet to 77.32 feet, an increase of 0.52 feet.

The current water storage in the reservoir stands at 14.3 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), indicating an improvement in water availability.

The Bhavanisagar Dam plays a crucial role in supporting the Lower Bhavani Project irrigation system, which provides water to extensive agricultural areas across Erode, Tiruppur and Karur districts.

Thousands of farmers depend on the reservoir for cultivating crops, making its water availability an important factor in determining agricultural activities across the region.

Apart from supporting agriculture, the reservoir also serves as a major source of drinking water for several towns and rural settlements in the surrounding districts.

The steady increase in water inflow has brought considerable relief to farmers who closely monitor the reservoir’s storage levels to plan their cultivation schedules.

Agricultural activities in the command areas are closely linked to the availability of water released from the dam through the irrigation network.

A sustained improvement in storage could strengthen irrigation prospects and help farmers plan agricultural operations with greater confidence.

If the inflow continues at the present rate or increases further, the reservoir’s water level is expected to rise in the coming days.

The developments are being closely watched as improved water storage could benefit both agricultural production and drinking water supply across several parts of western Tamil Nadu.

R Ravi of Nochiyam village near Perambalur had reportedly gone out to celebrate Deepavali with his friends. As he failed to return even on Monday morning, anxious family members went in search of him and were shocked to find Ravi was lying dead near Mariamman temple premises with severe cut injuries.

They passed on the information to the Perambalur Town police, who rushed to the spot. Police retrieved Ravi's body and sent it for autopsy to the Perambalur Government Hospital. Police said that the murder had occurred in the early hours on Monday and retrieved the CCTV footage from the spot. Fingerprint experts and a sniffer dog squad also visited the spot and conducted an investigation.

Based on the complaint by Ravi's mother, Sarasu, a case was registered and investigations are under way.

The two boarded an Emirates Airlines flight that departed Chennai at 3.50 am. They are expected to travel to Greece via Dubai.https://youtube.com/shorts/2PwUIpKOpJk?si=7q5Pwbrjo7wqIHtY

According to sources, Stalin and Udhayanidhi are scheduled to attend the wedding ceremony in Greece on Wednesday, November 11.

They are expected to return to Chennai in the early hours of November 13, travelling via Dubai on an Emirates Airlines flight.

On Sunday, around 11.30 pm, Rahul, along with his cousin, R Vishal (17), was walking along the Pullambadi canal near the Samayapuram tollgate when they were confronted by an unidentified gang. The duo were brutally attacked with lethal weapons. Vishal died on the spot, sustaining severe cut injuries to his head and face, while Rahul was left struggling for his life with a slit throat. The assailants fled the scene under the cover of darkness.

Passersby who noticed the incident alerted the police, who rushed to the spot, retrieved Vishal’s body and shifted the injured Rahul to hospital.

However, Rahul too succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Subsequently, both bodies were sent to Tiruchy Government Hospital (GH) for post-mortem examination.

A case has been registered, and an investigation is under way.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Dongare Pravin Umesh, who visited the spot, conducted an inquiry and ordered the formation of three special teams to nab the culprits.

His remarks came in response to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opposing the project.

Shivakumar said Karnataka did not require Tamil Nadu's permission but only its cooperation to implement the project.

"I do not need Tamil Nadu's permission for this project. What we need is its cooperation," he told reporters here.

He said the project would primarily cater to Bengaluru's drinking water requirements and would not allow Karnataka to draw additional water for other purposes.

"I think Vijay and the people of Tamil Nadu have not yet understood that the Mekedatu project will benefit Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka," he told reporters here.

"I appeal to them to visit the project site. If we divert some water from there to Bengaluru for drinking purposes, there is no scope for us to draw any additional water beyond that," he added.

He also invited Tamil Nadu representatives to inspect the project site.

Tamil Nadu is opposed to the Mekedatu balancing reservoir across Cauvery river at Mekedatu in Kanakapura, the Assembly segment represented by the Chief Minister in the state Assembly.

The neighbouring state's contention is that it will reduce the water supply to the Tamil Nadu farmers.

Shivakumar said the project had a pumped-storage component capable of generating 400 MW of electricity and that arrangements had been made to provide alternative land at different locations to compensate for the submergence of around 5,400 hectares of forest land.

The Supreme Court had already passed an order in favour of Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu's review petition had also been dismissed, he said.

