Acting on the directions of the Superintendent of Police B Devanathan, a special police team led by Othakadai Inspector Tamilselvan launched an investigation and arrested Ramar (26), Lakshman (26), and Praveen (34), all residents of Kayampatti Colony. The weapons allegedly used in the attack were also seized.

According to the police, the accused, belonging to a dominant caste, entered the village in the early hours of Sunday and picked a verbal quarrel with a few Scheduled Caste youth. Following the altercation, the trio, who were in an inebriated condition, allegedly assaulted Subban (70) with knives, leaving him with multiple cut injuries. Hearing the elder crying for help, residents rushed to the spot, following which the accused fled.

While escaping, the trio allegedly damaged the tiled roofs and household articles in four houses belonging to Scheduled Caste residents before fleeing. The injured man was rescued by the villagers and admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai for treatment. This incident triggered unrest in the locality as villagers staged a protest, demanding that the police arrest the assailants immediately.

Madurai Range DIG Abhinav Kumar and Madurai Superintendent of Police B. Devanathan rushed to the village and pacified the protesters, assuring them that they would arrest the trio soon.

Police have deployed over 100 personnel in the village to maintain law and order. SP Devanathan warned that anyone involved in caste-based violence would face stringent legal action, including detention under the Goondas Act.

He described the excavations as significant not only for Tamils but also for world civilisation.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the Keezhadi Open-Air Museum in Sivaganga district and the historic Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions and Jain rock beds at Mangulam near Madurai, the minister said the archaeological discoveries at Keezhadi, including brick structures, drainage systems, bead-making evidence and industrial remains, highlighted the sophistication of early Tamil civilisation.

He said the State government would continue scientific excavations at Keezhadi in consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take it to the global stage, and hinted that more significant archaeological discoveries from other sites in the State would be announced at an appropriate time with adequate scientific evidence.

During his visit to Mangulam, Rajmohan examined the ancient rock beds and Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions in the presence of Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director and Archaeology Department Director Jeyaseelan, Madurai Collector M Nishanth Krishna and local legislators.

Describing the Mangulam Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions as one of the oldest historical treasures dating back to the Sangam era, he said the government had instructed the Archaeology and Tourism Departments to improve basic infrastructure, install digital information and wayfinding boards, and strengthen conservation measures to make the site more accessible to tourists and researchers. He added that a detailed report on the site's conservation and development would be submitted to Chief Minister Vijay.

The transfer was carried out under heavy police security after the Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Kalaiarasan, questioned the accused inmates and other prisoners and reportedly gathered crucial evidence in the case.

The victim, Sabari Varman, a grocery shop owner from Eethankadu near Samithoppu, was arrested in a gutka-related case and remanded to judicial custody. He died inside the prison on July 13.

Police alleged that prison warders and a group of inmates tied up Sabarivarman before assaulting him. Three prison warders — Jagan, Suresh and Sivakumar — have been arrested and suspended from service, while eight inmates have also been arrested in connection with the case.

Following the incident, Sabarivarman's family initially refused to receive the body, demanding that the post-mortem findings be made public. They withdrew the protest after the district administration assured them of action. The State government announced a relief package, including Rs 10 lakh, a house site with free housing, educational assistance and a government job for an eligible family member.

In a government release, the Chief Minister congratulated Tamil film personalities on this historic feat, as the film fraternity hadn't reached the double-digit mark at the national level in recent years.

Chief Minister Vijay extended his congratulations to all the award winners and said the recognition reflected the creative excellence and enduring strength of the State’s film industry.

The Chief Minister noted that the Dhanush-starrer Raayan, directed by the actor, was adjudged the Best Tamil Feature Film. The release also pointed out that Captain Miller won the Best Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values award, while actor Dhanush received the Special Jury Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film.

Rajkumar Periasamy was named Best Director for Amaran. R Kalaivanan won the award for Best Editing, while G V Prakash Kumar secured the Best Background Score honour for the same film; the release added, sharing CM Vijay's confidence in the industry's capabilities.

CM Vijay also praised the filmmakers of Maharaja, as Anal Arasu was recognised with the Best Action Direction award, and Sachana Namidass received the Best Supporting Actress award. G Suren was honoured with the Special Jury Award for Best Sound Mixing for Meiyazhagan, while TS Harihara Sudhan won the Best Sound Design award for the short film Blue, the release pointed out.

“Winning 10 National Film Awards is a proud achievement for Tamil cinema. I congratulate all the artists and technicians and wish the industry many more such laurels in the years ahead,” CM Vijay said.

The retrospective study — published in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Madras Medical College-Medicine — analysed inpatient deaths recorded at RGGGH, attached to Madras Medical College, between May 2023 and April 2024. The researchers said the findings reflect India's ongoing epidemiological transition, with chronic diseases accounting for a substantial proportion of hospital deaths, while also underscoring the need for stronger preventive healthcare, timely referrals and improved surveillance of mortality trends.

During the one-year study, the hospital registered 1,40,793 admissions and 7,954 deaths, translating into an overall in-hospital mortality rate of 5.6%. Of these, 7,752 deaths were included in the analysis after excluding brought-dead cases and records with incomplete clinical information.

The study identified stroke as the single largest cause of death, accounting for 1,096 fatalities, or 14.1% of all inpatient deaths. Of these, 556 patients died due to ischaemic stroke while haemorrhagic stroke claimed 540.

Cancer was the second leading cause, with 698 deaths (9%), followed by ischaemic heart disease with 630 deaths (8.1%), decompensated chronic liver disease with 610 deaths (7.9%) and road traffic accidents with 598 deaths (7.7%). Collectively, these five conditions accounted for 46.8% of all inpatient deaths analysed.

"The mortality pattern in this study shows a predominance of stroke, cancer and cardiovascular disease as the causes. This observation highlights the rising burden of non-communicable diseases and their impact on mortality, " the authors said.

When classified according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), ailments of the nervous system emerged as the largest category, contributing 19.9% of all deaths. Diseases of the circulatory system accounted for 14.4%, followed by external causes of morbidity and mortality, including accidents and injuries, at 13.2%. Digestive diseases contributed 10.4%, infectious and parasitic diseases 9.9%, cancers 9%, genitourinary diseases 8.2%, respiratory diseases 7.9% and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic disorders 4.3%.

The analysis also revealed a clear demographic pattern. Men accounted for 5,169 deaths, or 66.7% of all fatalities, while women accounted for 2,583 deaths. The highest mortality was recorded among patients aged 51 to 60 years, who constituted 24.3% of all deaths, followed by those aged 61 to 70 years. Overall, nearly 70% of the deceased were 45 years and above.

One of the study's most striking findings relates to the timing of deaths after admission. More than half of the patients, 54.4%, died within the first 72 hours of admission, including 13.7% who died on the day they reached the hospital. Nearly 75.7% of all deaths occurred within the first week of hospitalisation.

The researchers said the trend warrants a closer evaluation of whether delayed referrals, late presentation of critically ill patients or suboptimal management before transfer contributed to the high proportion of early deaths. As RGGGH serves as the principal referral centre for northern Tamil Nadu, it receives critically ill patients from more than 500 government and private hospitals across the State.

Beyond the five leading causes, the study identified chronic kidney disease as another significant contributor, accounting for 471 deaths, while sepsis claimed 349 lives. Among infectious diseases, tuberculosis caused 144 deaths, infectious meningitis 73, HIV-related illnesses 60 and leptospirosis 10.

The cancer profile reflected the increasing burden of malignancies, with haematological cancers accounting for the highest number of deaths, followed by lung cancer, metastatic cancers of unknown primary origin, brain and central nervous system tumours and stomach cancer.

Among respiratory illnesses, pneumonitis caused 264 deaths, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease accounted for 134 deaths and respiratory failure for 101. In endocrine and metabolic disorders, diabetic ketoacidosis alone resulted in 214 deaths, while uncontrolled diabetes mellitus accounted for another 70. Diabetic foot syndrome was responsible for 174 deaths under circulatory diseases, highlighting the impact of poorly controlled diabetes.

The study also pointed to the growing burden of alcohol-related liver disease, as it emerged as the dominant contributor to deaths from decompensated chronic liver disease. The researchers linked this to changing lifestyle patterns, increasing alcohol consumption and the rising prevalence of liver disorders in the country.

