Special Court Judge Ezhil on Wednesday found the accused, Raja Perumal (38) and Ayyasamy (56), both hailing from a village in Uthamapalayam taluk, guilty of the offense and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on each.

Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional three-month imprisonment.

The crime came to light in 2023 when the victim's parents took her to a local hospital due to an illness.

Medical examinations revealed that the girl was pregnant, prompting the hospital administration to alert the police.

Upon being questioned by her parents, the victim revealed that she had been subjected to sexual abuse and extortion by Raja Perumal and Ayyasamy.

Following a complaint filed by the parents, the Uthamapalayam all-women police station registered a case and arrested both individuals.

Pronouncing the verdict, Judge Ezhil handed 20 years of rigorous imprisonment along with a Rs 10,000 fine under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, ten years of imprisonment with a Rs 5,000 fine under Section 450 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and one month of imprisonment with a Rs 5,000 fine under IPC Section 506 (criminal intimidation).

The judge ordered that the prison sentences run concurrently.

Additionally, the court directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide Rs 7 lakh as compensation to the victim.

Following the ruling, the police escorted the convicted individuals to the Madurai central jail.

The bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, in its order on Thursday, noted that the relief sought could not be granted. “It is for the legislature to legislate. We cannot legislate,” the bench said while dismissing the plea.

Advocate K Suthan of Saidapet had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Madras High Court, seeking a stay on the bye-elections to the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies.

In his petition, Suthan contended that when an elected representative resigns shortly after an election for personal or political reasons, a statutory restriction should be considered to prevent the person from contesting elections to Parliament or a State Legislative Assembly for the next five years.

He submitted that public money is spent on conducting elections and that its economical and responsible use is a matter of public interest. He also argued that the electorate’s mandate cannot be treated as a personal political asset that can be abandoned shortly after an election without considering the consequences for voters and the public exchequer.

The petitioner contended that Kumaravel and Sathyabama should not be allowed to contest, as they resigned for political reasons and were causing additional public expenditure.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s senior counsel, R Singaravelan, submitted that if an MLA resigns and stays at home, no questions would be raised about it. However, since they resign and contest elections again, the Election Commission should frame rules taking this into consideration.

Election Commission of India counsel Niranajan Rajagopalan submitted that after the declaration of election results, the Commission has no role to play and that the petition was not maintainable.

He also submitted that there is no provision to recover bye-election expenses from MLAs who have resigned.

After hearing all the parties, the bench reserved the orders on September 21.

While the Tamil Nadu government told the apex court that it has already lost an early Kharif crop due to lack of water, the Karnataka government said it was facing a "terrible drought situation".

The matter came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Augustine George Masih and Sandeep Mehta.

Senior advocate C S Vaidyanathan, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, said the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) must pass an order with regard to the shortfall to address the deficit.

"What is the shortfall?" the bench asked.

"According to us, it is 20 TMC," Vaidyanathan said.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the Karnataka government, said they were complying with the directions of the CWMA on the release of water.

"We are complying with whatever directions have been passed despite the fact that this is a drought year," he said.

"In the present year, we are facing a terrible drought situation. CWMA is an expert body and both the parties are heard there," Divan argued.

At the outset, Vaidyanathan referred to Tamil Nadu's application and said the state has already lost the early Kharif crop due to lack of water.

On September 8, the CWMA had upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee's (CWRC) recommendation directing Karnataka to ensure a flow of 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

The apex court was told that Karnataka was releasing 6,000 cusecs as per the CWMA's direction.

"They (CWMA) must pass an order with regard to the shortfall," Vaidyanathan said.

The bench observed, "The right of the party to have their grievances adjudicated by the CWMA cannot be denied. They (Tamil Nadu) have raised a grievance about deficit and the CWMA has to take a call on that".

Divan argued that all factors were being considered by the CWMA.

The bench was also told that the CWRC was reviewing the situation every 15 days.

The top court asked Karnataka to file a response to Tamil Nadu's application within a week and posted the matter for hearing on October 12.

The top court had earlier asked the Tamil Nadu government to raise before the CWMA its grievance over the release of its proportionate share of Cauvery water by Karnataka.

On August 25, the CWMA upheld the CWRC recommendation directing Karnataka to ensure a flow of 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

Earlier, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12. The CWMA had subsequently upheld that decision.

The top court is hearing the Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking directions to the Karnataka government for immediate release of the water to it.

On August 17, the apex court had asked Karnataka to ensure compliance with the CWMA direction on the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu government had earlier said the state was not getting its due share of Cauvery water in a rain-deficient year.

The Joseph Vijay-led state government on August 3 approached the apex court seeking directions to Karnataka for immediate release of the water.

The state government, in its plea, claimed that the quantum allocated to it by the CWRC as well as that released by its neighbour Karnataka was very little.

The project will add two more lines to the Arakkonam-Renigunta section, which forms part of the Mumbai-Chennai High-Density Network and is already operating at around 120% of its line capacity.

The section is also an important link for freight movement towards Ennore and Andhra Pradesh.

The additional lines are expected to provide capacity for 7.21 million tonnes of additional freight traffic annually.

It will also improve connectivity to key economic centres, including SIDCO Tiruvallur, SIPCOT Ranipet and cement industries in and around Arakkonam.

The project is estimated to result in annual logistics cost savings of around Rs 110 crore.

The project involves 12 major and 221 minor bridges, besides the track and associated works.

Of the sanctioned completion cost, Rs 1,504.42 crore has been earmarked for civil works, Rs 225.58 crore for signalling and telecommunications and Rs 206.46 crore for electrical works, including traction-related works.

The rule has sparked protests from some motorists who have objected to the three-minute limit. Vehicles, including cars arriving to pick up passengers, have been instructed to leave the designated area within the stipulated time.

There have also been complaints that some motorists who refuse to follow the rule have argued with parking staff. It has been alleged that some people have also attacked security personnel.

