The deceased were identified as Selvaraj (60) of Bengaluru, his wife, Gandhimathi (55) and their son, Karthik Kumar (35). The family was travelling to Molayandipatti village in Aravakurichi taluk in Karur to attend a wedding when the accident occurred.

According to the police, the family had left Bengaluru around 12.30 am, with Karthik Kumar driving the car. His wife, Kavyashree (34), who is seven months pregnant, had stayed back at home.

The accident occurred around 4.30 am near Nallipalayam in Namakkal when a car approaching from the opposite direction lost control, crossed the centre median and crashed into the car driven by Karthik Kumar. The impact was severe, leaving the front portions of both vehicles badly mangled. The family was trapped inside the car and died on impact.

Four occupants of the other car sustained serious injuries. They were identified as Sivakumar (32), his wife Gauthami (30), A Krishnagowda (19) and their relative Yadhunathan (19), all from Ramanagara in Karnataka. Police said they were returning to Bengaluru after visiting a temple in Thoothukudi district.

Police from the Nallipalayam station rushed to the scene after being alerted and rescued the injured. They were taken to the Namakkal Government Hospital and later shifted to a private hospital in Bengaluru for further treatment.

The bodies of the three victims were recovered from the wreckage and sent to the Namakkal Government Hospital for post-mortem. Police removed the damaged vehicles from the highway. Traffic on the busy Salem-Karur stretch was disrupted for some time following the accident. The Nallipalayam police have registered a case and further investigations are under way.

Citing public safety priorities and explicit directives from the Metropolitan Police Service, the party confirmed that personal meet-and-greet sessions have been called off.

"The Tamil community in London warmly awaits the opportunity to meet the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay. However, keeping public safety in mind and adhering to the guidelines of the London Metropolitan Police, the Chief Minister will be unable to meet you. Therefore, we kindly request everyone to refrain from trying to see him," the TVK IT wing said on social media.

"In addition, we respectfully request supporters and members of the public to refrain from gathering outside the hotel where he is staying, or waiting along his travel routes," it said.

Hundreds of fans gathered outside London's tallest building, The Shard, were disappointed after the event to see the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister was cancelled

Hundreds of fans gathered outside London's tallest building, The Shard, on Tuesday were disappointed after the event to see the Tamil Nadu CM was cancelled after Metropolitan police expressed safety concerns.

CM Vijay is leading a state delegation to the UK to attract investments into Tamil Nadu.

Earlier, the Chief Minister's Office said the delegation had signed multiple agreements involving investments.

A Division Bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and Krishnanaswamy Govindarajan orally refused to stay the bye-elections to the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies. The Bench directed the Registry to post the PIL along with connected matters before the Chief Justice Bench on September 18.

The Court orally asked why the Election Commission of India (ECI) should not examine the issue in detail and frame guidelines under Article 324 of the Constitution to prevent this “mockery of democracy.” The Court also observed that the MLAs elected based on the people's trust resigning from their posts amounts to insulting the voters.

During the hearing, Advocate General Vijay Narayan pointed out that similar connected matters had been heard by the First Bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and that orders had been reserved.

The petitioner’s senior counsel R. Singaravelan told the Court that six AIADMK MLAs had resigned after this year’s general elections and joined the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). He said two of them, Maragatham Kumaravel and P. Sathyabama, have now been named TVK candidates to fill the vacancies caused by their own resignations in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies, even as the “ink on voters’ fingers” from the recent election has barely dried.

Advocate K. Suthan of Saidapet had filed the 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 five years from the date of acceptance of the resignation.

He submitted that public money is spent on conducting elections and bye-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.

He further pointed out that the TVK had announced Maragatham Kumaravel and P. Sathyabama as its candidates for Madurantakam and Dharapuram, respectively. He contended that they should not be allowed to contest after resigning for political reasons and thereby causing additional public expenditure.

The petitioner has sought a directive restraining the ECI from accepting the nomination papers of the two candidates until the disposal of the writ petition.

The candidates were introduced at a joint press conference held at the CPM State Committee office in Chennai. CPM State Secretary P Shanmugam, CPI State Secretary M Veerapandian and CPI(ML)-Liberation State Secretary Pazha Asaithambi were present.

Suganthi, a CPM State Committee member and General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TUNEF), entered public life through the literacy movement. She served as the State General Secretary of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) from 2011 to 2021.

Lakshmanan, who studied up to Class IX, has been working as a construction worker. He is a part-time worker of the CPI and serves as the party’s Dharapuram taluk secretary.

The Left Front had earlier announced that it would contest the by-elections as a separate bloc, stressing the need for elected representatives who would raise people’s issues in the Assembly.

Who are in the fray for Madurantakam, Dharapuram bypolls?

I Paranthamen, DMK’s Madurantakam candidate, is the party’s Legal Wing Deputy Secretary and a former Egmore MLA. He is an advocate with BA, BL.

S Suganya, DMK’s Dharapuram candidate, is a DMK women’s wing functionary and advocate with MA, BL degrees.

K Maragatham Kumaravel, TVK’s Madurantakam candidate, is a former AIADMK MLA and MP who later joined TVK; she is listed as a postgraduate and P Sathyabama, TVK’s Dharapuram candidate, is a former AIADMK MLA and former Tiruppur Rural East district joint secretary, and is a 10th-pass candidate.

S Kanitha Sampath, AIADMK’s Madurantakam candidate, is a former Madurantakam MLA, while K Bhanumathi, the party’s Dharapuram candidate, is a former Dharapuram Panchayat Union chairperson and AIADMK women’s wing functionary.

Kanitha Sampath filed her nomination papers for the Madurantakam (SC) constituency on Wednesday, but no prominent PMK functionaries were present at the event, even as AIADMK leaders continued efforts to secure the party's support.

