In a statement, Veerapandian said the devadasi system involved girls, particularly from certain marginalised communities, being assigned to temple-related duties on the basis of caste and across generations. Girls aged between eight and 11 were allegedly forced into the system through rituals such as 'pottukattuthal', he said.

The women were subjected to severe labour exploitation and were also sexually exploited by landlords, temple officials and dominant sections of society, besides facing various forms of abuse, he said.

Progressive forces had fought for decades against the patriarchal and caste-based system that deprived women of their rights and dignity and reduced them to a state of servitude, Veerapandian said.

He recalled the role of leaders including Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy and Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar in campaigning against the practice. Their efforts contributed to the enactment of the Madras Devadasis (Prevention of Dedication) Act in 1947, which legally prohibited the practice in the then Madras Presidency, he said.

Veerapandian said regressive forces had opposed the legislation at the time and that the history of the struggle against the system could not be forgotten.

"It is strongly condemnable that some writers are now speaking in support of the devadasi system after a practice that violated women's rights has been abolished," he said.

He appealed to progressive forces to counter what he described as "toxic views" supporting the devadasi system and urged Tamil society to reject such views.

The devotees, from Nasiyanur, had visited the Sitheswarar Temple atop Palamalai Hills and were trekking down after offering prayers when they took a wrong route and became stranded in the forest on Sunday night.

With darkness setting in, the group was left stranded in an area inhabited by wild animals. They were unable to make phone calls for some time due to poor mobile network coverage in the forest.

The devotees eventually managed to contact the police control room and alert authorities. Acting on the information, forest department personnel entered the forest, traced the group, and brought all seven to safety after several hours of searching. Palamalai Hills, located along the Erode-Salem district border, is inhabited by wild animals.

The incident comes a year after 36 people from Pallipalayam were similarly stranded inside the Palamalai forest. They were rescued after spending two days in the forest.

The long weekend comprises Thursday (October 1), Gandhi Jayanthi on Friday (October 2), Saturday (October 3) and Sunday (October 4).

From Kilambakkam, 1,580 special buses will be operated on October 1 to destinations including Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and Tirupur. Another 745 buses will be operated on October 2 and 895 buses on October 3.

From Koyambedu, 220 special buses will be operated on October 1 to Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur and Bengaluru, while 115 buses each will be operated on October 2 and 3. Another 200 special buses will be operated from Bengaluru, Tirupur, Erode and Coimbatore to various destinations.

From Madhavaram, 185 special buses will be operated on October 1. On October 2 and 3, 90 special buses each day will be operated to Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Vellore, Hosur and Puducherry.

To facilitate the return journey to Chennai and Bengaluru, 1,471 special buses will be operated from various destinations on Sunday based on passenger demand.

According to TNSTC, 28,402 passengers had booked tickets for travel on Thursday, 5,497 on Friday, 6,744 on Saturday and 24,123 on Sunday (October 4). The number of advance bookings is expected to increase.

You can book tickets in advance on www.tnstc.in, or the mobile app to avoid congestion

The representatives put forth this suggestion agreeing for the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) to demarcate the brackish-water Pulicat Lake, at a joint meeting of officials of both the southern states held at Gummidipoondi Panchayat Union Office, about 45 km from Chennai.

Officials from both the states convened the joint meeting on Saturday to address the long-standing territorial and fishing disputes in the Pulicat Lake area.

The talks coincide with ongoing central government interventions aimed at addressing the root economic trigger of these clashes - dwindling aquatic resources.

Following representations by Tirupati MP Maddila Gurumoorthy, the Union Fisheries Ministry is executing a Rs 133.11 crore project to open and stabilise the Rayadoruvu sea mouth.

The representatives had expressed that the palmyrah tree trunks traditionally used as water-bound border markers rot in the saltwater, leading to frequent boundary confusion and disputes between the fishermen of the two states.

Besides the local fishermen representatives, MLAs from Ponneri and Sulurpetta in Andhra Pradesh, Tiruvallur district collector S Kavitha and Tirupati district additional collector R Govinda Rao, participated in the meeting.

Instead of attempting to place fixed physical markers inside the shifting waters of Pulicat Lake, the proposed technological framework shifts accountability directly to the fishing vessels.

Motorised and traditional boats operating across the lake will be fitted with automated GPS transponders. Agencies like the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) will establish exact digital maritime coordinates and boats approaching or breaching the boundary line will trigger real-time alerts on board and notify Marine Police control rooms in both Tiruvallur and Tirupati, it was suggested.

The deployment aligns with pending amendments to the Tamil Nadu Marine Fisheries Regulation Act, which will make intentionally disabling or tampering with a vessel's transponder a criminal offense, the official pointed out.

At the meeting, community leaders emphasised that a decade-old legacy of violence - tracing back to an April 2014 clash where homes, boats, and nets in Tamil Nadu’s Chinna Mangodu village were set ablaze - must be resolved.

With 199 police cases still actively pending against Tamil Nadu fishermen, local fleets have strictly refrained from venturing into waters under neighbouring Andhra Pradesh jurisdiction for over 10 years out of fear of arrest or fresh conflict.

The representatives made it clear that full peace will require both state governments to fast-track or mutually withdraw these pending charges.

Severe siltation and low summer water levels routinely choke the lake's inlets, restricting marine migration and forcing fishermen from both states to compete in crowded, shallow waters. Opening the sea mouth is expected to replenish fish stocks and significantly curb cross-border poaching friction, it was said.