"The court has clearly stated that this is Karnataka's right," he said, adding that the Centre's role was limited to clearances relating to pollution and forest-related matters.

He said leaders of all political parties, including Union Ministers and MPs from Karnataka, had assured cooperation. The state would submit the necessary applications before approaching the Prime Minister to pursue the project.

"We have already held several discussions with the Union Water Resources Minister," he said.

Referring to the Supreme Court's directions on sharing Cauvery water, Shivakumar said Karnataka was committed to complying with the order directing the release of 177 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu.

"They must comply with that order, and we are committed to honouring it," he said.

On the Hasanamba Devi and Siddeshwara Jatre in Hassan, which attracts lakhs of devotees over 11 days, Shivakumar said he had come to the temple as a devotee and prayed for the state's welfare, good rainfall, a good harvest and prosperity.

The Hasanambe Temple, the deity of the town opens only for 11 days a year.

The CM said he would obtain a report from the district administration on the temple's requirements, including additional land and construction of a Rajagopuram, before deciding on government assistance. The district minister had indicated that around Rs 20 crore would be required.

The Chief Minister said discussions would also be held with building owners in the area to explore alternative arrangements, adding that the provisions of the 2013 land acquisition law, including double compensation, would have to be considered.

Responding to concerns over inadequate facilities for the three to four lakh devotees visiting the temple daily, he asked the media to submit a list of requirements for examination.

"An announcement should not turn out to be an empty promise," he said, adding that he would consider the proposals seriously before making any commitment.

He also said the Rs 25 crore collected by the temple last year through offerings, laddus and special darshan arrangements could be utilised for its development.

Shivakumar said he would also discuss the need to ensure continuous functioning of the hospital facility during the Jatre and inspect the nearby Kudidamma temple.

Taking to social media platform X, Nagenthran on Sunday paid rich appreciation to Advani, describing him as a senior political leader who has immeasurably contributed to the nation and the party as one of the founding leaders of the BJP, as its national president on several occasions, as former Union home minister, as former deputy prime minister, and as leader of the opposition in parliament.

He emphasised that Advani’s service and political experience—marked by patriotism, steadfast commitment to principles, and dedication throughout his long public life—is serving as a guiding light for many generations and will forever be worthy of admiration.

Expressing his deep reverence, he added that he prays to the Almighty that the veteran leader may live for many more years in good health.

Former Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai also extended his heartiest birthday wishes to Advani.

He, in a social media post, noted that Advani’s lifelong dedication to the "Nation First" ideology continues to inspire millions of citizens across the country while praying for his good health and long life.

PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss extended his heartfelt birthday greetings to Advani.

Hailing him as one of the senior-most living political leaders in India, Anbumani noted that Advani has left an indelible mark on the political history of the nation through his immense contribution to the formation, growth, and development of the ruling BJP at the Centre.

He also highlighted that Advani holds the distinction of having served as India's Union Home Minister for the longest continuous period, recalling how, responding to the request of PMK Founder Dr S Ramadoss, Advani agreed in principle in 2001 to conduct the population census as a caste-based census.

As per the official bulletin, the state 108 emergency ambulance network received 16,079 calls between 7 am on November 7 and 7 am on November 8.

Of the total distress calls, 2,475 were related to accidents, 396 for minor injuries, and 98 specifically for burn injuries.

To manage the festive emergency load, 1,283 ambulances were deployed on active duty across the state.

Statewide government hospitals recorded a total of 1,387 inpatient admissions during this period. The admissions included 956 for accidents, 321 for minor injuries or assaults, and 110 for burn injuries. One burn-related fatality was recorded, involving a child under the age of 15.

No adult deaths due to burns were reported during this timeframe.

Demographic data for burn injuries shows that men formed the largest group of victims, with 92 treated as outpatients and 76 admitted as inpatients.

Children under 15 were the second most affected demographic, with 48 outpatients and 17 inpatient admissions. Adult women accounted for 19 outpatients and 17 inpatients. In total, hospitals saw 159 outpatients and 110 inpatients for burn cases.

The Thanjavur Government Medical College Hospital recorded the highest patient volume for burns, accidents, and minor injuries, treating 36 outpatients and admitting 87 inpatients.

Other major medical centres handling the bulk of the emergency caseload included the Madurai Government Medical College Hospital with six outpatients and 84 inpatients, and the Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital with 85 inpatients.