Road traffic accidents remained the leading external cause of death, particularly among young men. The researchers also flagged poisoning as an emerging concern, noting that paraquat poisoning accounted for the largest share of poisoning-related deaths. Given its extremely high fatality rate and increasing use in suicide attempts, the study said the trend warrants urgent public health attention.

The authors noted that the findings broadly mirror national and global estimates showing non-communicable diseases replacing infectious diseases as the leading causes of mortality. At the same time, they observed that conditions such as alcohol-related liver disease and paraquat poisoning require focused interventions in Tamil Nadu.

Conducted at one of Asia's oldest hospitals, RGGGH houses about 3,300 beds, 49 speciality departments and 21 intensive care units, besides handling nearly 10,000 outpatient visits every day.

The researchers described the study as the first detailed assessment of inpatient mortality in a government tertiary care hospital in southern India.

Calling for stronger public health interventions, the authors stressed the need to intensify prevention and early detection of stroke, cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes through improved control of hypertension, dyslipidaemia and other risk factors. They also recommended strengthening road safety measures, establishing robust hospital-based mortality surveillance systems and integrating institutional data with national health databases to support evidence-based health planning.

The study acknowledged that it did not include paediatric and most obstetric cases because those patients are treated in separate institutions attached to Madras Medical College. It also noted that disease-specific case-fatality rates could not be calculated since only records of deceased patients were analysed.

"Improved surveillance for hospital-based mortality and integrating it with national health database systems may be helpful to improve evidence-based planning. Multicentre population-based studies should be conducted to verify these results, " the authors concluded.

Highlights

* First comprehensive mortality study from a government tertiary care hospital in Tamil Nadu and southern India

* Hospital: Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital

Period of the study - May 2023-April 2024

1,40,793 admissions

7,954 total deaths

7,752 records analysed

5.6% overall in-hospital mortality rate

66.7% deaths were of men

51-60 age group recorded highest mortality

70% of deaths were of people above 45

54.4% patients died within 72 hours of admission

75.7% died within the first week of hospitalisation

CHENNAI: The erosion of State autonomy has proceeded not only through successive Union actions since 1950, but also through certain judicial pronouncements, notwithstanding the Supreme Court’s own declaration that federalism forms part of the Constitution’s Basic Structure. A striking instance is the judicially created All-India Quota (AIQ), under which 15% of undergraduate seats, 50% of postgraduate seats, and all super-speciality seats in State-funded medical colleges are diverted to a central merit pool.

Although the AIQ was justified as a remedy for inter-State disparities, it gives no assurance that seats surrendered by well-endowed States will benefit candidates from regions with few or no medical colleges. It’s an all-India merit pool, not a deficit-region quota

Introduced in 1984, the AIQ has hardened into a permanent centralised admissions regime for MBBS/BDS, MD/MS/MDS and DM/MCh courses. Justice AK Rajan’s 2020 monograph, Penalty for Progress?, offers a scathing critique of this judge-made framework and its constitutional validity.

Super-speciality admissions carry no reservation, on the ground that ‘merit alone’ must prevail at the apex level. That justification has been shattered by the reduction of NEET-SS qualifying cut-offs to single-digit, and even zeroth, percentile levels

‘Robin Hood’ origins

The AIQ originated in Dr. Pradeep Jain v. Union of India (1984). Faced with wide inter-State disparities in medical infrastructure and educational opportunity, the Supreme Court disapproved wholesale domicile-based exclusion and held that a portion of seats in government and aided medical colleges in each State should be opened to candidates from across India. It suggested that at least 30% of the ‘open’ non-reserved seats be placed in an all-India pool.

The Dr. Dinesh Kumar line of cases converted this broad judicial idea into fixed numerical quotas. In Dr. Dinesh Kumar (II) v. Motilal Nehru Medical College (1986), the AIQ was fixed at 15% of total MBBS/BDS seats in government colleges. For postgraduate courses, Pradeep Jain had contemplated that at least 50% of the open seats be filled on an all-India basis; Dinesh Kumar (II) reformulated this as 25% of total postgraduate seats.

Two decades later, a five-judge Constitution Bench in Saurabh Chaudri v. Union of India (2003) raised the postgraduate AIQ to 50%. At the super-speciality level, Pradeep Jain and later rulings insisted on zero domiciliary reservation and admissions based entirely on all-India merit in the ‘national interest’.

The AIQ applies only to government and government-aided institutions, not private self-financing colleges. States that invested early and substantially in medical colleges, postgraduate departments, and super-speciality units to meet their own public-health needs are compelled to surrender part of that capacity because other States failed to build theirs. Tamil Nadu, with 38 State government medical colleges, exemplifies such sustained public investment. The AIQ penalises that progress.

The point is simple. A village that digs its own well may voluntarily share its water. A higher authority may help another village dig its own. But to compel the first village to surrender a fixed share of its water indefinitely to other villages is unfair. Nothing in the Constitution requires one State to remedy another State’s administrative failure. The proper response was to require lagging States to expand medical infrastructure, with Union assistance where necessary. Instead, the Court fashioned a ‘Robin Hood’ model of redistribution, compelling progressive States to surrender seats to a central pool.

Systemic consequences

The AIQ has produced serious consequences. First, it reduces the supply of doctors familiar with local languages, cultures, and disease burdens, especially in non-Hindi-speaking States.

Effective diagnosis, counselling and treatment depend not merely on technical competence, but also on a doctor’s ability to understand a patient’s language, cultural cues, and social context. In such encounters, communication failures can be as harmful as diagnostic errors.

Second, by requiring States to surrender 15% of undergraduate seats, 50% of postgraduate seats, and all super-speciality seats created through State investment to a central pool, the AIQ becomes a powerful disincentive for States to expand medical education capacity. This is especially damaging in postgraduate and super-speciality education, where departments, hospitals, equipment and faculty require substantial public investment. Ultimately, it is the public that loses.

Third, although the AIQ was justified as a remedy for inter-State disparities, it gives no assurance that seats surrendered by well-endowed States will benefit candidates from regions with few or no medical colleges. It’s an all-India merit pool, not a deficit-region quota. Candidates from medically advanced States may also secure these seats, often with greater competitive advantage than those from backward or deficit regions. Thus, the AIQ fails to serve its own professed rationale. A fresh empirical scrutiny of its actual benefits to deficit regions is necessary.

Fourth, the AIQ’s social-justice record has been gravely deficient. While most States had been implementing OBC reservation in educational institutions from 1950, and some even earlier, the Union introduced 27% OBC reservation in educational institutions only through the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006. Had AIQ seats remained with the States, a substantial share would have gone to OBC candidates under State reservation policies from 1984 itself.

What is indefensible is that OBC reservation was not extended to AIQ seats even after Central reservations were introduced in 2006; it was implemented only from 2021–22, after prolonged litigation, a Madras High Court order in July 2020, and a Union notification in July 2021. This delay deprived OBC candidates of thousands of seats.

Even more unconscionably, SC/ST reservation—15% and 7.5% respectively — in AIQ undergraduate and postgraduate seats was introduced only after the Supreme Court’s judgment in Abhay Nath v. University of Delhi (2009), nearly 25 years after the AIQ’s creation in 1984.

Super-speciality admissions carry no reservation, on the ground that ‘merit alone’ must prevail at the apex level. That justification has been shattered by the reduction of NEET-SS qualifying cut-offs to single-digit, and even zeroth, percentile levels in several years to prevent costly seats in private colleges and deemed universities from remaining vacant. When candidates at the zeroth percentile are treated as eligible, excluding reservation in the name of uncompromised merit becomes indefensible.

Constitutional fault-lines

The AIQ’s constitutional foundation is equally vulnerable.

1. Violation of stare decisis: A five-judge Constitution Bench in D.P. Joshi v. State of Madhya Bharat (1955) had upheld the constitutional validity of State domicile-based preferences in higher education. The case concerned a rule under which bona fide residents of Madhya Bharat were exempted from paying capitation fees in a State-run medical college, while non-residents were required to pay an additional fee. The petitioner challenged the rule under Articles 14 and 15, contending that it discriminated on the ground of place of birth and created an arbitrary classification between residents and non-residents.