Addressing an election meeting in Dharapuram, Palaniswami said the TVK government was acting out of fear of defeat and said attempts to curb the AIADMK would only strengthen its resolve.

“If you try to curtail the AIADMK, we will only rise further. I also warn the police against foisting false cases on our functionaries who are involved in the election campaign. We will not be cowed down by threats. If this continues, I will lead a protest against Vijay when he comes to Dharapuram,” he said.

Claiming that TVK Ministers were approaching AIADMK MLAs and inviting them to join the ruling party, the AIADMK leader said, “A majority of those in the DMK and TVK are from the AIADMK. They underwent training in the AIADMK and then went on deputation to other parties.”

Taking a dig at Vijay, Palaniswami said the TVK leader had contested from two constituencies in the Assembly election because he lacked confidence in winning from a single seat. “Vijay had come to power by accident and was now attempting to retain his government through horse-trading of AIADMK MLAs,” he said.

On allegations of an understanding between the AIADMK and DMK, Palaniswami asked why the two parties would contest separately if they had joined hands. “If the DMK is an evil force, then TVK forming a government with its allies should also be called an evil force,” he said.

Referring to the Karur stampede case, Palaniswami said the fate of the present government would ultimately depend on the outcome of the case pending before the court. “This government will not last long,” he said.

"If you cannot change it, at least change the person writing it,” she said, referring to his repeated references to the DMK as an “evil force” and his party as a “pure force,” adding that people had grown tired of hearing the same dialogue.

Campaigning for DMK candidate Suganya in the Dharapuram bypoll, Kanimozhi said the TVK government’s “drama and reels” would not last long and accused it of failing on law and order, governance and its election promises.

Taking a dig at Vijay’s frequent references to the DMK, she said, “He spoke for 30 minutes in Maduranthakam. Mentioned DMK 40 times. He will come here too and seek votes in the name of the DMK.”

Kanimozhi also mocked Vijay for referring to DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin as “sweet uncle”. “Vijay is now our relative because he calls our leader Thalapathy ‘sweet uncle’. From now on, I will call him dear younger brother,” she said.

Attacking the TVK government over rising crime and law and order, Kanimozhi claimed that more than 200 murders, over 300 sexual offences and eight custodial deaths had occurred under the government. “You may have voted for Vijay thinking he would save you as he does in cinema. But is this the ‘pure force’?” she asked.

She also alleged that the government had failed to act against a Cabinet minister despite a complaint by a woman lawyer from the same party, who alleged that she was asked to pay money in connection with an appointment as a government prosecutor. Instead, action was taken against the woman, she claimed.

Kanimozhi also questioned the government over an alleged sexual assault of a child on a school campus in Chennai, accusing it of trying to cover up the incident. Referring to Vijay’s appeal to kids to insist at home and secure votes for him, she asked what the government had done for his “Nanbas and Nanbis”.

She also alleged that DMK leaders were being subjected to repeated searches out of political vendetta. “Every week, searches are being conducted at the houses of our leaders,” she said.

The DMK leader criticised the government over unfulfilled election promises and raised issues relating to power cuts, price rise, farmers’ water problems, unemployment assistance and financial support for women.

On power cuts, she referred to an earlier remark by Stalin that the contest was between “power cuts and sickle cuts”. “They say the power cuts are due to the absence of rain and wind and that someone is pulling out the fuse. For four months, don’t they even have the ability to find out who is responsible?” she asked.

Kanimozhi also took a dig at Vijay over his foreign travel, saying he had claimed he went to London to attract industrial investment after visiting a race. “He could have gone to Delhi for the company in Noida,” she said.

She also criticised the reported expenditure on a new office. “You ask people not to make sweets with ghee from someone else’s house, but spend Rs 6 crore to Rs 7 crore on a new office. I don’t know which pandit told him this. Is brother Vijay making kara boondi?” she asked.

On the Dharapuram bypoll, Kanimozhi accused the TVK of engineering the situation to increase its strength in the Assembly after Sathyabama, who had contested and won as an AIADMK candidate, joined the TVK.

“The TVK is projecting Sathyabama differently after previously describing her as a spent force while she was in the AIADMK. Now, after she has joined the TVK, she has become sister Sathyabama,” she said.

Defending the DMK against Vijay’s allegation that it was aligned with the BJP in the State, Kanimozhi cited the party’s opposition to several Union government decisions.

Referring to an Assembly speech by VCK leader Vanni Arasu, she alleged that remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been removed from the Assembly records.

During the meeting, he will brief the Collectors on precautionary measures to be taken ahead of the monsoon.

The Chief Secretary (CS) is expected to stress the need for advance preparedness in vulnerable areas and close coordination among various government departments to respond to rain-related incidents.

Special attention will be given to the possibility of landslides during the rainy season in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dindigul and Theni districts.

The Collectors of these districts will be instructed to identify vulnerable locations and take necessary precautionary measures.

In the Delta region, the Chief Secretary will instruct the respective District Collectors to closely monitor paddy procurement and ensure that the procured paddy is protected from rain-related damage.

On the health front, instructions will be issued to intensify measures to prevent dengue and other rain-related diseases during the monsoon season.

The Collectors will also be asked to ensure preparedness at the district level and coordinate with the concerned departments to address any emergencies arising during heavy rainfall.

Justice V.Lakshminarayanan allowed the petition and adjourned the matter. According to the prosecution, Anbil Mahesh allegedly cheated private schools for two years through an unregistered outfit called "Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association". 

He allegedly promised to secure permanent recognition, school upgradation, Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) approvals, and other statutory clearances using his political and bureaucratic connections.

