The gate connects Athur with Vadapathi, Ambedkar Nagar and Kuppam, and serves as the primary access route to nearly 1,000 acres of farmland. The Railway officials closed the crossing on Monday night to facilitate the construction of a railway subway, and the residents have been asked to use another nearby subway as an alternative route.

However, villagers and farmers have strongly opposed the move, arguing that the alternative subway gets flooded with three to four feet of water during the monsoon, making it unusable. They also pointed out that tractors carrying agricultural produce, heavy vehicles, ambulances and fire engines would not be able to pass through the proposed subway.

Residents also said they repeatedly urged the Railways to build an ROB instead of a subway, at consultation meetings jointly held by the Railways and the Revenue department.

Officials, however, rejected the demand, citing space constraints. On Tuesday morning, police prevented villagers from staging a road blockade near the Athur bus stop while Railway officials held talks with them. As the discussions failed to resolve the issue, villagers insisted that the closure would force them to travel several kilometres to reach their farmlands, severely affecting agricultural activities.

Police later detained the protesters and shifted them to a private marriage hall. Security has also been tightened around the closed level crossing to prevent the villagers from protesting.

In a representation to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, the Coimbatore Consumer Cause (CCC) welcomed the government's efforts to modernise public transport and improve passenger comfort. However, it stressed that the foremost responsibility of the state transport undertakings is to provide affordable, reliable and accessible transport to the largest section of the population.

Highlighting the wide disparity in fares, the organisation pointed out that the minimum fare in an ordinary town bus is around Rs 5, compared with about Rs 25 in an AC bus. In mofussil services, ordinary buses charge around 58 paise per kilometre, while AC buses cost nearly Rs 1.70 per kilometre.

"An AC bus costs at least Rs 6 lakh more than an ordinary bus, consumes about 40 per cent more fuel and entails nearly 15 per cent higher maintenance costs, placing an additional financial burden on the state transport corporations," K Kathirmathiyon, Secretary of CCC, said in the representation.

The consumer body noted that government buses are the primary mode of transport for students, daily wage earners, workers, senior citizens and low and middle-income families. It said the shortage of ordinary buses has already resulted in overcrowded services, forcing many passengers to travel on footboards despite paying the full fare.

"Most commuters are looking for safe, dependable and affordable transport rather than luxury travel. Expanding the fleet of ordinary buses would better serve the needs of the vast majority of passengers than replacing them with premium services," Kathirmathiyon said.

The CCC urged the government to adopt a balanced procurement policy by continuing to prioritise ordinary buses while introducing AC buses selectively on routes where there is demonstrable passenger demand.

The batch of petitions challenging the State government's decision to provide government employment to the legal heirs of those who died in the stampede came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and Sakthivel.

Appearing for the State, the Government Pleader submitted that the counter affidavit was not yet ready and sought time to file it. The judges observed that the case had to be heard before the beneficiaries received their first month's salary.

The Government Pleader further informed the court that appointment orders had been issued to 31 persons and that 29 of them had already joined service. The judges, however, observed that all the appointments would be subject to the final decision of the court.

The State again requested the court to adjourn the matter. The judges directed the State to file its counter affidavit by Friday and adjourned the matter to July 27.

The original Public Interest litigation was filed by Santosh Kumar of Vedasandur in Dindigul district, seeking a direction restraining the State Government from issuing appointment orders or taking any administrative action to provide government employment to the legal heirs of the 41 persons who died in the Karur district stampede. Another petition seeking the same relief was also filed on Tuesday.

The judges observed that petitions seeking the same relief had already been filed earlier. They noted that filing another petition seeking identical relief merely for publicity was not acceptable.

Accordingly, the Bench directed that the newly filed petition be tagged with the pending cases.

Announcing the decisions after a meeting of the three parties' state-level coordination committee, CPM State Secretary P Shanmugam said the draft declaration had been prepared and would be finalised at the committee's next meeting, scheduled to be held at the CPM state office on August 4. District-level coordination committees would also be constituted across Tamil Nadu to expand the Left's organisational network, he said.

The September mobilisation would seek to press both the Union and State governments to address issues raised in the declaration, with the date and venue to be announced after the next meeting.

CPI(ML) state secretary Asaithambi said the meeting focused on restoring the political relevance of the Left, arguing that social transformation in India had historically been driven by mass movements rather than legislative interventions alone.

He said Parliament and State Assemblies remained important democratic institutions, but many pressing issues affecting ordinary people were not receiving adequate attention. He cited the agrarian distress in the Cauvery Delta, unemployment among youth, nutritional deficiencies among women and the condition of agricultural labourers as issues that required sustained public campaigns.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian sought relaxation of access restrictions at the Secretariat, contending that it was a symbol of people's authority and that members of the public should be able to meet ministers and officials without unnecessary procedural barriers.

Shanmugam condemned the police action against protesters in New Delhi demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in national entrance examinations, and called upon the Union government to remove him from office.

Eligibility: Open to female students across India enrolled in the first year of an engineering programme at any UGC-, State- or AICTE-recognised college.