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, meanwhile, said the party would soon announce which political party it would support in the bypolls to Madurantakam and Dharapuram, but declined to elaborate on the delay or indicate whether the party would continue with the AIADMK-led alliance.

Speaking to reporters in Chennai after paying floral tributes to the statue of freedom fighter and former minister SS Ramasamy Padaiyatchi at Guindy on the occasion of his 109th birth anniversary, Anbumani said the PMK would announce its decision on electoral support shortly.

When reporters repeatedly questioned him about the delay and asked whether the PMK would continue in the AIADMK alliance, Anbumani said, “I have already answered this. Has someone asked you to ask this question?” He did not provide further details on the party's alliance strategy.

AIADMK leaders have been approaching leaders of various parties seeking support for the bypolls in Madurantakam and Dharapuram. BJP, AMMK and Puthiya Needhi Katchi have already announced their support for the AIADMK.

The PMK's stand is particularly significant in Madurantakam, where it has a considerable support base among the Vanniyar community. Its support could therefore be important for the AIADMK in the constituency.

Sources said the PMK was unhappy with the AIADMK for announcing its bypoll candidates without consulting the party. This is understood to be one of the reasons for the delay in announcing its stand.

At the same time, there are indications that the PMK may consider remaining neutral in the bypolls. However, the party has not officially announced any decision.

With the PMK yet to clarify its position, the absence of its functionaries at the AIADMK candidate's nomination event has added to the uncertainty over whether it will back the AIADMK in the bypolls.

He further stated that he has been summoned for an inquiry on September 18 for an inquiry and that he will face it legally and disprove all the charges.

Speaking to reporters after the search by CCB at his house in Anna Nagar, Tennur in Tiruchy that lasted for more than eight hours, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said the TVK government, to mute the opposition leaders who speak louder for welfare in the Assembly and the public platforms are targeted as a diversion tactics which the TVK has been following ever since forming government. 

“The team searched everywhere in the house for ‘something chargeable’, but they could only take away the documents about the Class 10 and 12 results, school inspections, achievement lists of the education department and summoned me for an inquiry. The officials were given full cooperation during the entire search operation,” Mahesh Poyyamozhi said.

"I will appear for the inquiry and from there, will head to Dharapuram for bypoll works at the places where I am deputed," Mahesh Poyyamozhi said.

Stating that the opposition leaders are targeted for speaking louder against the malfunctioning of the government in the Assembly and on public platforms, Mahesh Poyyamozhi said he had called the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay 'Hitler' and his council of ministers as Goebels for peddling fake narratives. 

“To divert the opposition from working for the bypolls, the state government has been practising diversion tactics, and the search operation was a part it and the DMK people will never be scared of such murmurs out of inexperience and we will face it legally and prove our innocence in the court,” said Mahesh Poyyamozhi.

Earlier, DMK Principal Secretary KN Nehru, who was refused entry into the house of Mahesh Poyyamozhi, where a search was on, told the media persons charged that the searches in the premises of the DMK leaders are just to threaten the opposition ahead of the bypolls. 

“The TVK government has been targeting the prominent DMK leaders just for political gain. We will prove every single charge and come out innocent in every case through the court,” he said.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice R Karthikeyan observed that the police had already taken sufficient action in the case.

During the hearing, the State government informed the court that the CBCID had completed its investigation and filed a chargesheet before the trial court.

Thirumurugan of Pudukkottai filed the petition in 2023 seeking the transfer of the case to the CBI. He stated that unidentified persons had allegedly mixed human faeces in an overhead water tank supplying water to Scheduled Caste residents of Vengaivayal village in Pudukkottai.

He alleged that several children who consumed the water suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea. The petitioner further claimed that several incidents of caste-based discrimination had been reported in the Vengaivayal area.

Following the incident, a team headed by the Pudukkottai Superintendent of Police conducted an inquiry. The investigation was subsequently transferred to the CBCID. However, he claimed there had been no progress in the case.

As the CBCID had completed its investigation and filed a chargesheet before the trial court, the judges dismissed the petition.

In a statement, Stalin said he was taking rest at home as advised by doctors and that previously scheduled programmes had been postponed. He said a new date for the Mupperum Vizha, which was postponed on the instructions of the party general secretary, would be announced later.

Stalin said leaders of various political parties and movements in Tamil Nadu, as well as his friends from the film industry, had contacted his office and enquired about his health. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the affection and concern shown not only by leaders of alliance parties but also by leaders of other parties and movements.

He said he would continue to take rest at home for another two or three days as advised by doctors.

Stalin also said he was happy to see the various programmes organised by DMK cadres on the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and DMK founder Anna on Tuesday.

Stalin urged cadres to renew and hoist party flags to mark the commencement of the DMK's 78th year

He urged party cadres to observe the birth anniversary of social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy on September 17 and the anniversary of the founding of the DMK with enthusiasm.

He asked cadres to garland Periyar's statues and pay respect to him, besides taking the Social Justice Day pledge at all DMK offices as announced by the party headquarters.

He also urged cadres to renew and hoist party flags to mark the commencement of the DMK's 78th year.

Speaking to reporters after reviewing the arrangements for the consecration ceremony, the Minister said that the government was not interfering in the distribution of passes.

The Minister said no final decision had been taken yet on the number of devotees to be allowed on the upper floor of the temple. Though the authorities planned to allow around 9,000 people, officials were conducting a safety assessment of the structure to determine whether the upper floor could accommodate that number. He added that a final decision would be taken based on the assessment.

The minister also clarified that around 2,000 passes had been distributed to the public through a lottery system and that those holding the passes would also be allowed on the upper floor.