Based on a complaint by Elangovan, secretary of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) registered an FIR against Anbil Mahesh under Sections 316 (5) and 318 (4) read with 3 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The prosecution alleged that he failed to secure the promised approvals or refund the money collected and had swindled over Rs 100 crore.

The CCB searched nine premises linked to him in Chennai and Tiruchy on September 16 and questioned him for about eight hours on September 18.

Anbil Mahesh has moved the Madras High Court seeking to quash the FIR and stay the proceedings. In his plea, he stated that, at the highest, the allegations suggested that some persons had collected money using his name. He also said that his premises in Chennai and Tiruchy were searched and that he fully cooperated with the inquiry.

The Pamaniyaru, which branches from Vennar at Needamangalam in Tiruvarur district, flows for around 60 kms through 100 villages and empties at Muthupettai seashore via the storage point at Thoppathanaveli check dam located at Keezhakadu village near Thambikottai in Muthupettai.

It is said that Thoppathanaveli check dam plays a crucial role in preventing the intrusion of seawater and ensuring the recharge of the groundwater. 

The water is also stored at the nearby Peruga Vazhanthaan check dam, which has been used for irrigation purposes for several thousand acres of land in Tiruvarur and water used to be discharged only during the floodings. While there is a check dam at Serangulam at Mannargudi in Tiruvarur, which plays a major role for irrigation in the Mannargudi taluk in the district

Such a crucial branch river has started to stench for the past few weeks, reportedly after the discharge of sewage from the households resulting into contamination of the storage at Serangulam check dam which is at the distance of 5 km from Mannargudi town.

According to M Sivaraman, an environmental activist, the Mannargudi Municipal administration has already executed the sewage treatment plant; the civic administration should ensure the sewage from households is not discharged directly into the Pamaniyaru, which would pose a threat to the environment and spoil the groundwater as well. Since the river is contaminated due to the mix-up of sewage, it would pose a threat to the cattle also, the environmentalists said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, PR Pandian, president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers Association, who visited the Serangulam check dam, said the Pamaniyaru plays a vital role as an irrigation and drinking water source for the residents from several villages near Muthupettai. 

The sewage discharge into the river should be immediately stopped, and the Mannargudi civic administration should ensure the household sewage is released properly through the treatment plant. 

“If the civic administration fails to ensure clean water flow into the Pamaniyaru, the farmers, residents, traders and environmental activists together would stage a protest on October 2 at Muthupettai. It would be an indefinite protest until the demand was fulfilled,” Pandian warned.

Vijay — who has since translated his dream run at the box office into electoral success and become chief minister of Tamil Nadu — filmed key sequences of Leo at the cafe, transforming it into a bustling tourism hub. In the film, Vijay plays a cafe owner living a double life. Fans throng the cafe to relive some of his iconic scenes — from recreating the superstar's entry sequence to posing at the exact spot where his character stylishly takes off his jacket.

Located on the Khanbal-Pahalgam road near Mattan, roughly 40 km from Pahalgam and 60 km from Srinagar, the cafe called Sifar has emerged as an essential stopover on the Kashmir travel itinerary for tourists from south India.

"Since the film released, tourists from Tamil Nadu and other southern states landing in Kashmir ask for Sifar first. They order the exact same hot chocolate and trout fish that Vijay had in the movie, recreate his scenes, and take photos with our banners and menus," Sabzar Ahmed Lone, manager at the cafe, told PTI.

Named after the Urdu word for zero, the cafe has seen its fortunes take off since the month-long shoot in 2023 of the Lokesh Kanagaraj-directed film, which also starred Vijay's close friend Trisha Krishnan and Bollywood veteran Sanjay Dutt.

Lone admitted that he and the cafe staff were initially unaware of the sheer scale of the actor's stardom.

"He was extremely humble and would greet us every time he walked past. It was only after the release that we realised the level of his fan following. His visit has turned out to be a huge blessing for us," he added.

For Vishwa, a tourist from Chennai, visiting the cafe was the highlight of his trip to Kashmir.

"I have been a fan of Vijay sir since childhood. Standing at the exact spots where he shot and having lunch here was thrilling. The cafe has become a bridge between Kashmir and south India. It does not even need marketing anymore as everyone in the south knows about it and comes searching for it," Vishwa said.

The venue's celluloid appearance has proved to be its strongest promotional tool, integrating seamlessly with travel itineraries arranged by local drivers and tour operators as well.

Shweta, a traveller from Bengaluru, said she planned her stopover after recognising the location.

"We actually saw this cafe first in Leo, the movie. And since we were on the way to Pahalgam, we wanted to experience how this cafe was. In the movie there was a shot of Vijay entering the cafe, removing his jacket and all that. So that's why we came here.

"I watched the movie and it was so good. Vijay's acting, the sequences, the story of the movie. As soon as we entered, we thought of recreating the whole scene. It was really good coming here and specially we had to try the hot chocolate here, which is now famous," Shweta said.

With giant banners framing its entrance and themed menus inside, the cafe continues to capitalise on its cinematic footprint, with the manager expressing joy that its acceleration from zero to a hundred has been served extra hot.

The new case is based on a complaint by a woman who lodged a formal complaint against Veeramani alleging that he sexually abused her teenage daughter.

Another woman had approached the police two days ago claiming that her daughter, too, was sexually abused by Veeramani two decades ago and that the girl died by suicide in 2004, allegedly depressed over the sexual abuse.