Prizes & Rewards: Selected students will receive a scholarship of Rs 50,000 per year for four years.

Last Date to Apply: August 15

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/HDFC57

Eligibility: Open to pan-India transgender students pursuing secondary, senior secondary, or undergraduate/postgraduate studies through any government or private open school or open university.

Prizes & Rewards: Selected candidates will receive a one-time scholarship of up to Rs 40,000

Last Date to Apply: July 31

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/USFB2

Eligibility: Open to meritorious girl students across India who have scored 75% or more (or equivalent CGPA) in Class 12 boards.

Prizes & Rewards: Rs 1.5 lakh per year, till completion of the professional graduation degree.

Last Date to Apply: August 20

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/KKGS5

Eligibility: Open to PAN India students planning to pursue BE/BTech in Computer Science

Prizes & Rewards: Discount on the uGNET fee based on 12th scores. Students qualifying the uGNET exam and securing their admission seat will become eligible for Merit-Based Scholarship, Girls in Tech Scholarship, Need-Based Scholarship, Ronnie Screwvala Scholarship for Tech Innovators and Defence Scholarship offered by upGrad School of Technology covering up to 100% of the tuition fee based on their overall profile score

Last Date to Apply: August 13

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/UGST1

Eligibility: For the MBA in Luxury Brand Management, applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree from a recognised university or institution. For the Advanced Diploma in Luxury Retail Management & Client Experience, applicants must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination from a recognised board.

Prizes & Rewards: Selected candidates will receive a tuition fee waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh for the MBA programme or up to Rs 25,000 for the Advanced Diploma, based on their graduation percentage.

Last Date to Apply: August 26

Application mode: Online applications only

Short URL: www.b4s.in/dtnt/VKGSP1

Eligibility: Application is open to Indian residents pursuing their studies in Classes 1 to 10. They must belong to a family of a serving or retired Defence Services/Internal Security Services personnel.

Prizes & Rewards: One-time cash award of Rs 5,000 and a certificate.

Last Date to Apply: December 31

Application mode: Offline Application Only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/SDSAS7

According to a Government Order issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, PwDs have been assigned two categories of work based on their abilities.

Under the special works category, PwD workers can supply drinking water to workers at worksites, take care of their children, remove leaves and small shrubs, and level sand on bunds.

Under the second category, they can undertake activities such as planting saplings, digging trenches and constructing earthen bunds for water conservation. These works may be assigned wherever adequate workers are available at a worksite.

The government has directed that PwD workers should be organised into groups of five to ten members. They will be required to complete only 50 per cent of the prescribed workload, work for four hours a day, and will still receive full wages.

The order also mandates that job cards be issued to all eligible PwD workers within 15 days, without imposing any conditions.

Further, separate e-Muster Rolls will be maintained for PwD workers by Block Development Officers. The government has also ordered the conduct of exclusive grievance redressal camps for PwD workers once every two months, on a Tuesday, to address issues relating to the implementation of the scheme.

The G Ram G scheme, which replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), has introduced special provisions to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workforce.

Under the partnership, the two institutional venture capital firms will jointly invest up to Rs 10 crore in promising home-grown startups, with each firm committing Rs 5 crore. The initiative is aimed at helping student entrepreneurs transform innovative ideas into scalable businesses through early-stage funding and strategic support.

Thinkuvate, which operates in both Singapore and India, focuses on investments in deep technology, fintech and health-tech ventures. The collaboration is expected to create opportunities for VIT startups to expand into markets across India and Southeast Asia.

ValleyNXT, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Indore, supports startups addressing real-world challenges in sectors such as healthcare, education, climate, employment and livelihoods.

The MoU was formally exchanged by Addison Appu, Managing Partner of Thinkuvate, Harshwardhan Saklecha, Vice President of ValleyNXT, and Sekar Viswanathan, Vice President of VIT.

The signing ceremony was attended by VIT Vice Chancellor Dr VS Kanchana Baskaran, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Parthasarathy Mallick and Director of Innovations Dr Chidambaram Rameshkumar.

The meeting, to be chaired by Commercial Taxes and Registration Minister D Logesh Tamilselvan at Amma Maligai here, will feature a live demonstration of the digital registration process.

The department has announced that the contactless registration system will become mandatory for the first sale of flats and plots from August 17. It also plans to gradually extend the facility to other categories of document registrations.

According to the department, the initiative is aimed at improving transparency and public convenience. Representatives of the Builders’ Association of India (BAI), CREDAI, promoters, banks and financial institutions have been invited to participate and offer suggestions to facilitate the smooth implementation of the new system.

Party sources said Nainar Nagenthran has requested time to meet the Governor after his return to Chennai from Goa. During the meeting, the BJP is expected to submit a formal representation alleging that ministers Rajmohan and S Keerthana undertook official foreign visits using their personal passports without adhering to the prescribed procedure.

The move comes close on the heels of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) seeking explanations from the two ministers and the officials concerned over the alleged violation of passport regulations.