The Court rejected both arguments. It drew a clear distinction between citizenship, domicile, and place of birth. Citizenship denotes political allegiance to the nation; domicile concerns a person’s permanent home and civil status.

It held that State domicile was legally recognisable in India, including because States could have distinct personal laws under the Concurrent List. It further held that domicile was not synonymous with place of birth and, therefore, residence-based preferences did not violate Article 15(1). Under Article 14, the classification was upheld as reasonable and rationally connected to a legitimate objective: enabling the State to support its residents and secure the availability of locally trained doctors.

Pradeep Jain (1984), decided by a three-judge Bench, departed from the binding five-judge precedent in D.P. Joshi (1955). It asserted that India has only one indivisible legal system and one domicile. Although it acknowledged that residence requirements were not barred by Article 15(1), it invoked Article 14 to restrict State preferences and justify the AIQ.

In doing so, a smaller Bench diluted a larger Bench ruling. It also effectively imported ‘residence’ into Article 15(1), where the Constitution prohibits discrimination on specified grounds, including place of birth — but not residence. This casts serious doubt on the constitutional validity of Pradeep Jain (1984).

2. Federal overreach: The compulsory surrender of State seats to a central pool also disturbs the constitutional distribution of powers under the Seventh Schedule. Entry 66 of List I confines the Union’s role to the ‘coordination and determination of standards’ in higher education. It cannot be stretched, by judicial fiat, to permit the appropriation of seats in institutions created, funded and administered by States. Nor can

‘standards’ authorise the Union, or the Court, to commandeer capacity built by State taxpayers and redistribute it nationally.

Consent-based all-India pool

The Justice Kurian Joseph Committee on Union–State Relations has therefore recommended that the AIQ, in its present form, be dispensed with. It should be replaced by a cooperative model under which States may voluntarily contribute seats of their choosing to an all-India deficit-region pool, reserved for candidates from regions with demonstrable infrastructural deficits. Such a framework would avoid the adverse consequences of the present model for States, and ensure that seats contributed by well-endowed States benefit only candidates from regions with few or no medical colleges.

— The author is retired IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, former Vice-Chancellor of Indian Maritime University, Chennai, and Member, High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations constituted by the Government of Tamil Nadu

Tamil, one of the most preferred regional language options, has also recorded a decline for the second consecutive year, although registrations recovered marginally this year.

The number of candidates opting for the Tamil question paper peaked at 36,335 in 2024, then dropped sharply to 26,580 in 2025. In 2026, registrations increased slightly to 29,845, but remained well below the 2024 level.

Despite the recent decline, Tamil registrations have grown significantly over the longer term, rising from 19,868 in 2019 to 31,965 in 2022 and 30,536 in 2023 before peaking in 2024.

The NTA data shows that the shift away from regional languages is not limited to Tamil. Marathi registrations have plunged from 31,239 in 2019 to just 1,144 in 2026, while Odia has fallen from 31,490 to 716 during the same period. Gujarati registrations have also declined from 59,395 to 49,647, while Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu and Punjabi continue to account for relatively small numbers of candidates.

In contrast, English has consolidated its position as the dominant language for NEET. Registrations in English rose from 12.04 lakh in 2019 to 18.08 lakh in 2026. Hindi registrations also increased steadily from 1.79 lakh to 3.45 lakh, indicating that candidates across several states are increasingly choosing English or Hindi over regional language question papers.

In Tamil Nadu, candidates opting for the Tamil question paper are predominantly from State Board schools, including government and government-aided institutions where Tamil remains the medium of instruction.

Educationist R Rajan said more efforts were needed to encourage Tamil medium students to appear for NEET in their mother tongue.

"We need to create an environment where more Tamil medium students choose the Tamil question paper. The importance of mother-tongue education should be reinforced while also improving the availability of quality study materials in Tamil," he told DT Next.

He noted that the limited availability of scientific terminology, reference books, and coaching material in Tamil, compared with English, remains one of the key reasons students switch to English.

The changing trend could have important implications for government school students in states where regional languages remain the primary medium of instruction. While Tamil remains among the leading regional language options in NEET, the sustained decline suggests that an increasing number of students are choosing English to access better preparation resources and a wider range of coaching materials.

The CFSs and ICDs are key logistics facilities where export and import containers are stored, handled and cleared by Customs before reaching ports or moving inland. The report says Tamil Nadu has fewer such facilities than would typically be expected for a manufacturing base of its size, indicating a gap in the logistics infrastructure supporting the state's manufacturing and export sectors.

The report also credits Tamil Nadu's dense rail network connecting the ports of Chennai, Ennore and Thoothukudi, along with strong road connectivity between Chennai, Coimbatore and Hosur, for supporting efficient movement of goods. However, industry feedback captured under the report points to poor road infrastructure around Chennai Port, with truck waiting times extending up to 36 hours, affecting freight movement and operational efficiency.

The report attributes Tamil Nadu's top ranking in the infrastructure pillar in part to its efficient port infrastructure. The state ranked third in turnaround time at ports weighted by capacity, while electricity downtime is 4 per cent below the large-state average and transmission and distribution (T&D) losses are about 3 per cent lower than the average. It also notes that exports account for 36 per cent of the state's GSDP, above the average for large states, highlighting the importance of an efficient logistics network to its manufacturing-driven economy.

The observations come as several freight infrastructure projects are under way in and around Chennai, including the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor, the proposed Multi-Modal Logistics Park at Mappedu and truck holding yards planned outside the port to streamline cargo movement and reduce congestion.

The report assesses infrastructure using both official data and investor feedback across logistics, warehousing, energy and digital infrastructure. For logistics, it considers indicators such as port turnaround time and gathers industry feedback on factors including berth availability, cargo handling, road connectivity and other port infrastructure.

Among the logistics indicators, Tamil Nadu ranked third in turnaround time at ports weighted by capacity for major and non-major ports, with Gujarat coming out on top in the category.

Highlights:

Tamil Nadu ranks #3

With an overall 53.3 score, TN achieves a near 100% MoU conversion rate

Efficient ports, dense rail network, reliable power grid and impressive export performance contribute to a friendly climate

TN emerged as the most environmental resilient state, the category where Gujarat trailed at rank #8

However, the state's fiscal position, government policy and resources hold TN back from unleashing its full potential

Chennai Airport needs expansion: The report flags limited direct flights to Europe, despite hosting many European multinational companies

The report also points to limited availability of treated sewage water for industrial reuse, particularly in land locked areas and rain shadow zones

The famous waterfalls, which usually draw thousands of visitors from Tamil Nadu and neighbouring States, now present a starkly different picture. Large stretches of exposed rocks have replaced the gushing waters as only a trickle flows through.

"Only during weekends is the tourist turnout moderate. On weekdays, the footfall is abysmally low," said K Rajendran, a coracle operator and member of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

"Such a prolonged dry spell is unprecedented. Over the last few years, we have had good inflows. Currently, around 50 to 70 coracle rides are operated on weekdays, and approximately 900 rides are conducted on weekends. During the peak tourist season in May, it would be above 1,300 rides. Business started declining from June itself because of the lack of water," he said.

Coracle services continue to operate only in isolated stagnant pools of water, but operators say the experience no longer offers the scenic appeal that tourists expect.

"There is hardly anything to see except exposed rocks. The waterfalls, which offer a spectacular sight during good flow, now carry only minimal water," Rajendran said.

For many of the 432 licensed coracle operators, the downturn has become a livelihood crisis.

V Amsaraj (40), who has been rowing coracles at Hogenakkal for the past 22 years, fears the situation could worsen if rainfall remains scarce. "A similar dry spell occurred in 2015. Even the bathing area now receives only a trickle of water," he said.

The contrast with last year could not be sharper. By the middle of June 2025, heavy releases from Karnataka had swollen the Cauvery, forcing authorities to suspend coracle operations for nearly two months as a safety measure. This year, however, the river has receded dramatically, exposing vast stretches of the riverbed.