The woman allegedly met the granite baron to seek financial help for her daughter's education and he helped the girl enrol in a school. According to the woman's complaint on Sunday, Veeramani sexually abused the girl when she was in class 12.

Distressed over the incident, the girl took her life and the mother filed a complaint at Ice House police station. However, the documents related to the complaint were allegedly damaged in the attack on Ice House police station during the Jallikattu protests in 2017.

The woman came forward to lodge a complaint on Sunday after learning about Veeramani's arrest in another case.

Tamil Nadu police chief Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal DGP has already constituted a four-member special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the Pocso Act case against Veeramani.

The team is headed by PC Thenmozhi, Additional Commissioner, Central Crime Branch, Greater Chennai Police. The other members are Disha Mittal, Joint Commissioner (Law and Order), West, GCP; J Mutharasi, SP/Media Relations Officer in the DGP's office; and V V Geethanjali, Deputy Commissioner, Crime Against Women and Children, GCP.

Apart from Veeramani, three other persons - Mahandra Simhan, his wife Shanti, and Ganesan, a former employee of Veeramani’s Gem group - were arrested by the police. MP Ranjan Kumar, Tamil Nadu Congress functionary who claimed that he approached the city police with a complaint in 2024 itself, was questioned by the SIT recently.

WhatsApp number to lodge complaints, share info

The Greater Chennai Police has set up a number – 9345319676 – on which those who want to lodge complaints, and persons who are aware of any information, facts, documents, or other important details related to the case, may share information directly or via WhatsApp.

The details of the informants will be kept confidential, inquiry will be held, and immediate action will be taken, the city police assured.

Addressing a press conference in Karaikudi, the former union minister stated that while those voters' names removed should have been included, the opposition party must prove its claims regarding the scale of vote manipulation.

"They (ECI) have removed them (voters). That is wrong. Those names should have been included. But it is not apparent to me that TVK won and DMK lost only because of that," Chidambaram said.

Turning to the wider nationwide controversy over SIR process, he announced that the opposition's next course of action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, including approaching the Supreme Court or moving a removal resolution in Parliament, will be decided at upcoming Congress Working Committee (CWC) and INDIA bloc meetings if the CEC does not resign.

His remarks came amid a report of differences within the three-member Election Commission over several decisions and instructions relating to electoral-roll revision, deletion and addition of names, changes to forms for new voters and access to voter data.

However, the EC has asserted that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations in any institution and all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.

The Congress leader reiterated the demand previously raised by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for Kumar's resignation, registration of an FIR, and his arrest.

He noted that nationwide demonstrations were held following the expiry of a deadline for the CEC to step down, with protests organised across the country, including in Karaikudi.

Chidambaram also ruled out holding fresh elections, explaining that the Constitution does not permit re-elections for completed polls. Instead, he outlined key demands to remedy the situation: An immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in other states, the reinstatement of 13.3 crore voter names allegedly deleted across 20 states, particularly in Bihar, Maharashtra, Haryana, and West Bengal, and a return to standard annual revision protocols.

Addressing a party gathering here on September 27, Udhayanidhi targeted TVK chief C Joseph Vijay for having previously deployed the rhyming attack "Om Sakthi, Parasakthi... DMK oru Theeya Sakthi" at his political rallies.

"For the past two years, wherever he went, he consistently invoked 'Om Sakthi, Parasakthi' to target us. At that time, they were in the opposition, and we were in power, and we listened to what was said. Now we have an opportunity to give it back," Udhayanidhi said.

Coining the counter-rhyme "Om Kali, Jai Kali... TVK oru Odugali" (TVK is a runaway), Udhayanidhi led cadres in raising the new chant and instructed them to take it directly to the electorate without naming the party chief.

The LoP linked the slogan to the Karur stampede in which over 42 people lost their lives, alleging that the TVK leadership had fled accountability rather than answering queries from the media and the public at airports in Tiruchy and Chennai.

"Don't even bother mentioning his name. Just say 'Om Kali Jai Kali' along with their party's name. In every campaign rally, whenever you meet the public, keep repeating this and register it firmly in the minds of the people," he told the gathering.

Asserting that the public would see through attempts to evade responsibility, Udhayanidhi directed party functionaries to vigorously sustain the counter-campaign during door-to-door outreach and public rallies ahead of the upcoming polls.

Allowing the Habeas Corpus petition (HCP) filed by A Kokila, wife of Arasakumar, a Division Bench comprising Justices N Sathish Kumar and K Rajasekar quashed the detention order issued against Arasakumar under the Goondas Act.

According to the prosecution, Arasakumar had allegedly cheated private schools for the past two years through an unregistered outfit named, ‘Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association’.

He allegedly promised several private schools that he would secure permanent recognition, school upgradation, Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) approvals, and other statutory clearances by using his political and bureaucratic connections, according to a complaint filed by Elangovan, secretary of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu.

However, he allegedly failed to secure the promised approvals or refund the amounts collected from the schools and had allegedly swindled over Rs 100 crore.

He was arrested based on the complaint lodged by Elangovan. Following the complaint, the police registered an FIR, arrested Arasakumar and subjected him to custodial interrogation before invoking the Goondas Act against him.

Challenging the preventive detention order passed by Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A Amalraj on July 11, his wife filed the HCP.

During the hearing, senior counsel P Wilson, appearing for Arasakumar, submitted that the allegations in the case were fabricated and politically motivated. He also submitted that the representation challenging the detention under the Goondas Act was considered with a delay of 13 days.

