With the Joint Committee on the FCRA Bill, 2026, scheduled to sit on October 12 and 13, Wilson reaffirmed the DMK's steadfast opposition to the controversial legislation.

He said committee members had initially sought to visit the Supreme Court to meet the Chief Justice of India and key judges about the bill, but faced pushback from vested interests. "There was some resistance from vested interests, and I clearly wrote a letter to the Committee, which was duly recorded," Wilson said.

"There is nothing unusual about such a visit, which is completely constitutional. However, the Committee eventually decided to call off the meeting," the former additional solicitor general of India said, emphasising his party's long-standing position since it first raised its voice against the FCRA amendments on April 3, 2006.

"Our leader was the first person to voice against this bill, and our position has remained consistent. This amendment must go," Wilson said, highlighting his own role as Chairman of the Joint Action Forum on Minorities - an umbrella platform representing Christian organisations nationwide - in leading delegations and raising objections with the Union Home Minister before the bill was referred to the JPC.

The MP slammed the ruling TVK for cancelling the Parandur greenfield airport expansion project for Chennai and proposing a Secretariat-Assembly complex on the shores of Pattinapakkam in Chennai, alleging that such decisions were "reckless and detrimental" to the public.

He singled out the State government's recent moves, saying "every policy decision taken by this government is completely flawed. The Secretariat-Assembly project on the beach will severely impact local communities and their traditional livelihoods. "

"It is high time the people start thinking," Wilson urged and added, "this is not a government that brought change; it is bringing a lot of strain and hardships to the common man. "

In a statement, Palaniswami alleged that law and order has become a joke during the last five months of TVK rule in the state, with crimes against women and murders continuing across the state. He alleged that ministers and ruling party representatives are busy fighting over issues such as who should light the lamp first at public events instead of focusing on public safety.

While listing out the recent crime incidents that happened in the state, he condemned the rising number of sexual crimes and questioned the effectiveness of the Singappen Special Force.

EPS said that CM Joseph Vijay's election promises to protect women are not enough to prevent crimes, and strict action is needed.

Palaniswami alleged that CM Joseph Vijay is more concerned with protecting his minority government than the public.

He also accused the government of blaming individuals for crime incidents instead of taking steps to prevent them and arrest the accused.

He appealed to the Chief Minister to ensure that the police focus on protecting people and restoring law and order across the State.

The police said the four accused persons were identified as Premkumar (50), son of Hari, from Jaihindpuram in Madurai; Christopher Madhialagan (32), son of Arulraj, from Melapalayam in Tirunelveli; Karthik alias Kiya Karthik (32), son of Nagar, from Muthupatti; and Maheswaran (35), son of Sellappa, from Melamuneerpallam in Tirunelveli.

According to an official release, when police personnel attached to the Subramaniapuram Police Station limits were conducting vehicle checks near Pudupatti Kammakarai on 8th October, they saw some persons travelling in an auto-rickshaw. On noticing the police, they attempted to flee. However, the police surrounded and apprehended them and conducted an inquiry, said the release.

Further inquiry revealed that all the Rs 500 notes bearing the same serial number were counterfeit and that the accused were carrying them for circulation among the public.

A case was registered against the accused at the Subramaniapuram Police Station. All four were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.

Police also seized the raw materials used for printing the counterfeit notes, including a computer, printer, a die-making machine and chemicals, and produced the accused before the court.

In a statement, Stalin said the restructuring work had been kept on hold for some more time due to the by-election-related activities.

Urging party functionaries to speed up the exercise, he said the party would launch a membership drive and hold an intra-party election after the restructuring work was completed.

"The details of the newly created areas based on the recommendations of the restructuring committee have to be approved at the district level," Stalin said.

Fixing a deadline for completing the exercise, he directed all district secretaries to complete the organisational restructuring by October 20.

The DMK had earlier decided to increase the number of organisational districts from 77 to 110 as part of the restructuring. The exercise also proposes changes in the tenure and age limits for various party posts.

As part of the revamp, the maximum age for district secretaries has been fixed at 70 years, with a maximum of two terms.

The maximum age for branch secretaries has been fixed at 45 years, while ward secretaries in corporations, municipalities and town panchayats should not exceed 50 years.

The maximum age for area, town and union secretaries has been fixed at 60 years. These posts will also be limited to two terms.

The party has also decided to abolish the post of city secretary. Generally, one party district will be formed for every two Assembly constituencies, taking revenue districts into consideration.

A Division Bench comprising Justices P Velmurugan and KK Ramakrishnan also observed that officials had started indulging in irregularities involving temple properties and no longer feared court proceedings as they did in the past.

The court issued the direction while hearing a PIL petition filed by Radhakrishnan, founder of Thiruthondar Sabha, seeking protection of all properties belonging to the Sankara Rameswarar Temple in Thoothukudi and the Tiruchendur Subramania Swamy Temple.

He sought directions to constitute a committee headed by the Thoothukudi Collector and comprising officials from various departments to take comprehensive measures to protect the temple properties.

The petitioner stated that the Madras High Court had already passed detailed orders regarding the recovery of temple properties across the State, but they had not been implemented.

He also sought an inquiry into the action taken by subordinate treasury officials in inspecting the temple properties and directions to register appropriate criminal cases against officials who had allegedly acted in favour of encroachers.

Appearing for the petitioner, counsel Radhakrishnan reiterated that the court's earlier order had not been implemented.

Meanwhile, the government counsel submitted that the Tiruchendur Subramania Swamy Temple had rental arrears of around Rs 1 crore.

The judges questioned how persons who had taken temple properties on lease for commercial purposes could remain in arrears without paying rent. “If rent is not paid for three months, should not the temple administration issue proper notice and evict them?” the judges asked.

The judges also observed that officials had started indulging in irregularities involving temple properties and were themselves fixing rent for certain persons. “Earlier, officials used to fear when a case was brought before the court. That fear is no longer there,” the judges observed.

The judges then directed the HR&CE Commissioner to file a report detailing the steps taken to recover temple properties across Tamil Nadu in accordance with the earlier orders passed by the High Court.

The case was subsequently adjourned.

CHENNAI: Counting of votes for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly bypolls begins at 8 am on Friday (October 9), with the results set to be closely watched as an early test for the new TVK-led government. The seats recorded voter turnouts of 86.26% and 80.30%, respectively, with local issues ranging from transport and road safety in Madurantakam to water scarcity in Dharapuram.

Madurantakam is a Scheduled Caste-reserved Assembly constituency in Chengalpattu district, while Dharapuram in in Tiruppur district is reserved for the Scheduled Tribe community. Both seats fell vacant after sitting AIADMK MLAs K Maragatham and P Sathyabama resigned and joined actor-turned-Chief Minister Vijay’s TVK.

The bypolls have turned into a five-cornered contest involving TVK, DMK, AIADMK, the Left parties and NTK, with TVK’s Maragatham Kumaravel, DMK’s I Paranthamen, AIADMK’s S Kanitha Sampath, CPM’s Suganthi and NTK’s Janakiraman in Madurantakam. In Dharapuram, TVK’s P Sathyabama faces DMK’s S Suganya, AIADMK’s K Banumathi, CPI’s Lakshmanan and NTK’s Karthika.

A total of 27 candidates contested the Madurantakam by-election, while 22 candidates were in the fray in Dharapuram.

Bypolls a test for Tamil Nadu’s new political realignment

The two bypolls are the first electoral test for the TVK government since the April 23 Assembly elections, when it ended nearly six decades of alternating rule by the two Dravidian parties, making them a prestige battle for Chief Minister Vijay, who campaigned for four days. The bypolls were necessitated by the resignation of AIADMK MLAs K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama, who joined TVK and have been renominated by the party.

