The one-day weekend package tour, chalking out a 15-hour pilgrimage with a 53-seat air-conditioned bus for the devotees of Lord Vishnu, will commence its journey from Kumbakonam bus stand at around 5 am and return to Kumbakonam by around 8 pm during weekends.

The devotees can book tickets for this Srivaishnava Divya Desam temple pilgrimage tour (Saturdays and Sundays) online through www.tnstc.in or through the TNSTC mobile application by remitting Rs 1,350 fare per passenger.

The temples covered in this package tour include Sri Thadalanperumal temple in Sirkazhi, Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple in Nachiyar Kovil, Senganur, Sri Parimala Ranganatha Perumal temple in Thiruindhalur, Mayiladuthurai, Sri Kalyana Ranganatha Perumal temple in Thirunagari, Sri Pallikonda Perumal temple in Thirunangur, Sri Annanperumal temple in Annankovil, Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple in Thirumanikoodam, Sri Kudamedu Koothar temple, Ariyameya Vinnagaram, Sri Narayana Perumal temple, Manimadakovil, and Sri Vaikunthanathar temple, Sri Venpurushothamar temple, Sri Semponsei Perumal temple and Sri Sarangapani temple in Kumbakonam.

On Saturday, V Dhakshinamurthy, the managing director of TNSTC, Kumbakonam Division, inaugurated the service.

The police identified the deceased as K Srilekha (26), a resident of Vadakku Veedhi in Tiruvarur and a psychology degree holder. She was said to be in a relationship with a person from the locality for the past three years. However, her parents rejected their love and arranged Srilekha's marriage with a person from Mayiladuthurai, who was said to be working in a reputed firm abroad. They got engaged a few months ago.

In such a backdrop, Srilekha’s parents found that the groom was a menial labourer and stopped the wedding process. They started searching for another groom.

In the meantime, Srilekha had insisted that her parents approve her love relationship and arrange the wedding with her lover, which her parents opposed. This led to frequent family disputes.

On Saturday morning, after one such tiff over marriage, Srilekha poured kerosene over herself and set herself ablaze. Shocked, her father Kumar (60) attempted to rescue her but she died and Kumar sustained severe burn injuries. The neighbours rushed Kumar to Tiruvarur Government Medical College Hospital, where he has been undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, the Tiruvarur town police rushed to the house and retrieved the body of Srilekha and sent it to the Tiruvarur Medical College Hospital for post-mortem. A case was registered, and further investigations are on.

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In order to sustain the urban greenery, the Tiruchy Corporation launched the initiative to plant 3 lakh saplings and develop Miyawaki forests in several wards, for which the civic administration developed nurseries in every zone.

Apart from the corporation staff, the Corporation also deployed volunteers in the plantation drive. As part of the drive, saplings of shady and flowering trees like Neem, Poovarasu (Pacific rosewood), Veppalai (ivory wood), Gulmohar (Royal Poinciana), Neermarudu, Vanni (Jammi tree) and Sarakondrai (Golden Shower tree) have been nurtured in the nurseries and distributed for planting.

On Saturday, the Corporation Commissioner N Ponmani inspected the nursery garden at Ambedkar Nagar, where more than one lakh saplings are being maintained. After inspection, the Commissioner said, "The 3 lakh tree plantation drive had already commenced, and 45 per cent of the plantation has been completed already. The remaining saplings would be planted in certain intervals." “This initiative by the civic administration has been made to beautify the city and to stabilise the temperature by augmenting green cover in the city," the commissioner noted.

She also said that the saplings would be planted in the corporation-owned public parks, near the overhead tanks, platforms and river banks. “Besides this, Miyawaki forests have also been developed in several parts of the city," Ponmani added.

Polling in the two constituencies will be held on Tuesday from 7 am to 6 pm. Under the Representation of the People Act, public meetings and processions connected with the elections will be prohibited during the 48-hour period preceding the close of polling.

The public display or propagation of election-related matters through television, cinema, FM radio and electronic communication platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, X, SMS and the internet, will also be prohibited. Musical concerts, theatrical performances and other entertainment programmes cannot be used to propagate election-related matters during this period.

Violations of these provisions are punishable under the Representation of the People Act with imprisonment of up to two years, a fine, or both.

Political functionaries and party workers brought from outside the constituencies who are not voters there have been directed to leave after 6 pm on Sunday. Officials will inspect marriage halls, community halls, lodges and guest houses to identify outsiders staying in the constituencies.

Candidates and their agents have also been barred from transporting voters to or from polling stations. Election booths can be set up only 100 metres outside polling stations, with a maximum of two persons manning each booth.

The seizures were made as the Election Commission stepped up surveillance to prevent the clandestine distribution of cash and gift articles to voters. Campaigning for the bypoll ends on Saturday evening.

In the latest seizure, flying squad officials intercepted a car near Sotthupakkam Road on Friday while it was travelling towards Vandavasi and found Rs 4 lakh being carried without valid documents. The cash was seized and handed over to the treasury at the Madurantakam Tahsildar's office.

Earlier, during a vehicle check near Ramapuram on Saturday morning, a flying squad stopped a car travelling from Vandavasi towards Chennai and found Rs 31.30 lakh concealed inside it. Another car checked in the same

Poll officials seized Rs 31.30 lakh cash during a vehicle check near Ramapuram in a Chennai bound car from Vandavasi area was found carrying Rs 80,000, which was also seized.

In a separate check on Bazaar Street in Achcharapakkam, officials intercepted a car and seized Rs 2 lakh being carried without supporting documents.

The flying squad also conducted a search at a private lodge near Sotthupakkam and seized Rs 13 lakh from a person who could not produce valid documents for the cash.

The Election Commission has deployed 12 flying squads in the Madurantakam constituency to conduct intensive vehicle checks and inspections during the final phase of campaigning. The seized cash was handed over to the treasury.

Speaking to reporters at the Sivaganga Congress office, Chidambaram said Vijay appeared to be adapting to the demands of electoral politics.

His comments came amid questions about the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)’s campaign and allegations that the party was distributing money to voters in a by-election. Chidambaram said he had no information about the alleged money distribution.

If such payments had indeed been made, he added, it would not be the first time such a practice had occurred in Tamil Nadu.

The Congress MP also touched upon the changing political alignments in the State, noting that one party had left the INDIA bloc while another had joined it. He welcomed the TVK’s participation in the day’s meeting, signalling the evolving political equations ahead of the elections.

The electoral process itself, however, needed greater attention, he said, taking aim at the Election Commission. The poll body was expected to facilitate voting for citizens aged 18 and above, but he alleged it instead focused on removing eligible voters.

Moving from electoral politics to issues affecting voters in their daily lives, Chidambaram backed the free bus travel scheme for women, saying greater use of public transport could reduce private vehicle use, traffic congestion and fuel expenditure. He also welcomed increased reliance on government transport services.

The use of government transport infrastructure for political branding, however, was another matter, he said, observing that ruling parties painting transport corporation buses in their party colours was a common practice.

Similarly, he said, questions of accessibility and public convenience should guide decisions on road signboards, referring to the controversy over the use of Hindi.

Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has registered another case against the businessman, taking the total number of cases against him to five.

The SIT did not divulge any details of the complaint except that it is from a Chennai resident.

On the same day, a woman from Tiruvannamalai approached the SIT through their WhatsApp helpline 9345319676, alleging that Veeramani sexually abused her when she was a minor.

No case has been registered so far, as the police are still verifying the veracity of her complaint.

Veeramani, who ran GEM granites and a group of companies and his associates have been in prison since August 29.

A pendrive with the video was sent to the city police’s Immoral Trafficking Prevention Unit in October 2025 and a case was registered on October 7, 2025.