According to government officials, ministers and government functionaries travelling abroad on official assignments are required to use diplomatic or official passports, depending on their eligibility. The use of ordinary passports for government-approved overseas visits is viewed as being contrary to the established rules governing official foreign travel.

Officials said diplomatic and official passports are intended to establish the official status of government representatives during bilateral engagements and ensure appropriate documentation, protocol and immigration treatment.

The MEA is learnt to have sought detailed explanations from those concerned, which will be examined before any further decision is taken in accordance with the applicable rules.

Sensing an opportunity to corner the ruling dispensation, the BJP is expected to project the issue as one involving accountability and adherence to constitutional and administrative norms, potentially lending a fresh political dimension to an issue that has so far remained an administrative controversy.

CHENNAI: Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption NGO, alleged tender notifications for 52 rural development works worth around Rs 2.18 crore floated by three panchayat unions in Tenkasi district had anomalies and called for cancellation of the process.

The organisation pointed out that the tender violated the State government's new contractor registration guidelines by imposing eligibility conditions that restrict participation. The organisation has sought revision of the eligibility conditions and issuance of fresh tender notifications.

In a representation to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister N Anand, Principal Secretary Prashanth M Vadnere, IAS, and Tenkasi Collector Ranjit Singh, IAS, Arappor said the tender conditions contradict GO No115, issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department on June 30, 2026.

The tenders, floated by the Guruvikulam, Alangulam and Kadayanallur Panchayat Unions, cover 52 works including construction of community sanitation complexes, cement concrete roads and compound wall improvements.

According to Arappor, the eligibility conditions in the tender notifications are inconsistent with the revised contractor registration system introduced through GO No115 and effectively limit participation to contractors from a particular locality, contrary to the government's objective of widening competition.

Under the new order, contractors registered with a district's District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) are eligible to participate in tenders floated by any procuring entity within that district and are also permitted to bid for works in adjoining districts. Arappor questioned how the panchayat unions could impose conditions that allegedly narrowed the pool of eligible bidders despite the revised norms.

The organisation said such restrictive eligibility criteria undermine competition, reduce opportunities for new contractors and could create scope for favouritism in the award of contracts.

Some of the tenders were published on the State's e-procurement portal on July 1 and are scheduled to close on July 21.

Arappor has urged the government to halt the ongoing tender process, issue fresh tender notifications and ensure that all rural development tenders comply with the revised contractor registration guidelines.

As part of the scheme to encourage kuruvai cultivation, farmers undertaking machine transplantation or direct sowing are eligible for a subsidy of Rs 4,000 per acre, subject to a ceiling of two acres. They also receive a 50 per cent subsidy on seeds through agriculture extension centres, along with liquid biofertilisers and micronutrient mixtures.

Chandra Sekhar Sakhamuri, director of agricultural marketing and agri business and monitoring officer for Thiruvarur, visited Keezha Velli and Pathur villages in Koradacheri and inspected ongoing machine transplantation and direct sowing works.

He said machine transplantation would reduce labour dependence and cultivation costs, benefiting farmers. He interacted with farmers to understand the challenges they face and inspected nursery growth, transplantation methods and crop maintenance.

Sakhamuri urged farmers to apply nutrients and biofertilisers properly to improve yields, make effective use of the scheme and seek timely guidance and field visits from agriculture officials whenever required.

Meanwhile, J Vijaya Rani, director of Horticulture and Plantation Crops Department and monitoring officer for Nagapattinam, inspected machine transplantation and direct sowing at Thalanayar and interacted with farmers.

The committee, comprising 10 senior party functionaries, including former ministers Thangam Thennarasu, Geetha Jeevan, Chakrapani and SS Sivasankar, briefed Stalin on the consultations held so far.

The panel is expected to submit its report in the first week of August.

Sources said the committee has already held consultations with leaders of various party wings and functionaries from across the State.

It is also examining the reports submitted by the district-level consultative committees before finalising its recommendations.

The restructuring exercise is expected to include recommendations on the reorganisation of the party structure, district units, and various party wings, besides measures aimed at strengthening the DMK ahead of the ensuing elections.

Vellathurai, the second accused in the case registered by the Palani Adivaram police in the Temple land fraud case, contended that he had been falsely implicated due to political vendetta. Though it is a civil property dispute, it was given criminal colour.

The petitioner Vellathurai submitted that he had recently sold his own property for more than Rs 2 crore and was looking to reinvest the amount on the advice of his chartered accountant to claim capital gains tax benefits. Before purchasing the property, he said, he had verified the title and relied on civil court decrees recognising the vendor's title.

The petitioner further contended that the Sub-Registrar had initially refused registration of the sale deed and that it was eventually registered only after directions issued by the High Court. He has a comfortable source of income from agriculture, and hence he had no intention of grabbing temple property.

Apprehending arrest in the case, Vellathurai sought anticipatory bail from the High Court. The court asked him to include the CB-CID as a respondent and post the hearing tomorrow.

The protesters said procured paddy had not been moved from the centres since the procurement season began, leading to a shortage of storage space and affecting smooth procurement. They urged the authorities to shift paddy once a DPC accumulates 5,000 bags.