The contests also reflect Tamil Nadu’s new political realignment. Congress, which won five seats, and VCK and IUML, which won two seats each in April, joined the TVK-led government, while CPI and CPM, which won two seats each, extended external support but stayed out of the Cabinet and the alliance, and are contesting against TVK in these bypolls.

The PMK, part of the AIADMK-led NDA, has stayed neutral, while NDA ally AMMK is backing AIADMK candidates in both constituencies. MDMK, which contested and won two seats as part of the DMK-led alliance, later ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the TVK-led Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance.

The bypoll results will also set the tone for five yet-to-be-announced bypolls — Tiruchy (East), Perundurai, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai and Karur — held up by election-related litigation. Tiruchy (East) fell vacant after Vijay resigned, while the other four were vacated by AIADMK MLAs who resigned and joined TVK.

For TVK, the results will indicate whether its post-election realignment is translating into electoral support. AIADMK will seek to reclaim the two seats it won in April, while the DMK will look to challenge the new ruling formation. The Left, meanwhile, is seeking to retain its independent political identity while continuing to support the TVK government from outside.

Party-wise seat tally: April 23 vs current

TVK is seeking both Madurantakam and Dharapuram seats to raise its strength to 109 in the 234-member House, just nine short of a simple majority (majority mark: 118).

- TVK: 108 → 107 — Vijay won two seats, Perambur and Tiruchy (East),and retained Perambur before vacating Tiruchy (East).

- DMK: 59 → 59

- AIADMK: 47 → 41 — six AIADMK MLAs resigned and subsequently joined TVK.

- Congress: 5 → 5

- PMK: 4 → 4

- CPI: 2 → 2

- CPI(M): 2 → 2

- VCK: 2 → 2

- IUML: 2 → 2

- AMMK: 1 → 1

- BJP: 1 → 1

- DMDK: 1 → 1

- Vacant: 0 → 7

• Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance (SSJVA): The ruling coalition is led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and includes the Congress, VCK, MDMK, and IUML; the CPI and CPI(M) are not part of the alliance but provide outside legislative support to the government.

• Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA): The principal opposition block is led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and is currently partnered with the DMDK.

• AIADMK-led Alliance: The third major political front brings together the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the PMK, and the AMMK.

A high-decibel campaign

In Madurantakam, Chief Minister completed a 45-km roadshow across more than 30 villages, stepping off his campaign vehicle to drive a tractor through agricultural fields, sip tea at roadside stalls, and talk with women working the fields. In Dharapuram, he travelled on a bullock cart through key junctions of the constituency to connect with local voters during his 40-km roadshow.

The dominant campaign discourse was the "horse-trading" charges levelled at TVK by the AIADMK and DMK, although Vijay rejected them, saying the then AIADMK MLAs could not stand the party leadership hobnobbing with its DMK counterpart. He even accused the two parties of plotting against his forming the government when it was short of a majority but emerged as the single largest party.

DMK president MK Stalin campaigned for a day in each constituency. His remarks about the physical appearance of TVK's Dharapuram candidate P Sathyabama drew criticism from political parties.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was the sole campaigner for his party in both constituencies and directly targeted Vijay during his campaign. The party's campaign, however, was affected by internal dissent, with Palaniswami keeping senior leaders SP Velumani, P Thangamani and CVe Shanmugam away from the campaign.

During the campaign, Vijay projected himself as the political inheritor of the welfare legacy of former AIADMK chief ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, while positioning TVK as the principal alternative to DMK. Victory in the bypolls would provide a political boost to the four-month-old TVK government and strengthen its claim to have consolidated its position after the Assembly election.

Water war turns into key agrarian issue in Dharapuram bypoll

With farmers’ distress emerging as a major concern in the Dharapuram Assembly by-election, a bitter water-sharing dispute between the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) ayacut and Uppar Dam-dependent farmers has turned into a politically sensitive issue in the constituency.

While farmers dependent on Uppar Dam are demanding water to protect their crops amid drought-like conditions, PAP ayacut farmers are strongly opposing any diversion, contending that the storage in the Thirumoorthi reservoir is insufficient even to meet their own irrigation requirements.

ricultural landscape, with farmers estimating that coconut plantations cover nearly one lakh acres. Vegetable crops, drumstick and maize are also cultivated in the region.

With their plantations under stress, farmers say they are being forced to buy tanker water to keep the coconut trees alive. -- shorten

READ FULL REPORT

A look back at how Madurantakam and Dharapuram voted in the 2026 Assembly elections:

Madurantakam May 2026 Assembly election results:

AIADMK: 69,284 votes

TVK: 62,090 votes

DMK: 59,838 votes

Dharapuram May 2026 Assembly election results:

AIADMK: 81,100

TVK: 46,438

DMK: 64,373

Constituency Watch | Madurantakam: Civic concerns, election fatigue shape bypoll

Several voters DT Next spoke to in Madurantakam expressed little enthusiasm for the bypoll, with some questioning the need for another election and others undecided. Public transport emerged as a key concern, with passengers alleging difficulties boarding certain express buses, while a highway bus stop near Madurantakam Lake raises safety concerns as buses stop on the carriageway and passengers have to cross the busy NH.

Water and agriculture remain other major issues, with farmers flagging silt accumulation in the 2,400-acre Madurantakam Lake. The constituency’s proximity to Chennai and location along the NH corridor have also accelerated urbanisation around centres such as Melmaruvathur and Achcharapakkam.

READ DETAILED MADURANTAKAM REPORT HERE

Madurantakam, Dharapuram polling: Women, rural voters hold bypoll sway

Both constituencies share a largely rural polling network and a high proportion of women voters. Their electoral rolls have grown by a combined 2,103 voters in the past five months, with around 1,000 new voters added in each constituency. Women accounted for most of the new enrolments following the Special Intensive Revision.

READ FULL STORY

Inside Madurantakam’s first-ever bypoll

Madurantakam is more than just a town people pass through on the way to Chennai. As the constituency went to its first-ever bypoll, DT Next travelled across the region to explore its history, political journey and key candidates, while speaking to residents about everyday concerns, including transport, healthcare, education and the Madurantakam lake.

Tamil Nadu bypolls turnout lower than general elections

Voter turnout in Assembly by-elections at the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies on Tuesday was lower than the turnout in the April-May general elections in the two constituencies.

Madurantakam recorded 86.26% turnout as of 8.30 pm, 7% lower than that in the general elections, which saw 93.22% turnout. 

The turnout in Dharapuram stood at 80.31% as of 8.30 pm, compared with 89.89% in the general election.

READ FULL STORY

Though the tender notification does not specify the exact quantum of round-the-clock and peak power to be procured for each month, officials said the requirement could range between 2,000 MW and 3,200 MW, depending on the demand-supply position during the six-month period.

The decision to procure power till July is significant, as the State utility usually enters into short-term power purchase agreements only up to May, anticipating a rise in wind generation with the onset of the southwest monsoon in June.

TNPDCL officials said the extended procurement period was necessitated by the anticipated steep increase in power demand in 2027, particularly due to the impact of El Nino on weather conditions.

The utility has been relying on short-term power purchases to bridge supply gaps during periods of high demand. The latest tenders are aimed at ensuring adequate availability during the summer months and the subsequent period when demand is expected to remain elevated.