On the question of the temple’s Board of Trustees not being involved in the arrangements for the event, he said steps had been taken to contact the trustees and address their requirements.

Elaborating on the arrangements for the event, Nirmal Kumar said police personnel and health department officials were working in two shifts. Necessary arrangements had also been made to ensure that there was no power interruption during the event, he said.

The Minister also clarified that the public would not be allowed to stand on the Chithirai streets to witness the consecration ceremony, as those areas would be used only as a passage for people proceeding to and returning from the temple towers.

He reiterated that there was no political interference in the consecration arrangements and said all measures were being taken with the safety of devotees in mind.

Meanwhile, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister S Ramesh told reporters that Tamil Oduvars were given priority at the consecration ceremony.

Reiterating that Tamil would always be given priority, the Minister said all arrangements have been made to enable Tamil Oduvars to conduct the rituals in Tamil during the yaga puja (fire rituals).

Ramesh said none of the Oduvars appointed by the government have approached him with any grievance. He added that Tamil Oduvars will be permitted to pour water over the sacred kalasam and enter the sanctum sanctorum.

Citing public safety priorities and explicit directives from the Metropolitan Police Service, the party confirmed that personal meet-and-greet sessions have been called off.

"The Tamil community in London warmly awaits the opportunity to meet the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay. However, keeping public safety in mind and adhering to the guidelines of the London Metropolitan Police, the Chief Minister will be unable to meet you. Therefore, we kindly request everyone to refrain from trying to see him," the TVK IT wing said on social media.

"In addition, we respectfully request supporters and members of the public to refrain from gathering outside the hotel where he is staying, or waiting along his travel routes," it said.

Hundreds of fans gathered outside London's tallest building, The Shard, on Tuesday were disappointed after the event to see the Tamil Nadu CM was cancelled after Metropolitan police expressed safety concerns.

CM Vijay is leading a state delegation to the UK to attract investments into Tamil Nadu.

Earlier, the Chief Minister's Office said the delegation had signed multiple agreements involving investments worth around Rs 12,300 crore during the visit.

India's long coastline supports major ports, fishing harbours, power plants, industries, urban settlements and sensitive ecosystems. Increasing climate variability and the growing frequency of extreme events pose risks to infrastructure and livelihoods, making robust, evidence-based adaptation essential.

A release from the institution on Wednesday said the research was undertaken at IIT Madras' Centre of Excellence on Climate Change Impacts on Coastal Infrastructure and Adaptation Strategies, supported by the Department of Science and Technology.

The interdisciplinary Centre brings together expertise in climate science, coastal engineering, water resources and environmental engineering.

The findings were presented at the IAHR World Congress 2025 in Singapore through a paper titled "Climate Change Impacts on Coastal Infrastructure and Adaptation Strategies for Coastal Infrastructure, Water and Waste Management Facilities".

Researchers at the Centre have developed advanced models and tools to assess and address risks from cyclones, storm surges, coastal flooding, shoreline erosion, sea-level rise and extreme rainfall.

The Centre has developed advanced climate, cyclone, storm-surge, wave, hydrodynamic and morphodynamic models tailored to the Indian coast.

A novel wind-merging technique developed by the researchers has improved storm-surge predictions. The team has also carried out flood inundation modelling and mapping for Chennai to support disaster preparedness and urban planning.

Coastal Vulnerability Index maps incorporating the effects of sea-level rise and storm surges have been developed for Chennai, Ennore and Karaikal.

The researchers have developed structural health monitoring approaches to track climate-driven deterioration of port infrastructure, proposed climate-resilient reservoir management strategies for flood-prone urban areas and assessed the effectiveness of various measures to prevent and mitigate saltwater intrusion in coastal areas.

In the areas of water and environmental sustainability, the Centre has developed climate-resilient wastewater treatment solutions, including a patented in-stream wastewater treatment method.

The team has introduced a framework to support community-based adaptation to sea-level rise and other coastal hazards.

Prof S A Sannasiraj, Principal Investigator of the Centre and faculty member in the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, said, "India's coastline hosts some of the country's most critical infrastructure and supports millions of livelihoods. Climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of coastal hazards, making resilience an urgent priority."

"Our Centre has adopted a systems-level approach that integrates climate modelling, engineering solutions and community adaptation to provide actionable strategies that can help reduce risks and improve preparedness across coastal regions," he added.

He said the research outputs were expected to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure such as ports, fishing harbours, power plants and transport networks, and improve disaster preparedness and flood management in coastal cities.

They were expected to safeguard groundwater resources and promote sustainable, nature-based coastal protection, he added.

He has filed his nomination as an independent candidate. Rajarathinam, son of Sundaraj of Manakkadavu in Dharapuram taluk, holds MA and BEd degrees.

Despite his educational qualifications, he is currently working as a daily wage labourer. Rajarathinam belongs to the Arundhatiyar community and has been fielded by the federation as its common candidate.

The federation said it would contest the election by raising issues concerning social representation and the demands of people from marginalised sections.

Arundhatiyar Federation president Kalyanasundaram and Vadivelraman, Rajasekaran, Elango, Ganesan, Viduthalaiveeran, NTR Tirupur and Thirumugachelvan from Erode and other areas were present during the nomination filing process.

He also urged party cadres to celebrate reformist leader 'Periyar' EV Ramasamy's birth anniversary and the DMK’s 78th foundation day on September 17.

"My heartfelt thanks to everyone who inquired about my health. Following a fever caused by a viral infection, I am currently at home as advised by doctors. Consequently, my previously scheduled programmes have been postponed," the former chief minister said in a statement.

"As per medical advice, I will continue to rest at home for another two to three days," he added.