However, the city police filed a closure report in February 2026, stating that the video was unclear; the report was, however, rejected by a special court judge, forcing the police to begin their investigations again.

The police identified the elderly man in the video as Veeramani and began a probe. Another person, Ganesan (42), a former employee of Veermani, was arrested for being in possession of a video of Veermani sexually abusing a minor and not alerting the police.

The case has eventually been transferred to an all-woman SIT, supervised by the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj.

On Thursday, Amalraj had issued orders directing to detain Veeramani and two of his associates, Mahandra Simhan (63) and Shanthi (60), under the Goondas Act.

Veeramani case: Initial investigator moved to VR

Inspector C Mahesh Kumar, who was part of the anti-vice squad (AVS) team that initially probed the complaint against Gem Granites chairman R Veeramani in 2025, has been transferred and placed on Vacancy Reserve (VR) with immediate effect on administrative grounds on Saturday.

Mahesh Kumar, who was serving as an Inspector at the Meenambakkam police station, has been directed to report to the police control room.

He had served as an AVS inspector in 2025 when an NGO submitted a complaint against Veeramani along with a pen drive containing a video clip that, according to the complaint, showed the businessman sexually abusing a minor girl.

The complaint was initially registered by the Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) and was later forwarded to AVS for investigation.

Mahesh Kumar was assigned as the investigating officer after the complaint was transferred to AVS.

A group of 20 tourists from Tiruvannamalai arrived in Munnar on a sightseeing trip in a mini-bus on Saturday morning.

While travelling towards Munnar via Nedumkandam in Idukki district, the bus went out of the driver's control near Karunapuram, beyond Nedumkandam on the Nedumkandam–Munnar road, tilted to one side and met with an accident.

Fourteen tourists travelling on the bus were injured in the accident.

Residents rescued them all and sent them to Theni Government Medical College Hospital, where they are receiving treatment.

Association general secretary PS Masilamani said the order would exclude a large section of farmers from accessing subsidised fertiliser. He also objected to the requirement for farmers to register their identity through the Framework for Fertiliser Sale (FFS) mobile app, which allows access only on submission of land ownership documents.

“Instead of regulating fertiliser distribution, the Union government has restricted the subsidy for fertiliser. This would affect farming activities,” he said.

Masilamani said more than 60 per cent of farmers in Tamil Nadu were tenant farmers who either cultivated land belonging to temples and mutts or leased land from others.

“The present order of the Union government would affect a large section of farmers in Tamil Nadu and so the order should be withdrawn immediately,” he said.

He also urged the Union government to extend the benefits of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and pension for farmers aged 60 and above to tenant farmers.

According to police, SP E Sundaravadanam formed a special team headed by the Thiruvonam Sub Inspector to curb the anti-social activities at Orathanadu.

Other team members included Head Constable Dharmalingam, policemen Jagan and Chinnadurai.

In such a backdrop, SI Kumaravel had secured an accused involved in a theft case at Orathanadu and retrieved the stolen jewellery.

Instead of handing over the recovered jewellery to the owners, the SI and his team had kept the jewellery for themselves.

Subsequently, the victim lodged a complaint with the SP Sundaravadanam, who conducted an internal inquiry in which the members of the special team were found to be lethargic and derelict in their duty.

Following this, the SP transferred the team to the Armed Reserve Force on Saturday.

After considering various car models, the government said it has zeroed in on the Mahindra Scorpio as the vehicle for MLAs, after the company showcased its lineup in a jiffy following an announcement in the Assembly. Around 175 of the 234 legislators, excluding those from the DMK, are expected to receive the SUVs within the next few weeks, a government official said.

The DMK, however, has made it clear that its 59 MLAs do not want government-provided cars. The party recently wrote to the Assembly Secretariat stating that its legislators did not require the facility. All its MLAs, including alliance candidates elected on the DMK symbol, have signed the letter.

The request has now been referred to the Chief Minister, who is yet to take a decision on whether to accept the DMK's refusal.

"Following that, other issues, including guidelines and the usage of the cars, will be decided. The letter is on the Chief Minister's table, and he will take the final call on the issue," the official said.

The DMK's decision sets it apart from several other parties in the Assembly. The AIADMK and PMK have decided to accept the government cars, while the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has taken a more selective approach.

The TVK has already announced that only MLAs who require the facility will use it, with those who do not need the cars opting out. However, it is yet to be known how many TVK MLAs will actually reject the facility.

The government car package goes beyond the vehicle itself. According to Chief Minister Vijay's announcement, each MLA will also receive Rs 75,000 a month towards the driver's salary, fuel and maintenance expenses. An additional Rs 25,000 a month will be provided as a personal assistance allowance.

With the Scorpio decision settled, the government's immediate task is therefore less about choosing the vehicle and more about settling who will actually take the keys.

Today, Sugandhi is a Bengaluru-based wildlife filmmaker-cinematographer and National Geographic Explorer, and has made My Otter Diary, a documentary she directed, filmed and narrated. Centred on Maya, a smooth-coated otter, the film follows her family while also looking beyond the animals to explore the river, its ecosystem and the fishing communities that depend on it. Sugandhi’s connection to the Cauvery, too, began in childhood. While visiting the river during her school holidays, she noticed something briefly surfacing in the water before disappearing. “I was like, what was that thing that I saw? Someone later told me it was an otter and I never saw it again, but the fleeting encounter lingered,” she recalls.

Years later, Sugandhi and her husband and filmmaking partner Raghunath ‘Rana’ Belur, both members of the IUCN Otter Specialist Group, went to the Cauvery to make My Otter Diary. “There we found a family of otters and started observing them. Otters are so elusive, like an illusion. That’s how she got her name Maya,” she explains. Sugandhi, Rana and Shivanna 'Shivu', a local fisherman who features in the film, spent weeks watching them, using long telephoto lenses from the opposite bank, camera traps and underwater GoPros. Gradually, the family revealed distinct personalities: Maya was graceful and poised, while the youngsters were playful. One sub-adult even used to chew anything made of rubber. “We never ever went close to them because that’s when we get to see them as they are,” Sugandhi says.

Living with the otters

Soon, the waiting became a way of life for them. After the COVID-19 lockdown, Sugandhi and Rana moved to a village near the Cauvery and rented a small house. Their days began around 5 am, with the two taking positions along the river based on previous sightings and camera-trap footage. There was no guarantee the otters would appear. “Some days we would just watch the river, enjoy the bird calls and get bitten by a thousand mosquitoes,” she chuckles.

One of the documentary’s most demanding sequences involved otters stealing fish from fishermen’s nets, something Shivu had observed. The filmmakers used underwater GoPros and developed a system using a special cable to remotely trigger the camera when an otter approached. After repeated attempts, they finally recorded the otters raiding fishing nets underwater. “For us, it was very special to actually have recorded that moment,” Sugandhi says. “There is this dedicated relationship between the fishing communities and the otters, but it’s also a complex one because otters have adapted to stealing from fishermen,” Sugandhi says. Pollution, changing landscapes and possible declines in fish numbers add further pressure to a river both depend on.

The river also constantly complicated the shoot. Rising water submerged camera traps and destroyed footage, while filming from a coracle made it difficult to maintain a steady frame. Disturbances along the riverbank also caused otters to shift dens, forcing the filmmakers to search for them again.

A still from My Otter DiaryAfter years of filming, Sugandhi, Rana and Chennai-based editor Joseph Raja spent around nine months sifting through the footage to shape the final film. For Sugandhi, narrating the documentary brought the journey full circle. “I wanted my story, my journey to be in my voice,” she says.