Videos purportedly showing such incidents have surfaced on social media, causing a stir.

There have been demands for appropriate action to prevent disputes and attacks on airport security and parking staff. Calls have also been made to take action against those who engage in arguments or conflicts with employees while the airport's parking rules are being enforced.

The bypoll in Maduranthakam will be held on October 6.

The TVK has nominated Maragatham Kumaravel, who had won the seat on AIADMK ticket in the 2026 Assembly polls. She later resigned her MLA post and joined the TVK.

Addressing a gathering of booth agents alongside Minister Aadhav Arjuna, Anand outlined the state government's commitment to swift public grievance redressal.

He said, "TVK founder Vijay will interact with booth-level functionaries at 3 pm."

Anand urged TVK party cadres to campaign door-to-door without fear and assure voters that essential requirements, including roads and drinking water supply would be fulfilled within three to four months.

"Every minister, in whichever constituency the chief minister assigns them in-charge, will stay for two to three days in that constituency alongside the Member of the Legislative Assembly to see what the people's needs and problems are, designating grievance-redressal days, and will get every issue resolved promptly," he promised.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Arjuna shifted focus to the government's broader policy milestones, asserting that the administration had successfully initiated a historic caste-based socio-economic census.

"After 1931, in 2026, our brother Vijay initiated the social justice census, the caste-based census. Is this not a great history," he asked.

The TVK administration formally announced the state's "social justice survey" (caste enumeration) on June 18.

However, the state government specified that the actual field survey will only take place after the Union government completes its own planned caste enumeration as part of the ongoing national population census. As of September 2026, the data collection has not yet begun.

Arjuna also accused the former DMK regime of deliberately neglecting this exercise during its five-year tenure despite repeatedly claiming to champion social justice.

Outlining agricultural relief measures, Arjuna stated the government had waived Rs 6,220 crore in farm loans and ensured minimum support prices for paddy and sugarcane cultivators, particularly benefiting the northern districts.

He also criticised the current AIADMK leadership, alleging they had compromised their party's foundational principles through covert alignments with the DMK.

Both leaders exhorted the cadres to secure a massive mandate for TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel on the 'Whistle' symbol. Setting a high benchmark for the constituency, Arjuna urged workers to secure 1.25 lakh to 1.40 lakh votes to ensure a victory margin exceeding one lakh.

The bypoll will also be held in Dharapuram on October 6.

Vijay conducted a review at the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) head office in Chennai on September 23, following severe electricity deficit issues. However, the very next day, outages plagued official events across the state.

In Maduranthakam, a power cut halted the speech of Minister Aadhav Arjuna. A video showing the minister instructing officials to "put on the generator," as the microphone got cutoff during his address, is being circulated online.

A similar disruption occurred in Dharapuram. Electricity failed while Minister K A Sengottaiyan was speaking at a consultative meeting. Notably, this was the second such interruption for both Sengottaiyan and Arjuna, who previously too faced blackouts in the middle of their speech.

The bypolls in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies will be held on October 6.

In a complaint to the Election Commission, AIADMK advocate wing secretary and MP I S Inbadurai alleged that election rules and laws were being seriously and extensively violated in the two constituencies.

The complaint cited television reports aired on September 22 alleging that cash was distributed at Reddipalayam in Acharapakkam union in Madurantakam to influence voters in favour of TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel.

Inbadurai further alleged, citing what he described as reliable information, that similar cash distribution and voter inducement were being carried out systematically across Madurantakam and Dharapuram.

The AIADMK sought a comprehensive field inquiry by District Election Officers, Returning Officers, flying squads and static surveillance teams. It also urged authorities to preserve television footage, CCTV recordings, field videos and social media and electronic evidence to prevent their destruction or alteration.

The complaint called for scrutiny of the campaign expenditure and bank transactions of the concerned candidate and political party to identify unaccounted transactions and verify election expenditure disclosures.

It also sought registration of FIRs and criminal action against all those allegedly involved, including persons who distributed money, assisted the alleged operation or acted as intermediaries, irrespective of their political affiliation or position.

The AIADMK urged the Election Commission to intensify flying-squad operations, checkpoints and surveillance at sensitive locations in both constituencies to prevent further voter inducement.

According to its election expenditure statement filed with the Election Commission, Rs 103 crore was paid to Pramanya Strategy Consulting Pvt Ltd for social media promotion, television and website advertising. The amount accounted for the bulk of the party’s Rs 109.61 crore propaganda expenditure.

The statement submitted by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami shows that the party incurred Rs 17.37 lakh towards travel expenses for star campaigners who canvassed at various locations between March 30 and April 21. The statement lists 13 campaigners and records their travel expenses.

Party chief Palaniswami’s travel expenses were recorded at Rs 1.75 lakh for the period from March 15 to May 6. The party reported Rs 4.14 lakh towards diesel expenses for his vehicle during the period.

The AIADMK incurred Rs 4.11 crore in expenses for publicity materials, including manifesto books and printing charges. Another Rs 1.28 crore was spent on public meetings, processions and rallies.

The statement records gross receipts of Rs 87 crore during the election period. It also lists Rs 2.78 crore for the publication of candidates' criminal antecedents. Including this, the party’s gross expenditure on general propaganda and candidate-related expenses stood at Rs 112.40.

The expenditure statement was signed and verified by Palaniswami, who said it includes all items of election expenditure incurred or authorised by the party’s state, district and local units and that no material fact had been concealed.

Talking to reporters after inaugurating the 2026-27 State-level inter-collegiate athletics competitions organised by the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University at the Nehru stadium, Nirmalkumar blamed the previous DMK government for increasing the Electricity Board’s debt from Rs 1 lakh crore to Rs 2.5 lakh crore. He said the government was taking steps to prevent power disruptions during the monsoon.