BSNL network glitch disrupts Minnagam helpline

The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd’s (TNPDCL) 24x7 Minnagam consumer service centre faced a temporary disruption in receiving calls on Thursday due to a technical glitch in the BSNL Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) network connected to its helpline.

The disruption began around noon on October 8, affecting calls to the helpline, 94987 94987.

BSNL has been working to identify the location of the fault and restore the network, said officials, adding the service will be restored at the earliest.

Until the service is restored, consumers may register complaints and requests through the 94987 94987 WhatsApp chatbot, social media platforms, and free-of-cost (FOC) numbers.

Finance, Planning and Development Minister N Marie Wilson, who represented the Tamil Nadu government at the meeting, said states bear more than 60 per cent of public expenditure and therefore require a greater share of GST revenues to address fiscal imbalances.

Marie Wilson also urged the Centre to provide special packages to exporting states such as Tamil Nadu, outside the devolution mechanism and GST revenue-sharing framework. Such support, he said, would encourage states to invest further in physical and social infrastructure and strengthen their competitiveness.

The minister welcomed the proposal to include input tax credit accumulated on capital goods for GST refunds on exports. He also supported including input services in refunds under the inverted duty structure and liberalising provisions relating to blocked credits, while cautioning that the measures could reduce states’ revenues.

Drawing on representations from trade associations during a pre-GST Council consultation held in Tamil Nadu on September 3, Marie Wilson said differential GST rates on staple foods such as rice were anomalous and sought exemption irrespective of quantity.

He further sought a reduction in GST on job work from 18 per cent to 5 per cent to ease working-capital constraints faced by micro, small and medium enterprises and support manufacturing and export sectors ranging from agarbatti to automobiles.

Marie Wilson also supported a proposal to prescribe a minimum tax amount of Rs 10,000 for issuing notices under Sections 73, 74 and 74A of the GST Acts, saying it would ease compliance-related difficulties for taxpayers involving smaller amounts.

The State government has proposed to establish an integrated memorial complex for five icons — Queen Velu Nachiyar, Periyar EV Ramasamy, BR Ambedkar, K Kamaraj, and Anjalai Ammal — along with a library on a portion of the University Union Grounds in Chetpet belonging to the University of Madras (UoM). The five personalities are also the ideological leaders of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). A cross-section of UoM faculty, staff, physical education teachers of affiliated colleges and sports enthusiasts has objected to the proposal.

Rajmohan said officials were considering around 10 locations for the proposed memorial, hinting that no site has been finalised.

Speaking to reporters in Chennai after distributing pension orders to journalists, he said the memorial project would be implemented along with a study centre and library.

Replying to a question on the recent by-election, Rajmohan said the polling was conducted without cash-for-votes or booth rigging.

Hailing the by-election arrangements, he said the poll was being conducted fairly and freely.

Responding to demands raised by representatives of small and marginal newspapers, Rajmohan said he had himself come from the field of journalism. He added that the government treated all newspaper organisations equally and was extending welfare measures to different types of magazines and newspapers.

Tamil Development Secretary V Rajaraman and Director of Information and Public Relations A Arun Thamburaj participated in the event.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 8th edition of the Windergy India 2026, organised by the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association, Joshi said the Centre would extend full support to Tamil Nadu under the Green Energy Corridor III, but the state should address connectivity and other bottlenecks holding up renewable energy projects.

“You may be having some valid reasons because the decisions were taken by the previous government. There may be some hidden agenda and hidden reasons behind those decisions. I understand your concern. Whatever you are thinking may be right also. But at the same time, the industry should not suffer. The role of the previous government should be different, but your approach should be different. That is my request to you, so that this will move further and it will change a lot,” he said.

Joshi also assured that the Centre would consider electricity minister R Nirmalkumar’s request to expand the Green Energy Corridor III to more parts of Tamil Nadu.

Nirmalkumar said the state had considerable potential for additional wind and solar capacity and that expanding the transmission corridor would enable Tamil Nadu to accommodate three to four times the renewable energy growth currently anticipated.

Joshi said Tamil Nadu also had significant potential to increase wind power generation by repowering old turbines. The state has around 4,100 MW of repowering potential involving turbines with a capacity of less than 2 MW, he said.

India has more than 25 GW of identified wind repowering potential and already has a national repowering policy, Joshi said, adding that the Centre would work with states to address the administrative and financial issues involved in repowering.

On offshore wind projects planned in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, Joshi said the Centre had initially planned 500 MW projects in each state.

Subsequent studies showed that the projects would require an investment of more than Rs 7,000 crore.

The key issue was the tariff, estimated at around Rs 5.50 per unit, he said. The Centre has sought a power purchase agreement (PPA) from Tamil Nadu at the tariff.

“We are requesting Tamil Nadu that for the Rs 5.50 per unit, they should have a PPA. In principle, they have agreed. We are waiting for the communication firmly. If that comes, then we will go ahead with the build process and development,” Joshi said.

The Centre has already announced viability gap funding (VGF) for offshore wind projects.

Mayank Tewari, Additional Secretary, MNRE, Rajesh Kulhari, Joint Secretary, MNRE and Girish Tanti, Chairman, IWTMA & Vice Chairman, Suzlon Group, also spoke.

Meanwhile, Nirmalkumar called for coordinated forecasting and planning of electricity demand and future requirements by the Centre and states.

Pointing to the rising electricity demand across the country, including Tamil Nadu, he said climate change, industrial growth, urbanisation and emerging electricity applications had made accurate demand forecasting increasingly important.

“Tamil Nadu is doing it at the state level. At the same time, forecasting and planning for electricity demand across the country and future requirements should be a coordinated effort between the Central and State governments,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with Valluvar Kottam, Stalin said the DMK's contribution to the Metro project would remain an indelible part of history.

Recalling the project's origins, Stalin said the Metro Rail was conceived during former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's tenure, when he was Deputy Chief Minister. He said he had travelled to Japan to secure JICA funding for the project.

He said the first phase connected key transport hubs, including the airport, Chennai Central and Koyambedu, and became a major milestone in Chennai's public transport system. He also recalled how Metro Rail services helped lakhs of people reach safer locations during the 2015 floods.

Stalin alleged that the subsequent AIADMK government had initially sought to replace the Metro project with a monorail system. He said the second phase later slowed down and was expedited after the DMK returned to power in 2021.

Despite the Centre delaying its share of funding for more than three years, the State continued the works, he said. As of September 2024, the government had spent Rs 11,762 crore from its own funds and Rs 6,802 crore through foreign financial institutions, totalling Rs 18,564 crore, Stalin said.

He said he repeatedly urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release the Centre's share under the originally agreed 50:50 funding model, which was accepted in October 2024.

Stalin said the Poonamallee–Porur–Vadapalani stretch was targeted for completion by the end of 2025, but delays in Railway Board approval for signalling works and the subsequent Model Code of Conduct prevented its inauguration during the DMK's tenure.

It is said that the Thanjavur railway station was renovated at an estimated cost of Rs 21 crore under Amrit Bharat project through which separate entry and exit points were established with the replica of the Big Temple in both the points.

On Wednesday, the railway authorities installed name boards in Tamil, English and Hindi. Particularly, the Hindi letters were fixed on the Big Temple replica, and soon, the political functionaries, pro-Tamil outfit members, social activists and the public opposed the move taken by the railways, and a few organisations staged a demonstration on Wednesday late evening, but the board remained the same.