My Otter Diary has received international recognition, including at the Jackson Wild Media Awards, Accolade Global Film Competition and Best Shorts Competition. “I want to talk more about lesser-known species, about the beautiful natural heritage that India has,” she concludes.

Justice Sunder Mohan confirmed the family court's order. The woman had filed a maintenance petition before the family court. She stated that she had been acquainted with her future spouse in 2014 through a common friend. The man had introduced himself as a movie producer and later said he had an educational institution, while the woman was a model.

The man, who was married at the time, had expressed his love for her, which she refused and later, in August 2016, he convinced her that he was in a troubled marriage and had divorced his wife. According to her, he also allegedly showed a copy of the divorce order.

The couple then married at a temple in Uthiramerur on January 20, 2020, and lived with their son, born in March 2021. His family members visited her and the baby and celebrated festivals with them.

She stated that the man stopped seeing her and their son from June 2022, but his parents continued to visit them. She claimed she was unable to maintain herself and the child, as she couldn't continue her job after childbirth. She sought Rs 6 lakh a month for herself and Rs 4 lakh for their son, claiming the man was earning Rs 30 lakh a month.

The man had denied the allegations, including that he had married the woman or lived with her. The family court held that the man had suppressed his existing marriage and could not take advantage of his own wrong. It awarded Rs 1 lakh a month as maintenance to the woman and Rs 1.5 lakh to the minor son in March 2026.

Challenging the order, the man approached the Madras High Court.

The High Court observed that strict proof of marriage was not essential for a claim under Section 125 of the CrPC when the relationship was continuous and had existed for a sufficiently long period, in which case marriage could be presumed.

The court also relied on the child's birth certificate, Aadhaar and photographs to conclude that the relationship had been continuous and that the man had treated the woman as his wife.

The court noted that the family court had determined the man's monthly income at Rs 10 lakh and that he had not disputed the finding. The man had claimed the woman had sufficient means to maintain herself and owned a flat worth Rs 1.70 crore and two luxury cars. However, evidence showed that the woman did not have a regular source of income.

Considering the parties' status and her lack of regular income, the High Court held that the monthly maintenance of Rs 2.5 lakh was reasonable and dismissed the criminal revision petition.

The Mylapore Area All Fishermen Village Panchayat Council has called for the protest, demanding withdrawal of GO 564 for the new Assembly with Secretariat Complex construction at Pattinapakkam.

The protest will be held at 10 am at the Mullikuppam-Srinivasapuram Loop Road junction. Residents will also hoist black flags along the beach stretches of the 10 villages.

The fishermen had earlier staged a protest on September 29, demanding that the government withdraw the order and retain the land for the fishing community. The latest protest was announced as part of their continued opposition to the proposed land allocation.

According to the Fishermen Village Panchayat council, the land covered under Survey Nos. 4592 and 4593 was acquired under GO Ms no. 3313 dated October 10, 1957, specifically for the rehabilitation and long-term housing of local fishermen.

The council said diverting the land for the Secretariat project would violate the government's earlier commitment. It also cited State climate vulnerability assessments, claiming Mullikuppam is projected to remain safe from sea level rise until 2050 and 2100.

Fishermen urged the government to recognise the area as a fishermen residential zone under the CRZ Notification 2019.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday launched the Vettri Payanam scheme, expanding the existing free travel facility for women on ordinary fare buses to Express, LSS and Deluxe government buses operating in urban and city areas. The scheme also covers Mofussil Ordinary buses and Ghat Ordinary buses on hill routes exceeding 40 km.

However, the scheme is not being implemented on buses operating within Chengalpattu district during the election period. As a result, women travelling on services to Tambaram, Vandalur, Kilambakkam and other parts of the district are being asked to pay fares on buses that would otherwise come under the expanded scheme.

The confusion came to light after passenger Barani Kumar, who posted on X, sought clarification from MTC after travelling with his wife from Vandalur to Mylapore on a 21G Deluxe service around 10 am on October 3. He said he booked a ticket for himself through the Chennai One app and asked the conductor for a free ticket for his wife.

“The conductor told me that the bus did not come under the category. I then booked another ticket for my wife,” he said, seeking clarification from MTC on the buses covered under Vettri Payanam.

MTC Chennai, in response, said the bus originated in Chengalpattu district and that, as the Model Code of Conduct was in force, buses operating within Chengalpattu district would not be covered under the scheme.

A 21G conductor said the arrangement had become difficult to explain to passengers as several routes cross district boundaries. For instance, a woman boarding a 21G at Royapuram and travelling towards Vandalur could travel free up to Pallavaram, but would have to pay the fare thereafter as the route enters Chengalpattu district, he said.

“Many passengers argue with us as they do not understand the arrangement,” the conductor said.

MTC crews operating services to Chromepet, Medavakkam, Perumbakkam, Kelambakkam and Mahabalipuram are also facing similar difficulties as the routes criss-cross Chennai and Chengalpattu districts.

The situation has also raised questions among passengers over how the scheme should be applied when a single bus service operates across the district boundary, particularly on routes where the same service is covered by the scheme in one stretch but excluded in another.

The joining is significant, as Tagore earlier rejected any possibility of a Vijay-led TVK presence in the bloc, claiming the alliance is for parties with MPs, apparently keeping the door open for the DMK at the national level. Their latest development seems to be a reaction to DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi meeting non-Congress INDIA bloc leaders, in what is being speculated as the formation of a third force.

The alliance meeting adopted five resolutions, including one formally welcoming TVK and its leader and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for coming forward to work with the INDIA bloc. The leaders congratulated Vijay on his decision and said TVK's participation would strengthen the alliance.

The meeting also focused on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The INDIA bloc parties announced a series of protests across Tamil Nadu, alleging that the revision could affect the voting rights of eligible voters.

One resolution condemned the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise and demanded his removal. The parties also alleged that the BJP-led Union government was using the Election Commission to undermine democratic institutions. The alliance made these political allegations in its resolution.

As part of the protest programme, the INDIA bloc decided to organise demonstrations at district headquarters across Tamil Nadu on October 13 and 14. A major demonstration has also been planned in Chennai on October 15, with leaders and cadres of alliance parties expected to participate. TVK is also set to join the Chennai protest.

The alliance appealed to like-minded political parties, voluntary organisations, and civil society groups to join the protests against the SIR exercise.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Tagore said the INDIA bloc had welcomed Vijay's decision to work with the alliance and respectfully invited TVK.

Asked about the DMK's absence from the meeting and whether the INDIA bloc had invited the party, Tagore said invitations had been extended to parties opposing the BJP. He added that there was no need to discuss absent parties at the meeting.

Tagore also said TVK's participation in the protests against the Chief Election Commissioner would broaden the campaign.

The development comes after TVK, which formed the government following the 2026 Assembly election, had maintained a distinct political position while also forming the Secular Social Justice Vettri Alliance. Saturday's meeting marked the party's first formal participation in a Tamil Nadu-level INDIA bloc meeting. Aadhav Arjuna described it as a formal declaration of TVK being part of the alliance.

The State-level meeting was chaired by TNCC president Manickam Tagore and attended by leaders of various INDIA bloc parties, including MDMK general secretary Vaiko, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam, CPI state secretary M Veerapandian and VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan.

In a statement, the Chief Minister conveyed his wishes and congratulations to Sundar, saying that his achievement would give confidence and new energy to youngsters.

He also wished Sundar and his teammates success in the upcoming cricket tournaments and hoped that they would continue to perform well and achieve more victories.

India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs to successfully defend its Asian Games men's cricket gold medal and claim its second consecutive title in the competition.