On the pending appointment of vice-chancellors to several state-run universities, he said the functioning of several universities had been affected, and more could face a similar situation in the coming months. The government had introduced a Bill in the Assembly on the issue, but it was yet to receive the Governor’s assent, he said.

“As education is not in the State List, we do not have the power to make the appointments,” Nirmalkumar said, adding that several V-Cs' tenures will end in January. He maintained that the power to appoint vice-chancellors should rest with the state government.

On the proposed new Secretariat complex, Nirmalkumar said the proposal was at the preliminary study stage, and the department concerned will make an announcement. He assured that the government would not take any decision against the interests of the people or fishermen.

On the bypolls, Nirmal alleged that the DMK and BJP were working in tandem and accused the BJP of indirectly protecting the DMK. He also claimed that the DMK and AIADMK had initially considered fielding a common candidate but later decided to contest separately to split the votes. “Our candidates will win the bypolls,” he said.

The campaign, launched under the direction of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, aims to protect the palmyra, the State tree, strengthen the banks of water bodies, and raise groundwater levels.

Green Needa, ExNoRa International Foundation, the National Service Scheme (NSS), NDSO and Agni Steels have joined hands to implement the initiative, with NSS and National Cadet Corps (NCC) students from various colleges, volunteers and members of the public participating in the drive.

The campaign seeks to strengthen waterbody banks, plant palm seeds on vacant government land, prevent coastal soil erosion, raise groundwater levels, increase the production of value-added palmyra products and improve livelihoods through palm-based industries.

The drive will cover 37 districts, excluding the Nilgiris, with one lakh NSS students participating in the planting of one crore palm seeds. Palm seed banks have also been established in 100 colleges to collect seeds and distribute them to suitable locations, including the banks of water bodies.

Coinciding with NSS Day, 150 personnel of the Avadi-based Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), along with NSS and NCC students, took part in the drive. Volunteers, government officials, local body representatives and members of the public also participated in planting palm seeds.

Speaking to IIT-Madras Prof Mahesh Panchagnula on ‘The Prof. Mahesh Podcast’, Sanyal said career decisions were made amid uncertainty, where future outcomes could not always be predicted. He encouraged students to experiment, persist through difficult phases and remain open to changing course as circumstances evolve.

Sanyal distinguished between risk, where probabilities can be estimated, and uncertainty, where future outcomes cannot reliably be assigned probabilities. The consequences of an early career decision, he said, often become clear only in retrospect.

“I am actually playing on flexibility more than direction,” Sanyal said, referring to his own journey from studying economics at Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, to Oxford, financial markets, writing, and public policy. He said his career was not the result of a predetermined plan and that he had focused at various stages on eliminating options he did not want to pursue while remaining flexible about where those choices might lead.

He also cautioned against asking young people to identify their lifelong passion at 18, saying their limited exposure to available opportunities could make such expectations an unnecessary burden. Instead, he encouraged students to experiment with different activities, eliminate paths they disliked and remain open to discovering new interests.

On AI, Sanyal cautioned against assuming that even experts could reliably predict how the technology would affect jobs and industries over the coming years. Rather than attempting to predict every consequence, he said individuals and institutions should develop the ability to adapt as AI evolves.

He also suggested that higher education may increasingly need to support people returning to education repeatedly throughout their careers as technologies, industries and professional roles change.

The award is instituted in memory of K Mohandas, a 1956 batch IPS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, who headed the crime and intelligence department of the State Police as DGP.

Among the notable operations he conceived were ‘Operation Tiger’ to dismantle Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups operating in the State, and the ‘Naxal Operation’, which ensured that Tamil Nadu did not feature in the map of red corridor.

The honour was instituted by B Force, a non-profit, non-political, non-sectarian organisation and a charitable trust based in Chennai, formed to provide and facilitate the State police force and their families with medical assistance, specifically in the areas of management of cancer.

The trust was launched as a tribute to Mohandas and his wife Santha Mohandas.

B Force is headed and managed by the couple’s four daughters - Bindu, Beena, Biju, and Brinda – and Satish Jupiter as trustees.

Ramanujam received the 19th K Mohandas Memorial Award from Nawabzada Mohammed Asif Ali, Dewan to the Prince of Arcot, at an event at Amir Mahal on September 22.

Rituals conducted to honour temple horse

Following its death, the horse was brought from the stable to the temple premises, where devotees performed rituals traditionally offered to the deity.

Abhishekam was conducted using milk, curd, tender coconut water, sandalwood paste and vermilion.

Village representatives and members of various communities paid their respects and draped sacred cloth over the horse.

After the rituals, the animal was taken in a procession and buried in the grove adjoining the temple.

Earlier, turmeric water was sprinkled over the horse as part of the farewell rituals.

Women mourned the animal as they would a family member, circling it while wailing and expressing their grief.

Men performed a ritual bath for the horse and applied oil and shikakai to its head.

The emotional farewell drew devotees and residents from the 18 villages that regard the Ukrandi Amman Temple as an important place of worship.

Thirunavukkarasu, president of the National Sinthanai Peravai, who oversaw the proceedings, said the horse died of old age on the day of the Purattasi Thiruvonam star. He said the animal had received medical treatment until its final days.

Given its long association with the temple and the surrounding villages, devotees decided to honour it with rituals and prayers traditionally offered to the deity before laying it to rest.

According to a Maalaimalar report, the accident occurred while the occupants of the car were returning to Chennai after attending a wedding in Ramanathapuram district.

The omnibus, carrying 34 passengers, was en route to Chennai from Thoothukudi. A rented car carrying seven passengers, including two women, was travelling behind the bus.

According to police, when the vehicles reached a stretch opposite a fuel station between the 3-Road and 4-Road junctions near Perambalur, the car crashed into the bus ahead.

Highway rescue personnel and Perambalur police rushed to the scene, extricated the victims from the mangled car, and sent the injured to government hospitals in Perambalur and Tiruchirappalli.