On Thursday, the DMK cadres along with the Tamil outfit members assembled in front of the railway station and staged a protest demanding to remove the Hindi name board. The Thanjavur DMK MP S Murasoli, MLA Durai Chandrasekaran, Mayor (in charge) Anjugam Boopathi, former mayor Shan Ramanathan and the Tamil outfit members took part in the protest and raised slogans against the railway administration for imposing Hindi in Thanjavur, a town noted for Tamil enthusiasts.

The protesting members also attempted to besiege the railway station. However, the railway workers were deployed to remove the name boards displayed in all three languages. Subsequently, the protest was withdrawn. The MP Murasoli warned the railway administration not to entertain such activities at any time, which would invoke strong protest from the people of Thanjavur.

The scheme was launched at a government event in Chennai in the presence of Asian Games medal winners.

The umbrella scheme will include 10 Olympic Centres of Excellence, Tamil Nadu Olympic City, Tamil Nadu Sports City and SDAT Olympic Illam. Under the scheme, the government will provide cash incentives of Rs 5 crore for an Olympic gold medal, Rs 3 crore for silver and Rs 2 crore for bronze.

Medallists from the Asian Games, Para Asian Games and Commonwealth Games will be inducted into the Dream Olympics programme. The government will provide them a monthly stipend of Rs 1 lakh, along with an annual assistance of Rs 50 lakh, according to the announcement.

During the event, the Chief Minister also presented cash incentives to Asian Games medallists and Chess Olympiad winners. including athlete Vithya Ramraj and squash player Joshna Chinnappa. The medallists were felicitated by the Chief Minister. The gold medallists were given a purse of Rs 75 lakh each, silver winners earned Rs 50 lakh each and Rs 30 lakh was presented to bronze medal winners.

Tamil Nadu sent 37 athletes across 11 sports to the Asian Games, earning 18 total medals (2 gold, 3 silver, and 13 bronze).

Minister for Public Works and Sports Development Aadhav Arjuna and Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar participated in the event.

A division bench comprising Justices N Sathish Kumar and GK Muthukumaar observed that, at this stage, it was not a fit case for suspension of the sentence and refused to grant bail to Abirami, dismissing her petition.

The court adjourned the main appeal to November 4.

According to the prosecution, Abirami, a "reels star" known as ‘Biryani Abirami’, began an affair with Meenatchisundaram, a biryani delivery man from a shop frequented by her family. When their affair was exposed, Meenatchisundaram allegedly pressured her to eliminate her family.

In September 2018, Abirami mixed sleeping pills in their milk. While her husband Vijay (30) and son Ajay survived the initial dose, her daughter Karnika died.

The next morning, she allegedly smothered the drowsy boy with a pillow. She then hid both bodies and waited to kill Vijay when he returned from work.

But as he returned late, Abirami abandoned her plan. Instead, she met Meenatchisundaram, pawned her wedding chain, and fled with him to Kanniyakumari.

Vijay discovered the bodies the next day and alerted the police. Based on his complaint, the Kundrathur police launched an investigation.

Delivering the verdict in July 2025, Principal District and Sessions Court, Kancheepuram, judge Pa U Chemmal had observed that "life imprisonment alone is insufficient" and that they "must remain in prison for their natural lives."

The court sentenced them to three consecutive life sentences under different sections, in addition to a fine of Rs 15,000.

Challenging the order, Abirami filed a petition before the High Court seeking suspension of her sentence and grant of bail.

The organisation has announced a series of protests beginning on Thursday, with demonstrations planned outside 2,852 section offices of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) across the state. Protests will subsequently be held outside all executive engineer offices on October 12, 13 and 14 and supervising engineer offices on October 15.

The organisation's general secretary, T Jaisankar, said it would conduct a public outreach campaign from October 22 to 29, after which employees would go on an indefinite strike in the first week of November.

The protests are against a tender issued by TNPDCL on October 7 to install smart meters under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). The tender covers five electricity projects in the Chennai region and 12 other regions, including Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Vellore, Coimbatore, Erode, Karur, Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Madurai and Tirunelveli.

Jaisankar said the smart meters were proposed to be installed under the TOTEX model, under which the implementing agency would invest and recover the cost over the contract period. He alleged that handing over smart metering-related operations to private agencies would eventually lead to the privatisation of distribution.

The organisation further warned that the project could result in job losses among electricity board employees and affect employment opportunities for youth. It also raised concerns over the impact on reservation and social justice.

Calling the smart meter project a move to hand over the State's electricity distribution system to private players, Jaisankar demanded that TNPDCL immediately withdraw the tender and abandon the project.

However, the rain has affected salt production in the coastal areas, with several salt pans getting submerged.

The district had been witnessing high temperatures, while the lack of adequate rainfall had also caused local ponds to dry up.

Farmers had staged protests demanding the full release of Thamirabarani water from the Papanasam Dam for agricultural activities.

Little relief for farmers

Farmers had hoped the rainfall would benefit banana cultivation spread across around 2,000 acres in the district. However, the rain was only light in the agricultural areas and provided limited relief to farmers.

In contrast, heavy showers in the coastal areas resulted in salt pans being inundated. The disruption has brought salt production to a halt and affected the livelihood of more than 25,000 workers dependent on the industry.

Salt production would resume after a month

Salt producers said it could take around a month for production to resume in areas such as Pazhayakayal and Pulla Veli, as the inundated pans would need to dry out.

Production at Mullakkadu, located near the Thoothukudi port, could resume within a week if there is no further rainfall, producers said.

The district recorded 12 mm each at Kayalpattinam and Vaippar, 7 mm at Keela Arasaradi, 5.520 mm in Thoothukudi, 5 mm at Tiruchendur, 4 mm at Kulasekarapattinam and Ottapidaram, 1.10 mm at Srivaikuntam and 1 mm at Maniachi.

For this unusual ceremony on Thursday (October 8), the villagers formed themselves into two groups representing the bride and groom’s families to conduct the rituals traditionally.

The villagers took out a ceremonial procession by placing the male and female frogs in two miniature-sized bullock carts specially made for the occasion.

The villagers also carried umbrellas along with traditional wedding offerings.

The frogs were taken to a local temple, where customary wedding rituals were performed and special prayers offered. After the wedding ceremony, the pair of frogs was released into a well. As part of the ritual, the villagers also sacrificed a goat as an offering and served food for the public.

“Our ancestors followed this practice of frog weddings whenever the village faced a prolonged dry spell. As acute water shortage prevails and farmers are unable to do agriculture, we believe that conducting frog weddings will bring rain and provide relief,” said R Muthupandi, a farmer from the village.

Another villager, H Narendran, said, “Whether conducting such rituals brings rain or not, the ceremony brings the community together and keeps our traditional practices alive. We are happy to be part of the ceremony.”

The unusual wedding between frogs also attracted a large number of curious people from neighbouring localities to watch these traditional customs.

Though the headmaster of the school learnt about the incident when midday meal workers checked the tank after the school reopened on October 5 following the quarterly examination vacation, he neither informed the Education Department nor the police.

The incident came to public light only after the news spread among villagers, who staged a protest condemning the headmaster for not informing them about the incident. “Why did he take steps to clean the water tank without informing the people or the authorities?” the villagers questioned.

Dismissing the headmaster’s claim that the tank was used only for cooking and washing, Marimuthu, a relative of a student from Manur village, said, “Due to water scarcity, the school management is using only this tank for cooking and drinking purposes.”

The overhead water tank in the school was not in use due to the water shortage. The 750-litre tank was located on the ground close to a village water pipeline.

When Dindigul Superintendent of Police S Jeyakumar conducted a preliminary inquiry on Wednesday, the headmaster told him that human faeces-like material had been found in the tank when the school reopened on October 5.