Speaking to reporters in Maduranthakam, he alleged that the ruling TVK was indulging in cheap politics over security arrangements for DMK leaders.

"During Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin's campaign on Sunday, the district administration did not provide proper security arrangements. The police also failed to pay adequate attention to traffic regulation, resulting in huge traffic congestion during our leader's campaign," Paranthamen said.

The DMK candidate alleged that the lack of adequate police security during the party leaders' campaign had led to traffic snarls. He further alleged that the TVK government was attempting to create an impression that the DMK was responsible for the traffic congestion.

Appealing to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Archana Patnaik, he said the CEO should direct the District Collector and Superintendent of Police to ensure proper security for Opposition party leaders during their campaigns.

"During the campaign, I feel scared while crossing highways without police security. But when the Chief Minister campaigned, police personnel were deployed even at unmanned places. Proper security should be ensured when party leader MK Stalin campaigns on October 3," Paranthamen said.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan dismissed the election petition filed by Periyakaruppan challenging the victory of TVK MLA Srinivasa Sethupathy.

The Assembly election results were announced on May 4, with Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) winning 108 seats. In the Tiruppattur constituency in Sivaganga district, DMK candidate Periakaruppan secured 83,364 votes, while TVK candidate Seenivasa Sethupathy secured 83,365 votes and was declared elected by a margin of one vote.

Challenging the result, Periakaruppan filed an election petition before the Madras High Court. In his plea, he contended that a postal ballot cast for the Tiruppattur constituency in Sivaganga district was mistakenly sent to the Tiruppattur constituency in Tirupattur district and was consequently rejected. He therefore sought a direction for a recount of the postal ballots.

In this regard, TVK MLA Seenivasa Sethupathy filed a petition seeking dismissal of the election petition filed against him.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the deceased was identified as Muniyappa, a farmer from Onnepuram Malai village in Krishnagiri district.

Muniyappa lived with his wife, two sons and a daughter.

How did the attack happen?

On Sunday morning, Muniyappa was taking his cows to the Eppella forest area in the Manji Conservation area for grazing.

At the time, an elephant that was hiding in the bushes suddenly charged at him and attacked him.

Muniyappa sustained severe injuries and died at the scene. People who were nearby to graze their livestock informed the Anchetty Forest Department and the police about the incident.

Police investigation

Following the information, Forest Officer Arun Kumar and other forest department officials, along with the police, rushed to the spot.

The police recovered Muniyappa’s body and sent it to the Government Hospital in Denkanikottai for a post-mortem examination.

The police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.

According to a Maalaimalar report, Madhumitha, who lives with her husband Vinoth Kumar and their daughter in Anantha Nadar Kudiyiruppu in Nagercoil, is known for posting videos featuring jewellery, cash and her lifestyle on social media.

The couple was away from home when unidentified burglars allegedly broke open the rear door of their house and escaped with 118 sovereigns of gold jewellery and cash.

Rajakkamangalam police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Three special teams have been formed on the directions of district Superintendent of Police Anshul Nagar to trace those involved.

As part of the probe, police examined CCTV footage from the surrounding areas. One camera captured a helmet-wearing man riding a motorcycle with a bag on his back. Police subsequently examined footage from more than 600 CCTV cameras in the area.

The footage reportedly helped investigators trace the suspect's movements from the house towards Thottiyodu and later along the four-lane highway. Police have also detained two people for questioning.

10 videos posted after the theft

Before the burglary, Madhumitha had uploaded 6,669 videos on her Instagram account. Police are examining various aspects of the case, including her social-media activity, as part of the investigation.

Within hours of the theft, she posted 10 more videos on Instagram. Some of the clips showed her dancing while surrounded by currency notes.

The videos subsequently attracted significant attention online. One of the clips received around 39 lakh views within 40 hours, while three other videos recorded approximately 20 lakh, 15 lakh and 11 lakh views, respectively.

Together, the 10 videos have accumulated around 1.5 crore views, according to the figures cited in the report.

Follower count rises after incident

Madhumitha’s Instagram following has also increased since the burglary. Her follower count, which was reportedly between 3 lakh and 3.25 lakh before the incident, has now moved close to 5 lakh.

Interestingly, her account reportedly does not follow any other Instagram users.

The police investigation into the burglary is continuing, while the CCTV footage and other evidence are being examined to identify and trace the suspects.

Dressed in traditional attire — a white veshti and shirt — Vijay carefully put the rings on three babies on the stage in the presence of their mothers.

When Archana Devi (24) of Anaiyur in Madurai arrived with her baby girl, Muthu Yalini, to receive the ring, Vijay asked her to sit in his chair. He then sat beside her, carefully placed the ring on the baby’s finger, took the child in his arms, and blessed her.

She was followed by Sikandra, who arrived with her baby boy, Mohammed Sainsha, and Stella Mary, who came with her baby boy. “He accepted my request and named our baby Jonel, repeating the name three times in the baby’s ear, as per our tradition,” said Stella.

Vijay then came down from the stage and presented rings to the 24 parents, who were seated along with their babies in the auditorium.

When some parents requested him to either place the rings on their babies or name their babies, Vijay readily obliged. He also took selfies with them and shook hands with the mothers at their request.

The chief minister later proceeded to the Integrated Child Development Ward, where he presented gold rings to 10 babies and shared lighter moments with their parents.

Starting today, nearly 1.07 lakh children born in government hospitals between June 22 and September 27 will be provided with gold rings through 102 hubs across the district, except in Chengalpattu and Tirupur where the assembly bypolls are scheduled. Parents were given identification cards mentioning the date and location for collecting the gold ring, according to an official release.