The three injured passengers are currently undergoing treatment.

Police stated that the crash took place when the car driver apparently dozed off at the wheel.

A case has been registered and investigation is underway.

(With inputs from PTI)

Pension payments to 33.85 lakh beneficiaries have been successfully processed and released this month under the new Aadhaar-based payment system through SNA-SPARSH, which came into effect in September in accordance with central government guidelines. The transition to the new system is being carried out in coordination with the departments concerned, banks, and other government agencies.

However, a few of them have faced difficulties due to their Aadhaar number not being linked to their bank account, the linked account being inactive, or incorrect or incomplete bank and Aadhaar details.

Appropriate corrective measures were being taken and they have also been informed through SMS on their registered mobile numbers, it said, adding that special camps and help desks have been set up at all taluk offices to provide immediate assistance, particularly to elderly pensioners.

Those yet to receive their pension were advised to approach the nearest special camp or the Social Security Scheme (SSS) help desk at the taluk office, where officials would help check the status of pension payment, verify Aadhaar-bank account linkage, and identify the corrective measures required.

The government has put in place several mechanisms to address grievances, including SMS alerts, bank-level corrections, taluk-level special camps and dedicated help desks, said the government.

The transition to SNA-SPARSH was being continuously monitored and steps were being taken to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive their pension without unnecessary difficulties, it added.

The rally will begin near Chitra Theatre in Egmore at 3 pm on September 26. The unions will submit a petition to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, he said.

Balasubramaniam said auto fares had not been revised for 14 years and alleged that the transport minister had failed to implement assurances given to unions during discussions on the issue.

At a meeting attended by representatives of over 45 unions, consumer groups and senior transport officials, the unions proposed Rs 60 for the first 1.5 km and Rs 30 for every subsequent kilometre, apart from a waiting charge and higher night fare.

He said the proposal was accepted by the participants, but the government subsequently sought the unions' views several more times.

"More than 133 days have passed since the new government assumed office. Despite assurances that the fare revision would be announced soon, there has been no decision," he said.

The unions are also demanding action against bike taxis. Balasubramaniam said they should either be banned or brought under a regulatory framework requiring fitness certification, third-party insurance, road tax and appropriate driver permits.

He said nearly five lakh auto-driver families depended on the trade and claimed that drivers were forced to work 12 to 16 hours a day to make ends meet.

The federation urged auto drivers to participate in the rally and appealed to the government to revise fares and protect their livelihood.

In a communication dated September 23, Commissioner of Transport and Road Safety Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan said the department had received several complaints regarding dealers collecting additional amounts from customers while selling new autorickshaws.

Citing Rule 43B of the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the department said all vehicle dealers must display the sale price of vehicles, model-wise, at a location easily visible to customers at their sales outlets. The applicable taxes and other charges should be shown separately along with the displayed price.

The department warned of stringent action against dealers who collected amounts over the displayed sale price.

Their trade certificates could also be cancelled for violations.

All Regional Transport Officers have been instructed to immediately bring the directions to the notice of vehicle dealers under their jurisdiction and monitor compliance.

They have also been asked to take immediate action under the Motor Vehicles Act and Rules if complaints are received against dealers.

K Senthil Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary for Labour and Migrant Labourers' Welfare, Bihar, said the centre would be set up after a similar facility in Bengaluru. He was speaking to a group of Tamil Nadu journalists touring Bihar.

"After Bengaluru, the Bihar government will set up the facilitation centre in Coimbatore. Once operational, it will oversee the welfare of Bihar labourers working in Tirupur, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Coimbatore and Puducherry," he said.

The centre will coordinate welfare measures for migrant workers employed in both organised and unorganised sectors. It will assist, particularly during medical emergencies and other exigencies.

The Bihar government also plans to engage a dedicated agency to collect data on its migrant workers in Tamil Nadu, in coordination with the state government.

The proposed centre will include officials from the Tamil Nadu government. It will maintain data on the socio-economic conditions of Bihar-origin workers, Kumar said.

"Once the facilitation centre is established, it will cater to the needs of Bihar's migrant labourers, particularly by providing medical and emergency assistance. It will also collect data on their socio-economic status," he said.

Bihar is also planning to establish similar facilitation centres in 12 other states, including Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and Punjab.

CPI State secretary M Veerapandian urged the government to identify and prosecute everyone who facilitated the crimes or failed to act despite being aware of them. He said all available evidence, including reportedly seized video related material, should be secured and presented before the court.

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss also said all those who allegedly assisted the accused, failed to act on complaints, or attempted to suppress the case should be brought under the investigation. Referring to the proceedings before the Pocso special court, he said the investigation should be expedited and appropriate provisions invoked based on evidence emerging during the probe.

Makkal Needhi Maiam leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan said the case showed the extent to which people hiding behind social status could go. He appreciated those who brought the alleged offences to light and called for strict legal action against everyone connected with the crime.

NTK chief coordinator Seeman demanded that Veeramani and those involved in the case be identified and arrested, while seeking expeditious investigation and trial. He also called for the maximum punishment prescribed by law.

The leaders stressed that the probe should cover the alleged wider network and that no person found responsible should be allowed to escape legal action.

The Minister, who organised a training session for the lecturers from the university, was approached by the members of the Guest Lecturers Union. They submitted a petition stating that as many as 130 guest lecturers are working in the university in various disciplines and they get only a consolidated payment of Rs 20,000 despite engaging in various activities, including valuation of papers, conducting lab assessments and conduct of examinations, besides teaching.

Pointing out that they get paid for 9.5 months and left with no income for the next 2.5 months, they appealed to revise the payment scheme to at least 11 months.  They also demanded regularisation for the guest lecturers working for over 10 years, and priority be given to them during the regular appointments.