"Tomorrow (Thursday), in addition to paying respects by garlanding the statue of Thanthai Periyar, the "social justice day" pledge must be administered across all party offices as announced by the party headquarters," he said, adding, "DMK flags should be hoisted to mark the beginning of the party's 78th year".

DMK general secretary Duraimurugan has said that the 'Mupperum Vizha' has been postponed as Stalin was unwell and the scheduled date will be announced later.

The Mupperum Vizha is an annual event held by the DMK to mark the birth anniversaries of party founder CN Annadurai (Sep 15), reformist leader 'Periyar' EV Ramasamy (Sep 17) and the party's founding day (Sep 17).

The Vizha was originally scheduled to be held here on September 15, 2026 evening at Kalaignar Arangam, an auditorium on the premises of Anna Arivalayam here, the DMK state headquarters.

Responding to a query, Krishnan said the Left parties had the right to field candidates in the bypolls, but maintained that only TVK candidates would emerge victorious in both constituencies.

The Delta Regional TVK coordinator and chairman of Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) denied talks of the alliance turning over the Left’s call and issues within the front over the PM candidate.

Meanwhile, Krishnan said the TNUHDB had so far sold plots to 1.44 lakh beneficiaries at slashed prices through 741 schemes. The beneficiaries would be given pattas after registration, he said.

Eligibility: Students must be enrolled in the first year of a full-time regular undergraduate (UG) degree in any stream at a recognised Indian institute. Must have passed Class 12 with a minimum of 60% marks

The annual household income should be up to INR 15,00,000 per year (preference will be given to those students whose family income is less than INR 2,50,000). Open to resident Indian citizens only. An aptitude test is mandatory

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Eligibility: Students who are enrolled in the first-year full-time regular postgraduation programmes pursuing select future-ready courses from Engineering, Technology, Energy and Life Sciences. Must have secured 550 to 1,000 in the GATE examination, OR must have a CGPA of 7.5 or above in their undergraduate studies (or equivalent percentage normalised to CGPA) if the student has not attempted GATE

Open to resident Indian citizens only

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Eligibility: Students enrolled in the first year of BBA, BFIA, B.Com. (H, E), BMS, IPM, B.A. (Economics), BBS, or any other finance-related degree courses are eligible. Applicants must have secured at least 80% marks in Classes 10 and 12 (70% for PwD students). The annual parental income must not exceed INR 6 lakh from all sources. Open for Indian nationals only.

Prizes & Rewards: Scholarship from INR 40,000 to INR 5,50,000 per year for 3 years.

Last Date to Apply: 30-09-2026

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

Secured admission to the first year of a professional graduation programme (Engineering, MBBS, Architecture, Design, Integrated LLB, and more) at an NIRF/NAAC-accredited institute for the academic year 2026-27.

Annual family income must not exceed INR 6,00,000.

Children of Kotak Mahindra Group, Kotak Education Foundation, and Buddy4Study employees are ineligible.

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

Disclaimer: Subject to terms and conditions, at the discretion of Kotak Education Foundation.

Last Date to Apply: 30-09-2026

Application mode: Online applications only

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

Eligibility: Open to Indian students in Classes 11 and 12 or pursuing UG, Diploma, or ITI courses at recognised institutions.

Minimum 60% marks in the previous year. Annual parental income must not exceed INR 4 lakh.

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Must have secured a minimum of 75% marks or equivalent in Class 10 and 12. Students from top 25 NIRF-ranked colleges will be considered for this scholarship, with students from the top 10 NIRF-ranked colleges given preference. Annual parental income up to INR 15 lakh.

Prizes & Rewards: Scholarship of up to INR 10,00,000 per year*, based on course category and fee-linked slab.

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The election to the 23-member Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, held on April 30, concluded after an 86-day counting process, with the results being declared on July 21.

A total of 143 advocates contested the election, which recorded an 81 per cent voter turnout across 168 polling stations in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. As per the election rules, at least five women advocates were required to be elected to the 23-member Bar Council. Under the preferential voting system, candidates securing the required quota of 3,001 votes were declared elected.

The newly elected Bar Council comprises 18 male advocates — P Amalraj, RC Paul Kanagaraj, E Balamurugan, G Mohana Krishnan, C Paraneedharan, K Balu, among others — and five women advocates. Advocates D Prasanna, L Sumathi and three other women advocates were elected to fulfil the mandatory representation for women.

In accordance with a Supreme Court order, Madras High Court Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari had appointed retired High Court judge Justice VM Velumani and advocate Sudarshana Sundar as two women members to be co-opted into the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Meanwhile, an election to choose the Chairman and Vice-Chairman from among the elected members of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry was scheduled to be held on September 16. The filing of nominations for the posts took place on Tuesday, with the deadline set at 1 p.m. By then, advocate K Kathiravan had filed his nomination for the post of Chairman, E Balamurugan for Vice-Chairman, and PS Amalraj for the post of member of the Bar Council of India.

As no other candidates filed nominations for these posts, all three were declared elected unopposed by Justice KN Basha, the election officer.

The organisation said that the State government was planning waste to energy plants in several cities, including Kodungaiyur, Tambaram, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem and Tirunelveli, despite concerns over air and water pollution and hazardous waste generated by such facilities.

According to the CFA report, titled ‘100/100 Pollution Score’, waste to energy plants scored 100 on the cumulative Pollution Index. It compared this with open cast coal mining, copper smelting and thermal power plants, which scored 97.5, 90 and 85 respectively.

Poovulagin Nanbargal questioned why these plants, which reportedly have a higher pollution score, had been moved from the red category to the blue category. The organisation cited the closure of the Manali waste incinerator after cadmium levels were found to be up to 24 times higher than the permissible limit. “The Kodungaiyur facility was also shut after it was revealed that 45 of the 48 pollutants that required mandatory monitoring were not being monitored,” it said.