For children born from September 28, the ring will be provided at the respective hospitals when they are discharged and return home.

The scheme is intended to encourage safe deliveries in government hospitals and further strengthen maternal and child healthcare. It also aims to transform government hospitals into places where motherhood can be celebrated with pride and happiness, while complementing the maternity assistance and nutrition kits already being provided, the release added.

Several ministers, MPs, MLAs, the Chief Secretary, senior Health Department officials, the Madurai District Collector and other senior government officials participated in the launch ceremony.

Later in the day, near Teppakulam, Vijay spotted a child dressed as Goddess Meenakshi. He asked his security personnel to bring the child to him, held her hand and wished her.

When his convoy reached the GRH, Vijay got down from his vehicle and walked towards the venue amid cheers. He stopped at a few places to greet people and hospital staff and also posed for selfies with some of them.

Nurses and paramedical staff stationed at various points were seen taking pictures of Vijay on their mobile phones and cheering as he passed.

In his complaint on Sunday, Baalu alleged that the three had made public accusations against the DMK in connection with the case and said their statements warranted an SIT investigation.

Baalu said Chief Minister Vijay had publicly alleged on September 25 that the DMK had protected Veeramani. On the same day, minister Adhav Arjuna allegedly accused the DMK of not only protecting Veeramani but also of improperly closing the case against him.

The following day, September 26, Law Minister Nirmalkumar allegedly accused the DMK of receiving Rs 500 crore from Veeramani in return for protecting him, Baalu said in his complaint.

According to Baalu, the allegations were false and intended to defame the DMK and its leaders; that the three possessed crucial information or evidence relating to the alleged offence but had not handed it over to the investigating officer as required under the Pocso Act; or that they had obtained investigation-related information from the case diary through unauthorised means and disclosed it publicly.

Baalu said the allegations made by the Chief Minister and the two Ministers were directly connected with the SIT investigation. He therefore urged the investigating agency to immediately obtain from them the evidence, documents and information forming the basis of their allegations.

He also sought answers to whether the three possessed supporting evidence, why such evidence, if available, had not been handed over to the investigators, whether they had obtained confidential investigation documents without authorisation and whether information from such documents had been disclosed publicly.

Baalu urged the SIT to summon all three and to conduct an inquiry into the allegations and the sources of the information they cited.

1. One-gram ring: Every eligible newborn will receive a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring.

2. Eligibility: Mothers of newborns must be permanent residents of Tamil Nadu to be eligible for the scheme.

3. First beneficiaries: The Chief Minister is scheduled to present gold rings to 25 newborns at the launch programme.

4. Annual allocation: The state government has allocated an annual outlay of Rs 755.83 crore for implementing the scheme.

5. Rings ready: As many as 1.28 lakh gold rings have already been procured for the scheme.

6. Unique identification: Each ring will carry a unique serial number and will be distributed in tamper-proof packaging.

7. Scheme implementation: The scheme will be implemented across Tamil Nadu, except in areas falling under the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, where bypolls are scheduled for October 6.

8. Eligible beneficiaries: They should be registered under the Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) system and have a Reproductive and Child Health ID.

9. Supply of rings: Joyalukkas and Kalyan Jewellers are making the gold ring procurement order in a 70:30 ratio.

10. Family benefit: The scheme aims to provide the gold ring to newborns as part of the government’s initiative for families delivering in government hospitals

(With inputs from the bureau)

Under the scheme, a key poll promise of the ruling TVK, the government will give a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring to babies born in state-run hospitals. To be eligible for the scheme, mothers of newborns must be permanent residents of Tamil Nadu.

According to sources, the CM will inaugurate the scheme at the hospital’s auditorium and present gold rings to 25 newborns. He is also scheduled to visit the maternity ward to personally present rings to infants born on the day.

The scheme was originally scheduled to be launched on September 15, the birth anniversary of late Chief Minister CN Annadurai, but it was postponed due to Vijay’s overseas trip to London.

The state government has allocated an annual outlay of Rs 755.83 crore for the scheme, and 1.28 lakh rings are already ready.

The rings will carry unique serial numbers and will be distributed in tamper-proof packaging, the government said in a press release.

The scheme will be implemented across the state, except in areas falling under the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, where bypolls are scheduled to be held on October 6.

Eligible beneficiaries should be registered under the Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) system and have a Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) ID.

The rings will be given when the beneficiaries are discharged from the hospitals.

Work orders have been issued to Joyalukkas and Kalyan Jewellers for the supply of the rings. A Government Order on the implementation of the scheme was notified on June 23, 2026. A specialised monitoring committee has been constituted in every district under the respective district collector to oversee local implementation, inventory tracking and transparency in distribution.

Later in the day, the CM will declare open the renovated Gandhi Memorial Museum and inspect its facilities. Though not officially confirmed, Vijay is expected to visit the iconic Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple in Madurai, which recently underwent consecration.

Nagercoil YouTuber Madhumitha (29) lost 220 sovereigns of gold jewellery after unidentified persons allegedly broke into her house at VIP Garden in Thammathu Konam on September 24.

The incident occurred when Madhumitha, her husband Vinothkumar and their two-year-old child had gone out to purchase clothes for their daughter’s upcoming birthday.

Police suspect that the robbers might have targeted the house after watching her reels and other social media posts showcasing her extensive gold jewellery collection and posts about buying gold.