They also demanded withdrawal of the Tamil Nadu’s Private Universities (Amendment ) Bill 2026, which would affect admissions in government and government aided colleges, impacting students from marginalised backgrounds.

Similarly, the Tamil Nadu Anna University Teachers’ Association also submitted a petition urging timely promotion of the teachers working in the Anna University Constituent Colleges for more than 17 years. They also appealed to fill vacancies of teaching faculty as per student-teacher ratio norms.

On Tuesday, sleuths from the agency conducted joint surprise checks at government offices across Tamil Nadu and detected unaccounted cash and suspicious digital transactions totalling Rs 1.73 crore. Officials figured suspicious transactions made through UPI amounted to Rs 1.59 crore, and seized Rs 13.78 lakh in unaccounted cash. That is, 92 per cent of suspected bribes were paid via UPI using apps like Paytm and GPay.

The trend has risen sharply. In the last week of August, DVAC found that 77 per cent of the Rs 1.18 crore in suspected bribe transactions was paid through digital platforms. In the first week of July, only 32 per cent of the Rs 84.7 lakh in suspected bribes was via UPI. The digital share thus rose from 32 per cent in early July to 92 per cent by the third week of September.

Tuesday's checks covered 36 locations in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Vellore, Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, Coimbatore, Erode, Tirupur, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, and Ramanathapuram.

The highest digital transaction amounts included Rs 43,42,563 at the Greater Chennai Corporation Office Zone 14 in Perungudi; Rs 19,66,500 at Kayalpattinam Municipality in Thoothukudi district; and Rs 19,16,280 at the Velankanni Town Panchayat Office in Nagapattinam district.

Cash seizures included Rs 7,64,500 at the Arakkonam Municipality Office in Ranipet and Rs 5,53,767 at the Avinashi Municipality Office in Tirupur.

DVAC said the checks were part of its vigilance exercise across government offices.

When the petition came up for hearing before Justice Murali Shankar, the counsel appearing for the government requested the Court to grant time for the state public prosecutor to appear in the case.

The temple Joint Commissioner filed an intervention petition opposing the bail to Ramakumar.

The Court permitted the Joint Commissioner to file the intervention petition and adjourned the hearing of the case to September 25.

Schools have been asked to ensure that the information entered in EMIS is accurate before final submission. The exercise covers key particulars including students' names, date of birth, gender, photographs, parents' names, address, medium of instruction and other academic and personal information. Students and parents must also verify the particulars through a declaration form available on the DGE website.

The form includes details such as the student's name in English and Tamil, date of birth, EMIS number, disability status, mobile number, parents' names, address and parents' annual income.

For differently abled candidates, schools have been instructed to attach a copy of the disability identity card or the required medical certificate. The declaration form must be signed by the parent or guardian, student, class teacher and head of the institution.

According to the prosecution, the accused, Eswari (65), wife of Mariyadas of Karatu Colony, Alanganallur, and the deceased, M Vellaiyan (75), of the same area, had quarrelled over dumping garbage.

The accused, Eswari, dumped garbage and poured water mixed with saliva in front of Vellaiyan’s house, which led to the quarrel. Following this, when Vellaiyan was sleeping on the verandah of his house, Eswari poured boiling water on him, resulting in his death.

Alanganallur police arrested Eswari in connection with the murder and booked her under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in 2024. She was subsequently remanded in judicial custody.

Samayanallur Deputy Superintendent of Police T Anandharaj and Court Head Constable Manorama conducted the investigation and filed the chargesheet before the court.

After the charges against Eswari were proved in court, the judge sentenced her to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on Tuesday.

Police said Vijayalakshmi (56) was found dead at her house in Kuniamuthur on September 15, with the gold chain she had been wearing missing.

She was living alone after her husband’s death, while her married daughter, Mavia, lived with her family in a nearby locality.

The murder came to light when Mavia and her husband found Vijayalakshmi lying dead inside the house and noticed that her gold chain was missing.

Based on her complaint, the Kuniamuthur police registered a case and launched an investigation.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Vijayalakshmi had died of suffocation. The investigation took a decisive turn with police recovering pieces of a broken glass bangle lying near the victim’s body.

Investigators examined CCTV footage from the locality and noticed a woman in the neighbourhood wearing a bangle on one hand but missing on the other.

The clue led police to the deceased’s neighbour, also named Vijayalakshmi (44), an idli vendor. The two women knew each other because they lived next door.

During questioning, the 44-year-old woman confessed to having smothered the victim with a pillow when she was alone at home and fled away with the gold chain.

Police said when the accused was questioned soon after the incident, she feigned shock and claimed not to know about her neighbour’s death. She was arrested on Wednesday.

Further inquiries are on.

Mohammed Farooq (32), a resident of Vellalar Street in Tennur in Tiruchy, runs a mechanic shop in the locality. Farooq frequently engages in quarrels with his brother Azar (28). It is said the siblings used to consume liquor together and get into a tiff under the influence of alcohol.

On Wednesday evening, the siblings had reportedly consumed liquor and started to quarrel again. Suddenly, Azar picked up a knife and reportedly slit Mohammed Farooq’s throat and escaped.

At around 7.30 pm, their mother Nisha, who returned after her work, found Farooq dead in a pool of blood. As she raised an alarm, neighbours rushed to the house. Based on the information, Thillai Nagar police rushed to the spot, retrieved the body and sent it to the Tiruchy GH.

Police registered a case and arrested Azar on suspicion. Further investigations are on

After Prakash’s name surfaced when the police were looking into the financial transactions of Veeramani, a police team went to Prakash's residence to issue summons for an interrogation, but they were informed that he had gone abroad. The city police then issued the LOC to all airports. Prakash is said to be an associate of the prime accused Veermani and allegedly acted as a conduit for the businessman.