The organisation further opposed the proposed plants in Tirunelveli and Salem. The State government has announced a Rs 256-crore plant with a 9-MW capacity in Tirunelveli and a Rs 291-crore plant with a 10-MW capacity in Salem.

Police sources said that a senior executive at PNB, Ganesh Chandra Panda, filed a complaint with the GCP Commissioner after an internal audit revealed the wrongdoing.

The incident came to light after a customer's jewellery was 'missing' when the customer came to redeem it in April. Subsequently, the customer's jewellery was found beneath the locker, after which the senior management raised suspicion and examined all the jewellery in the branch.

The police said 2.137 kg of jewellery belonging to 24 customers was found in the locker, but examination showed that it had been replaced with covering jewellery.

According to a complaint by PNB to the police, the former branch manager and three others had conspired and replaced over 2 kg of gold jewellery belonging to 24 customers with fake jewellery.

CCB registered a case under provisions relating to cheating and criminal conspiracy and began efforts to recover the original jewellery.

The state government has announced that the new Assembly complex will be constructed on 25.52 acres at Pattinapakkam, with the proposed facility spread across 20 lakh sq ft at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore.

In opposition to the project, fishermen from Pattinapakkam, Sreenivasapuram and nine fishing villages along the Loop Road, on Tuesday, held a meeting at Sreenivasapuram beach.

They announced that Chief Minister Vijay should revoke the GO for the newly announced Pattinapakkam Assembly complex project after he returns from the UK tour. Otherwise, they said, they would launch an indefinite protest.

Members and representatives from 36 fishing villages along the Chennai coast and various districts attended the meeting and extended their support to the fishermen of Pattinapakkam and the other nine fishing villages.

Fishermen claimed that the 25.52 acres at Foreshore Estate, which was recently procured for the proposed Assembly complex, belonged to the fishing community.

According to them, in 1957, the Tamil Nadu government took land from fishermen and issued GO No. 3313 under the Madras City Improvement Trust, assuring them that new houses would be constructed and handed over to them. However, this did not happen. Therefore, they said, the land belongs to the fishing community.

They also noted that the new Assembly complex plan would affect shore fishing in Nochikuppam, Mullikuppam and Sreenivasapuram. Fish selling, fishing net drying and boat parking would also become impossible as the area would be converted into a highly secured zone, they added.

Speaking at the meeting, Shanthi from Nambikai Nagar said congestion had become a major issue due to the ongoing Metro work, as the traffic was diverted to the Loop Road. The police had initially said the arrangement would continue for only three months, she said, adding, however, three years have passed, and the traffic diversion is still in place, causing heavy congestion. "If the new Assembly complex is established here, we will lose our houses and fishing rights," she said.

Highlighting that under the CZMP map, the Foreshore Estate land would be classified as a fisherman residential area, Neithal Makkal Katchi leader K Bharathi urged the government to declare the Loop Road a protected fishing zone to safeguard the fishing communities.

The bypolls were necessitated after AIADMK MLAs Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama, who won the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies, respectively, in the Assembly election, resigned and joined the TVK within weeks of the election results.

The issue has already emerged as a key campaign theme for the Left parties. CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said on Tuesday that the “betrayal” of voters by the two former AIADMK MLAs would be the Left’s primary campaign plank.

“This is going to be our primary election campaign tool. They betrayed the people by resigning their MLA posts before the ink dried on the finger. Within 20 days of the election results, they resigned. What is the guarantee that they will not repeat this and join some other party,” Shanmugam asked a joint press conference where CPI state secretary M Veerapandian announced P Laxmanan as the Left candidate for Dharapuram. Shanmugam announced CPM candidate P Suganthi for Madurantakam.

DMK youth wing secretary and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, addressing a marriage function at Velachery on Sunday, alleged that the government had come to power by “buying” MLAs from another party, necessitating the bypolls.

Udhayanidhi said the bypoll victories should mark the beginning of the TVK government’s downfall and urged voters to defeat the ruling party.

While the DMK has suffered defection of its major allies, including Congress, CPM, CPI, VCK and IUML, to the TVK after the polls, the AIADMK alliance seems to be remaining intact except for the PMK, which has remained silent on extending support.

Amid the bypolls, arch-rivals DMK and AIADMK cadres shared sweets and greetings at Anna's birth anniversary celebration in Tirupur; something unheard of in the past.

Meanwhile, the electoral contest is taking shape in both constituencies. In Madurantakam, DMK’s I Paranthaman, TVK’s Maragatham Kumaravel and NTK’s Janakiraman filed their nominations on Tuesday. AIADMK and CPM candidates are expected to file their papers on Wednesday, the last day for nominations, making it a five-cornered contest.

In Dharapuram, 13 candidates including six females had filed nominations till Tuesday. TVK’s Sathyabama, AIADMK’s Bhanumathi and candidates of the CPM and NTK are among those expected to file nominations on Wednesday.

Tagore said the Centre's reluctance to release caste-wise census data and details of corporate loan write-offs exposed what he termed its class and caste bias. He questioned why OBC caste details were being collected through an open-ended format when clear lists were available for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

He pointed out that the Union government's OBC list includes more than 220 communities in Tamil Nadu and argued that collecting details without a predefined list could lead to spelling variations and classification errors. With around 34 lakh enumerators involved in the census exercise, he said the absence of a standardised list could compromise data accuracy.

Tagore alleged that inaccurate OBC data could eventually be used to undermine reservation benefits, including Tamil Nadu's 69 per cent reservation system. He also accused the RSS of opposing social justice and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were implementing its agenda.

The TNCC president announced a statewide campaign to create awareness about the issue, coordinated by TNCC OBC wing president TA Naveen. The campaign will begin in Chennai on September 17 under Tagore's leadership and will be inaugurated by Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani.