The Periyar Nagar Government Hospital recorded one outpatient and 64 inpatients, while the Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital treated 46 outpatients and 13 inpatients.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Venkataramanan, School Education and Tamil Development Minister A Rajmohan and Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu garlanded his statue on Kamarajar Salai and paid homage to his portrait on behalf of the state government.

Beschi, who arrived in India in 1710, made significant contributions to Tamil literature, according to a government press release.

It said he is best known for the Tamil epic ‘Thembavani’ and ‘Paramarthaguruvin Kathai ’, considered the first satirical work in Tamil.

During his missionary service in the region, including Tirunelveli district, he produced several literary and grammatical works, notably ‘Thonnool Vilakkam’ and ‘Kodunthamizh Ilakkanam’, and translated portions of the ‘Thirukkural’ into Latin, the release said.

He died in 1747.

Tamil Development and Information Department Secretary V Rajaraman, Information and Public Relations Director A Arun Thamburaj and Tamil Development Director N Arul were present, it added.

Action has been initiated based on the statement of the minor, who was previously a witness in an already registered case, they said.

The case traces back to October 2025 when a child rights activist handed over a pen drive to the Anti-Vice Squad containing a video of a minor being sexually assaulted. A note accompanying the drive alleged that the man in the footage was Veeramani and that the incident occurred at the residence of Mahendra Simhan and Shanthi.

Although the police initially attempted to file a closure report citing an inability to identify the victim, a Special POCSO court judge rejected the move in February 2026 and ordered further investigation.

Following the court's intervention, police recovered the original video during searches and subsequently arrested Veeramani, Shanthi, and Mahendra Simhan in August 2026.

A Special Investigation Team was later constituted to probe the allegations.

The police have now registered a total of eight cases concerning the sexual harassment of minors. Veeramani has been arrested in all eight cases.

The other accused include Shanthi, arrested in three cases, Lazar in five cases, Mahendrasimhan in two cases, and Ganesan in two cases. Srinivasan, Sakthivel, Babu, and Parthiban have been arrested in one case each.

All the accused are currently lodged at the Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai.

During the ongoing investigation, accused driver Lazar was taken into one-day police custody for interrogation. Based on this inquiry, authorities identified a white car used in the crime and initiated subsequent action.

Meanwhile, a POCSO court judge directed the Tamil Nadu government to grant a relief fund of Rs 2 lakh to one of the victims.

Out of the eight registered cases, the police are scheduled to file the final reports for two cases in the coming week.

As part of the study done by ICMR National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) and Tamil Nadu State TB Cell, the reduction was observed under the Tamil Nadu Kasanoi Erappila Thittam (TNKET), a state-specific programme aimed at making the state TB-death-free, the researchers said.

The monitoring and evaluation framework used under TNKET has been published as a practice paper in BMJ Global Health on Saturday, November 7.

According to BMJ Global Health author guidelines, "practice papers give authors the opportunity to describe their experience of evaluation of field experience specific to a community, sub-national or national setting" that will guide high TB burden Indian states and countries in implementing and monitoring differentiated TB care (involving triaging for severe illness at diagnosis) to reduce TB deaths.

The initiative, described by the researchers as India's first statewide and state-specific differentiated TB care programme, was implemented from April 2022 to December 2025 and covered all adults aged 15 years and above diagnosed with drug-sensitive TB in the state. Tamil Nadu diagnoses approximately 60,000 adults with drug-sensitive TB annually in public health facilities.

Under TNKET, patients are assessed at the time of diagnosis using five clinical parameters -- body mass index (BMI), pedal oedema (swelling of the feet and ankles), respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and their ability to stand without support.

Patients identified as severely ill, including those with very severe undernutrition, respiratory insufficiency or poor physical performance, are prioritised for referral to hospitals and inpatient care.

The ICMR-NIE and Tamil Nadu State TB Cell paper presented a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the programme's performance. It covers preparatory and input indicators, the patient-care cascade from initial triaging to hospital admission, admission-related outputs, quality of triaging and inpatient care, and the TB death rate as the eventual outcome.

The study found that it took two years of statewide implementation to minimise losses along the patient-care cascade while also improving the quality of triaging and inpatient care.

These improvements translated into sustained statewide TB death rate reduction across all quarterly diagnosis cohorts starting July 2024, the researchers said.