Seeking a wage revision, the workers demanded a minimum monthly salary of Rs 30,000.

Referring to the Food Minister's recent visit to the Delta region, the workers said he had contacted farmers from DPCs over the phone to inquire about alleged bribe collection. "This indirectly targets us. The money collected for various reasons is distributed to several sources, but we alone are being held responsible. The government should conduct a fair investigation and take steps to curb bribe collection," they said.

The protest disrupted paddy procurement for some time. Following talks with officials and their assurance, the workers withdrew their protest.

The intensified drive was being carried out in coordination with the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, School Education Department, and the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department to curb the spread of the vector-borne disease.

“Our surveillance has been strengthened across the State. Field workers inspect around 200 houses every day in their respective areas to identify mosquito breeding sources, assess the local dengue situation and detect suspected cases at the earliest,” Dr A Somasundaram, director of DPH, told DT Next.

The department was also closely tracking patients admitted to hospitals with dengue-like symptoms to monitor the severity of infections and ensure timely treatment. “We’ve also intensified entomological surveillance by studying mosquito larvae and adult Aedes mosquitoes to understand the prevailing pattern of transmission and examine whether there are any changes in circulating dengue viruses. For now, the existing treatment protocol remains; TN’s healthcare infrastructure is fully equipped to manage dengue cases,” he added.

Responding to reports on the recently approved dengue vaccine, the DPH chief said that Tamil Nadu was yet to receive any official communication from the Union government regarding its introduction. “The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has granted marketing authorisation for Qdenga, the first dengue vaccine approved in India. However, we’ve not received any official communication on procurement, allocation or distribution. Until such directions are issued by the Centre, there is no question of introducing the vaccine in the State,” he said. “Our immediate priority continues to be surveillance, source reduction and prompt clinical management.”

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The illness typically presents with high fever, severe headache, body and joint pain, nausea, vomiting and skin rashes.

While there is no specific antiviral treatment, officials stress that early diagnosis, adequate hydration, timely medical care and sustained mosquito control remain the most effective measures to prevent severe disease and fatalities.

The demand was raised during Palaniswami's district-wise review meeting on the party's electoral performance and organisational activities. Functionaries said bringing back Sasikala and Dinakaran would be in the interest of the party's growth.

Similar demands have been raised by functionaries from other districts during Palaniswami's review meetings. However, he did not give any indication on the proposal or announce a decision during Tuesday's meeting.

Earlier, when asked about the possibility of a merger between the AMMK and the AIADMK, Dinakaran had said such a decision would depend on the prevailing political situation.

Sasikala and Dhinakaran were expelled from the AIADMK following the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Dhinakaran subsequently floated the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) in 2018, while Sasikala recently launched the All India Puratchi Thalaivar Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AIPTMMK) ahead of the Assembly elections.

With the party's support declining in the southern districts, several functionaries have repeatedly argued that the return of Sasikala and Dhinakaran could help revive its organisational strength in the region.

Releasing the draft syllabus, he said the revised curriculum marked a shift from a teacher-centric approach to child-centric education, with the focus on making learning engaging, inclusive and activity-based.

Referring to his recent visit to the US to study global education practices, Rajmohan said the government had drawn inspiration from international models while framing the new curriculum. He said that while many countries had adopted Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, Tamil Nadu would go a step further by adopting the STEAM approach, integrating arts with science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

As part of the changes, mathematics will be taught through storytelling to help children grasp concepts in a more enjoyable manner instead of relying on rote learning. Science education will also be delivered through interdisciplinary methods that combine scientific concepts with arts and creativity.

Rajmohan said textbooks would contain fewer text-heavy pages and more illustrations, with QR codes enabling students to access audio and video lessons using mobile phones at home. The curriculum would also place emphasis on competency-based learning rather than merely completing the syllabus.

The minister said students would be introduced to AI tools and prompt engineering, while the curriculum would also nurture natural intelligence by promoting compassion, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. He stressed that AI would not replace human jobs but that students should be equipped to use emerging technologies effectively.

Rajmohan said the revised curriculum for Classes I to III had already been finalised, teachers had completed training under the "training of trainers" model, and the required learning materials had been printed and dispatched to schools. He added that draft syllabi for Classes IV to XII had also been prepared, with some of them already uploaded online to invite suggestions from the public and educationists.

Urging teachers and other stakeholders to embrace the reforms, the Minister said the curriculum had been redesigned with the future of children at its core. "The only thing we need to do now is adapt ourselves to child-centric education," he said, adding that the success of the reforms depended on collective support for the new approach to teaching and learning.

The revised curriculum will also include lessons on respecting parents, gender equality, sharing and humanitarian values, besides giving greater prominence to India's scientific achievements, archaeology and cultural heritage.

Rajmohan said dedicated newspaper reading sessions would be introduced in schools to improve reading habits among students.

Highlighting the government's focus on scientific learning, he said efforts were under way in collaboration with ISRO to encourage government school students to design small satellites.

He expressed confidence that student-built satellites from government schools could one day be launched into space with ISRO's guidance.