India posted a mammoth 211 for 6 in 20 overs before an unheralded Hasan Nawaz (96 off 51 balls) gave everything he had to make a match of it. But Pakistan were stopped at 192 for 6 in the end. India thus extended their dominance over the arch-rivals and kept the head-to-head since the start of the 2024 T20 World Cup to 6-0.

In between, Nawaz punished the Indian spinners before Jasprit Bumrah's experience (0/33 in 4 overs) and Washington Sundar's (2/29 in 4 overs) calmness ensured that there were no surprises in the end.

The 18th over in which Washington conceded only 8 runs turned out to be decisive.

Inputs from PTI

Addressing a campaign meeting in Madurantakam, Stalin said he had been told by ruling party functionaries that the party could win the by-election even if it fielded a dog as its candidate. He urged voters to restrain what he described as the ruling party’s arrogance.

“Chief Ministers never campaign during by-elections. But Chief Minister Vijay has campaigned twice in each constituency. Because of electoral fear, he has no confidence in his own government. The government is being run by somebody behind the screen,” he alleged, adding that he liked the fear he had over any defeat in the bypolls.

Explaining the reasons for the DMK’s defeat in the Assembly election, Stalin said the party had fought its ideological opponent (referring BJP and its allies in the State). He described the TVK as a group of "clowns" and said the DMK had not considered it a serious opponent during the election.

But he rejected the notion of any TVK wave, saying that any such trend would have helped them secure 150 plus seats. "But it could not even secure a majority. The party did not have confidence in the alliance parties supporting the government. The TVK has planned to increase its MLA strength through horse-trading,” Stalin alleged.

Raising issues including the law-and-order situation and price rise in the State, Stalin questioned whether the TVK-led government could be called a “thooya sakthi” government and instead described it as a “government of grief sakthi”.

Questioning the TVK leadership, Stalin asked why the ruling party had not spoken about the demand for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner. He alleged that the TVK leader had a secret alliance with Delhi and would eventually abandon all its alliance partners.

Appealing to voters, Stalin said punishing the TVK would prevent horse-trading by the ruling party in the future.

“Voters should give shock treatment to Chief Minister Vijay, who has brought his cinema fame into politics and is now indulging in horse-trading and diverting the people,” he said.

According to a Maalaimalar report, the arrested men have been identified as Dineshkumar (32), son of Chandran of Santhapettai, Kadaiyampatti, and Surya (26), son of Subbu of Santhapettai Kattuvazhu.

Police trace accused through stolen jewellery

The victims, Jayaraman (85) and his wife Amaravathi (70), were living in a house near the Olakkur tamarind tree bus stop on the road connecting Jodukuli and Chinnathirupathi. The couple was engaged in making coconut-leaf products.

On July 19, their grandson Navaneethan, who regularly brought them food, went to their house around 8 pm and found them dead with severe injuries to their heads.

The Theevattipatti police registered a murder case and launched an investigation. A sniffer dog was pressed into service and tracked the route towards the Salem-Bengaluru National Highway for about 500 metres. Police subsequently examined CCTV footage along the route and formed more than five special teams to trace the suspects.

Meanwhile, a series of burglaries reported in the Omalur sub-division helped police make a breakthrough. A three-sovereign gold chain was stolen from the house of Suman in Kadaiyampatti while his family had gone to Velankanni. In another burglary at Jodukuli Pudur, 1.5 sovereigns of gold jewellery and silver anklets were stolen.

In a separate incident, the house of Retired Army personnel Selvaraj in Thoppur, where he lived with his wife Shenbagavalli and son Nandakumar, was burgled while the family had gone to a temple in Tiruvannamalai. The burglars allegedly stole eight sovereigns of gold jewellery and Rs 14,000 in cash.

During the investigation, police traced some of the stolen jewellery to a jewellery shop in Kadaiyampatti. The documents and CCTV footage obtained from the shop helped investigators identify Dineshkumar and Surya as the suspects.

Accused surrender before VAO

Police went to the suspects' houses but found them missing. After learning that police were looking for them, the duo surrendered before Kadaiyampatti South Village Administrative Officer (VAO) Sudhakar. The VAO subsequently handed them over to the Theevattipatti police.

During interrogation, police said Dineshkumar had been working at a beauty salon in Nachinampatti, where he became friends with Surya. According to police, Dineshkumar, who allegedly wanted to lead a lavish lifestyle, had previously been involved in assault and robbery cases.

Police said Surya was in need of money as marriage talks were underway for him. The duo allegedly decided to commit burglaries together and targeted several houses.

According to the police, they attacked and killed Jayaraman and Amaravathi before stealing their gold jewellery. They later allegedly burgled the houses of Suman, another house at Jodukuli Pudur, and the residence of Dineshkumar's aunt Shenbagavalli and her husband Selvaraj.

Police said about 14 sovereigns of gold jewellery, silver articles and cash allegedly stolen by the duo were recovered.

The accused were produced before the Omalur court and remanded in Salem Central Prison.

Based on a tip-off, a team led by Inspector Venkatesh of the Crime Intelligence Unit, Tirunelveli Range, conducted an intensive vehicle check on the highway from Vilathikulam to Keezhavaippar beach on Friday night. The team lay in wait and began checking vehicles. At midnight, a mini container fish lorry bearing an Andhra Pradesh registration number was travelling through Puliankulam between Vilathikulam and Kulathur, followed by a luxury car. The police surrounded both vehicles.

During the inspection, police found empty plastic tubs used to transport fish stacked in the front section. When they removed the tubs, they discovered gunny bags behind them. Further search revealed 338 kg of ganja packed into 169 bundles weighing 2 kg each. The consignment was valued at Rs 3 crore.

The Crime Intelligence Unit police handed over the contraband, the container lorry, the luxury car and the three detainees to the Prohibition Enforcement Wing police station at Kovilpatti

The police immediately detained three people -- the container lorry driver and two men travelling in the luxury car that was following it. During questioning, the police identified them as Joshua Kanaraj Adhi (47), Thanavel (51), and Srinivas Kalyan (24), from Kakinada of Andhra Pradesh. The investigation revealed that the ganja had allegedly been brought from Andhra Pradesh under the guise of fertiliser bags and was intended to be smuggled to Sri Lanka by sea through Keezhavaippar, near Vilathikulam.

The Crime Intelligence Unit police handed over the 338 kg of ganja, the container lorry, the luxury car and the three detainees to the Prohibition Enforcement Wing police station at Kovilpatti. A case was registered, and the police questioned the trio.

The three arrested men were subsequently taken to Thoothukudi for further investigation, along with the seized 338 kg of ganja, luxury car and mini container fish lorry. The incident, in which an attempt was allegedly made to smuggle ganja worth Rs 3 crore from Andhra Pradesh to Sri Lanka via Thoothukudi, has caused a stir.

A post on X from the government's Information Integrity Desk (IID) clarified that the road, identified as NH-744A, is not under the control of the State Highways Department. The NH-744A link road, connecting the Madurai-Dindigul (NH-44) and Madurai-Tiruchy (NH-38) national highways, is under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

It also said Hindi information boards are not used on roads under its control, as reported by Daily Thanthi.

The clarification followed the image showing a signboard on the road with place names, including Vadipatti, Madurai and Alagar Kovil, written in Tamil, Hindi and English.

Earlier Hindi signboard controversy led to suspension of Highways officials

The clarification comes a day after the Tamil Nadu government suspended the assistant divisional engineer and assistant engineer involved in installing a Hindi signboard on the Sathankulam-Nazareth State Highway (SH-93) in Thoothukudi. Departmental action has also been initiated against them.

The signboard, installed near the Karumeni River bridge, carried the names and directions to places including Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Alwarthirunagari and Tirunelveli in Tamil, Hindi and English.