Ironically, the receding waters have revealed a hidden attraction. The Jaganmohini Cave, which remains submerged for most of the year, has resurfaced in the Cauvery stretch. Believed to have been carved into a rock face for the shooting of the Tamil film Jaganmohini in 1978, the cave has become an unexpected draw for visitors. Coracle operators have begun ferrying tourists to the site, allowing them to explore the cave.

A coracle ride covering the 2.5-km stretch between Mamarathu Kadavu and Manalmedu on the Karnataka border costs Rs 1,500 for a family of four. Of this, Rs 200 is collected by the administration, while the remaining amount goes to the coracle operators.

Despite the cave attracting curious visitors, operators say it has done little to offset the overall decline in business.

The economic impact extends well beyond the coracle operators. Several hundreds of families in Hogenakkal depend directly or indirectly on tourism for their livelihood, including masseurs, women engaged in cooking for visitors, roadside vendors and shopkeepers.

With the southwest monsoon yet to significantly replenish the Cauvery, the tourism stakeholders say their hopes now rest on sustained rainfall in the river's catchment areas to restore both the waterfalls and their livelihoods.

Stalin had left Chennai on July 4. During his stay in the United Kingdom, he attended the graduation ceremony of Inbanidhi, Udhayanidhi's son, who completed his higher education at a university in London. Stalin congratulated his grandson after the degree was conferred. The family also spent a few days in London before commencing their return journey.

The DMK chief was originally scheduled to arrive in Chennai on Sunday morning. However, the flight from London reached Dubai behind schedule, resulting in him missing the onward flight to Chennai. He later boarded another flight from Dubai and reached Chennai in the evening.

Senior DMK leaders, former ministers, office-bearers and a large number of party workers gathered at the airport to receive Stalin and Udhayanidhi. Cadres waved party flags and raised slogans as the two leaders arrived.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of DMK supporters had assembled at the airport expecting the leaders on the morning flight. The gathering witnessed brief tense moments after police stopped a band troupe from entering the airport premises, stating that musical performances were not permitted inside the high-security complex. DMK functionaries questioned the restriction, citing similar receptions held in the past. Following a brief exchange, police allowed supporters carrying party flags to remain but directed the musicians to leave. After airport authorities informed them that Stalin and Udhayanidhi would arrive only in the evening because of the missed Dubai connection, the supporters dispersed peacefully before returning later to welcome the two leaders.

The police conducted a search at the house of Murugadas, one of the accused in the alleged fraudulent registration of 1.40 acres of land belonging to the Dhandayuthapani Swamy Mutt Trust in Palani. He is the managing trustee of the Trust.

A 10-member CB-CID team, assisted by the Villupuram police, searched Murugadas' locked house in Kamaraj Nagar near NGGO Colony after opening the premises in the absence of the occupants. During the search, investigators seized more than 50 documents, including land records, property deeds, bank passbooks, a passport, Aadhaar and PAN cards, besides other registration-related records.

The investigating team also questioned local residents about Murugadas' real estate dealings and the whereabouts of his family. After completing the search, the CB-CID sealed the house and took the seized documents to Palani for further investigation.

The case relates to the alleged fraudulent sale of 1.40 acres of land belonging to the Dhandayuthapani Swamy Mutt Trust, which is administered by the Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple. The land, recently converted into a parking facility for devotees by the temple authorities, was allegedly registered in favour of two individuals for Rs 2 crore on July 6.

The case was initially registered by the Palani police against former Sub-Registrar Justin Manikandan, Murugadas, and two purchasers on charges including cheating and criminal conspiracy. The State government later transferred the investigation to the CB-CID.

Rajesh Kumar said medical admissions in Tamil Nadu were based on Class 12 public examination marks until 2016 and argued that the system had ensured wider access to medical education. He alleged that the examination had become a lucrative business for private coaching centres.

Rajesh Kumar reiterated the demand that education be moved back to the State List, even though it was then-Congress Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who moved it to the concurrent list during the Emergency, contending that many of the issues surrounding NEET could be resolved if states were given greater control over admissions.

Demanding accountability, he said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should resign over the alleged lapses in the conduct of NEET.

"If a candidate can secure a postgraduate medical seat merely by appearing for the examination, why should such a test be conducted at all?" he asked, citing discrepancies in the UG and PG admission process.

Rajesh Kumar said the State government had consistently maintained that NEET was detrimental to rural students and added that Congress would launch a major statewide protest against the examination under the leadership of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore.

He further alleged that there had been more than 150 instances of question paper leaks and examination-related irregularities since NEET was introduced in 2016, and called for a comprehensive review of the system.

Speaking to reporters after the party's general council meeting in Tiruvarur, Shahjahan said the resolution reaffirmed the IUML's decision to continue the alliance in the forthcoming elections.

He also said the upcoming Tamil Nadu Budget would include "encouraging announcements" for minority communities, based on proposals submitted by the Minorities Welfare Department to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

On the demand to increase the Muslim reservation quota from 3.5 per cent to 5 per cent, Shahjahan said the government was examining legal options, including filing an appeal against the Madras High Court verdict, issuing a fresh Government Order or introducing legislative amendments.

Referring to the Cauvery water issue, the minister alleged that Karnataka had not released Tamil Nadu's share of water for June, July and August, and urged the Centre to intervene. He also said a proposal to establish a 400-kV substation to strengthen power supply in the Cauvery delta region was under the government's consideration.

He appealed to the Chief Minister not to fall for the claims of vested interests on the issue.

Launching a signature campaign organised by Pasumai Thaayagam at Pondy Bazaar in T Nagar to demand protection of the Pallikaranai marsh, Anbumani Ramadoss and PMK MLA Sowmiya Anbumani appealed to the State government to notify and safeguard the ecologically sensitive wetland.

Addressing the gathering, Sowmiya Anbumani said wetlands play a crucial role in groundwater recharge and flood mitigation. She noted that despite having three rivers, Chennai continues to face water shortages and stressed that protecting the marshland is essential to ensuring the city's long-term water security.

Speaking at the event, Anbumani described Pallikaranai as Chennai's "lifeline" and "natural drainage system". He said the marshland, which once spanned nearly 15,000 acres, had shrunk to around 2,500 acres due to urbanisation and encroachment.

"Chennai has been blessed with four natural assets: the Adyar, Cooum and Kosasthalaiyar rivers, and the Pallikaranai marsh. The marsh stores and regulates water brought by these rivers. If Chennai is to avoid floods, Pallikaranai must be protected," he said.

Recalling the 2015 floods, Anbumani said large-scale destruction of wetlands had prevented floodwaters from draining naturally. He alleged that real estate interests were attempting to encroach upon the remaining marshland and criticised past administrations for permitting developments in ecologically sensitive areas.

The PMK leader also demanded that all 26,800 wetlands across the State be notified and protected. He accused the State Wetland Committee of failing to act and criticised officials and former administrators for allowing encroachments.

Calling on the TVK-led government to take immediate action, Anbumani urged Chief Minister Vijay to define and officially notify the marshland's boundaries to prevent further encroachments.

He said signatures collected through the campaign would be submitted to the Chief Minister and the concerned department minister, warning that stronger forms of protest could follow if action was not taken.

The green body was hearing the matter where it had taken suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report regarding the gas leak.

In an order dated July 2, made available recently, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad observed that the matter indicates a prima facie violation of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, besides raising "substantial issues" on compliance with environmental norms.

The tribunal noted several glaring safety lapses during the initial probe by authorities.

"Several violations, including industrial safety norms, were noted against the proponent (sea food processing unit). A suitable alarm system, fire hydrant, or Form 12 register for the Employee State Insurance (ESI) scheme were not found," the bench said.

It mentioned that while the Tamil Nadu government has provided Rs 2 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased, the matter requires investigation into environmental compliance.

The tribunal impleaded as parties or respondents the Member Secretary of the Central CPCB, the Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), the Chennai Regional Office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and the District Magistrate of Tiruvallur.

"Issue notice to the above respondents for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the Southern Zonal Bench of the tribunal (in Chennai) at least one week before the next date of hearing (on August 31)," the green tribunal said.

Citing jurisdictional reasons, the tribunal has transferred the case to its Southern Zonal Bench in Chennai for further proceedings. The respondents have been directed to file their replies via affidavit at least one week before the next hearing.