“The headmaster said the tank was immediately cleaned,” the SP said.

He also told the police the water tank was used only for cooking and washing purposes.

Based on his complaint, police registered an FIR under Sections 272 (malignant act done with intent to spread infection of a disease dangerous to life), 123 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc.) and 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Meanwhile, during a parents-teachers meeting held on Thursday in the presence of senior Education Department officials and police, parents complained that the headmaster, who joined the school as a teacher and has been working there for nearly 17 years, had not taken steps to improve basic amenities at the school.

“If the school had a watchman or CCTV cameras, this incident could have been avoided,” the parents told Education Department officials.

The villager claimed that teachers were forcing students to return home to attend nature’s call, citing the scarcity of water. “If there is a water shortage, how can the teachers alone use the toilets while discriminating against the students?” the parents asked.

The villagers also allegedly informed the police during the investigation that the headmaster is getting all the construction work done through a benami.

During the meeting, Education Department officials assured the parents that a new water tank would be installed, basic amenities would be improved.

School Education Department clarifies water supply

The School Education Department said a preliminary inquiry found that the Syntex tank was not used for drinking water.

According to a Maalaimalar report, the headmaster inspected the tank on the morning the school reopened and found it dirty and without water. He subsequently cleaned it with bleaching powder.

The department said drinking water for students is supplied through a pipe from another location and that students had not used the Syntex tank.

A detailed investigation is being carried out by the police.

Leaders seek detailed probe

PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss condemned the incident and called for an inquiry into "whether there was any conspiracy behind it."

"At the same time, an inquiry must be conducted and arrest of those responsible," he added, besides calling for compound walls around government schools and replacement of the water tank at the Manur school.

AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran also demanded a detailed investigation and strict action against those responsible.

He also asked why the school administration did not immediately lodge a complaint and sought action against officials found to have acted negligently.

(With Online Desk inputs)

The government bus was travelling along the Tirunelveli-Thoothukudi highway near Prancheri with more than 20 passengers when the accident occurred.

According to preliminary information, the lorry, which was coming from the opposite direction, reportedly went out of control and crashed into the bus.

The impact severely damaged the front portion of the government bus. Ajith Melvin Arthur (52), a native of Kanniyakumari district and the conductor of the bus, sustained critical injuries in the collision and died at the scene.

More than 20 passengers travelling on the bus were also seriously injured in the accident.

On receiving information, police and rescue personnel rushed to the spot and began rescue operations.

The injured passengers were evacuated from the damaged bus and taken to the Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital for treatment.

The injured are currently receiving intensive medical care at the hospital.

Meanwhile, police registered a case in connection with the accident and launched an investigation. The lorry driver is being questioned as part of the probe to ascertain the circumstances that led to the collision.

The accident caused panic among motorists and residents in the area, while traffic movement on the highway was affected for some time following the crash.

Justice V Lakshminarayanan reserved the orders after hearing arguments from senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the ruling TVK’s president, and advocate Ashok, appearing for a voter who filed the petition. The judge directed the parties to file their written submissions by October 14.

In the May 2026 Assembly election, Vijay secured 1,20,365 votes from Perambur, defeating his immediate rival RD Shekar of the DMK by 53,715 votes. Later, Dinesh, a voter from the constituency, filed an election petition challenging the victory while Vijay filed a plea seeking its dismissal.

During the hearing, Ashok submitted that details of a Panruti property worth around Rs 30 crore were suppressed in Vijay's nomination papers. Also, a 50-cent land in Kodaikanal that Vijay claimed to have purchased is shown in Revenue Department records as government poramboke, he said, adding that candidates must not furnish false information or suppress material facts in their nomination papers.

Noting that any direct or indirect suppression of assets would amount to undue influence under Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, he said whether it was wilful could be decided only during the trial.

He added that the election officer could conduct only a summary inquiry within 24 hours of filing the nomination. Hence, discrepancies could be raised in an election petition even if no objection was made at the time of nomination.

In counter, Gopal Sankaranarayanan argued that non-disclosure of assets could not be equated with non-disclosure of criminal antecedents, as voters would already know that Vijay was wealthy. He also contended that the petitioner must show that voters were actually influenced by the non-disclosure.

The delay has left teachers waiting for the first instalment of the payment for work completed more than a month ago.

In Nagapattinam, the teachers who participated in the first phase have submitted a representation to the Collector seeking the immediate release of their pending honorarium.

The representation stated that the teachers had completed the assigned census work well ahead of the deadline but were still awaiting payment.

The first phase of the census-related works was conducted from August 1-31, with teachers deployed across rural and urban areas of the State.

Teachers said that they had carried out the work as an additional responsibility alongside their regular teaching duties, and travelled to the locations allotted to them.

They completed the assigned work by August 20 itself, following directions from the district administration.

As per the government provisions, the census enumerators are entitled to an honorarium of Rs 9,000 for completing the first phase, apart from the training allowance.

Despite the work being completed several weeks ago, the first instalment has not reached the teachers, who were expecting to be paid soon after completing the assignment.

Teachers have urged the authorities to ensure that the funds already released for the census exercise are transferred without further delay.

They said that the pending payment would provide some financial relief, particularly during the festival season when household expenses tend to increase.

An order issued by Chief Secretary Saikumar requires employees to disclose their immovable and movable assets, savings and loans.

It also makes clear that properties purchased in another person’s name must be included in the declaration.

Only employees who submit the required details within the stipulated period will be included in the list for promotion, the order states.

Those who fail to furnish the information will be treated as having violated the government employees’ conduct rules.

The directive requires a declaration of financial holdings and liabilities. Employees must register all the specified details through the government’s online system, bringing information on property, savings and borrowings together in their submissions.

The disclosure requirement extends beyond assets held directly in an employee’s own name. If an employee has bought property in the name of another individual, the declaration must identify that person and specify the relationship between the individual and the employee concerned.

This means that registering a property under someone else’s name does not remove the obligation to report it. The order specifically requires employees to provide both the property information and the relationship details in such cases.

The government has linked compliance with the deadline to eligibility for inclusion in promotion lists.

Employees seeking consideration for advancement must therefore ensure that their asset information is submitted within the prescribed period.

The order separately addresses failure to disclose the required information, stating that such non-compliance will constitute a breach of the conduct rules applicable to government employees.

The requirement applies to all Tamil Nadu government staff covered by the directive. Employees must disclose loans alongside their assets and savings, ensuring that the submission records liabilities as well as financial holdings.

Both movable and immovable property fall within the scope of the information sought. The directive places responsibility on employees to complete their declarations through the Integrated Finance and Human Resource Management System website before the deadline.

Timely submission is necessary for inclusion in promotion lists, while failure to submit the details will be regarded as a violation of the conduct rules.

For the proposed MMLH, TIDCO has sought a consulting firm to prepare a detailed feasibility report and examine project-structuring options. The exercise will provide the technical and financial framework for assessing the viability and possible implementation models of the proposed facility.

The move comes weeks after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced in the Assembly that the government would establish a multi-modal logistics hub in the Tiruchy region. The government had said the region's concentration of manufacturing industries and micro, small and medium enterprises made it a suitable location for such infrastructure.

The proposed hub has also received in-principle approval to be developed as a dry port, expected to serve exporters in Tiruchy and neighbouring districts.

Separately, TIDCO has invited consultants to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for establishing the Sivakasi Pyrotechnic Common Facility Centre in Virudhunagar district.