Tagore said the campaign will cover 10 cities and the Congress would demonstrate the problems associated with the open-ended method and advocate a verified dropdown system for collecting caste data.

The textbooks are being printed following the introduction of a revised/new syllabus for elementary classes from the current academic year.

Officials said that the process has been expedited after receiving the necessary approvals. “The first-term textbooks were released a couple of months ago, following which preparations for the second-term books began. The process has now been expedited,” a department official said.

The first term, which began in June, is scheduled to conclude by the end of September, after the quarterly exams. The Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation is making arrangements to ensure the new textbooks reach schools in time for distribution to students after the holidays.

The syllabus revision is part of the broader changes initiated after the State Education Policy (SEP) was launched in August 2025, while DMK was in power. It is expected that the new syllabus for remaining classes will come into effect from the next academic year.

According to the police, Maheswari, a resident of Jeyabharath Metro City, is working as the headmistress of a government school at nearby Konthagai village.

Her son, Prabhu, runs an insurance agency, the police said. Prabhu, along with his wife and mother, had gone to Madurai to attend the funeral and returned home on Monday night.

However, they were shocked to find the house open and the valuables missing. Tiruppuvanam police personnel inspected the spot and collected evidence, and conducted the investigation.

In a statement, Nainar Nagenthran said the idol had been installed as part of Vinayagar Chaturthi celebrations and criticised its depiction in the likeness of Vijay. He alleged that a deity revered and worshipped by crores of people should not be used for individual glorification or political publicity.

"Transforming an image revered and worshipped by crores of people for individual glorification and political publicity demeans their spiritual sentiments," he said.

The former minister also criticised Vijay for failing to condemn the alleged act at the outset. He claimed that the Chief Minister's silence had encouraged TVK functionaries to engage in such acts.

Nainar said the use of religious imagery for political self-promotion was unacceptable and appealed to the government to safeguard the religious sentiments and worship traditions of the people.

He also demanded that those responsible for displaying the idol be arrested, contending that such acts could undermine the sanctity of religious observances.

The services will connect Tirupati with Chennai, Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai, Karaikudi, Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam, Sengottai, Puducherry, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Tambaram, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Harur and Hosur.

Advance booking will be available for services from Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai, Karaikudi, Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam, Sengottai and Puducherry. Devotees can book through www.tnstc.in and the TNSTC official app.

Also, 285 special buses have been planned for the Meenakshi Amman temple consecration in Madurai.

Meanwhile, 2,716 buses reached the city by Tuesday morning, bringing back passengers after the Vinayaka Chaturthi holiday, with another 623 buses kept ready for deployment based on demand.

Transport minister A Vijay Thamizhan Parthiban inspected the arrangements at Kilambakkam bus terminus and Koyambedu bus stand early Tuesday. He directed officials to deploy extra buses immediately wherever required and monitor crowding and connecting services at the terminals.

Of the 3,339 buses planned for Monday, 1,099 were regular services and 2,240 were special buses. For Tuesday, the department planned 1,099 regular buses and 1,325 special services.

The MTC also operated around 397 buses from Kilambakkam to different parts of Chennai from early morning to connect returning passengers to their destinations. Additional buses were kept ready depending on passenger arrivals.

Between September 11 and 13, state transport corporations operated 6,212 buses from Kilambakkam for passengers travelling out of Chennai for the holiday. The services comprised 3,297 regular and 2,915 special buses, carrying around 2.48 lakh passengers.

Special inspection teams comprising regional transport officers and motor vehicle inspectors have been checking omni buses for the past five days following complaints of passengers being charged more than the prevailing fares.

Officials have inspected buses across Tamil Nadu and issued inspection reports and e-challans to 1,169 buses in which violations were detected. A compounding fee of Rs 24.44 lakh was imposed, of which Rs 5.4 lakh was collected as spot fines.

The department also collected Rs 53.62 lakh in taxes due from omni buses registered in other states but operating in Tamil Nadu. The total collection through tax and compounding fees in the five-day drive stood at Rs 59.02 lakh. Six buses were detained for operating without valid fitness certificates and without paying the applicable road tax.

Around 3,000 omni buses operate from Chennai to various parts of Tamil Nadu during festival periods. The department said that around 40 special teams had been deployed across TN and inspections would continue to prevent overcharging and other violations.

The department also warned operators that if an online ticket booked by a passenger was cancelled by the bus owner, an alternative bus must be arranged for the passenger. Failure to do so could lead to cancellation of the bus permit.

For complaints, call 9384808333 or visit tc.tn@nic.inThe department also warned operators that if an online ticket booked by a passenger was cancelled by the bus owner, an alternative bus must be arranged for the passenger. Failure to do so could lead to cancellation of the bus permit.

For complaints, call 9384808333 or visit tc.tn@nic.in

Launching the AI-based Large Language Model (LLM), ‘Sanskrit Heritage Model’, at the Madras Sanskrit College here, Sitharaman said that language learning should draw people towards great literature rather than confine them to rigid grammatical rules.

“The language has to be tempting enough for people to learn. These are the kind of spice you need into it,” she said, cautioning against tools that are dry as bone in teaching Sanskrit. “We need for wider critical and appreciative studies of Indian classics, contrasting the extensive scholarship available on William Shakespeare with the relative scarcity of accessible analytical works on Sanskrit poet Kalidasa.”

She added that AI could help bridge this gap by analysing classical texts extensively. “A tool capable of explaining grammar, Sandhi and Samasa and identifying literary devices such as Upamas could provide scholars with an invaluable research aid,” she said.