The matter is scheduled for hearing before the Southern Zonal Bench on August 31.

Addressing a press conference in Madurai, Moorthy challenged Nirmalkumar to produce proof for the allegation that he had received a 20 per cent commission from illegal property registrations.

Substantiate allegations with proof, Moorthy challenges minister

"There are 589 Registration Offices in Tamil Nadu. Every Registration Office maintains records. If the Law Minister claims that I interfered in any registration or received a 20 per cent commission, let him produce evidence and identify the Registration Office, the officials involved, and the transaction concerned," Moorthy said.

"The only reason I am responding today is that if someone repeats a false allegation 10 times, people may begin to believe it is true. I have only one request to him – prove your allegation with evidence," he said.

TVK-led govt has no achievement to show

The DMK leader alleged that instead of explaining what the present government had achieved during its first 60 days in office, Minister Nirmalkumar was repeatedly referring to the previous five years under the DMK government and alleging that illegal registrations had taken place during that period.

"I openly state that during my five years as registration minister, I never instructed even a single Sub-Registrar to register any property in violation of the law," he claimed, adding that if there had been isolated instances of wrongdoing, departmental authorities would have taken action against the officials concerned.

Moorthy accused Nirmalkumar of making allegations against him to evade direct questions on the issue. He further alleged that the minister had spent the past 60 days holding press conferences instead of concentrating on the two departments under his charge. "He speaks about every department as though he is a shadow chief minister," he claimed.

Rs 100-crore Palani temple land sale scam

Referring to the Rs 100-crore Palani temple land registration case, Moorthy claimed that temple properties cannot legally be registered because they are listed as prohibited properties in the Registration Department's records.

The former minister claimed that the officer concerned was on leave on the day in question. He further claimed that two Sub-Registrars who had handled the matter earlier had declined to register the document and that it was registered only after another official took charge. “We welcome the CB-CID investigation into issue” he said.

Measures in place to prevent illegal registration

Explaining the process of registration, the former minister said a registration token must be generated a day in advance for registering any property and a registration could not have taken place accidentally or without officials being aware of the process.

Moorthy said the Registration Department has multiple levels of supervision, including the Sub-Registrar (SR), District Registrar (DR), Deputy Inspector General (DIG), and Additional Inspector General (AIG).

"Whether it is temple land, government land, waterbody poramboke land, Waqf Board property, or any other prohibited property, registration cannot be carried out because the government has flagged it (as prohibited) in the sub-registrar office," he said.

Moorthy cites Tirupparankundram example

Citing the Tirupparankundram temple as an example, Moorthy said even long-time occupants of temple land could not obtain ownership because the properties continued to stand in the name of the HR&CE Department.

“The entire village in front of the Tirupparankundram temple had been occupied by people who had been paying taxes and living there for 50 or 60 years. However, about five years ago, those lands were identified as belonging to the temple and were brought under the temple's ownership,” said Moorthy, adding that this demonstrated that the Registration Department did not permit the registration of temple properties.

The issue was raised by DMK leader Tiruchi Siva at the customary all-party meeting convened ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament, which begins on Monday.

"The DMK is in favour of the Women's Reservation Bill on the current strength in the Lok Sabha, but we want more clarity on the delimitation issue," he told reporters after the meeting.

Siva said the delimitation exercise should not adversely affect the southern states and sought greater clarity from the government.

"If it affects the southern states, it should be put in abeyance for 25 years," Siva said.

Police sources on Sunday (July 19) said that the incident unfolded on the evening of July 15, when the victim was talking with a male friend.

Vinoth Kumar, a constable attached to the Thudiyalur police station who was on patrol duty, spotted the duo.

Instead of passing by or ensuring their safety, the officer cornered the couple and aggressively questioned their presence there.

He then ordered the young woman to step aside for a separate inquiry.

Once isolated, the constable reportedly targeted her with obscene language and subjected her to sexual harassment.

Traumatised by the ordeal, the woman broke down and informed her friend, who immediately escalated the matter by lodging a formal complaint detailing the officer's predatory behaviour with senior police officials.

Taking swift action, top brass conducted a preliminary inquiry, resulting in Vinoth Kumar’s immediate suspension and subsequent arrest.

Addressing a press conference in Madurai, Mr. Moorthy challenged Mr. Nirmal Kumar to produce proof for his allegation that he had received a 20 per cent commission from illegal property registrations.

"There are 589 Registration Offices in Tamil Nadu. Every Registration Office maintains records. If the Law Minister claims that I interfered in any registration or received a 20 per cent commission, let him produce evidence and identify the Registration Office, the officials involved and the transaction concerned," Mr. Moorthy said.

"The only reason I am responding today is that if someone repeats a false allegation ten times, people may begin to believe it is true. I have only one request to him—prove it with evidence," he said.

Mr. Moorthy alleged that instead of explaining what the present government had achieved during its first 60 days in office, the Law Minister Nirmal Kumar was repeatedly referring to the previous five years under the DMK government and alleging that illegal registrations had taken place during that period.

"I openly state that during my five years as Registration Minister, I never instructed even a single Sub-Registrar to register any property in violation of the law," he said, adding that if there had been isolated instances of wrongdoing, departmental authorities would have taken action against the officials concerned.

Referring to the ₹100-crore Palani temple land registration case, Mr. Moorthy claimed that temple properties cannot legally be registered because they listed as prohibited properties in the Registration Department's records.

"Whether it is temple land, government land, waterbody poramboke land, Waqf Board property or any other prohibited property, registration cannot be carried out because the government has flagged it (as prohibited) in the sub-registrar office," he said.

Citing the Tirupparankundram temple as an example, Mr. Moorthy said even long-time occupants of temple land could not obtain ownership because the properties continued to stand in the name of HR&CE Department. “The entire village in front of the Tirupparankundram temple had been occupied by people who had been paying taxes and living there for 50 or 60 years. However, about five years ago, those lands were identified as belonging to the temple and were brought under the temple's ownership., said Moorthy adding that this demonstrated that the Registration Department did not permit the registration of temple properties.

Further explaining the process of registration, the former Minister said a registration token must be generated a day in advance for registering any property and a registration could not have taken place accidentally or without officials being aware of the process.

Mr. Moorthy said the Registration Department has multiple levels of supervision, including the Sub-Registrar (SR), District Registrar (DR), Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Additional Inspector General (AIG).

Referring to the Palani temple land registration case, the former Minister claimed that the officer concerned was on leave on the day in question. He further claimed that two Sub-Registrars who had handled the matter earlier had declined to register the document and that it was registered only after another officer took charge. “We welcome CBCID investigation into issue” he said.

Mr. Moorthy accused Mr. Nirmal Kumar for making allegations against him to evading direct questions on the issue. He further alleged that the Law Minister had spent the past 60 days holding press conferences instead of concentrating on the two departments under his charge. "He speaks about every department as though he is a shadow Chief Minister," he claimed.

In a statement, Anbumani said reports suggesting that industrial officials had opposed the proposal for job reservation in private industrial and commercial establishments, if true, amounted to a betrayal of the principles of social justice.

The PMK leader said his party had consistently urged the government to honour this commitment and accused certain officials and sections of the industry of attempting to derail the initiative even before it could be implemented.

TVK's election promise

He recalled that the ruling TVK, in its Assembly election manifesto, had promised incentives for private companies that employed Tamil Nadu youth for 75 per cent of their workforce. According to the manifesto, such companies would be eligible for a 2.5 per cent subsidy on GST and a 5 per cent subsidy on electricity charges.

Stating that the proposed reservation would create greater employment opportunities for local youth, Anbumani called on the government to move beyond policy announcements and bring in a legislation to ensure it is been implemented.

He said the State should not allow vested interests to weaken measures intended to protect the employment rights of Tamil Nadu's youth and urged the government to fulfil its poll promise at the earliest.

After weathering months of legal battles, an online leak, and a highly publicised standoff with the censor board, the highly anticipated film is finally set to hit the silver screen on July 23.

Production has peaked as fans from across the state flood local manufacturers with massive orders for custom T-shirts featuring the actor-turned-politician’s portrait and movie branding to celebrate the grand theatrical release.