The clarification comes a day after the Tamil Nadu government suspended the assistant divisional engineer and assistant engineer involved in installing a Hindi signboard on the Sathankulam-Nazareth State Highway (SH-93) in Thoothukudi. Departmental action has also been initiated against them.

The signboard, installed near the Karumeni River bridge, carried the names and directions to places including Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Alwarthirunagari and Tirunelveli in Tamil, Hindi and English.

After the inclusion of Hindi triggered criticism and gained attention on social media, the government said the use of Hindi on a State Highways Department signboard was contrary to Tamil Nadu's two-language policy. After the government's intervention, the Hindi lettering was removed immediately.

The department's latest clarification, however, concerns the NH-744A link road shown in the viral images, which it said is not under the State Highways Department.

Thomas Korosken Sky (60) is from Vienna, Austria. He had recently arrived in India as a tourist and had been staying in Kanniyakumari district for the past 10 days, visiting various tourist spots. He was staying at a lodge in Nagercoil.

On Friday, Thomas Korosken Sky went to Anna Bus Stand in Nagercoil to travel to Kanniyakumari. When a government bus bound for Kanniyakumari arrived, he immediately boarded it.

The foreigner and the bus conductor got into an argument. Babu, a former army personnel from the Vilavancode area who was travelling on the same bus, intervened and questioned the dispute. Subsequently, an argument broke out between Thomas Korosken Sky and Babu, which escalated into a physical altercation.

Enraged, Babu allegedly assaulted Thomas Korosken Sky repeatedly. In the impact, Thomas fell against the bus window glass and sustained injuries, bleeding profusely. After getting off the bus, the foreign tourist arrived at Kottar police station with blood streaming from his injuries.

The police immediately rescued him and took him to Asaripallam Government Medical College Hospital for treatment. The police subsequently questioned him. He lodged a complaint with the police. Based on the complaint, the police conducted an investigation and arrested Babu. Further probe is under way.

The FIR was registered on September 24 based on a complaint filed by Arappor Iyakkam before the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on August 14, 2026.

According to the FIR, the conference was held on December 14, 2025, at Kalaignar Thidal in Malappambadi on about 124.56 acres owned by Kumaran. Velu, then the Highways, Minor Ports and Public Works minister, DMK northern zonal in-charge, and Tiruvannamalai (South) district secretary, allegedly supervised the arrangements.

The FIR alleges that soil was excavated from Malappambadi lake bed between November and the first week of December 2025 and transported to the conference venue. It further alleges that Velu misused his official position to facilitate the excavation without obtaining permission from the revenue, corporation or geology and mining departments.

The alleged roles of these departments' officials are also under investigation. The DVAC has registered the case under Sections 61(2), 316(5), 318(3) and 324(5) read with Section 49 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, besides Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Section 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act has also been invoked against private individuals and others for alleged abetment.

In their petitions, Velu and Kumaran contended that the FIR was baseless. They said its pendency would affect their duties and obligations as MLAs and their rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

They also sought an urgent hearing of their petitions and requested the court to dispense with the requirement of producing a certified copy of the FIR.

The petitions are expected to be listed shortly before Justice V Lakshminarayanan.

According to a Maalaimalar report, residents from Panchetty, Neduvaram Pakkam, Chennivakkam, Agaram and other areas walk nearly 2 km to reach the tunnel before taking buses or autos to their workplaces and educational institutions.

Similarly, residents of Natham, Pandi, Kavanur, Thangal, Ernavakkam, Dharmapuri and neighbouring villages travelling towards Chennai and Chengundram face difficulties crossing the highway.

Medical emergencies among major concerns

The lack of a convenient crossing has also created problems during medical emergencies, residents said. Patients and pregnant women travelling to the government primary health centre are among those affected, while ambulances reportedly face difficulties reaching some surrounding areas.

Residents said the narrow tunnel is particularly inconvenient for those dependent on public transport and autos.

Transporting bodies also poses difficulties

Residents also pointed to difficulties in transporting bodies to the crematorium near the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway Integrated Court building. Since the tunnel is reportedly too narrow, bodies are taken through an underpass near Athipedu village, adding around 5 km to the journey, they said.

People also claimed that more than 10 individuals have died while crossing the highway. They also allege that stones placed in the middle of the road are removed using JCB machines when bodies need to be transported across, before the gap is closed again.

Activist seeks district administration intervention

Local resident and social activist Prakash said residents had been petitioning authorities for a proper underpass for nearly 18 years. “For the past 18 years, despite petitions to the authorities and demands raised at Gram Sabha meetings, no action has been taken. Those travelling to work, school and college are suffering the most,” Prakash said.

Prakash also said the lack of proper access could prove critical during medical emergencies and urged the district administration to conduct an inquiry and provide a permanent crossing facility.

The issue has reportedly been raised 18 times at Panchetty Gram Sabha meetings and before the concerned authorities, but residents claim that no permanent solution has been implemented. In fear that continued inaction could lead to further accidents, they have called for immediate intervention by the district administration and highway authorities.

A total of 115 people are reported to have contracted dengue in the Avadi Corporation limits between January and September this year. Of these, 29 cases were reported in August, while September recorded the highest monthly figure, with 63 cases.

Against this backdrop, the TNMSC chief inspected various locations in Avadi on Saturday. During his inspection at the Zone 2 office in Tirumullaivoyal, he checked the attendance register of workers involved in dengue prevention measures and reviewed their field activities.

Subsequently, he visited the house of a person affected by dengue on 2nd Cross Street in Vaishnavi Nagar and enquired with the family members. He also reviewed the dengue prevention measures implemented in the locality and the work carried out by field staff.

He then inspected the dengue ward, pharmacy, laboratory and other medical and health services provided to the public at the Avadi Government Hospital.

During the inspection, officials concerned, including health officers, health inspectors, dengue surveillance and prevention staff, and other field workers, were instructed to continue implementing dengue prevention measures and steps to control other mosquito-borne diseases in Avadi Corporation areas.

Avadi Government Hospital Deputy Director Porchelvi, Avadi Corporation City Health Officer Saraswathi, sanitation officers Moideen and Kumar, health inspectors and other field staff were present during the inspection.

Chief minister C Joseph Vijay and other TVK leaders slammed Stalin over the "body-shaming" charge, with the former alleging that the DMK president's campaign in the Assembly segment located in the western Tiruppur district was marked by "slander, misogyny and personal abuse."

In a formal complaint submitted to Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam General Secretary for Election Campaign Management and state minister, Aadhav Arjuna, alleged that Stalin blatantly violated the model code of conduct (MCC) during a campaign rally in Dharapuram on Friday.

The petition requested the EC to invoke its statutory powers under the Representation of the People Act to impose a temporary campaign ban on Stalin and direct local election authorities to register an FIR against him under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act, 1998.

Campaign to the high-stakes October 6 bypoll in Dharapuram, besides Madurantakam, ends at 6 pm on Sunday.

TVK knocked the doors of the EC with the plaint after a sharp criticism earlier in the day by Vijay, who accused Stalin of indulging in personal attacks and body-shaming Sathyabama under the guise of election canvassing.

Expressing solidarity with his party candidate as a "son and brother to the women of Tamil Nadu," the chief minister asserted that obscenity and vulgarity have become ingrained in the DMK’s political conduct, adding that the electorate of Dharapuram would deliver a fitting response in the upcoming bypoll.

During the DMK's poll campaign, Stalin criticised the TVK candidate ridiculing her for shifting loyalties to the ruling TVK from the AIADMK, and used nicknames like "suitcase" (petti) and "somersault" (balti) implying she switched political camp for financial gain.