Against a reported death rate of 6.3 per cent at the start of TNKET, the reduction ranged from 38 per cent (6.3 per cent to 3.9 per cent) among those diagnosed in October-December 2024 to 56 per cent (6.3 per cent to 2.8 per cent) among those diagnosed in July-September 2025.

The findings from routine monitoring and evaluation have been confirmed after adjusting for potential effects of confounders and time through an individual-level and interrupted time series analysis.

However, the Tamil Nadu experience also identified significant gaps in follow-up after hospital discharge.

The systematic tracking of patients identified as severely ill at diagnosis at the two-month mark did not exceed 35 per cent in any quarter, indicating the difficulties in ensuring sustained post-discharge monitoring through routine public health systems, even in a state like Tamil Nadu that has one of the strongest public health systems in India.

The researchers said the TNKET monitoring and evaluation framework could be replicated in other high TB-burden states and countries, particularly those operating under resource-constrained healthcare settings.

The researchers identified three important lessons from the Tamil Nadu experience.

First, differentiated TB care requires sustained implementation over time to translate into a reduction in the statewide TB death rate, rather than expecting immediate results after its launch.

Second, triaging should be done at diagnosis based on simple clinical parameters that are easy to measure in routine healthcare settings, allowing health workers to identify high-risk patients without depending on sophisticated investigations.

Third, repeated follow-up assessments after hospital discharge may not be feasible to implement at scale and should not be made mandatory in resource-constrained health program settings, the researchers said.

The findings underline the importance of designing public health interventions around the operational capacities of healthcare systems, particularly in countries with a high burden of TB.

The TNKET initiative seeks to address the risk of high early mortality among TB patients by identifying those who are severely ill at the time of diagnosis and ensuring that they receive timely referral and inpatient care.

The findings from routine monitoring and evaluation suggest that TNKET reduced not only early TB deaths (referred to as deaths within two months of diagnosis) but also overall TB deaths (referred to as deaths within one year of diagnosis).

The five-parameter assessment is intended to help healthcare workers identify patients who require urgent attention, while the monitoring and evaluation framework tracks whether those identified actually reach hospitals and receive appropriate care.

Earlier, an ICMR-NIE-developed mortality prediction calculator, based on the same five clinical parameters, was reported to help identify adults with TB at higher risk of death.

"Now at diagnosis, using simple and easy-to-measure clinical parameters, we know who are more likely to die and take immediate action," the study said.

The researchers said the Tamil Nadu experience demonstrated that reducing TB deaths depended not merely on identifying high-risk patients but also on strengthening the entire chain of care, from diagnosis and triaging to hospital admission and quality inpatient treatment.

They said the experience could provide a practical model for other high TB-burden regions seeking to reduce deaths through differentiated care approaches adapted to their available healthcare resources.

Veeramani, son of Subbaiah, had gone to Israel two years ago to work in construction. He last visited his village on leave six months ago before returning to work.

On October 28, he was carrying out repair work at the site after halting an elevator when it suddenly descended. He suffered severe head injuries and died on the spot.

His wife and fellow villagers then petitioned the government to bring his body home. The body reached Chennai Airport by flight on Saturday morning and was taken to Moongilpatti in a government vehicle by evening.

He is survived by his wife, Bhuvaneshwari (24) and four-year-old daughter Tejashree.

The young man’s death has cast a pall over Moongilpatti, where villagers gathered in large numbers to bid him farewell.

In a press release, the government said it had received reports from volunteers and journalists about new sky-shot firecrackers designed to be held in the hand while being lit.

Holding such crackers while igniting them could cause severe burns to the head, face and hands, loss of fingers, permanent eye damage and other life-threatening injuries, it said.

It urged parents to ensure that children do not handle them under any circumstances.

The government also said high-explosive crackers, sky-shots and rockets should never be ignited while being held in the hand, and appealed to people to refrain from using hand-held aerial firecrackers available in the market, for an accident-free festival.

In its safety advisory, it asked people to place firecrackers on the ground before lighting them and to maintain a safe distance. It cautioned against trying to relight crackers that fail to go off.

Children should burst firecrackers only under the supervision of parents or elders, and households should keep a bucket of water nearby, the release said.

Children in the villages voluntarily gave up crackers and burst only sparklers, while families, villagers said, celebrated the festival in new clothes.