The incentive, sanctioned from the State exchequer on the directions of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, will ensure that farmers receive Rs 4,000 per tonne of sugarcane, including the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) fixed by the Centre. For the 2025-26 crushing season, the Centre has fixed the FRP at Rs 3,290.50 per tonne for sugarcane linked to a 9.5% sugar recovery rate.

The State's special incentive of Rs 709.50 on the tonne will take the total price to Rs 4,000 per tonne. Farmers whose sugarcane records a sugar recovery rate above 9.5% will receive a proportionately higher price, exceeding Rs 4,000 per tonne, according to the government. The decision follows the long-standing demand for a higher price and is aimed at safeguarding the interests of farmers. The government expects the measure to encourage sugarcane cultivation, improve the functioning of sugar mills and increase the production of sugar and its by-products.

The incentive will cover farmers who supplied sugarcane to 29 mills that undertook crushing operations during the 2025-26 season (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026). These comprise 12 cooperative, two public-sector and 15 private sugar mills. Details of eligible farmers, including the quantity of sugarcane supplied, Aadhaar numbers and bank account details, have been collected. Beneficiaries will be identified after recommendations by district-level committees headed by Collectors and scrutiny by the Directorate of Sugar.

Direct transfers to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts are scheduled to begin from the upcoming Deepavali festival. Around 90,000 sugarcane farmers are expected to benefit from the scheme.

In an editorial in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana', the party said the entire country has been witnessing protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

"But the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have stayed away from it," it said.

The party said the AAP has differences with the Congress. "But the AAP and the Congress should at least come together to release the country from the shackles of dictatorship," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.

AAP's convenor Arvind Kejriwal has bitter experience with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Election Commission. While Kejriwal was the chief minister of Delhi, he was put behind bars in a "false" case. Kejriwal's defeat was engineered by deleting names of voters from his constituency, it alleged.

So it is not in the AAP's interest to stay away from the INDIA bloc, the party said.

Even if Punjab assembly polls, where the two parties are principal opponents, could be a matter of dispute, Kejriwal should take part in the fight against Modi and Shah, the Sena (UBT) added.

The DMK was defeated in Tamil Nadu and C Joseph Vijay's TVK came to power with the help of the Congress. This riled the DMK, the editorial said, adding, "But this stand of the DMK is not in the interest of the country."

The Sena (UBT) lauded the stand of Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which participated in the INDIA bloc's protest against CEC.

The opposition offensive against the CEC picked up further pace on Wednesday as Rahul Gandhi led the INDIA bloc leaders' street protests in Delhi for the second consecutive day before being detained again along with many MPs by police amid dramatic scenes of resistance.

While Akashvani Bhawan in the national capital was the epicentre of Tuesday's protest where Rahul Gandhi staged an over eight-hour sit-in along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders till their forcible removal, Wednesday evening saw a confrontation between police and protesting leaders.

The accused police personnel, Ben Singh, a native of Thoothukudi, is currently working in the police department in Tirupattur district.

Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police R Shiva Prasad had sent a report on the alleged involvement of Ben Singh in the incident to Tirupattur SP Akshay Anil Wakhare.

The FIR was registered under Sections 308(4), 351(3) and 296(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 294 of the IPC against the four accused involved in the case.

Kannan, a resident of Levinchipuram in Thoothukudi, runs a TASMAC bar in the Sivandhakullam area on his own property. His son, Venkatesh, manages the bar.

According to the complaint, Ben Singh, along with his friends Madhan, who runs a bar in the Muthiahpuram area, and local rowdies Joshua and Ramesh, had been threatening Venkatesh and demanding that he hand over the bar to Madhan.

The complaint further stated that the four accused had allegedly visited the bar at night on several occasions and taken Rs 50,000 kept there. On October 5, Madhan, Joshua and Ramesh allegedly threatened Venkatesh with a knife and told him to hand over the bar to them and leave, failing which they would kill him and his family. They allegedly then locked the bar and took away the keys, the complaint stated.

Following the incident, Venkatesh lodged a complaint with the Thenpagam police and handed over CCTV footage. Police subsequently registered a case and launched an investigation.

In his complaint, Venkatesh alleged that Ben Singh also threatened him through WhatsApp.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Venkatesh appeared at the Thoothukudi District Superintendent of Police’s office and submitted a petition seeking protection. He stated that he feared for his life and that he was legally operating the bar on his own property after obtaining it through a tender and regularly paying the required amount to the government.

A source claims that Ben Singh and Madhan were also allegedly jointly running a gambling club in the Mappillaiurani area of Thoothukudi and a bar in Muthiahpuram.

The scrutiny will cover medicines, medical devices and consumables, with inspectors examining procurement costs alongside patient bills to identify suspected overcharging and any breaches of pricing or labelling requirements.

A separate communication has directed officers to intensify checks against the unauthorised sale of habit-forming prescription drugs. Reports of misuse of Tapentadol and Nitrazepam were cited as a public health concern requiring stronger surveillance.

S. Gurubharathi, Joint Director of Drugs Control and Controlling Authority-cum-Licensing Authority, issued both communications on October 1 to assistant directors, outlining the records to be examined and the reporting requirements.

The exercise follows concerns over differences between the prices hospitals pay to procure products and the amounts charged to patients.

Inspectors have been asked to document significant price variations, suspected overcharging, discrepancies in records and violations of pricing or labelling provisions. Any findings must be supported by relevant documents.

The inspections are to be completed on priority, with a consolidated report submitted to the directorate.

Where pricing contraventions are established, action will be initiated under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, Gurubharathi said.

Action-taken reports, accompanied by supporting documents, must also be forwarded to the directorate for further proceedings.

The second communication described reports of prescription drug misuse as a public health concern and directed officers to strengthen surveillance and enforcement within their jurisdictions.

Assistant directors have been told to arrange surprise inspections at retail and wholesale outlets, focusing on areas where complaints or information about misuse have been received.

During these checks, officers must verify valid prescriptions, purchase and sale records, bills, stock positions and other relevant documents.

They have also been instructed to pay special attention to disposable syringes and needles that could be misused or diverted. Any mismatch between available stock and entries in the records must be investigated, with officers required to verify inventories and establish the nature of discrepancies found during inspections.

For hospitals, checks will include purchase invoices, procurement prices, printed MRP, sale prices and billing, particularly for high-value medicines and injections. Significant findings must be documented and supported by records before reports are submitted to the directorate.

CK Suresh sought a direction to shift a Tasmac shop situated on Melpatti Ponnappan Street, submitting that the people who visit the shop were preventing him from entering or coming out of his house.

Justice N Senthilkumar directed the Home, Prohibition and Excise Secretary to file a report on the safety measures taken to prevent disturbances caused in the neighbourhood.

The DC (North) was also directed to file a report specifying the liquor shop number and location, the number of drunk driving cases registered, and the challans paid by inebriated drivers as penalties.

The court directed that both reports be filed within three weeks and posted the matter after three weeks.

The three boys studying at a private school left home for school on Tuesday morning but did not return in the evening.

Their parents went to the school, only to learn that the boys had not attended classes that day. Based on a complaint, Udumalpet police launched a search.

Police tracked the trio using their mobile phone numbers and found that they had boarded a train bound for Mumbai. Upon alert, the Railway Police in Andhra Pradesh searched a train that arrived at a railway station there and found all three students.

During questioning, the students told the police that they had left home and boarded the train as they were not interested in continuing their studies.

A team from Udumalpet police subsequently travelled to Andhra Pradesh, brought the three students back to Udumalpet and handed them over to their parents after counselling them.