Meanwhile, city police teams conducted searches at five premises linked to Veeramani, including his office on Dr Radhakrishnan Salai and a guest house in Teynampet on Wednesday. The police had recently arrested a fourth person in the case, Ganesan, a former employee of Veeramani. Ganesan allegedly had a video of Veeramani sexually assaulting a minor girl and hid the information from the police.

The police have reached out to multiple victims who were sexually abused by the businessman over a period of time. Veeramani (84) and his two associates were arrested by the Greater Chennai Police on August 29 for the alleged sexual abuse of a minor girl.

A pendrive with the video of an elderly man sexually abusing a minor girl was sent to the ITPU in October 2025 and a case was registered, but action was delayed for several months. The police had earlier sought to close the case citing they could not identify the perpetrator nor locate the girl.

The appointments take immediate effect. Ram Madhav, who served as the BJP's national general secretary from 2014 to 2020, has also been given the charge of Uttarakhand. His appointment comes as the party reworks its organisational structure across the country ahead of Assembly elections scheduled in several states in 2027 and the Lok Sabha elections in 2029.

The Tamil Nadu appointments assume significance with Vanathi Srinivasan, a former BJP MLA from the state, being appointed co-in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, where Arvind Bhadoria will be the in-charge. The latest organisational allocation leaves Vanathi without a formal responsibility in the Tamil Nadu unit.

Vanathi had been among the names discussed for the BJP's state president selection. Her move to Andhra now takes her out of the Tamil Nadu organisational set-up at a time when attention is on the party's next state leadership arrangement.

Meanwhile, M Venkatesan, has been named co-in-charge of Kerala, with M Nagaraja as the state in-charge.

In an order dated September 22, Tasmac Managing Director K Nanthakumar directed senior regional managers and district managers to implement the revised remuneration. The decision follows representations from various trade unions and labour associations seeking enhanced remuneration and other welfare measures.

Under the revised structure, the monthly remuneration of supervisors has been increased from Rs 22,313 to Rs 33,023, a hike of Rs 10,710. For salesmen, the remuneration has been raised from Rs 19,413 to Rs 30,284, an increase of Rs 10,871. The remuneration of assistant salesmen has been enhanced from Rs 17,925 to Rs 28,680, representing an increase of Rs 10,755.

The order said the Tasmac Board of Directors had considered the demands raised by employee organisations and approved various welfare measures, including the enhancement of monthly consolidated remuneration. The Managing Director was authorised to take the necessary consequential action to implement the measures.

The order also revised the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) contribution structure from the September 2026 wage month. The employee's share, calculated at 12% of the enhanced remuneration, will be recovered from the monthly pay, while Tasmac will bear the employer's 12% share as approved by the Board.

Senior regional managers and district managers have been instructed to ensure that the revised remuneration is reflected in pay bills, service records and establishment returns. They have also been directed to ensure that the EPF contributions are duly credited to the accounts of all eligible employees.

Narmada of Gomathipuram in Madurai filed a PIL petition before the Madurai Bench seeking directions to constitute a state-level committee to examine the feasibility of granting menstrual leave to working women in the state and to direct the government to formulate a policy for providing fully paid leave, taking into consideration the welfare of women.

When the petition came up for hearing before a division bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and Sakthivel, the state government submitted that the committee comprising 13 women members had been constituted to decide on providing paid menstrual leave to women. The government stated that the committee required three months to submit its report.

After noting this, the Court appreciated the petitioner for bringing this important issue to its attention. The Court adjourned the case to January 21, 2027, directing the government-constituted committee to submit its report on that date.

When the resolution opposing the Karnataka government's proposal to construct a dam at Mekedatu and seeking withholding of clearance for the project was taken up for debate on June 19, opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin raised the demand for a separate tribunal, which was incorporated into the resolution without being separately moved, seconded, debated, or put to a distinct vote.

Questioning the legality of the process through which the tribunal clause was added to the final resolution, the AIADMK leader moved the court.

However, a bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan noted that when the amendment was moved in the House, the AIADMK members had an opportunity to object, but chose to vote "Aye" or remain silent. They could not later claim that their silence should be treated as a nullity, it said.

The court also noted that when the AIADMK leader raised a grievance on the Assembly floor after the amendment was introduced, the Speaker ruled that there was no illegality and the ruling was not challenged.

The court said the party's silence and its subsequent unsuccessful attempt to reopen the issue within the House showed that it was not prejudiced by the amendment.

"This is not a case of a citizen who was shut out or misled; it is a case of a member, and of the party he belongs to, who was present in the House when the amendment was proposed, read out, and voted upon. A challenge of this kind cannot succeed unless prejudice is 'ex facie apparent'," the court observed, adding that the petitioner had an opportunity to object to the alleged irregularity at the relevant time but chose not to do so.

"Courts exercising jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution are not obliged to entertain a challenge founded on an irregularity that the petitioner himself was in a position to object to at the time, and chose not to," it remarked.

According to the opposition party, although Article 212 of the Constitution bars courts from questioning legislative proceedings, its challenge was to the authenticity of the document communicated to the Union government.

The court, however, held that the challenge concerned the procedure followed by the House and the alleged failure to follow the procedure contemplated under Rule 104 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Rules. Therefore, it fell within Article 212 (1), which bars courts from entertaining challenges based on procedural irregularities in legislative proceedings.

Holding that there was no substantive illegality, mala fide or breach of any constitutional limitation, the bench dismissed the plea.

The officials briefed Vijay on power demand and generation, availability from renewable and non-renewable sources, the gap between demand and available capacity, and the continuing rise in electricity consumption.

The meeting also discussed challenges in meeting the increasing demand, including restrictions on procuring power from the market, coal availability, the high cost of gas-based generation, and unexpected outages at central generating stations.

Vijay also reviewed preparations to meet the anticipated power demand during 2027 summer and discussed an action plan to address the projected requirement.

The review covered challenges in the distribution network, including ageing infrastructure and equipment, major faults, network congestion caused by rising loads, factors affecting supply quality, disruptions due to rain, storms and strong winds, and shortage of field personnel.