On school administration, he said school recognition and approval processes would be fully digitised to eliminate corruption and ensure that approvals are granted only to institutions meeting prescribed safety and infrastructure standards.

Recalling the Kumbakonam school fire tragedy, Raj Mohan said digitising approvals would help prevent lapses in safety compliance and ensure greater accountability.

He said draft syllabi for higher classes had also been prepared and uploaded online for public feedback. Teacher training for the initial phase of implementation had been completed and learning materials were ready for rollout. He urged teachers to embrace the new curriculum, saying the reforms were aimed at creating classrooms where children learn through stories, activities and exploration rather than fear and rote memorisation.

In the 2026 Assembly election, Vijay contested from the Perambur constituency and defeated DMK candidate RD Shekar with 1,20,365 votes. RD Shekar had secured 66,650 votes and the margin was 53,715 votes. Vijay had also contested from Tiruchy East and won. He retained the Perambur seat.

Aggrieved by the result, RD Shekar filed an election petition challenging Vijay's election. Separate petitions were also filed by two voters from the Perambur constituency, S Dinesh and TN Lakshmi Narasimhan.

In his election petition, RD Shekar alleged that Vijay had furnished contradictory information in his election affidavit and had failed to properly disclose his assets and pending criminal cases. He sought a declaration that Vijay's election be declared void.

When the matter came up for hearing before Justice V Lakshminarayanan, counsel Richardson Wilson, appearing for RD Shekar, submitted that notices had not been served on Chief Minister Vijay and the Returning Officer, who have been arrayed as respondents in the case.

Recording the submission, Justice V Lakshminarayanan directed that fresh notices be issued to Chief Minister Vijay, the Returning Officer and the other respondents, and adjourned the matter by two weeks.

The deceased was identified as Prema, wife of Rajaram, a daily wage labourer from Keelathoppu in Sellur. Rajaram alleged that Prema had borrowed Rs 2 lakh at 4 per cent monthly interest from her friend Selva Kalaiyarasi of Sikkandarchavadi in 2021 to meet the marriage expenses of their elder daughter.

"My wife paid Rs 1.5 lakh as interest. However, Kalaiyarasi did not reduce even a single rupee from the principal amount," Rajaram told reporters.

Rajaram alleged that Kalaiyarasi later borrowed Rs 2 lakh from Thiruppathi on behalf of Prema, telling her that she need not repay Kalaiyarasi and should instead repay Thiruppathi with 4 per cent monthly interest. Thiruppathi was known to both of them. "My wife had no other option but to agree to Kalaiyarasi's proposal," he said.

Prema, who worked at a flower shop, began paying interest to Thiruppathi. However, he later demanded 10 per cent monthly interest on the principal amount. "My wife borrowed money from friends and relatives and paid Rs 20,000 every month as interest to him," Rajaram claimed.

However, due to ill health, Prema was unable to pay the interest for the past three months.

Rajaram alleged that on July 13, Thiruppathi, Selva Kalaiyarasi and two others came to their house and threatened the family while demanding payment. He further alleged that they later confronted Prema at the flower shop where she worked in Nelpettai, verbally abused and humiliated her, and that Thiruppathi attempted to pull her sari in full public view.

Unable to bear the alleged harassment, Prema consumed pesticide at her workplace on July 13 and collapsed. She was rescued by neighbours and admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital, where she died while undergoing treatment.

Rajaram alleged that although he immediately lodged a complaint with the local police, no action was taken. He claimed that the Vilakkuthoon police registered a case only after he approached the Madurai City Commissioner of Police. A police source said investigators had examined CCTV footage from an ATM near the area, which proved that the usurers harassed Prema.

Following her death, Prema's family members and relatives gathered outside the hospital mortuary and staged a road blockade, demanding the arrest of all those allegedly responsible for her death. The protest disrupted traffic for about 30 minutes before police diverted vehicles.

Police officials assured the protesters that the investigation was progressing and informed them that Selva Kalaiyarasi had been arrested and that the remaining accused would also be apprehended. Following the assurance, the relatives withdrew the protest and received the body for the last rites.

The data from January 1 to June 30, 2026, was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (July 21). Maharashtra topped the list with 58 deaths, followed by Haryana with 47, while Uttar Pradesh reported 37 deaths.

The figures were furnished by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, in response to an unstarred question raised by MP D Ravi Kumar on the eradication of manual scavenging.

The data showed that 332 cleanliness workers lost their lives across 18 states and union territories during the period. Besides the leading states, 29 deaths were reported in Delhi, 27 in Gujarat, 23 in Rajasthan, 13 each in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, 12 each in Karnataka and Punjab, nine in Telangana and five in Andhra Pradesh.

The Union government informed Parliament that 193 FIRs had been registered against agencies or officials responsible for employing persons for hazardous manual cleaning over the last five years. However, it said no evaluation had been carried out on the implementation of mechanised sewer cleaning across states.

Reiterating that manual scavenging is prohibited under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the Centre said anyone employing a person for manual scavenging could face imprisonment of up to two years, a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, or both.

It also said no instances of manual scavenging had been reported in the recent survey conducted across all districts.