The move was announced in the State Assembly during the recently concluded session.

In an order issued on Wednesday, the Commercial Taxes and Registration Department accorded administrative sanction to implement the new system under Project STAR 3.0, subject to software readiness.

The four categories covered under the initiative are Settlement Deeds, Release Deeds, Partition Deeds, and Revocation of Settlement Deeds relating to family arrangements.

Under the new system, people will be required to create deeds online and upload supporting documents through the designated registration portal. The documents will subsequently be processed electronically, eliminating the need for repeated physical handling, movement, and scanning of records.

However, the government clarified that the introduction of paperless registration would not dispense with the physical appearance of parties before the Sub-Registrar. They must visit the concerned Sub-Registrar Office for identification and Aadhaar authentication.

According to the Government Order, the initiative will facilitate electronic processing, improve traceability of registration transactions, and enable systematic digital preservation and retrieval of registered documents.

The order recalled that the government had introduced Phase-I of the Anywhere Registration initiative on August 17, covering the first sale of plots by promoters and the first sale of flats by builders with consecutive deposit title deeds.

However, the government clarified that the parties concerned will still have to visit the Sub-Registrar Office for identification and Aadhaar authentication

The initiative was inaugurated by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and received a positive response from citizens, the order stated.

Following this, the Registration Department proposed extending paperless registration to family arrangement deeds as part of its continued technological transformation. The Inspector General of Registration has been directed to implement the new system from November 2, subject to the necessary software arrangements being in place, the order added.

EASY DEEDS FOR

• Settlement

• Release

• Partition

• Revocation of settlement

Of the 17 murder cases that ended in conviction during the month, Thoothukudi accounted for five cases, the highest among the districts in the zone. The police attributed the convictions to close monitoring of grave cases, coordination with prosecutors and sustained efforts to ensure the appearance of witnesses before courts.

Besides murder cases, two robbery cases and two grave theft/burglary cases ended in conviction, resulting in six accused being convicted.

The police also secured convictions in 26 Pocso and rape cases, involving 34 accused. Among them, one was awarded a death sentence, two were sentenced to double life imprisonment or more, and 11 were awarded imprisonment of 20 years and above. And fifteen history-sheeters were also convicted in murder and Pocso cases during September.

The police said the results reflected the impact of the Case Officer Scheme recently introduced across all districts in the south zone. Under the scheme, Superintendents of Police identify key grave cases for close monitoring and ensure timely service of summons to witnesses and effective support to prosecutors, the release said.

As of September 30, a total of 19,488 non-bailable warrants were executed across the south zone as part of efforts to bring wanted accused before courts, the police said.

According to the protesting farmers, the water released for samba cultivation on September 1 had not reached the tail-end parts in Tiruvarur, and so the farmers from Muthupettai who undertook cultivation at an area of 10,000 ha under direct sowing had failed to receive water till date, and so the crops have started to wither away. 

Similarly, Korayaru irrigated crops in around 5000 ha in more than 10 villages, including Udayamarthandapuram, Keezhakadu, Natchikulam, Pinnathur, Palliyamedu, Thillaivilagam and Idumbavanan, have also been drying up.

The irate farmers who gathered at the ECR in Udayamarathandapuram blocked the traffic, in which leaders from various political parties and farmers' associations took part. 

On receiving information, the PWD Executive Engineer Guru Sakthivel and the police held talks with the protesting farmers. Upon assurance by the official that the water would reach their places before October 10, they withdrew the protest. The traffic was disrupted in the ECR for more than an hour. 

According to a government statement, women whose native place is in Tamil Nadu but who are residing outside the State can avail themselves of the gold ring under the scheme, provided they meet certain conditions.

The delivery of the woman's child should take place at a government hospital in Tamil Nadu. Further, the woman's parents should be permanent residents of Tamil Nadu. Eligible women will have to submit valid documents to avail themselves of the benefit.

The government said the expanded eligibility would benefit women who have moved to other States but continue to have their family roots in Tamil Nadu. As part of the expanded scheme, Uma Maheshwari, a native of Karaikudi, received a gold ring after delivering a child. She is currently residing in Karnataka.

The expansion of the scheme has been implemented with effect from June 22.

According to police, Selveeswari (27), a native of Sivakasi, has been working as an office assistant at the Sattur No. 2 Judicial Magistrate Court.

After completing her regular court duties each day, she was reportedly required to go to the judge’s residence and attend to household chores, according to a police source.

Selveeswari told police that this had caused her severe work pressure and that she had been under mental distress for the past few days.

On Tuesday, Selveeswari came to work as usual and suddenly consumed ant poison (pesticide) that she had brought from home on the court premises, police said.

After she felt dizzy, Selveeswari informed her colleagues that she had consumed poison. Shocked by this, her colleagues immediately rescued her and admitted her to a private hospital opposite the court for treatment. She is undergoing intensive treatment.

Based on a complaint filed by Selveeswari, Sattur Town police have registered a case and are conducting an inquiry. The incident, in which a woman employee allegedly attempted suicide on the court premises, has caused a stir in the area.

Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. In case you feel distressed by the content or know someone in distress, call --- Sneha, Chennai: 91-44-2464 0050, 91-44-2464 0060; Maithri, Cochin: +91 239 6272; Sumaitri, New Delhi: 2338 9090; Aasra, Mumbai: 9820466726; Fortis MentalHealth: 8376804102.

YouTuber Varaaki approached the court seeking transfer of the probe from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), apprehending that the State police may not conduct an independent and effective investigation.

The petitioner said as high-ranking official officials are suspected to be involved, an independent investigation was necessary to ascertain whether there was any interference, improper influence, or financial or other consideration affecting the probe, whether the pen drive containing a video of one of the alleged sexual abuse was properly preserved and forensically examined, and whether any relevant investigative lead was omitted, disregarded, or prematurely abandoned.

When the matter came up for hearing before Justice V Lakshminarayan, State Public Prosecutor R John Sathyan filed a status report on the investigation conducted so far and sought 10 more days to file a further report.

Opposing the petitioner's request to transfer the investigation to the CBI, the judge quipped, "We can transfer the case to Mossad (the Israeli intelligence agency)." The judge added that if the case was transferred to the CBI, it would start the investigation again from scratch.

The judge also questioned why the petitioner suspected the Tamil Nadu police and observed that the Pocso court judge was doing a good job and must be given time to deal with the matter.

Finding that substantial progress had been made in the investigation, the court directed the Registrar to keep the case records in safe custody, and posted the matter to October 26.

The deceased was identified as Shailesh Kumar, who was staying in a house owned by traffic constable Gnanamoorthy (40) in Salaiyanur village near Sriperumbudur.

On Tuesday (October 6) night, Sailesh and others went to a nearby grocery shop and asked for gutkha, tobacco products which are banned in Tamil Nadu.

When the shopkeeper told them that such products were not being sold at the shop, an argument broke out, and the youth allegedly assaulted the shopkeeper.

Learning about this, Gnanamoorthy (40) asked the youths to vacate the house. During the argument, Gnanamoorthy allegedly assaulted Sailesh. A few hours later, he died.

The Sriperumbudur police sent his body to the Chengalpattu Government Hospital for post-mortem examination, which revealed that Sailesh died after sustaining severe injuries to his liver.

Based on the findings and the investigation, the police arrested Gnanamoorthy and Arif (26), a native of Uttar Pradesh, who was allegedly involved in the incident.

The two accused were produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody, and further investigation is on.