"Since the movie release was announced a few days back, Tirupur textile units here were working overtime to manufacture customised Jana Nayagan T-shirts," K Prabakaran, member of the Tirupur Textile Unit Association said.

Tirupur manufacturing unit turns into celebration mode

With just four days left for the movie release, over 700 knitwear units are involved in T-shirt production. To accommodate the rush, most local manufacturers are offering courier services and cash-on-delivery (COD) across Tamil Nadu.

"We haven't seen this level of excitement in years," K Seva Nathan, a local garment factory owner, said.

He noted that orders are pouring in from not just Tamil Nadu, but also neighbouring states like Kerala and Karnataka.

The T-shirts feature iconic stills of the CM Vijay alongside the film's title, with many orders including slogans celebrating his political journey".

According to him, printers are working double shifts to meet the deadlines before the film hits the silver screen. "For the workers, many of whom are die-hard fans themselves, this is more than just regular work, it is a tribute to their favourite star."

As Jananayagan prepares to storm the theatres, Tirupur is effectively dressing the state for what promises to be an emotional and grand farewell to one of cinema's biggest box-office productions.

A die-hard fan of actor Vijay based in Chennai, Jayanth said, "We have ordered 500 T-shirts from a Tirupur textile manufacturing unit for Vijay's fan club and we expect the delivery well before the movie release."

"The release is not just a movie premiere, but a historic cultural event," he added.

One last time

Sources from the Tamil Nadu Film Distributors' Association said the film will likely be screened in about 1,000 theatres in Tamil Nadu from July 23.

The film's journey to certification was marred by significant delays, legal interventions and piracy issues.

'Jana Nayagan' features a prominent ensemble cast, including Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Narain.

The film has music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan, and editing by Pradeep E Ragav.

This network will facilitate emergency care, advanced burn care, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation and follow-up medical monitoring in case of fireworks accident, she said.

"The future of Sivakasi (a fireworks hub) is not only linked to industrial development but also to a safe and world-class healthcare infrastructure. Under the guidance of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, we have submitted a detailed project report on Comprehensive Firecracker Accident Management System to Health Minister K G Arunraj," she said on ‘X.’

"Through this project, our aim is to create a regional burn care and emergency medical network integrating the cities of Sivakasi – Virudhunagar – Madurai. This will be a pioneering initiative to create an integrated treatment system from the moment of an accident occurs to emergency care, advanced burn care, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation and follow-up medical monitoring," she said.

The goal was to ensure fast, quality and modern medical care to thousands of workers working in the firecracker industry and the public, and to make Sivakasi a model for India in occupational safety and emergency health management, Keerthana said.

"Managing a city is not just about building roads and buildings. It is also about creating systems that protect the lives, hopes, and futures of the people. On that journey, we are all working together to create a safe, modern Sivakasi," the minister stressed.

On an average 10 to 20 major fire accidents take place annually in Virudhunagar district, leading to casualties. As per official statistics, it recorded 89 accidents resulting in 134 deaths and 89 injuries between 2022 and mid-2025.

A devastating explosion at a manufacturing unit in Kattanarpatti village near Sivakasi in April this year left 25 workers dead and many injured. The mishap allegedly happened due to overcrowding of workers in a single room and safety violations.

In an official release, the Chief Minister said it was a matter of pride for the state that the Tamil film fraternity secured major wins across various categories for films released in 2024.

The awards were announced in New Delhi on Saturday night.

Extending his greetings to the winners, Vijay lauded actor-director Dhanush, whose directorial venture 'Raayan' won the award for best Tamil film. Dhanush also earned a special mention for best actor for his performance in 'Captain Miller'.

The CM congratulated the team of 'Amaran', which swept three key categories. Rajkumar Periasamy won best director, R Kalaivanan secured best editing and G V Prakash Kumar bagged the award for best background music.

The official release further highlighted the achievements of the film 'Maharaja,' which saw Anal Arasu winning best stunt choreography and Sachana Namidass securing the best supporting actress honour.

Other notable winners from the state included Suren G, who received a special mention in audiography for the film 'Meiyazhagan', and T S Hariharasudhan, who won best sound design for the short film 'Blue'.

Wishing the fraternity continued success, the Chief Minister expressed hope that the Tamil film industry would bring home many more such accolades in the future.

The paddy procured from farmers has been stacked at the centre for over 20 days.

Some of the gunny bags have been damaged, and goats from nearby areas feed on the spilt grain, causing further damage.

Farmers said if paddy bags are stolen during the night, it would be difficult to identify those responsible due to the lack of adequate security at the centre.

According to Villupuram South District Secretary of the TVK, N Mohanraj, Gnanasoundari “teamed up with opponents and made false allegations, and conducted herself contrary to the party’s policies, discipline and regulations.” She was removed from the primary membership of the party on July 17, Mohanraj said in a statement. He advised the party members not to have any contact with her.

Gnanasoundari, an advocate, had moved the Madras

High Court against TVK senior leaders over the appointment of government advocates in Villupuram district, alleging that bribes were paid for temporary appointments of government pleaders - a charge rejected by the party.

The party’s action on her follows the court disposing of her public interest litigation on July 17, after the Advocate General clarified that the current appointments were only temporary and that the formal appointment process involving thousands of candidates would take about three to six months.

The court noted that the names of certain leaders were included in the petition to hog media attention and ordered that the names be dropped from the petition after her counsel agreed to drop the leaders’ names from the petition.

Gnanasoundari, an advocate, had moved the Madras High Court against TVK senior leaders over the appointment of government advocates in Villupuram district, alleging corruption

"The 38.5-km stretch, extending from Paramanandal to Athipattu and forming part of the Paramanandal-Jamunamarathur route, serves as the primary access road for 217 tribal villages in the Jawadhu Hills. It is the region's lifeline for education, healthcare, employment, agricultural trade and other essential services, while also providing connectivity for tourists visiting the hill station.

Recognising its significance, the Tamil Nadu government announced the preparation of a Detailed Project Report for widening the road during the 2022-23 Budget," a release issued by the Highways department read.

The project subsequently received administrative sanction for Rs 120 crore. However, as more than 23 km of the alignment passes through reserved forest land, execution depended on obtaining statutory approvals from multiple agencies.

The proposal for diversion of forest land was revised and resubmitted in May 2025 before being examined by the Project Screening Committee, the State Forest Department and the Regional Office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Stage-I forest clearance was accorded on February 11, 2026, while the final stage-II approval was granted on June 18 after the proposal received clearance from the Central Empowered Committee constituted under the directions of the Supreme Court.

The contract has been awarded to CDR Infracon Limited. Official progress reports show that 3.5 km of granular sub-base work has been completed, besides the construction of 10 pipe culverts and 23 box culverts. Bridge works, drainage, retaining walls and other civil works are under way.

While the contract envisaged 25 per cent completion by June 21, around 20 per cent of the work has been completed so far.

Officials said the remaining works are being accelerated to ensure that the project is completed within the stipulated contractual period.

The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, dismissed the petition filed by Chennai-based Viswanathan, who had challenged the Government Order dated July 24, 2025, issued for the construction of the bus stand adjacent to the temple.

The bench noted that the petitioner had earlier filed a writ petition seeking to restrain the government from proceeding with the project. That petition was dismissed on June 10, 2026, after the court examined the merits of the case and found that the bus stand was being constructed in accordance with law.

Observing that the GO was already in existence when the earlier petition was filed, the court held that the petitioner could not mount a fresh challenge to the same order after the earlier writ petition had been dismissed on merits.

Holding that the second writ petition seeking identical relief was not maintainable, the bench said filing successive petitions on the same issue amounted to misuse of the process of law.

The court dismissed the PIL with costs of Rs 10,000 and directed the petitioner to pay the amount to the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority within one month.

Police sources said the arrested persons are in the finance business. The police have seized about Rs 2.82 crore unaccounted cash from them. The arrested persons have been identified as Selvam Karunanidhi (52) of Korattur and Saravanan (45) of Saligramam.

Poaching TVK MLA

Elaiyaraja, the TVK MLA from Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district, approached the Chennai Police Commissioner on June 29 stating he was approached by a man, identified as Thirunavukkarasu, with the offer.