While police were searching for the suspects, Madhumitha uploaded another reel featuring film lyrics conveying the message, “Let it go... who has ever lived permanently on this earth anyway?”

The video crossed one million views, following which she uploaded more than 10 reels on Instagram in a single day.

One of the videos showed her showering currency notes over herself and her two-year-old child. In another, while tossing Rs 500 notes into the air, she said that having a girl child at home was equivalent to having Goddess Mahalakshmi and that receiving money directly in her hand would bring prosperity.

The video has since gone viral on social media.

Police said that the girl’s parents had left home to attend an event at a relative’s house when the accused entered the house and sexually abused her. 

After the parents returned, the girl narrated the incident to them after which they filed a police complaint. A case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act was registered on Sunday in Chengalpattu district.

Police identified the suspect on Sunday and detained him for questioning. The girl was taken to a hospital for medical examination and will be provided counselling. DMK MP Kanimozhi took to social media and condemned the TVK government for failing in ensuring safety of women and children. 

Officials from the Chengalpattu district administration met the family and handed them a compensation from the TN Victim Compensation Fund. Police dismissed reports that there were more than 1 man involved in the sexual abuse and maintained that their investigation so far had revealed that only one suspect in the case. Further investigations are underway.

A third-year computer science student at Sadakathullah Appa College in Tirunelveli, Jamil, who is also the chairperson of the college students’ council, displayed the ‘Warriors of Well-being’ (WOW) badge on her WhatsApp status after joining the Tirunelveli Range police's anti-drug initiative.

The response surprised her. She shared her experience of how her parents appreciated her decision, while around 10 of her friends followed suit, signing up on the website and taking an anti-drug pledge after seeing her status. The WOW badge has since become a popular WhatsApp status among students at the college.

“Having a WOW digital badge has given me a new identity and helped me shed my fear. I feel safer,” Jamil said.

Her experience is part of a larger effort by the Tirunelveli Range police to turn the fight against drugs into a community movement. The initiative has so far resulted in 120 villages being declared drug-free, while thousands of youngsters have been enrolled as ‘Warriors of Well-being’.

R Thirunavukkarasu, Deputy Inspector General of Police, who conceived the initiative, told DT NEXT that 4,340 students had registered for WOW since its launch on August 11, 2026, when the State government organised a mass anti-drug pledge-taking ceremony.

To join WOW, students have to enter their details, upload a photograph or take a selfie, and upload their Aadhaar card before taking an anti-drug pledge.

“Once they complete the process, they will get the digital badge. We want them to be part of the journey to eradicate drugs from our society. We also encourage them to use it on their social media profiles, which will increase their confidence level,” said Thirunavukkarasu.

“DIG sir introduced WOW to us when he visited our NCC camp at Keelapavoor. All 50 of us immediately took the anti-drug pledge to join the group,” he said.

Ponnarasu said he learnt about the ill-effects of drugs only after joining the group. For many students from rural areas, he added, the WOW badge had become more than a social media status, giving them a sense of dignity as they contributed to the betterment of society.

The initiative has also been extended to villages across the four districts under the Tirunelveli Range — Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari.

South Zone IG Vijayendra Bidari underscored the importance of the mission, saying that a drug-free village is built not by the Police alone, but by an entire community united against drugs.

"Village Vigilance Committees (VVCs) formed by police can play a vital role in creating drug-free villages by becoming the eyes and ears of the community—identifying early signs of drug use, discreetly sharing credible information with the Police and creating awareness among youth. This initiative seeks to transform the fight against drugs from a purely policing effort into a more sustainable community movement," he told DT Next.

Deputy Superintendents of Police in the four districts have been asked to use social media to announce the mission and build support for eradicating drug use in identified villages.

In Nanguneri division, 14 of the 21 identified villages have already been declared drug-free.

“Of the 21 villages identified under the Nanguneri division, we have declared 14 drug-free. We will complete the task in the remaining villages before October 12,” said Sathishkannan in a social media post.

Explaining the process, DSP Sathishkannan told DT Next that police first conduct raids at shops and other establishments in the identified villages to check for ganja and gutkha.

“Then, once a week, police inspectors in their respective jurisdictions conduct anti-drug awareness programmes in colleges, schools and anganwadis. This has increased confidence among the people,” he said.

Educational institutions are being targeted as part of the effort, as peddlers often target students, he added.

Police have also arrested four ganja sellers and booked them under the Goondas Act, said Inspector Madaswamy of the Moolakarapatti police station.

“Now, villagers have also been sensitised to inform the police about the movement of suspicious persons,” he said.

According to Thirunavukkarasu, the police strategy combines enforcement against drug peddlers with community participation.

“At the first stage, we targeted 120 villages where drug usage was minimal, declaring them drug-free in July 2026. At the second stage, we will declare another 130 villages drug-free this October,” he added.

Speaking to reporters after paying floral tributes to veteran journalist and Dina Thanthi founder SiPa Aditanar at Egmore on his 122nd birth anniversary, Rajmohan said merely changing individuals in the Election Commission would not resolve the issue.

"Changing the Election Commissioner will not end the issue. Attempts to scapegoat certain individuals are an effort to divert attention. We will not fall for this politics," he said.

On SIR, Rajmohan said the TVK had opposed the exercise both before and after coming to power. "Look at the statement issued by the TVK before it came to power. The entire SIR exercise is a fraud," he said.

He also claimed that the TVK could have won more seats had voters not been deleted during the SIR exercise.

The woman alleged that she met the granite businessman to seek financial help for her daughter's education and the businessman helped the girl enrol in a school. According to the woman's complaint, the businessman sexually abused the girl when she was in class 12.