The Advisory Committee meeting, chaired by MP Durai Vaiko, was held on the airport premises, in which the Airport Director G Gopalakrishnan and Chief Executive Officer (Cargo Services) K Selvakumar took part.

The meeting discussed in detail the approval of the air courier service that was given in 2024 and the delay in the commissioning of the service. The Express Courier Operators Association president, SA Syed, raised the issue during the meeting and sought details on the staff allocation and other infrastructure facilities. He also suggested that integrating cargo capabilities into a courier service would generate a huge income for the airport.

Responding to his query, officials said that infrastructure facilities for the courier service have been established at an estimated cost of Rs 40 lakh adjacent to the air cargo services. The officials clarified that due to a few operational issues, including a lack of registered agents, the service was put on hold.

The officials also noted that the private partnership is essential to run the service. As there was no proper player to go ahead with the services, the Airports Authority has decided to take over the service, and the courier service would start functioning from November at the old terminal adjacent to the air cargo terminal premises, the officials stated.

At present, Indian astronauts, most recently Shubhanshu Shukla, have to be sent to Russia for the training, as there is no such faciltity in India.

The facility, planned at the Simulator Hall of the facility, will replicate the challenging conditions astronauts could face during extended missions in space, while allowing researchers to study crew performance, psychology, human factors, experiments, systems integration, and mission operations under isolated, confined, and resource-limited conditions.

The facility is being developed to support simulations of missions lasting up to 60 days. The project is part of India's preparations under the Gaganyaan programme and is expected to play an important role in training and evaluating Indian astronauts, or Gaganyatris, for future long duration missions.

The proposed habitat will have a core module measuring about five metres in diameter and five metres in height, spread across two levels. The first level will include three crew workstations, equipment racks, and a payload rack, while the second level will have a galley, dining area, avionics dashboard, and exercise facilities, including a treadmill, cycle ergometer, and strength trainer.

It will also include an airlock module equipped with an air shower and spacesuit rack. A separate crew personal module will provide two storey sleeping bunks, a vacuum toilet, mist shower, and waterless washing machine.

One of the key features will be its closed loop habitability system, designed for a four-member crew. The habitat will maintain controlled environmental conditions, including temperature between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius.

The system will also monitor carbon dioxide levels, with the nominal concentration maintained below 1,000 ppm. An off-nominal experimental mode will allow researchers to simulate CO2 concentrations of up to 5,000 ppm to study crew response to abnormal conditions.

The habitat will also feature a communication system capable of simulating deep-space communication delays ranging from 0 to 20 minutes in one direction. This will allow the crew and mission controllers to train for communication challenges that could arise during future deep space missions.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning enabled 4K cameras will also be deployed for detecting fire, smoke, falls, and unauthorised intrusion.

More than 200 sensors are proposed across the facility to continuously monitor parameters including temperature, humidity, pressure, oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, noise, light levels and water quality. The data will be monitored in real time from the Mission Control Centre.

The habitat will also feature tunable circadian lighting, with LEDs capable of changing between 2,700K and 6,500K to replicate day-and-night cycles and help researchers study the impact of controlled lighting on crew members during extended isolation.

The documents said 100 TB of storage and two mission servers will support the facility's data requirements.

The development of the human space analog habitat is expected to provide ISRO with a controlled environment to study how astronauts adapt physically and psychologically to prolonged isolation, limited resources and operational challenges. The facility could become an important testing ground as India moves beyond the initial Gaganyaan missions towards more ambitious human spaceflight programmes, including the proposed Bharatiya Antariksh Station.

They are also hoping for guidance on an alternate crop cultivation pattern for those who are willing to take it at least by November.

The water level in Mettur dam stood at 68.70 feet on Wednesday evening against its full level of 120 feet, and the storage was 31.596 TMC against the full capacity of 93.470 TMC (33 per cent against the full capacity). The storage is expected to decline further in the coming days as the inflow was just 763 cusecs while the outflow was 15,000 cusecs.

Farmers said that despite their warning, the state government released water from Mettur when it stood below 90 feet. Now, the water released from Mettur on September 1 is yet to reach the tail-end parts of the Delta region as of Wednesday. In just another week, the 45-day duration will be completed, after which the water release will stop, citing poor storage.

However, several farmers, on the suggestion of the State government, had commenced samba cultivation with the groundwater and with the expectation of river water, but now they sit with their fingers crossed since the water has not so far reached the tail-end parts, and the farmers are sceptical about whether to go ahead with the cultivation.

The farmer leaders are now appealing to the state government to draft a plan to tackle the water shortage at the earliest and initiate steps to introduce alternative crop cultivation to those farmers who are willing to take it up at least by the month of November.

“The storage of 33 per cent water in Mettur is not adequate for going ahead with the cultivation and as per the government decision, only a week is remaining, and we are yet to understand what would happen once the period of 45 days of water release ends up and the government should clarify to us,” said PS Masilamani, General Secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to CPI.

Masilamani further said that the State government should derive an action plan for saving the samba and thalady already cultivated in the region and implement the plan immediately to save those crops.

He also said that the State government should initiate steps for compulsory crop insurance in this unusual scenario and bear the insurance premium. He appealed to the government to establish a monitoring committee to streamline the supply of water and suggest alternate crop cultivation based on the interest of the farmers and announce an incentive for manavari crop cultivation.

Masilamani also appealed not to stop the release of water from Mettur and maintain at least 12,000 cusecs for a few more days and ensure a proper turn system of irrigation which would recharge the groundwater as well.

RECEDING LEVELS

(Mettur status on Wednesday evening)

• Current level: 68.70 feet (full level: 120 feet)

• Storage: 31.596 TMC (full capacity 93.470 TMC)

• Inflow: 763 cusecs

• Outflow: 15,000 cusecs

RELEASE FROM GRAND ANICUT

• Cauvery: 6,528 cusecs

• Vennar: 2015 cusecs

• GA Canal: 1804 cusecs

Voicing his concerns, educationalist PB Prince Gajendra Babu has also criticised the State government for amending the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act to facilitate the establishment of more private universities. The criticism comes after the UGC granted final approval to the University of Western Australia to establish its first Indian campus at Velachery in Chennai.

The association pointed out that more than half of Tamil Nadu’s 21 universities did not have adequate permanent faculty. “The University of Madras has only 180 teachers against a sanctioned strength of 515, while Madurai Kamaraj University has 202 against 405 and Bharathidasan University has 119 against 230,” he said.

Similarly, 188 government arts and science colleges have 7,198 vacant teaching posts, which have remained unfilled, the association noted.

Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System, said that the move would weaken public universities and dilute the government’s responsibility towards higher education. “Faculty supply in government universities and colleges has been woefully inadequate for more than a decade. This has affected the quality of higher education,” he added. “Allowing foreign universities is among the provisions of the National Education Policy and Tamil Nadu had now become the fourth State after Haryana, Karnataka and Maharashtra to permit a foreign university campus.”

The move was contradictory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on freeing the country’s education system from a colonial mindset and promoting an Indian education system, he said. “It will pave the way for reducing expenditure on public universities and, in the long run, public universities may gradually fade away,” he alleged. “TN’s tradition of social justice in education will be eroded if the government continues to encourage private universities.”

CPM state secretary P Shanmugam has opposed the permission granted to an Australian university to establish its presence in Tamil Nadu, alleging that it would undermine education rights, reservation and national sovereignty.

“Allowing an Australian university to operate in Tamil Nadu, without providing adequate infrastructure to government universities and arts colleges, is a serious attack on the right to education, reservation and the sovereignty of the country,” he said.