The 240-acre sanctuary was established in 1996 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, and is one of 16 bird sanctuaries in the official “List of Protected Areas of Tamil Nadu”.

Unlike other bird sanctuaries in the state, the sanctuary is centred around the Periyakulam Lake tank and has no adjoining woodland.

The waterbody attracts several species of resident and migratory birds from different parts of India and abroad.

The birds typically arrive to nest and breed between March and October, but villagers said only a handful of resident and migratory birds are around now.

The sanctuary once attracted thousands of birds, many of them migratory.

Species found at the sanctuary over the years are the bar-headed goose, black-tailed godwit, Eurasian spoonbill, spot-billed pelican, Western marsh harrier and blue-tailed bee-eater.

Villagers said some families went to the homes of close relatives to celebrate, bursting a few crackers there instead of in their own neighbourhoods.

Showers triggered by a weather system lashed Chennai, its suburbs and the delta districts through the morning, but households went ahead with the day’s traditions.

The celebrations began well before sunrise, around 5 am, with “Ganga Snanam”, the ritual oil bath. Families bathed in sesame oil, a rite symbolising the washing away of negative traits and a fresh beginning.

Dressed in new clothes, they gathered before deity altars for morning pujas, seeking blessings for health, peace and prosperity. After the festive meal, many families followed the tradition of taking “Deepavali Lehiyam”, a herbal digestive paste handed down through generations.

The rain briefly delayed outdoor festivities, and people burst firecrackers during the intermittent dry spells.

The Tamil Nadu government had permitted firecrackers to be burst only between 6 am and 7 am and between 7 pm and 8 pm. The two one-hour slots were meant to curb air and noise pollution and encourage safe community celebrations.

In his Deepavali message on Saturday, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said the festival of lights symbolised the triumph of good over evil. He called upon citizens to contribute to the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Viksit Tamil Nadu’ (Developed India and Developed Tamil Nadu).

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay wished the people a joyous festival and appealed to them to celebrate safely and share happiness with all.

These are not late-night WhatsApp messages between friends. They are a sample of the 1,886 questions a Villupuram youth fired off in 97 petitions under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, over several months.

Not to be amused, the Tamil Nadu Information Commission has warned the youth, A Santhosh, against misusing the law, and let him off only after he agreed to seek legal remedy through a court.

Following an inquiry into appeals filed by Santhosh, Information Commissioner VPR Ilamparithi cautioned the youth against misusing the Act and warned that continued filing of such petitions could lead to a one-year restriction on submitting RTI applications. He also said Santhosh could be referred to the District Health Department for counselling.

The petitions were addressed to the Additional Superintendent of Police (SP), Cuddalore, who is also the district police's Public Information Officer (PIO), over the past eight months.

Santhosh had reportedly been in a relationship with her during their college days. When she ended it, he allegedly kept harassing her through electronic devices, then turned to the RTI Act.

The PIO rejected the petitions, and Santhosh took his case to the Commission. Hearing the appeal, Information Commissioner VPR Ilamparithi said the RTI Act was meant to empower the poor and ensure transparency and corruption-free administration. Using it to demand a woman's photograph and private details, he said, was condemnable.

He also voiced concern that public information officers were spending a substantial part of their working hours answering such queries

According to the Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu, Chennai district received the highest allocation of Rs 13.86 crore, owing to its 16 Assembly constituencies. Coimbatore district, which has 10 Assembly constituencies, secured the second-highest allocation of Rs 8.86 crore, followed by Salem district with Rs

8.75 crore. Madurai, which also has 10 Assembly constituencies, was allocated Rs 7.87 crore.

As per the allocation, district election officers, returning officers, assistant returning officers, corporation commissioners, district revenue officers and special tahsildars (elections) will receive Rs 45,000 each as honorarium. Other officials, including Revenue divisional officers, tahsildars, flying squad personnel and members of various election surveillance teams, such as Static Surveillance Teams and Video Viewing Teams, will receive Rs 30,000 each. Similarly, staff from the Revenue Department will receive Rs 20,000 each, while election data operators will be paid Rs 10,000 each.

Around three lakh government employees and teachers were engaged in election-related duties, including election administration, enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, surveillance, monitoring and polling arrangements, for nearly two months, from mid-March to the first week of May.

The victim, identified as Kuttimari (35) of Kadayanallur, was allegedly strangled by her brotherin-law after allegedly objecting to her affair out of wedlock. The three allegedly took her body on a motorcycle and set it on fire to conceal the crime.