The farmers belonging to Cauvery Delta Farmers Protection Association led by the president D Swaminathan who staged a protest at Budalur in Thanjavur charged that the Karnataka government failed to release the due share of water to Tamil Nadu despite the court direction but the Chief Minister Shivakumar has been going ahead with the construction of the Mekedatu dam.

The farmers urged the Union Government to stop the construction of a dam which would turn the Delta region a desert.

They also demanded the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to initiate legal proceedings against the Karnataka government and prevent the dam construction.

They also demanded a kuruvai loss compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre and ensure proper desilt of the water bodies across the state particularly in the delta region.

While they were raising slogans, a section of protesting farmers brought the effigy of Karnataka Chief Minister Shivakumar and burnt it amidst raising slogans against Karnataka.

Meanwhile in Tiruchy the farmers led by P Ayyakannu, state president of Desiya Thennidhiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam entered into the Kollidam river near Upper Anicut and staged a protest amidst water.

They demanded the Karnataka government to release the due share of water to Tamil Nadu and condemned the construction of the Mekedatu dam. On information, the Jeeyapuram police rushed to the spot and removed them from the river.

In a message posted on social media, Vijay wished Kharge good health and a long life. He also lauded the veteran Congress leader's public service and expressed hope that he would continue his dedicated service to the people.

"I sincerely wish you good health and a long life. May you continue your dedicated public service with the same commitment," the Chief Minister said.

While leaders from across the country, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, extended their greetings to Kharge, former ally DMK did not join the list of leaders extending the courtesy.

Neither DMK president MK Stalin nor the party released a statement wishing the Congress leader on his birthday, even though the former Chief Minister wished Kharge on his birthday in the past.

The absence of a greeting comes in the backdrop of the strained relationship between the DMK and the Congress following the collapse of their alliance.

The two parties have also been maintaining separate seating arrangements in Parliament since the split.

In the first incident, Bala Rakshana (15) was staying in a private school's hostel near Orikkai in Kancheepuram.

On Tuesday (July 21) morning, the fellow students found Rakshana was unresponsive in the hostel. She was rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police noted that she hails from Tirunelveli. Her parents told the police that Bala Rakshana had mentioned facing certain issues in school, but they told her to focus on her studies. The Kancheepuram Taluk police have registered a case, and further investigation is ongoing.

In another incident, Sabiya (16), who studied in a private school in Egattur near Kelambakkam, ended her life.

Police said the girl's parents had recently scolded her over excessive use of social media.

On Monday (July 20) night, after an argument with her parents, she went to the eighth floor of their apartment and jumped to the ground, and she died on the spot.

The Kelambakkam police visited the spot and sent the body for post-mortem to the Chengalpattu GH. The police have registered a case, and further probe is under way.

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.

Speaking to reporters at the CPI (ML) office in Ambattur, Shanmugam said information that has emerged so far indicated that officials of the Registration Department and influential persons were involved in the alleged fraud.

He alleged that those behind the registration had even misled the courts by failing to disclose pending cases related to the property during the registration process. "This can be described as one of the biggest frauds to have taken place in Tamil Nadu," he said.

Shanmugam said the case has been transferred to the CB-CID and stressed that the investigation should be conducted fairly and impartially. He demanded that everyone involved, irrespective of their position or influence, be arrested, prosecuted and punished under the law.

Responding to a question on whether the incident should be termed "corruption" or "fraud", Shanmugam said there was no evidence so far to directly link the present government or its ministers to the alleged irregularities.

He, however, alleged that the fraud appeared to have been carried out by Registration Department officials, who, he claimed, manipulated the registration process by deploying officials of their choosing. "What has emerged so far points to a coordinated fraud by officials. Appropriate action should be taken against all those responsible," he said.

Police said Annamalai (55), a differently abled employee of a private firm was driving a two wheeler with his wife Baby (47) in pillion on Dharapuram Road, when a lorry hit them from behind near the roundana in the morning.

In the impact, the couple was thrown onto the road and eventually, the lorry ran over them. The public immediately rushed them to a Government Hospital in Kangeyam, however they died by then.

The couple from Kalimedu in Kangeyam is survived by a 16-year-old daughter, studying first year diploma at a private polytechnic college in Erode and an eight year old son studying class four at a private school in Kangeyam.

The Kangeyam police have registered a case and further investigations are on.

The appointments will be made under Section 49(1) of the HR&CE Act for temples that do not have hereditary trustees, according to an official release.

The HR&CE Department said detailed notifications, including the list of temples, eligibility criteria and application forms, have been uploaded on its official website.

Eligible candidates may apply online or download the application form, and submit it along with the required documents.

Applications may also be submitted in person or sent by Speed Post to the office of the Assistant Commissioner of the respective district. The application has to be submitted by 5.45 pm on August 20, 2026, the department said.

It further noted that notifications had already been issued for the appointment of non-hereditary trustees to 1,012 temples and for the constitution of district-level committees in 14 districts, underscoring the government’s phased approach to strengthening temple governance and streamlining administrative oversight.