In a statement on X, Vijay said: "Under the guise of an election campaign in Dharapuram, the evil force DMK has organised a defamatory and utterly uncivilised meeting under its leader M K Stalin."

He alleged that Stalin "took pleasure in resorting to body-shaming and making highly inappropriate remarks against our party candidate, sister Mrs Sathyabama."

Calling the DMK "anti-democratic," Vijay alleged that vulgarity and hostility were embedded in its ideology and accused Stalin of proudly fostering a toxic political culture in the party.

"The people of Tamil Nadu have long realised that obscenity, malice and vulgarity are intertwined in the DMK's DNA. They specialise in speaking obscenely about women, even in their presence, completely indifferent to their discomfort," he charged.

Expressing confidence that voters, particularly in Dharapuram, located in Tiruppur, a textile hub, would not tolerate such behaviour, he said he conveyed his "strongest condemnation against the DMK for its continuous derogatory language targeting women."

In the complaint, Arjuna said the DMK chief indulged in the worst form of body-shaming, directly maligning the TVK party candidate, wondering how "she is able to perform somersault with such a body, thereby ridiculing her physical appearance which is an affront to not only a lady candidate but also an insult to crores of women all over India."

"The impugned statement does not concern any policy, programme, public record or political position of the candidate. It directly comments upon and ridicules the physical appearance/body of a woman candidate in the course of an election campaign. Such a personal reference is wholly unrelated to any legitimate issue concerning her candidature or public record," he said.

Arjuna, who is minister for Public Works and Sports further stated "these sort of women body-shaming and vulgar words being thrown at the women of Tamil Nadu to prevent them from taking part in the public life has become a regular habit for the DMK party, particularly for M K Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin."

He said the Election Commission should immediately issue a temporary campaign ban, preventing the violators from addressing public rallies, giving interviews or holding shows for a specific duration.

"Hence, with a view to protect the honor and dignity of women in Tamil Nadu, particularly the dignity of our candidate Tmt P Sathyabama, who has been specifically targeted by Mr Stalin to prevent her from canvassing for votes, I request the Election Commission to immediately cancel the star campaigner status given to Mr Stalin," he urged.

Earlier, Energy Resources and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar accused the DMK leadership of derogatory remarks against women, saying the party was revealing its "true character" out of frustration over impending defeat.

Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, he said the language used by Stalin and his son, Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi, during their campaign in Dharapuram showed a lack of vision for the future.

"The DMK leadership is in a state of utter desperation because they have nothing positive to offer the electorate. Resorting to inappropriate, derogatory language is their final, desperate tactic," he told reporters here. He claimed the DMK's political influence was declining and that voters would hand it a decisive defeat in the bypoll.

Nirmal Kumar alleged that the father and son had lost their self-control and used offensive language against others, including a woman candidate, to grab attention. He described the DMK as a "harmful force" to society.

Vijay alleged that Stalin had turned an election campaign meeting in Dharapuram into a defamatory and indecent gathering and made objectionable remarks about Sathyabama's physical appearance.

"Stalin has spoken in a highly indecent manner and taken pleasure in ridiculing the physical appearance of our Dharapuram candidate, sister P Sathyabama," Vijay said in a statement. He further alleged that Stalin's remarks amounted to an admission of his role in what he described as a culture of vulgarity, violence and perversion within the DMK.

"The people of Tamil Nadu have long been aware that vulgarity, violence and perversion are embedded in the DMK's political culture," the chief minister said, accusing the party of being opposed to democratic values. The TVK leader also alleged that the DMK had repeatedly made vulgar remarks about women, including in their presence, without considering their discomfort. "The people of Tamil Nadu and Dharapuram will give an appropriate response to this force," Vijay said.

During the DMK's campaign, Stalin criticised Sathyabama over her shift from the AIADMK to the ruling TVK. According to the TVK, he used terms such as "petti" (suitcase) and "balti" (somersault), implying she had switched political camps for financial gain.

While the TVK approached the Election Commission with a complaint, the DMK, too, filed a counter petition.

DMK legal wing secretary NR Elango dismissed that Stalin made any remarks mocking anyone’s appearance. "He is known for speaking with dignity. Before speaking about body-shaming, they must have the basic standing to do so.

They should first look at how TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna spoke about the Leader of the Opposition.”

In a complaint submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik, TVK general secretary (election campaign management) and Minister Aadhav Arjuna alleged that Stalin made the remarks while addressing a campaign meeting in Dharapuram on Friday. The complaint said Stalin questioned how Sathyabama could perform a 'somersault with such a body', which the party described as a disparaging reference to her physical appearance.

The TVK contended that the alleged remark was unrelated to Sathyabama's political position, public record or candidature and instead directly commented on her physical appearance. It alleged that the statement violated the Model Code of Conduct and amounted to harassment of a woman candidate.

Aadhav further alleged that such remarks could discourage women from participating in public life and referred to Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998.

Seeking action, the TVK leader urged the Election Commission to cancel Stalin's star campaigner status and direct the District Returning Officer to register an FIR against him under the State law. He also sought steps to ensure Sathyabama's free and fearless participation in the election campaign.

Police are preparing to deploy around 2,000 personnel along his route, with large crowds expected as the Chief Minister’s convoy passes through several busy areas of the city on a holiday.

Unlike the route generally used by leaders travelling from Coimbatore airport to other destinations, CM Vijay’s convoy will pass through prominent city neighbourhoods before joining the bypass road towards Dharapuram.

Vehicles leaving the airport usually travel through Goldwins, Chinniampalayam and Neelambur to reach Avinashi Road.

For Sunday’s visit, arrangements have been made for the Chief Minister to take a different route through Chitra, Kamarajapuram, Singanallur and Ondipudur.

The convoy will then enter the bypass road and proceed towards Dharapuram.

Police expect substantial crowds along this stretch, particularly because parts of the road are narrow and Sunday is a holiday.

Officials said approximately 2,000 police personnel would be deployed for security. The anticipated turnout along the revised route has made crowd management a key consideration in preparations for the visit.

Vijay’s journey comes as campaigning enters its final phase in Dharapuram, where TVK candidate Sathyabama is contesting the bypoll.

Voting in Dharapuram and Madurantakam is scheduled for October 6.

The Chief Minister had earlier campaigned for Sathyabama in Dharapuram on September 30, addressing supporters at a large venue in the Maruthi Nagar–Kondarasampalayam area.

That campaign featured QR-code entry passes, LED screens and a stage arranged on a bus.

The venue covered around 54 acres, with arrangements made to accommodate supporters attending the programme.

During his earlier address, CM Vijay appealed to voters to regard him as their son and a member of their family. He also stressed his government’s opposition to corruption and attacked the DMK and AIADMK, portraying the two parties as alike.

His return to Dharapuram places renewed attention on the constituency ahead of polling, while the passage through Coimbatore is expected to draw supporters along the city route.

For police, the immediate focus will be securing the Chief Minister’s movement through the narrow stretches and managing the crowds expected before the convoy reaches the bypass and continues to the campaign destination on Sunday afternoon.

"Why are ministers who had never visited these villages earlier now camping in the streets? If they have come for campaigning, they should speak about politics. They should explain the functioning of the Union and State governments and their parties. That is what strengthens democracy," Veerapandian said addressing a press conference in Dharapuram.

Veerapandian said the presence of large convoys and expensive vehicles in even small hamlets had raised questions among residents. He alleged that groups accompanying the campaigners were taking down details of voters, including their mobile phone numbers and information required to make payments through digital platforms such as GPay and PhonePe.

He alleged that ministers were taking up long-pending demands of villages during the campaign and promising to fulfil them.

"Putting a price on an entire village is different from asking for votes. If a village has a demand for a temple or a school and you promise to fulfil it during the bypoll, why was it not done earlier?" he asked.