Highlighting Sanskrit’s historical influence beyond India, she referred to the presence of Sanskrit words in contemporary Croatian and Indic-language repositories in the Philippines, Vietnam’s Cham kingdom, Central Asia and the Caucasus. She urged technologists to use AI to locate and index manuscripts, palm-leaf records and inscriptions scattered across global archives, citing the Leiden copper plates that documented grants to a Buddhist vihara near Nagapattinam.

“That biggest strength, which is in our DNA, should not be lost,” she said. “We must carry India’s linguistic heritage into the 21st and 22nd centuries through technology.”

The model was developed by Articul8 AI, led by CEO Arun K Subramaniyan, Managing Director Ananthanarayanan Shanmugham and Trustee and Director of the Madras Sanskrit College, Sri Ramesh Mahalingam. BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran, actor Chinni Jeyanth and former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami attended the event.

Around 60,000 domestic services had been blocked under the earlier criteria, which flagged bills showing a variation of more than 20% from the previous assessment.

TNPDCL said that the exercise had led to a large number of genuine assessments being sent for re-verification amid sharp consumption variations caused by humid weather. Field officials had also reported staff shortages and difficulties in using the user IDs of vacant posts to review blocked services.

Under the revised system, only bills where the differential amount exceeds Rs 3,000 compared with the previous assessment will be blocked. TNPDCL said that inspection of more than 29,300 blocked services had detected only 100 billing errors, putting the error rate at 0.34%.

The corporation has prescribed different levels of officials to re-verify bills based on the excess amount, with AEE-level officials checking bills where the increase exceeds Rs 20,000. The exercise has to be completed within five days of blocking the bill to enable prompt corrective action.

According to a GO, Balachander was stripped of his duties with immediate effect. Avadi Corporation Commissioner R Saranya has been given full additional charge of Tambaram Corporation. The government also ordered a detailed departmental inquiry into the incident.

The TVK government's rapid response unfolded on the very day Arappor submitted a detailed complaint to the Chief Minister and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, among others.

The NGO alleged that two civic projects, valued at Rs 45.9 lakh, were executed and inaugurated even before the formal tender process had concluded. Arappor Iyakkam claimed the works were carried out to benefit predetermined contractors, with tender notices uploaded subsequently on the Tamil Nadu Tenders portal to regularise the illegalities.

The NGO pointed out that a project worth Rs 27.3 lakh, involving the installation of an Ashoka pillar and beautification of the Perungalathur bridge roundabout, was floated online on August 6 with a bid-opening date set for August 24. However, the work had already been finished and inaugurated on July 29 in the presence of Minister D Sarathkumar and civic officials.

A similar violation occurred in a second tender for installing a Save Water Concept statue, landscaping, and beautification at Chitlapakkam Roudana, valued at Rs 18.6 lakh. Though published on August 6 with bid opening slated for August 24, 2026, the work was inaugurated on August 10 — 14 days prior to the deadline for bid submission and opening.

A similar violation occurred in a second tender for installing a Save Water Concept statue, landscaping, and beautification at Chitlapakkam Roudana, valued at Rs 18.6 lakh. Though published on August 6 with bid opening slated for August 24, 2026, the work was inaugurated on August 10 — 14 days prior to the deadline for bid submission and opening.

Electricity minister CTR Nirmal Kumar said on Tuesday that the state had purchased 2,000 MW last week and was set to buy another 1,500 MW to compensate for the further decline in wind power generation. This takes the additional power procured because of the wind power deficit to 3,500 MW.

"Last year, power demand during this period was around 16,000 MW. This year, it is around 19,000 MW. The demand is about 3,000 MW higher. Besides, wind power generation has fallen by around 1,500 MW," he said.

The minister said power was being purchased, despite market rates crossing Rs 20 per unit on some days, to avoid load shedding. "Other states are resorting to load shedding because of the high market rates. We are purchasing power so that the public does not face hardships,” he said.

Nirmal Kumar maintained that Tamil Nadu was not currently facing a power shortage and that there had been no major outages attributable to the deficit. Isolated interruptions, he said, were due to routine failures such as transformer or equipment breakdowns.

The minister said the government was working to reduce its dependence on expensive short-term market purchases by entering into long-term power purchase agreements. Some of the agreements are expected to start supplying power from October.

With solar power generation peaking during the daytime and the major demand surging in the evening and night hours, the state is preparing a battery energy storage policy, which will be launched within 10 days, the minister said.

Tamil Nadu has already crossed 30,000 MW of installed solar capacity. "We have exhausted the transmission capacity. The problem is that solar power is not available after around 3pm. So, when we have a shortage of 1,000 to 2,000 MW during peak hours, we need battery storage to bridge the gap," he explained.

The government is also working on a single-window portal for domestic rooftop solar applications, incorporating both state and central subsidies.

On reports of power cuts at political events and other venues, Nirmal Kumar said some incidents were caused by local equipment failures and not by a power shortage. But media houses supported by some opposition parties were using old videos to project power cuts as current incidents.

Speaking at a seminar organised in Gummidipoondi, Shanmugam said land was fundamental not only to farmers' livelihoods but also to food and agricultural production. He alleged that successive governments were introducing laws that would drive farmers away from agriculture.

He said the DMK government had enacted the Tamil Nadu Land Consolidation Act, 2023, under which land belonging to different departments, including agricultural and common lands, could be acquired for projects classified as "special projects". The provisions could also pave the way for handing over lakes, ponds and other waterbodies to private entities, he alleged.

"The CPM strongly opposed the law when it was introduced, and the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association conducted several protests against it. The present TVK government should take steps to withdraw the law as it is detrimental to the future of Tamil Nadu," he said.

Pointing out the recent amendment concerning the conversion of wetland for other purposes, he said the 1971 law required approval of the district collector and the concerned local body before such conversion. But now, the approval of the Director of Municipal Administration would suffice, he noted.