Electricity Minister R Nirmalkumar said people should not obstruct TNPDCL personnel engaged in restoring power supply, even as he acknowledged public frustration.

“People's frustration over interruptions in power supply is understandable, but they should not lay siege to substations or disturb field personnel who are busy fixing the problem,” he said, while responding to complaints about TNPDCL officials being unavailable over the phone to register power outage complaints.

Nirmalkumar attributed some of the recent interruptions to inadequate maintenance of distribution assets ahead of summer under the previous DMK government. “Citing elections, the previous government postponed maintenance of distribution assets such as substations and transformers. They eventually could not withstand the surging load and failed, leading to power cuts,” he said.

To tackle the disruptions, field officers have been authorised to engage up to 18,000 workers on a contract basis for six months, he said. Up to 6,000 transformers would be installed or upgraded over the next year to handle the growing load, he added.

“Tamil Nadu also needs 600 substations to strengthen the distribution infrastructure. These will be set up in a phased manner over the next five years,” Nirmalkumar said. He cited the recent incident at Perambur, where additional load was transferred from the Stanley substation following a problem. The Stanley substation subsequently came under excessive load and a fire broke out. “Such incidents show the need to increase the capacity of the distribution network,” he said.

He said a detailed plan on meeting the power demand during the next summer was presented to the Chief Minister during the review.

The minister also said an AI-enabled grievance redressal mechanism for electricity consumers was being planned. The state is also set to release its battery energy storage policy in October, which would enable surplus wind and solar power to be stored and used to meet peak demand, he added.

Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar, Energy Department Principal Secretary Anil Meshram, TNEB chairman and managing director V Arun Roy and other senior officials attended the review.

A detailed investigation by The Indian Express revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders concerning electoral rolls that they said were taken without their knowledge. The objections related to voter registration, deletion and restoration, appeals concerning electoral-roll entries and access to the voter database.

Stalin said the DMK and other Opposition parties had consistently opposed the SIR, alleging that the exercise, undertaken ahead of elections in several states, could result in large-scale deletion of voters from electoral rolls.

“The revelations have severely eroded the credibility of the Election Commission,” Stalin said in a statement, arguing that the three-member constitutional body was required to function collectively and transparently.

The DMK chief questioned the reported filing of appeals against the inclusion of voters whose names had been ordered to be added to the electoral rolls by courts, asking who had authorised and filed such appeals.

Stalin also raised concerns over access to the electoral-roll database, saying Electoral Registration Officers were empowered by law to scrutinise and revise electoral rolls.

“If two of the three EC members themselves were kept unaware of what was being done in the commission’s name, this cannot be dismissed as a mere internal or procedural matter,” he said.

Stalin recalled that the DMK, along with other Opposition parties, had moved a motion seeking Gyanesh Kumar’s removal in March.

“He has no right to continue in office any longer. Gyanesh Kumar must go immediately,” Stalin said, demanding a fair and thorough investigation into the functioning of the Election Commission and accountability for those responsible.

The Election Commission, however, has maintained that decisions on SIR and other matters were taken unanimously with the approval of all three commissioners.

Hariharan's achievement would inspire young sportspersons across Tamil Nadu, Vijay said while announcing the incentive in recognition of his performance. "My heartfelt appreciation to the Indian men's team and Tamil Nadu badminton player Hariharan for winning the bronze medal in the men's team event," Vijay said.

He noted that Hariharan was receiving financial assistance under the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu's Elite Sportsperson Scheme.

"The Tamil Nadu government will always stand by the dreams of sportspersons," Vijay said, wishing Hariharan greater success in his career.
State Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna, too, appreciated the performance by the Indian team, and Hariharan in particular.

He noted that Hariharan was receiving financial assistance under the SDAT’s Elite Sportsperson Scheme

Congratulating Hariharan on becoming eligible to receive the Rs 30 lakh High Cash Incentive provided by the Sports Development Authority (SDAT) to athletes who win bronze medals at the Asian Games, minister Aadhav said, “The continued success of our sportspersons in international competitions has provided new encouragement to Tamil Nadu's youth and increased their interest in sports. Our government will extend all possible support to you as you pursue your sporting ambitions.”

The study assessed postgraduate doctors' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding haemovigilance, the systematic monitoring and reporting of adverse events associated with blood transfusions. The researchers found that knowledge and positive attitudes did not consistently translate into optimal reporting practices and called for structured training and simpler institutional mechanisms.

The cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary-care teaching hospital in Chennai between August and September 2025. Of the 173 eligible postgraduate doctors invited to participate in a 32-item questionnaire, 150 completed it, recording a response rate of 86.7 per cent.

The participants' mean age was 29.3 years, and women accounted for 64 per cent of respondents. While the doctors demonstrated generally good knowledge of blood components and indications for transfusion, their awareness of the Haemovigilance Programme of India and the Transfusion Reaction Reporting Form was limited.

The study also found that practice scores were lower than knowledge and attitude scores, indicating that awareness did not always translate into appropriate reporting practices.

The researchers found no significant association between the doctors' postgraduate year of training or their department and their overall knowledge, attitude and practice categories.

However, statistical analysis showed a moderate positive correlation between knowledge and practice and a strong correlation between attitude and practice. This indicated that better knowledge and more positive attitudes were associated with better haemovigilance practices.

The researchers said timely reporting of adverse transfusion reactions was essential for identifying problems, analysing patterns and preventing their recurrence. They recommended structured haemovigilance training, greater awareness of national reporting mechanisms and simplified institutional pathways for reporting adverse transfusion reactions.

The authors also called for multicentre studies to determine whether similar gaps exist among postgraduate doctors in other healthcare settings.

What does the study say?