The body was discovered on Thursday by a worker who had gone to irrigate a banana plantation owned by Sundar, along the road connecting Kadayanallur and Sundarapandiapuram. The worker alerted the plantation owner, who informed the Surandai police.

Initially unable to identify the victim, police formed three special teams under the leadership of Alangulam Deputy Superintendent of Police Gladson Jose. The teams examined missing-person complaints and CCTV footage from Surandai, Sundarapandiapuram and neighbouring areas.

The investigation established that the deceased was Kuttimari of Indira Nagar in Melakadayanallur. She worked at a petrol bunk in Kadayanallur, while her husband, Murugan, brotherin-law, Ravi, and mother-in-law, Sivakami, sold clothes door-todoor and stayed at a lodge in Surandai for their business.

According to police, Kuttimari had allegedly been in an affair with a man from her locality for a long time. Her husband had reportedly objected to the relationship and asked her to end it. Ravi was also aware of the matter.

Police said Kuttimari went to the Surandai lodge from Kadayanallur around 7 pm on Wednesday. An argument reportedly broke out between her and Ravi, during which he allegedly strangled her with a piece of cloth.

This prompted fans from Tamil Nadu to travel across State borders to catch the first-day-first-show (FDFS) of their favourite stars. The absence of early shows also affected producers and exhibitors, as reviews and reactions from neighbouring states began circulating on social media even before the first show commenced in Tamil Nadu, potentially influencing audience expectations and opening-day collections.

That is why the decision by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led government to permit 6 am screenings and up to six shows a day during the first seven days of a film's release is a special gift from the actor-turned-politician to the film fraternity, that too right in time for Deepavali.

This has brought major relief to the industry, particularly for Suriya's ‘Scene’, Nayanthara-starrer ‘Mookuthi Amman 2’, and mega-budget project ‘Ramayana’, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi.

Outside a Chennai theatre screening Suriya’s ‘Scene’, movie buff Kudiyarasu, who had previously travelled to neighbouring states to catch the FDFS of his favourite stars’ films, welcomed the return of early morning shows. “We used to travel long distances, mostly to Nagari, and even miss a day’s work just to watch the FDFS. But the theatres near the border areas are not always up to the mark. While the celebrations were there, the experience could never match watching a film alongside fellow fans in our own city, Chennai. The return of 6 am shows is a huge relief, as I can now enjoy the first-day-first-show experience in my own city,” he said.

‘Govt responsive to industry’s needs, demands’

Dr G Dhananjayan, treasurer of the Tamil Film Active Producers Council, said the early morning screenings had received an encouraging response, particularly for ‘Scene’, which reportedly had around 400-500 shows across Tamil Nadu. “The film released simultaneously across the world, allowing audiences here to experience it at the same time as moviegoers elsewhere. From a business perspective, all the shows together generate approximately Rs 10 crore a day. Over seven days, that could translate into additional revenue of around Rs 70 crore. Apart from producers, the resulting GST and other tax collections will also benefit the government,” he said.

Speaking about the government’s response to the film industry’s requests, Dhananjayan said, “The present TVK government has been responsive to the industry’s concerns. Recently, Rs 15.68 crore in long-pending film subsidies for 224 films, which had remained unpaid for seven years, was released. The permission for 6 am shows is another positive step. Our current request is for the removal of the 4% local body entertainment tax; we hope the government will review the matter and arrive at a favourable decision.”

Sakthivelan B of Sakthi Film Factory, which is distributing ‘Scene’, said the early morning screenings had benefited not just fans but also working professionals who often find it difficult to watch films during regular show timings.

“‘Scene’ received a tremendous response for its 6 am shows, and it feels good that the film has released simultaneously across all centres. One important aspect is that working-class audiences who wish to watch a film often find it difficult to get time during their work schedules. With 6 am screenings, they can watch the film before heading to work, making it more convenient for them. This is a welcome move for movie lovers,” he said.

Appreciating the government’s decision, he added, “The Chief Minister and ministers understand the issues and requests raised by the film industry.”

The decision has brought cheer to the entire film exhibition industry, with theatre owners describing it as a timely 'Deepavali gift'. The move addresses a long-pending demand of the industry, according to the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association.