Veerapandian also alleged that cash was being distributed to voters in the bypoll constituencies and criticised the Election Commission for failing to prevent such practices. He said the poll panel had a responsibility to ensure a level playing field in the two constituencies.

He said CPI cadres were conducting their campaign by meeting people in their homes and discussing political and livelihood issues, including price rise, the concerns of construction workers and sanitation workers, and demands of government employees.

On recent campaign remarks by DMK leader MK Stalin targeting a woman politician, Veerapandian said political discourse should not descend into comments on a woman's appearance or personal life. He said Stalin had maintained a dignified tone in the past.

"Commenting on a woman's appearance or making personal remarks is not acceptable. Communist parties will oppose such remarks irrespective of which side they come from," he said.

Veerapandian said political leaders, particularly those holding public office, should set an example by maintaining dignity during election campaigns. He added that personal attacks did not constitute political debate.

On CPI's decision to contest the bypolls independently, Veerapandian said the party respected the people's mandate and would support the TVK government from outside. He clarified that CPI was not part of the ruling alliance.

The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has decided to apply to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for site clearance, the initial approval required for establishing an airport at the selected location.

The proposed airport is planned on approximately 600 acres at Manikaneri. The site was finalised in January this year following inspections by a team from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Rameswaram attracts tourists and pilgrims visiting the Ramanathaswamy temple, Dhanushkodi, Arichalmunai and the memorial of former President APJ Abdul Kalam.

However, visitors currently depend on road and rail transport to reach the destination. The State government announced the airport proposal in 2025, citing the need to improve connectivity, encourage economic activity and support the development of tourist attractions in and around Rameswaram.

Five locations in Ramanathapuram district were initially identified for consideration: Palankulam, Devipattinam, Kumbaram, Kalari and Manikaneri. Following a preliminary selection process, Kumbaram and Manikaneri emerged as the two shortlisted options.

At the State government’s request, an AAI team inspected both locations to assess their suitability. Based on that exercise, Manikaneri was selected as the location for the proposed airport.

The government has allowed the Rameswaram airport proposal to proceed, and land acquisition work is progressing.

TIDCO’s proposed application to the Civil Aviation Ministry represents the next step in securing the approvals needed to take the project forward.

The development comes after the State government recently cancelled the proposal for Chennai’s second airport at Parandur in Kancheepuram district.

That project had been announced during the previous DMK administration. Despite the cancellation of the Parandur proposal, the government has given permission to continue implementing the airport project at Manikaneri.

The proposed airport is intended to provide an additional transport option for people travelling to Rameswaram, while improving access to nearby destinations.

Site clearance will be an early regulatory milestone for the project. The application concerns approval of the chosen location; the information available does not specify a construction schedule, project cost or a date for commencing flight operations.

For now, the proposal is moving forward through land acquisition and preparations for the clearance application.

He also said a request by students to include beef in the menu of a government hostel would be considered, with the final decision resting with the Chief Minister.

Speaking to reporters at Chennai Airport on Saturday (October 3), Vanni Arasu claimed the PMK's decisions were aligned with the wishes of the BJP and that there was no room for independent decision-making by the party on joining the alliance. “All decisions taken by the PMK align with the wishes of the BJP; the BJP effectively acts as the owner of the PMK. The PMK simply does whatever the BJP dictates,” he alleged.

On the upcoming October 6 by-election in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, Vanni Arasu said the prospects of victory for the TVK-led Secular Social Justice Victory Alliance (SSJVA) were "very bright”, adding that alliance leaders and VCK cadres were actively campaigning in both constituencies.

He attributed the alliance's confidence to the Tamil Nadu government's performance over the past four months and the Chief Minister's schemes.

Responding to criticism that the intense campaigning indicated fear of defeat, he said extensive campaigning was normal during by-elections as leaders had more time to focus on specific constituencies than during a general election.

Vanni Arasu: 'DMK, VCK on the same ideological path'

Vanni Arasu said the DMK and VCK were movements travelling on the same path based on social justice, State rights, opposition to Sanatana Dharma and Dravidian ideology. “Though we have changed alliances due to circumstances and the electoral situation, we continue to travel together on the basis of ideology,” he said.

He also said the VCK was not an artificially created group but had grown organically as a collective of people over generations. He claimed that young people, including members of Generation Z, were joining the party in large numbers. According to Vanni Arasu, the affection shown by VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan towards party cadres and the way he guides them were among the key reasons for the party's growth among young people.

Vanni Arasu: 'Beef request in hostel menu will be considered'

Speaking to reporters, Vanni Arasu reiterated his earlier remarks on a request from students at a government hostel to include beef in their meals instead of mutton. He said he had told the students that the request would be considered, while the final decision rested with the Chief Minister.

He alleged that the RSS and its affiliated organisations were attempting to use the issue of food choices and beef to fuel religious politics in Tamil Nadu. Such communal politics, he said, would not gain a foothold in the State.

Stalin alleged that the CM was busy with purchasing MLAs instead of addressing the issues faced by the people. During his by-election campaign in Dharapuram, Stalin had visited a grocery shop and enquired about the prices of essential commodities.

In a statement, he said the prices of essential goods had increased considerably over the past four months, placing an additional burden on households across the State.

“With families across Tamil Nadu struggling to manage their household expenses because of the price rise, will people’s stomachs be filled by watching reels,” he asked.

Stalin also compared the economic performance of the previous ‘Dravidian Model’ government with the present administration.

He claimed that the economic growth had continued to rise under the previous government even when the national economy was witnessing a slowdown.

“Now, the situation is the reverse. The State’s SGST revenue is declining,” he said, adding that Tamil Nadu was witnessing a decline in economy, energy, industries, healthcare and dairy development. “The government thinks that pasting Vettri stickers on everything is enough, but people are suffering because of an uncaring government that is failing to address vital issues,” he said.

The arrested individuals, S Naveen Kumar and S Muthuselvam, were taken into custody on September 29 under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the ED’s Chennai Zonal Office-II, said. The Special Court for PMLA cases remanded them in judicial custody.

The ED’s money laundering probe stems from an FIR registered by the District Crime Branch, Erode, under money laundering and the Tamil Nadu Protection of Interests of Depositors Act.

According to agency officials, the duo, along with their associates, floated fraudulent investment schemes under the business names of M/s Unique Exports, East Valley Agro Firms, and other connected entities.

Investors were lured with the promises of lucrative returns from agricultural export profits.

However, financial analysis revealed that the firms undertook virtually no substantial export business, a release said on Thursday.

Around Rs 1,417.86 crore was mobilised from approximately 35,759 gullible investors across the region.

Sources said that the Tamil Nadu Mines Department has permitted the construction of a crusher unit at Rettamalai near A-Thoppupatti in Manapparai. The works commenced right away, which the residents from the village had been opposing, citing adverse impacts on agriculture.

They have been staging a series of protests, including a road block urging cancellation of the license. However, officials failed to pay heed to their demands. Subsequently, the residents met the Minister for Mines TK Prabhu and the Manapparai TVK MLA R Kathiravan and submitted a petition against the crusher unit, but in vain.

In such a backdrop, the gram sabha meeting was held on Friday in which the residents from A-Thoppupatti and Rettaimalai Karadu demanded that a resolution be passed against the proposed crusher unit.

The residents put forth a series of questions before the Manapparai MLA Kathiravan, who was also present in the meeting. However, initially, the MLA had reportedly argued with the residents that the voters from the particular village had not supported TVK during the assembly polls. This reportedly triggered a heated argument between the MLA and the residents.