Thirunavukkarasu claimed he ran a survey firm named Indian Political Democratic Strategies (IPDS). He had approached the MLA, offering Rs 35 crore as an inducement.

In his complaint, Elaiyaraja alleged that Thirunavukkarasu not only tried to bribe him but also issued threats to him and his family. He sought legal action against Thirunavukkarasu and those backing him.

Anticipatory bail

Among the arrested persons are functionaries from both DMK and the AIADMK and close associates of former minister and DMK MLA V Senthilbalaji and his brother Ashok Kumar. Both Senthilbalaji and Ashok Kumar secured conditional anticipatory bail from the Madras High Court last week.

The first export consignment of value-added Samba chilli products from there was flagged off by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Virudhunagar. The consignment is being exported to Sri Lanka, and will also dispatched to Andhra Pradesh and Haryana. Equally importantly, the products made from the famous chilli will also be available on e-commerce platforms, ensuring a steady and healthy income for the farmers by expanding the scope and scale of their trading horizon.

Minister Sitharaman also inaugurated a SIDBI-supported Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO) for GI-tagged Samba chilli products. Addressing the gathering, the minister said the FPO, which produces GI-tagged Samba chillies and value-added chilli products, is a model for the country, as it goes beyond providing credit by extending comprehensive support to farmers, including value addition, marketing, and export facilitation.

The farmers use less pesticides in Samba chilli cultivation, making the produce highly suitable for export, Sitharaman noted. Earlier, while sharing the success story of the FPO in Virudhunagar at the 'YiFi' Entrepreneurship Summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Madurai, the Union Minister said, "Virudhunagar district, which is an Aspirational District, haven't met the State's average performance level.

“At the national level, we identified 114 districts to start with. We call them not backward, but aspirational, so that all the government schemes converge there and lift them,” she said, adding that Virudhunagar had performed well after eight years of being an Aspirational District. “Amazing work has been done in terms of quality and branding, and the products have started being exported. In the process, farmers have revived traditional rice varieties that had disappeared from the market. The highly nutritious red rice varieties such as Mappillai Samba and Kavuni have been beautifully packaged.” She also praised SIDBI officials for helping farmers access export opportunities in addition to providing financial assistance.

The drill, mandated once every three years by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), simulated an emergency originating from the PFBR, which achieved first criticality on April 6, 2026, a key milestone in India's second-stage nuclear power programme.

The exercise was led by Chengalpattu District Collector M Veerappan in his capacity as Incident Commander, with technical support from the Kalpakkam Emergency Committee headed by Madras Atomic Power Station director SB Selvakumaran, who also served as the Site Emergency Director. PFBR Station Director Allu Ananth also participated.

Officials said the objective was to test the coordination and preparedness of the district administration and DAE units to respond to a nuclear emergency, despite the multiple safety layers built into nuclear facilities.

The simulated incident was compressed into a single-day exercise from 9 am to 4.30 pm. It began with a notional event at the PFBR, following which site authorities declared an off-site emergency and alerted the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). Based on weather conditions and technical inputs, the DDMA implemented protective measures in the designated emergency planning zone.

The exercise covered Arambakkam, Manamai, Kadambadi, Edaiyur, Kokilamedu, Vadakadambadi, Perumaleri, Kunnathur, Poonjeri and Mamallapuram. Officials stressed that all field actions were notional and that normal public life and traffic remained unaffected.

Around 15 senior officials from the National Disaster Management Authority, State Disaster Management Authority, AERB, NPCIL and BHAVINI observed the drill and expressed satisfaction with the overall preparedness.

District Collector M Veerappan said the exercise had strengthened the district's command-and-control capability to handle a nuclear emergency while ensuring there was no inconvenience to the public.

Personnel from the Revenue, Police, Health, Fire and Rescue Services, Rural Development, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Transport and Public Relations departments, besides the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), took part in the exercise.

During the week, SSF personnel traced nine missing women and nine missing children, rescued and rehabilitated eight persons with intellectual disabilities, prevented eight child marriages and helped re-enrol 44 school dropout children.

The force conducted patrols at 9,572 vulnerable locations and organised 3,711 awareness programmes on women's safety, child protection and legal rights. Pocso cases were registered in Thoothukudi, Thanjavur and Chennai City, while timely intervention in several districts led to the arrest and remand of accused involved in sexual offences, harassment and criminal intimidation.

Complaints received during awareness programmes also resulted in criminal cases and arrests.

Though Lakhani cited personal reasons for his return, the move assumes significance as the incumbent Chief Secretary, M Sai Kumar, is due to retire on February 28, 2027. Lakhani, one of the senior-most IAS officers in the Tamil Nadu cadre, is likely to be among the frontrunners for appointment as the next Chief Secretary.

Lakhani had gone on central deputation last year and was appointed as Commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, under the Department of School Education and Literacy.

After completing nearly a year in the post, he opted to return to the State. Speaking to DT Next, Lakhani said he had sought repatriation due to personal reasons.

He began his administrative career as Assistant Collector in Dharmapuri in 1992. He later served as District Collector of Kanniyakumari (2003-04) and Theni (2005-06).

During his career, he held several key positions, including Commissioner of Municipal Administration, Secretary of SIPCOT and Secretary of the Tourism Department. He also served as Tamil Nadu's Chief Electoral Officer from 2016 to 2018.

He subsequently served as Principal Secretary, Rural Development Department, Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, and Commissioner of Revenue Administration and Disaster Management in the rank of Additional Chief Secretary.

After completing more than 33 years of service in Tamil Nadu, Lakhani proceeded on Central deputation. With the ACC approving his premature repatriation, he is set to return to the State cadre. He will continue his service until May 31, 2029, when he reaches superannuation.

In a letter addressed to NTK chief coordinator Seeman, Kalanjiyam said he was stepping down from all party responsibilities as well as his primary membership, citing differences over the party's present course and political approach.

He also thanked Seeman for giving him the opportunity to contest in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, describing it as a significant moment in his political journey. However, Kalanjiyam said he was deeply disappointed by what he described as changes in the movement's functioning and the quality of criticism directed at alternative political leaders and individuals.

Stating that Tamil nationalist politics should transcend hate-based politics and promote an inclusive transfer of power, he said he could not accept instances where party members engaged in hostility towards members and supporters of other political organisations.

"Criticism should be policy-based and not turn into personal attacks," he said, adding that derogatory remarks against former associates and those holding differing views were inconsistent with the values and culture of the Tamil nationalist movement.

Kalanjiyam said his political understanding and approach to advancing Tamil nationalist ideology now differed from the party's current direction. While expressing continued respect for Seeman, he said it would not be healthy to continue within the organisation amid such ideological differences.

"Therefore, I am formally resigning from the responsibilities I hold from Naam Tamilar Katchi. My journey in Tamil nationalist politics will continue as a younger brother in the movement," he said in the letter.

At the survey section, they examined the mobile phones of employees and scrutinised online transactions, including those made through GPay. Officials found suspicious GPay transactions amounting to Rs 2,00,800. According to sources, the explanations given by the officials concerned regarding these transactions were inconsistent. The team also seized Rs 5,500 from a person who was not a government employee inside the Taluk office, besides Rs 2,500 in unaccounted cash.

The minister also inaugurated and visited exhibition stalls set up by various departments, including Agriculture, Engineering, Horticulture, Tourism, Forest, Women's Self-Help Groups, Sericulture and the District Industries Centre. He said Yelagiri, popularly known as the "Ooty of the poor", would be developed further as a tourist destination. He assured that adequate funds would be secured for the development of tourism infrastructure and that the government was committed to improving tourist destinations.

Under the e-Zero FIR mechanism, cyber financial fraud complaints involving a financial loss of more than Rs 1 lakh reported through the 1930 Helpline are automatically integrated with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) for registration of an e-Zero FIR.

Integration of the 1930 Helpline with CCTNS eliminates duplicate data entry, enables faster case registration and seamless jurisdictional transfer, and supports timely investigation, fraud freezing, digital evidence preservation, and improved fund recovery during the critical Golden Hour, police said.

The e-Zero FIR is electronically transferred to the jurisdictional Cyber Crime Police Station for investigation and later converted into a regular FIR based on their jurisdiction.