Delayed screening posed risks, say theatre owners

Association president Tirupur Subramaniam pointed out that films being released early in neighbouring states had consequences beyond audience convenience, particularly in an era when social media and digital platforms can influence a film's prospects even before its first screening in the State.

"When screenings commenced at 9 am in Tamil Nadu, audiences across other southern states were completing their shows by 8.15 am to 8.30 am," Subramaniam said. In today's fast-paced digital media environment, public reviews and box-office verdict reach audiences before the first show even begins in Tamil Nadu, dampening viewer enthusiasm and severely impacting the opening collections of film producers, he added.

"We placed these operational difficulties before the Chief Minister (C Joseph Vijay), who immediately issued orders allowing early morning 6 am screenings," said Subramaniam.

The association also expects the decision to translate into higher revenue for the government. Highlighting the economic implications, Subramaniam said increasing the daily screening limit from the earlier four-to-five shows to six could raise commercial entertainment tax receipts by an estimated 20 per cent.

Subramaniam added that digital monitoring of ticket sales and revenue operations by the State government would ensure that the additional business generated through the extended screenings is accounted for, without revenue leakage.

Beyond the change in screening timings, the industry is also seeking an overhaul of the regulatory framework governing cinema theatres in the State. Subramaniam disclosed that joint industry bodies had urged the government to revisit outdated provisions under the Tamil Nadu Cinemas (Regulation) Act of 1952, which have remained in place for more than seven decades.

"None of our pending demands entail any revenue loss to the government. The administration has assured us that after Deepavali, existing outdated laws will be re-examined and aligned with modern requirements. With regulatory relaxation, we anticipate that the number of functional movie screens in Tamil Nadu could double from the current 1,200 by 2026-27, creating vital theatrical space for both big-budget productions and small-scale films," he said.

In a statement, Anbumani criticised the government's decision to allow six shows, starting as early as 6 am, instead of addressing the film industry's pressing issues. He said the announcement meets only the needs of the film producer associations and theatre owners without adequately considering its wider consequences.

Recalling that theatres were permitted a maximum of four shows a day until 1988, he said a fifth show was subsequently allowed during festival periods. The State later introduced special early-morning screenings on film opening days but discontinued them after a fan died in January 2023.

Anbumani alleged that extending screening hours to more than 20 hours a day could draw people away from work, reduce productivity and affect the State's economy. He also said late-night screenings could create safety risks for women and children and reduce family time.

Pointing out that nearly 2,500 Tamil films were awaiting release, he urged the government to address rising production costs and the difficulties small- and medium-scale producers face.

From Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan to Vijay and Ajith, a Deepavali release was once considered a matter of prestige, offering filmmakers the perfect occasion to bring their most anticipated projects to audiences. However, the trend seems to have changed in recent years. With Rajinikanth’s Annaatthe (2021) being the last Deepavali release among these four superstars, their continued absence from the festive box office raises an interesting question: What has changed, and why are the industry’s biggest names no longer treating Deepavali as a priority release date?

While fans may miss watching their favourite superstars on the big screen during the festival, industry veteran and film producer Chitra Lakshman believes the equation between stars and festival releases has evolved. “Movies were initially planned around festivals because people had holidays and films were expected to perform well at the box office. However, stars like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijay and Ajith have gone beyond that stage. Whenever their films release, it is Deepavali for their fans, who celebrate the occasion like a festival,” he says.

Lakshman feels that the absence of big-star releases during the festive window creates opportunities for films featuring smaller stars. “When big stars stay away from Deepavali, smaller stars get space for their films. Big stars can generate revenue whenever their films release, while smaller stars benefit from getting festival dates and the potential for good collections. In that sense, this trend is good for the industry,” he adds.

The changing release pattern could also point to a larger shift in the way the Tamil film industry approaches theatrical releases. With big-budget films involving longer production schedules, extensive promotions and releases across multiple languages, fixing a date solely around a festival may no longer be a priority. Producers and distributors also have to consider competition, theatre availability and the commercial prospects of a release before locking a date.

Ultimately, Deepavali may no longer be the exclusive playground of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars, but that does not necessarily diminish its importance. If the absence of superstar vehicles gives smaller films and emerging stars an opportunity to enjoy the festive spotlight, it could bring greater diversity to the box office. And as Chitra Lakshman points out, for fans of the biggest stars, the celebration is no longer confined to a calendar date — their arrival in theatres is a festival in itself.