Later, the MLA agreed to pass the resolution citing that it would affect the environment and the agricultural activities of the people from the villages. Subsequently, the resolution was passed unanimously.

Chief Minister and TVK president C Joseph Vijay camped in Madurantakam on Friday and conducted a roadshow in support of his party candidate Maragatham Kumaravel. He is also scheduled to conduct a roadshow in Dharapuram.

Before the roadshows, Vijay addressed public meetings in both constituencies as part of the campaign. The entire Cabinet has also been engaged in the by-poll campaign, with ministers campaigning for the party candidates.

On the Opposition side, leaders of the DMK and AIADMK are also campaigning in the two constituencies and seeking votes for their respective candidates.

DMK Youth Wing secretary Udhayanidhi is scheduled to campaign in Dharapuram on Saturday. Party Deputy General Secretary Kanimozhi is also campaigning for the party candidates in both constituencies.

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami has been touring the two constituencies frequently and campaigning for the party candidates. Leaders of the Left parties and Naam Tamilar Katchi are also campaigning for their respective candidates.

The campaign will end at 6 pm on Sunday, following which the constituencies will enter the 48-hour silence period ahead of polling.

With the campaign entering its final phase, political parties are intensifying their door-to-door campaigns, public meetings and roadshows to mobilise votes ahead of polling.

The campaign will end at 6 pm on Sunday, following which the constituencies will enter the 48-hour silence period ahead of polling.

The five fishermen Sorna Joshua and Alex Ravi of Keezha Muttom, Robin George and Thomas Arul of Kovalam, all in Kanniyakumari district, and Mariappan Jetli of Ramanathapuram district had travelled to Oman after an agent based in Kovalam allegedly promised them a monthly salary of Rs 1 lakh.

“The agent, Pithalis, was a boat captain. We believed his words and went to Oman on January 21 on a tourist visa,” said Robin George (49) of Kovalam.

Pithalis allegedly promised to convert their tourist visas into work visas within a month. However, after they started working on a private fishing boat in Oman, he did not fulfil the promise, the fishermen alleged.

"Pithalis made us work nearly 15 hours a day, from 7 am. I had gone to Oman hoping to earn enough money to conduct the marriages of my two sisters,” Joshua said.

When the fishermen repeatedly demanded that Pithalis arrange work visas for them, he allegedly collected their passports and handed them over to the boat owner, according to George.

“From then on, life became hell for us. We could not leave the harbour because we feared that the Oman police would arrest us as we did not have valid documents,” he said. “We struggled even for food and lived literally like slaves,” said Sorna Joshua.

When they continued to press Pithalis for work visas, he allegedly forced them to leave the job. With the help of other Tamil fishermen in the harbour, the five managed to get food and later found work on other boats.

The fishermen also subsequently helped them contact P Justin Antony, president of the International Fishermen Development Trust (INFIDET), who immediately wrote to the Indian Embassy in Oman, Prime Minister Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs on August 16.

Later, the Indian Embassy intervened and provided accommodation for the fishermen for two months before arranging for their return to Tamil Nadu.

The Oman authorities had imposed a fine of around Rs 1.20 lakh on each fisherman for their illegal stay, Antony said. The Indian Embassy subsequently negotiated with the Omani authorities and the fines were waived, he added.

After returning to Kanyakumari, the five fishermen submitted a petition to the District Collector seeking action against the agent, whom they alleged had not paid them the promised salary and similarly cheated several other fishermen. They noted that only around Rs 2 lakh was deposited into an account that their families in India could access.

According to senior officials, Tamil Nadu's post-settlement State GST (SGST) revenue rose to Rs 7,320 crore in September 2026 from Rs 6,270 crore in the corresponding month last year. During April-September, the revenue increased 16% to Rs 44,266 crore from Rs 38,119 crore in 2025-26.

The clarification comes amid criticism from the Opposition over the decline in gross GST collections. After increasing 4.4% in April, gross collections declined 15.1% in May, 1.9% in June, 1.2% in July and 1.4% in August. In September, collections fell 5% to Rs 10,188 crore from Rs 10,670 crore in the year-ago period.

Former Finance Minister and DMK leader Thangam Thennarasu had criticised the decline, questioning the TVK government's handling of the State's finances and economic activity.

Officials, however, said gross GST collections should not be treated as the State's actual GST revenue as they include IGST collected on inter-State transactions, which is subsequently settled among the States. Post-settlement SGST, comprising the SGST component and Tamil Nadu's share of IGST settlement, represents the revenue actually realised by the State, they said.

They also attributed the decline in gross collections to GST rate rationalisation implemented on September 22, 2025, under which tax rates for major sectors were reduced from 28% to 18%.

The officials said the 17% growth in post-settlement GST revenue in September and the 16% cumulative growth during April-September indicated an increase in Tamil Nadu's consumption-based GST revenue.

In a social media post, the AIADMK said it was natural for doctors, particularly those working night shifts, to take a short rest when there were no emergencies. The party questioned the need for the MLA to record and publicly post a video of the incident.

The AIADMK also questioned whether the MLA would show the same level of concern by visiting Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's residence after 5 pm and similarly questioning him. The party asked Health Minister Arunraj whether he would condemn the MLA's conduct.

Referring to a previous criminal case involving Saravanan, the AIADMK said the matter had ended in his favour.

The AIADMK also criticised what it described as a practice among TVK MLAs of visiting schools, hospitals and other public offices for shooting reels.

In a symbolic gesture marking the launch, Vijay issued free tickets to women passengers on 76B, plying between Koyambedu and Kancheepuram, operated by TNSTC (Villupuram), at the CMBT bus terminus. The extended free ride covers Express, LSS and Deluxe government buses operating in urban and city areas, besides Mofussil Ordinary buses and Ghat Ordinary buses on hill routes exceeding 40 km.

The new extension builds on the existing ‘Vidiyal Payanam’ zero-fare travel scheme for women. Under the scheme, women can travel free of cost in Ordinary Town buses operated by the seven state transport undertakings and Ordinary Ghat buses operating on routes of up to 40 km. The scheme covers 7,537 Ordinary Town buses and 173 Ordinary Ghat buses.

During 2026-27, an average of 71.70 lakh women travelled daily under the existing free travel scheme.

Transport minister Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said the scheme was aimed at ensuring that bus fares did not become a barrier to women’s education, employment, livelihood and economic progress.

Addressing the gathering, Parthiban said 12,695 buses out of the 18,413 buses operated by the seven state transport undertakings had been brought under the ‘Vettri Payanam’ scheme. Around 85 lakh women are expected to benefit from the scheme every day, he said.

Parthiban said the scheme was being launched on Gandhi Jayanti to give practical expression to the ideals of social justice and women’s advancement.

A college student, Suba, who received a free travel ticket from the chief minister at the CMBT terminus, said Vijay autographed the ticket and wished her a pleasant journey.

“I told him ‘all the best’ in return. The free travel will be very useful for me to commute to and from college. With the extension, women will now be able to benefit from free travel in Deluxe and other buses as well,” she said.

Parthiban said the scheme would enable a student to travel towards education, a working woman towards employment and economic advancement, and a mother to meet the needs of her family. For rural women, the scheme would provide access to new opportunities, while for self-employed women it would help connect their work with markets, he said.

RIDING HIGH

• Women can travel free of cost on Express, LSS and Deluxe government buses in urban and city areas; Mofussil Ordinary buses and Ghat Ordinary buses on hill routes exceeding 40 km

• The scheme covers 7,537 Ordinary Town buses and 173 Ordinary Ghat buses

• 12,695 buses out of the 18,413 buses operated by the seven state transport undertakings had been brought under the ‘Vetri Payanam’ scheme

• Around 85 lakh women are expected to benefit from the scheme every day