When the matter came up for hearing before the First Bench of the Madras High Court, comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, the State government submitted that the report was ready and sought one week to file it before the court.

Expressing displeasure, the Bench observed that stray dog bite incidents were occurring daily, with children being the worst affected, and noted that monthly compliance reports were required under the Supreme Court's directions.

The judges said no effective action appeared to have been taken to curb the menace and pointed out that even the Madras High Court campus was facing the problem.

They observed that while the government's report might contain details of the measures taken, no concrete results were visible on the ground, and directed the authorities to ensure effective implementation of the Supreme Court's directions.

The Bench granted one week's time to file the report and adjourned the matter to July 30.

The Supreme Court on May 19, 2026, upheld the Animal Welfare Board's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), expanded the scope of institutional premises, and directed all High Courts to initiate suo motu public interest litigations to monitor the implementation of its directions.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria took note of a news report and expressed shock over the 6.25 lakh dog bite cases and 34 deaths reported in the state in 2025.

The Supreme Court ruled that sterilised stray dogs picked up from any public place do not have an absolute right to be released at the same location and should instead be shifted to animal shelters.

The Madras High Court then initiated suo motu proceedings and directed the Governments of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to file status reports on the implementation of the Supreme Court's directions.

The interim order was passed by a Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and Sakthivel on a writ petition filed by A Rajendran, a resident of Thuraiyur in Tiruchirappalli district.

The petition was listed as an urgent matter. When it came up for hearing, the petitioner's counsel told the court that Rajendran had been running an optical shop on a piece of land that he purchased in 2019 and had been regularly paying property tax and electricity charges.

However, Thuraiyur MLA Ravishankar, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, allegedly acted out of political vendetta and visited the property on July 15 along with the Revenue Inspector and the Assistant Engineer of Tangedco. The petitioner alleged that the MLA orally instructed the electricity official to disconnect the power supply to his shop and directed the Revenue Inspector to evict him within three days.

Petitioner blamed Thuraiyur MLA Ravishankar for alleged political vendetta and said he visited the property on July 15 along with Revenue Inspector and Tangedco AE

The petitioner further alleged that, acting on the MLA's instructions, officials of the Revenue and Electricity Departments disconnected the electricity supply to his shop. He further stated that the Revenue Department had issued a notice stating that if the shop was not vacated within three days, it would be demolished and removed.

Despite Rajendran producing his title documents, the Revenue Inspector allegedly ignored his objections, threatened eviction without following due process, and later affixed a notice under Section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act directing him to vacate the premises by July 19.

Challenging the notice issued under Section 7 of the Tamil Nadu Land Encroachment Act, 1905, Rajendran contended that the eviction proceedings had been initiated without jurisdiction, as the property was privately owned under a registered sale deed. He further contended that the authorities didn’t give prior notice for eviction violating the procedure prescribed under the Act.

The petitioner therefore approached the High Court seeking relief. After examining the petition, the Bench directed the Assistant Engineer, Tangedco, to immediately restore the petitioner's electricity connection. It also granted an interim injunction restraining the authorities from taking any coercive action against the petitioner without following due process of law.

The Bench further directed the Tiruchy District Collector and the Revenue authorities to file their counter affidavit and adjourned the matter for further hearing.

The notifications declare the projects as national infrastructure for a public purpose, enabling land acquisition for their implementation.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Arakkonam-Renigunta third and fourth line has been completed and submitted to the Railway Board for approval. The project proposes extending the additional railway lines beyond the existing four line Chennai-Arakkonam section.

Similarly, the Gummidipundi-Gudur project is proposed as an extension of the third and fourth line works already sanctioned between Athipattu and Gummidipundi. While the Chennai-Athipattu section already has four railway lines, work on the Athipattu-Gummidipundi stretch is expected to commence shortly. Extending the additional lines up to Gudur is expected to enhance freight capacity and improve traffic movement.

The special services will be operated on July 24-26 (Friday to Sunday) in addition to the regular schedules, as travel demand is expected to increase.

So far, 15,963 passengers have booked tickets from Chennai and other cities to their native places, with the number expected to rise further.

From Kilambakkam, 395 special buses will be operated on Friday and 330 buses on Saturday to destinations including Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and Tirupur.

From Koyambedu, 120 special buses each will be operated on Friday and Saturday to Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur and Bengaluru. In addition, 200 special buses have been planned from Bengaluru, Tirupur, Erode and Coimbatore to various destinations.

From Madhavaram, 25 special buses will be operated on both Friday and Saturday to Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Polur and Puducherry.

To facilitate the return of passengers to Chennai and Bengaluru after the weekend, 420 special buses will be operated from various parts of the State on Sunday.

Officials said that 6,487 passengers booked tickets for Friday, 2,387 for Saturday and 7,089 for Sunday, taking the total advance bookings to 15,963. The number is expected to increase in the coming days. Additional officials have also been deployed at major bus terminals to monitor the operation of the special services.

Book your tickets in advance through TNSTC mobile app or on www.tnstc.in

Speaking to the media during the protest, he recalled Anitha's struggle against NEET and said Tamil Nadu had been opposing the examination since it was introduced across the country in 2017.