As soon as an e-Zero FIR is registered, the victim will receive an SMS with directions to visit the jurisdictional police station within 3 days for further action, an official release stated. The complainant is required to visit the concerned police station within three days to authenticate the electronically submitted complaint and complete the formal registration process.

The e-Zero FIR system has been implemented under the provisions of Section 173 of the BNSS, which permits information relating to a cognisable offence to be furnished through electronic communication and enables registration of a Zero FIR irrespective of territorial jurisdiction. This ensures that legal action can commence without delay, even before territorial jurisdiction is determined.

Other than the e-Zero FIR mechanism in all types of cybercrime-related complaints, the public is advised to report immediately by calling 1930. Early reporting enables prompt police intervention and substantially improves the likelihood of recovering the lost money.

The implementation of the e-Zero FIR system marks another significant step by the Government of Tamil Nadu towards technology-enabled, citizen- centric policing and strengthening the State's response to cyber financial crimes, the release added.

The controversy arose after photographs and videos of Annamalai attending a school event circulated on social media. The institution's association with an RSS pracharak triggered criticism, with opponents claiming the visit reinforced allegations that We The Leaders continues to enjoy the backing of the RSS and the BJP.

The allegation has persisted since Annamalai revived the movement in June after quitting the BJP. Critics have described We The Leaders as the BJP's "B team", alleging that it was launched with the tacit approval of the BJP leadership and the support of the RSS to retain political influence outside the party structure.

The Tirupur event has renewed that debate, with social media users questioning whether Annamalai had truly severed ties with the BJP or was pursuing an independent political course with ideological support from the Sangh.

Senior RSS functionaries, however, rejected the allegations, maintaining that the Sangh has no role in Annamalai's political activities after his exit from the BJP.

"The RSS or the BJP has no connection with Annamalai after he quit the party. Leaving the BJP was entirely his own decision. The party high command had no role in anything that followed after June 5. Reviving We The Leaders and charting a separate political course are entirely his decisions. The RSS has absolutely no role in them," multiple RSS pracharaks told DT Next.

They also dismissed claims that the Sangh was indirectly backing Annamalai.

"We have no reason to operate through anyone. We neither support nor endorse his organisation. The allegations are baseless. Neither the BJP nor the RSS is backing Annamalai. For us, he is like any other political leader, whether it is MK Stalin, C Joseph Vijay or Seeman," they said.

The projects fall under the Tamil Nadu Climate Resilient Urban Development Programme (TNCRUDP), a six-year World Bank-assisted programme (2024-2030) focused on water security, climate resilience and urban governance, approved by the World Bank’s board in December 2023.

Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Ltd (TNUIFSL), the implementing agency, has floated a tender to appoint a consultant for the audit, covering 28 projects executed during 2024-25. It will examine whether urban local bodies (ULBs) and implementing agencies complied with the programme’s environmental and social safeguards.

Where deficiencies are found, the consultant is required to revisit the concerned projects after corrective measures have been implemented, and verify compliance before finalising the report

The projects fall under 4 categories. These include seven underground sewerage schemes involving only collection systems in Salem, Thoothukudi, Karaikudi, Tiruvarur, Krishnagiri, Theni and Avadi; seven underground sewerage schemes with sewage treatment plants in Tiruvannamalai, Pudukkottai, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Cuddalore, Dindigul and Kancheepuram; one city-wide water supply improvement project in Kancheepuram; and 13 pilot projects for round the clock water supply in Avadi, Karaikudi, Pudukkottai, Tiruchy, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Erode, Vellore, Cuddalore, Dindigul, Tambaram, Nagercoil and Rajapalayam.

Findings must be classified under 4 categories: compliance, non-compliance, best practices and areas requiring improvement. Where deficiencies are found, the consultant is required to revisit the concerned projects after corrective measures have been implemented, and verify compliance before finalising the report.

A significant component of the assignment is a study on manual scavenging. The study will review the policy and regulatory framework governing sewer cleaning in India and Tamil Nadu, identify gaps in commitments by ULBs under national regulations, examine circumstances requiring hazardous cleaning in programme cities and hold discussions with ULB officials, site officers, contractors and workers. It will also examine past instances of hazardous cleaning through on-site case studies and discussions with sanitation workers and officials covering the entire sewage management value chain, analyse the root causes of such incidents, review existing SOPs and guidance, assess training provided to ULBs

The assignment, spanning three months, will begin with an initial compliance report due within two weeks of commencement, to be followed by a draft audit report. This draft will first be reviewed by the implementing agencies and shared with the World Bank, before the consultant incorporates their observations and submits the final report.

The exercise is tied to the World Bank’s Programme-for-Results (PforR) financing model. Under PforR, the Bank first prepared an Environmental and Social Systems Assessment (ESSA) to check whether Tamil Nadu's existing systems were adequate to run the programme. That assessment fed into a Programme Action Plan (PAP), and the current audit will verify whether the executing agencies have delivered on those PAP commitments.

PROJECTS COVERED

• 7 underground sewerage collection schemes

• 7 underground sewerage schemes with sewage treatment plants

• 1 city wide water supply project

• 13 pilot 24x7 water supply projects

MANUAL SCAVENGING

• Review policy and regulations

• Study circumstances requiring hazardous sewer cleaning

• Examine past hazardous cleaning instances

• Assess training for officials, contractors and sanitation workers

• Review existing SOPs

• Recommend design guidelines and new SOPs

Presenting an analysis of the White Paper, Kalaiyarasan argued that the State's finances should not be judged by the size of its debt alone. "Debt is the outcome; the real issue is weakening revenue generation that pushes governments towards higher borrowings to meet committed expenditure," he said.

He identified six broad challenges: manageable debt relative to the economy's size; a sustained decline in own revenue generation; governance deficiencies explaining only part of the fiscal stress; shrinking fiscal autonomy under GST and the Centre-State framework; mounting liabilities in the power and transport sectors; and demographic and industrial shifts that could reshape the State's economy.

Kalaiyarasan said Tamil Nadu's own tax revenue has declined from around 8% of GSDP over the past decade to about 5.4%, despite continued economic growth, a trend that predates the present government and points to a structural issue. The GST leakages, undervaluation of properties affecting stamp duty, and weak tax administration explain only part of the decline, he said.

The bigger challenge, he argued, lies in changing the Centre-States fiscal relationship: Tamil Nadu now derives nearly 53% of its tax revenue through GST, limiting its ability to independently alter indirect tax rates, even as states shoulder the bulk of welfare and development spending.

On jobs, Kalaiyarasan said manufacturing is shifting towards capital-intensive sectors that generate fewer jobs than traditional industries, even as MSMEs continue to recover from the combined impact of demonetisation, GST and the pandemic.

Automation, AI and changing industrial patterns are slowing employment generation even as educational attainment rises, widening the gap between aspirations and available jobs, he said.

The White Paper also flags the State's debt-to-GSDP ratio at 28.3% in 2025-26, above the FRBM benchmark; mounting power and transport sector liabilities; and demographic shifts, including an ageing population, that could further strain finances, he said.

Without stronger revenue mobilisation and greater fiscal autonomy, he argued, sustaining Tamil Nadu's long-standing model of industrial growth alongside social welfare would become increasingly difficult.

Friday's energy consumption surpassed the previous record of 473.572 MU logged on Thursday, after the state had logged 472.263 MU on Wednesday, highlighting the sustained increase in electricity demand amid persistently high temperatures.

Heatwave-like conditions, coupled with a weak Southwest Monsoon, have pushed up electricity demand during July, a period when consumption typically declines after peaking in April and May.

The state's peak power demand touched an all-time high of 21,724 MW on Tuesday. Demand remained elevated at 21,717 MW on Thursday, well above the previous record of 21,307 MW recorded on April 29, 2026.

Despite the unprecedented demand, the TNPDCL officials said the utility was able to meet the load comfortably due to strong renewable energy generation. Wind and solar power together generated around 150 million units of electricity a day, substantially reducing reliance on conventional power sources.

However, TNPDCL officials said electricity demand is expected to ease from Saturday, as the weather department has forecast widespread rainfall across the state, which is likely to bring down temperatures and reduce the cooling load.