"This takes away the powers of local bodies. Revenue officials have the expertise to deal with land records and classifications. The Director of Municipal Administration does not have the same expertise," he said, urging the government to withdraw the amendment.

He also criticised the new law reducing the minimum land requirement for establishing private universities from 100 acres to 25 acres. He alleged that the move would encourage private universities and lead to a commercialisation of higher education.

Shanmugam said a similar provision had been introduced during an earlier DMK regime but was subsequently withdrawn following opposition from the CPM and others. He alleged that the present TVK government had brought back the same provision without making substantive changes.

"Reservation will not be implemented in private universities in the same manner, affecting students from SC, ST and backward communities. The move will turn higher education into a business," he said.

On the detention of farmers who planned to participate in a protest in Tiruchi seeking complete crop loan waiver, Shanmugam said preventing farmers from expressing their views and placing them under house arrest was condemnable.

He said the government had already announced crop loan waivers on three occasions, totalling around Rs 6,800 crore, but a section of farmers remained dissatisfied. He urged the government to invite farmers' organisation leaders for talks and resolve the issue.

A similar power outage disrupted events attended by Revenue Minister KA Sengottaiyan on Monday and VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Sunday.

TNPDCL, however, said the interruption was due to repair work at the Gummidipoondi 33/11 kV substation. A faulty 33 kV AB switch, which had malfunctioned since Saturday, was being repaired from 11am. Power supply to areas served by the substation had been switched to the SIPCOT substation.

The utility said the changeover caused a 10-minute outage in Gummidipoondi Bazaar between 10.50 am and 11 am. The switch was repaired and supply restored around 12.05 pm. TNPDCL also said it had not been informed about the public meeting.

Dr G Chandrabose filed a writ petition before the Madras High Court seeking a CBI probe into several complaints regarding the circulation of fabricated digital content through X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp, allegedly targeting the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), its leaders and public personalities.

The matter came up for further hearing before Justice V Lakshminarayanan. The plea stated that the impugned content included AI-generated images, morphed photographs, manipulated videos, fabricated news cards and misleading captions.

The petitioner submitted that the materials were not merely fair political criticism, but prima facie disclosed cognizable offences, including impersonation of reputed media organisations, public mischief, defamation, circulation of false electronic content, and acts affecting public order, decency and morality.

He said he had lodged several complaints with the Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police, and other police authorities. However, despite the complaints disclosing cognizable offences, the police had allegedly failed to register FIRs, conduct a proper investigation, or take effective steps to preserve electronic evidence.

He further submitted that the delay and inaction could cause serious prejudice, as cyber evidence is volatile and could be deleted, altered, masked or destroyed.

Expressing apprehension about a fair and impartial investigation by the State Police due to the political sensitivity of the allegations and the alleged proximity of certain persons or entities to the present administration, he sought transfer of the complaints to the CBI for a fair, independent and effective investigation within a time frame fixed by the Court.

Public Prosecutor John Sathyan sought two weeks and stated that comprehensive efforts were being undertaken to formulate a detailed procedure for the removal of defamatory posts from social media platforms.

Accepting the request, the Court granted two weeks and adjourned the hearing. The judge also advised the police to take comprehensive and appropriate action against members of all political parties who post defamatory content on social media platforms.

The Madurai district administration suspended Rooba on September 7 after Melur police registered a case against her under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following a complaint by a sanitation worker, T Sasikala, from the village.

Sasikala alleged in her complaint that Rooba had humiliated her by referring to her caste, followed a two-tumbler system in the panchayat and forced her and three other sanitation workers to clean the houses of members of the Scheduled Caste.

However, Rooba denied the charges in a petition filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, seeking a direction to the Sessions Judge, Special Court for Trial of Cases under the SC/ST (POA) Act, to consider her bail application and dispose of it on the same day of her surrender.

Rooba alleged that Punitha, the previous secretary of Kambur Panchayat, had instigated the sanitation workers to lodge a complaint against her.

She further alleged that Sasikala developed personal vengeance and animosity towards her after she warned her for not performing her sanitation duties. Hence, Sasikala lodged the complaint with an ulterior motive to cause prejudice to Rooba and jeopardise her career by misusing the provisions of the SC/ST (POA) Act, she alleged.

Rooba informed the court that no such incident of caste discrimination, as alleged by Sasikala in her complaint, had taken place.

After hearing the submissions of the petitioner's counsel, the court directed Rooba to surrender before the trial court by September 28.

A team comprising DMK MLAs MRK Panneerselvam, Vasantham Karthikeyan and E Raja, led by DMK Whip EV Velu, submitted the petition to the Assembly Secretary.

Following the meeting, the DMK team told reporters that minister Nirmalkumar had spoken about leaders who were not present in the Assembly during the proceedings. They urged the Speaker to take action against the minister for breach of privilege.

Citing the Assembly rules and protocol, Whip Velu said that making allegations against a person who was not present in the House was contrary to the Assembly rules.

"If anyone needs to speak about a person who is not present in the House, prior intimation should be given to the Speaker. But Minister Nirmalkumar did not give any such intimation to the Speaker," Velu said.

He said if the Speaker referred the petition to the Privileges Committee, the committee, headed by Deputy Speaker M Ravishankar, would examine the matter and give the minister an opportunity to respond. Based on the committee's report, the Speaker would take appropriate action, he added.

Minister Nirmalkumar had claimed that there was no official record showing that former Chief Minister MK Stalin was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). Speaking in the Assembly, the minister argued that not everyone detained during the Emergency period was necessarily arrested under MISA. He further alleged that Stalin had been arrested for other reasons, including remarks concerning former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.