Anitha scored 1,176 out of 1,200 in Class 12

According to him, Anitha had not prepared for NEET as she had been preparing for admission based on her Class 12 board examination marks. He said she scored 1,176 out of 1,200 marks and was academically eligible to pursue a medical course under the admission system followed in Tamil Nadu at the time.

However, after NEET was introduced, medical admissions were based on NEET scores, and Anitha could not secure a medical seat through the new system, he said.

He recalled that Anitha had protested against NEET and approached political leaders, arguing that the examination was unfair to students and that there was no equal education system across the country. He also said she had approached the Supreme Court against NEET but did not receive the justice she had sought.

NEET is unfair to rural, poor students

He said Anitha's death triggered widespread protests across Tamil Nadu, with people demanding justice for her and opposing NEET.

"NEET is unfair to State Board students, people from rural areas and economically weaker sections," he said, adding that political parties in Tamil Nadu had continued to oppose the examination.

He demanded that NEET be abolished and said Tamil Nadu should be granted an exemption from the examination.

"We need to ban and abolish NEET," he said.

The TVK government is failing to prevent the dumping of Kerala’s waste in the State, he alleged.

In a statement, Nainar Nagenthran claimed that around 10 tonnes of waste from Kerala has been dumped on land belonging to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department at Kizhakadayam in Tenkasi district. He claimed that sacks found at the site bore Malayalam writings and Kerala vehicle registration details, indicating that the waste had originated from the neighbouring State.

“The government’s continued negligence in border surveillance has turned Tamil Nadu into a dumping ground for Kerala’s waste,” he said. He alleged that the dumped material included plastic waste, electronic waste and expired medicines, posing a threat to the Jambu Nadi, agricultural lands and groundwater in the region.

Demanding swift action, the BJP leader urged the State government to immediately transport the waste back to Kerala and initiate stringent legal action, including invoking the Goondas Act, against those responsible for the illegal dumping. He also accused the government of failing to protect temple properties and effectively monitor the State’s borders.

In a separate statement, he urged the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led government to revive the long-pending Uppur thermal power project to strengthen the State’s power infrastructure.

Revival of the 1,600 MW Uppur thermal power project in Ramanathapuram district, inaugurated in 2016 during the AIADMK government led by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa but shelved in 2021 following environmental concerns, litigation and delays in land acquisition, is crucial, he said.

Claiming that nearly Rs 5,847 crore had already been spent on the project, he urged the government to constitute a committee comprising officials and local residents to identify the obstacles and recommend a roadmap for implementation. Reviving the project, he said, would help address Tamil Nadu’s power shortage while generating employment opportunities for engineers, skilled professionals and local youth, and urged the government to act without further delay.

The bus, carrying students from Gerugambakkam and Kolapakkam, developed smoke from the engine compartment as it neared the school. The driver immediately pulled over and evacuated the students.

Members of the public and employees of a nearby fuel station, where the incident occurred, helped move the children to safety and used fire extinguishers to douse the flames before the fire spread further.

A replacement vehicle was later arranged to take the students to school.

Mangadu police visited the spot and began an inquiry. Preliminary investigation suggests the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, though police said other possible causes were also being examined.

The incident has prompted parents to demand a fresh inspection of the school's buses. Officials had inspected private school vehicles before the reopening of schools after the summer vacation.

The cancelled tenders relate to various works, including the removal of silt and debris from water bodies in the Parambikulam-Aliyar basin.

According to the department, the tenders were floated through the limited tender route instead of the prescribed open tender process, restricting participation to a select group of contractors.

The department also found that contractors were directed to appear in person to obtain tender documents, despite the government's existing instructions prohibiting such a requirement.

The issue had earlier been flagged by Arappor Iyakkam, which alleged procedural violations in the tender process.

Following the complaints and scrutiny, the WRD cancelled all 22 tenders and initiated corrective action.

According to videos and reports, Arivu was detained by the police while protesting outside the Tamil Nadu Secretariat in Chennai but was later invited to meet Chief Minister Vijay in person and discussed the issue with him. After the meeting, he was accompanied by Minister Aadhav Arjuna till the exit, as seen in videos.

Therukkural Arivu had staged the protest demanding that Chief Minister Vijay raise his voice against NEET. He was detained by the police and later brought back to the Secretariat before meeting Vijay.

Udhayanidhi condemns TVK government

In a post on X, Udhayanidhi criticised the Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government for arresting Therukkural Arivu, whom he described as his dear brother.

He said Arivu's voice reflects the feelings and demands of lakhs of people across Tamil Nadu and the country. Udhayanidhi also said the arrest came at a time when protests and rallies against NEET were intensifying across India.

'Voices against NEET should not be suppressed'

Udhayanidhi said the action against Arivu sends a worrying message to Tamil Nadu's youth who are planning to take to the streets in support of young people protesting against NEET in Delhi.

He alleged that the NEET examination is not only filled with irregularities but has also become a major scam. "The voices raised against NEET should be heard and not suppressed," he said.