Finding: Good knowledge of blood components and transfusion indications

Gap: Limited awareness of India’s Haemovigilance Programme and Transfusion Reaction Reporting Form

Concern: Knowledge did not consistently translate into optimal reporting practices

Recommendation: Structured training and simpler institutional reporting mechanisms

“Some of the names currently in use are so derogatory that they cannot even be uttered in this court. Therefore, changing their names is an appropriate action,” the court observed, while dismissing a petition filed by Paramasivam, the state vice-president of the Hindu Advocates Front, seeking a stay on a Government Order to remove caste names from public places.

The division bench comprising justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel said, “A change must occur in the mindset of the people. Bringing about the change through a GO is the only appropriate way.”

The court went on to observe that confusion would arise only in the minds of those who continued to retain caste names, while no confusion would arise among those who had removed caste identity from their minds. “They can identify names without caste identity and can also identify localities by those names,” the bench observed.

In its counter affidavit seeking to vacate the interim stay earlier granted by the court, the State government submitted that 445 municipalities, 24 corporations and 169 local bodies had passed resolutions to change the names of 69 residential areas, 40 roads, 109 streets, 57 water bodies and 23 other social infrastructure assets.

For instance, ‘Arundhathiyar Street’ in Namakkal has been renamed ‘Kamarajar Nagar’; ‘Irular Colony’ in Tiruvannamalai has been renamed ‘Kapilar Street’; and ‘Narikkuravar Colony’ in Ranipet has been renamed ‘Perarignar Anna Street’. Several other names have also been changed, it stated.

The counter affidavit also stated that the GO was issued with the objective of removing objectionable or derogatory caste names. It was aimed at promoting equality, eliminating caste-based discrimination and ensuring that public places are inclusive and caste-neutral. It stated that detailed guidelines had been issued for this purpose.

The court also directed the government to identify other localities left out of the present GO that need to be renamed and issue a fresh GO to rename them.

The judges urged residents to come forward and request the government to change the names of their localities

“This exercise should continue,” the judges said, and lifted the interim stay.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare KG Arunraj participated in the programme via videoconference and paid tribute to the donors and their families. Health Secretary Darez Ahamed paid floral tributes to the portraits of the 312 donors and presented mementoes and shawls to their families.

The annual observance was instituted in memory of Hithendran, whose parents, doctors Ashokan and Pushpanjali, donated his organs after he was declared brain dead following the September 23, 2008 road accident. The decision triggered widespread awareness about organ donation, according to the Health department.

Shields were presented to government and private hospitals and coordinators for their contribution to organ retrieval and transplantation. The Chennai police were also honoured for facilitating Green Corridors to enable swift transportation of donated organs to hospitals.

Tamil Nadu received 14,845 organs and tissues from 2,550 donors between October 2008 and September 2026. During September 2025-August 2026 alone, 1,699 organs and tissues were retrieved from 312 donors.

The state has received the Union government's national award for implementing the organ donation programme for 10 consecutive years. It was also named the best state for organ donation in 2025 and received the award at the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day function in New Delhi on August 3.

“During the last fiscal year, the RWP produced 60,000 wheels. Of these, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai alone received 18,000 wheels,” Sanjeev Kumar Roy, Principal Chief Materials Manager, said.

After production, the plant sends wheels to Southern Railway. It also receives raw materials such as steel and aluminium from various parts of Tamil Nadu.

“The plant needs raw materials for wheel casting. We have been receiving raw materials not only from the Indian Railways itself, but also from places such as Salem and Thoothukudi,” Roy said.

The Rail Wheel Plant produced 60,699 wheels in the 2025-26 financial year. “For the current fiscal year, we have fixed a target of 72,000 wheels. Of this target, we produced 18,261 wheels in the first quarter,” Aman Raj, Chief Mechanical Engineer, said.

The Integral Coach Factory in Chennai needs more wheels from RWP, Bela, owing to the increased production of Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) and Broad Gauge Carriage (BGC) trains.

“ICF is concentrating on producing more bogies under the BGC and EMU categories because Southern Railway needs more passenger trains to cater to the additional rush during festival times. Keeping this in mind, ICF has given more production orders to RWP through the Railway Board every year,” Aman Raj said.

During the last fiscal year, RWP produced 4,652 wheels for Southern Railway, while it produced 1,867 wheels during the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

Along with this, ICF alone received 3,034 wheels during the last fiscal year and 1,901 wheels during the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

Considering the production of EMU and MEMU trains, RWP produced 815 wheels for Southern Railway under this category during the last fiscal year. RWP has supplied 311 wheels under this category during the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

“We are looking for more job orders from various zones of the Indian Railways because we have fixed a target of producing one lakh wheels per year. We are working to achieve this goal if the Railway Board gives us more orders,” Aman Raj said.

The company had invited bids in November last year for executing Phase V of the CPRR through four separate packages. The project envisages a 10-lane, access-controlled expressway, comprising a six-lane main carriageway and two-lane service roads on either side.

The corridor is planned as a high-speed link to ease traffic pressure on Chennai's radial roads and improve connectivity between major national highways and fast-growing suburban areas.

As part of the project, a 1.8-km elevated road is proposed from the SH-49B junction, running along or above State Highway-49B, crossing Perumal Eri and joining the approach road of the trumpet interchange being developed on National Highway-332A leading to ECR. The link is intended to provide seamless movement between the CPRR and the coastal corridor while minimising disruption to local traffic.

The project also includes four vehicular underpasses for major cross movements and eight light vehicular underpasses to maintain village-level connectivity. Six major bridges are proposed across waterbodies and low-lying areas, besides three animal and pedestrian underpasses aimed at improving safety.

Access to the expressway will be regulated through designated entry and exit ramps. Junctions will be upgraded with acceleration and deceleration lanes, channelisation measures and controlled median openings to be used only during emergencies. The design also includes crash barriers, delineators, LED blinkers at crossings, and uniform street lighting.