Distressed over the incident, the girl took her life after which the mother filed a complaint at Ice House police station over a decade ago. However, the documents related to the complaint were allegedly damaged in the attack on Ice House police station during the Jallikattu protests in 2017.

The police said they were probing the veracity of the allegations by the woman.

Tamil Nadu police chief Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal DGP has already constituted a four-member special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the Pocso Act case against Veeramani.

The team is headed by PC Thenmozhi, Additional Commissioner, Central Crime Branch, Greater Chennai Police. The other members are Disha Mittal, Joint Commissioner (Law and Order), West, GCP; J Mutharasi, SP/Media Relations Officer in the DGP's office; and V V Geethanjali, Deputy Commissioner, Crime Against Women and Children, GCP.

Apart from Veeramani, three other persons - Mahandra Simhan, his wife Shanti, and Ganesan, a former employee of Veeramani’s Gem group - were arrested by the police. MP Ranjan Kumar, Tamil Nadu Congress functionary who claimed that he approached the city police with a complaint in 2024 itself, was questioned by the SIT recently.

His speech reflects what is in his mind uncensored, the TVK leader said. "Udhayanidhi has been speaking out of extreme frustration. He speaks without restraint. Those in public life have a responsibility to know how they should speak,” the minister said, referring to his use of a word with dual meaning, referring to CM Vijay's choice of building a new sea-facing Secretariat.

Speaking to reporters after participating in a community valaikappu (baby-shower) ceremony for pregnant women organised by the district administration, the minister said members of the Karunanidhi family had been speaking in this manner for three generations.

The minister also questioned Udhayanidhi’s remarks, asking, “Can he show what he said to the women and children in his own family?” He went on to say that this raised the question of whether women were safe in a party where such statements were made.

Udhayanidhi should withdraw from public life, the minister said. “He will remain a novice till the end. DMK cadres should introspect on whether the party has a future under Udhayanidhi,” he said.

Criticising AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, the minister said, “By acting in support of the DMK, Edappadi Palaniswami will not rest until he digs a grave and buries the AIADMK.”

Meanwhile, the minister said, “We have the responsibility of ensuring that government offices function 100 per cent without corruption. The Chief Minister has instructed people not to pay bribes if anyone demands one. If bribes are demanded in any government office, the public should come forward and lodge a complaint, he added. "Appropriate action will be taken if information is received,” the minister said.

He urged the Centre to restrict rice exports and impose stock limits on wholesalers to increase domestic availability. Citing Andhra Pradesh's Rythu Bazaars, where select rice varieties are sold at Rs 50 per kg, he urged Tamil Nadu to adopt a similar model.

Anbumani said prices of commonly used rice varieties had increased by Rs 17 to Rs 40 per kg since June, putting a heavy burden on poor and middle-class families. He said the price of Mysore Ponni and Andhra Ponni had risen from Rs 50 to Rs 65 two months ago and had now touched Rs 85 per kg.

Similarly, the price of ultra fine rice has increased from Rs 55 to Rs 90 95, while idli rice has risen from Rs 43 to Rs 60 per kg. Premium varieties of idli rice are being sold at up to Rs 71 per kg, he said.

Anbumani attributed the increase partly to reduced paddy cultivation in Delta districts and lower production in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. However, he alleged that expectations of a shortage during the current kuruvai and samba seasons were also being used to artificially push up prices.

He claimed the TVK chief hid himself in his Panaiyur residence for 72 days when other political parties were mourning and helping the victims' kin.

He questioned Vijay’s response to the tragedy and alleged that the TVK president did not visit the injured in hospitals or the homes of those who died. “Vijay left Karur soon after the incident and remained away from public view for an extended period. He did not visit those admitted to hospitals or the homes of the victims to offer condolences, unlike leaders of other political parties,” Palaniswami said.

He also criticised Vijay for inviting bereaved families to Chennai to meet him instead of visiting their homes to offer condolences.

Turning his attention to the Dharapuram by-election, Palaniswami alleged that TVK’s candidate had entered the party through “horse-trading” and urged voters to teach her a “befitting lesson” for betraying the people’s mandate.

Palaniswami further claimed that even Left parties that had extended political support to TVK had expressed reservations about its functioning and warned that they could reconsider their support if the situation continued.

Targeting the TVK over unfulfilled electoral promises, Palaniswami questioned the proposal to construct a new Secretariat using borrowed funds, accusing the government of spending excessively.

“Vijay is a costly Chief Minister. Around Rs.4.5 crore was spent to release water from the Mettur dam,” he said. Palaniswami also criticised the government over power cuts, alleging that interruptions had become frequent even during programmes attended by Ministers.

Palaniswami also hit back at Vijay’s criticism that AIADMK was a “branch of the DMK”, displaying a photograph of Vijay riding a bicycle with a sticker bearing the DMK's flag colours during the 2021 Assembly election.

“TVK is a branch of the DMK, not AIADMK,” Palaniswami said, while dismissing Vijay’s claim that AIADMK would eventually merge with TVK. He said AIADMK had remained politically resilient despite facing several challenges since its formation.

Palaniswami launched his strongest attack while referring to the Karur stampede, in which 41 people died during a TVK campaign rally.

The Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children in Egmore is set to open a new 60-bed ward on Monday, amid a rise in the number of children seeking treatment for viral fever. The additional facility is expected to ease pressure on existing paediatric wards.

Private hospitals in Chennai are also witnessing a surge in patients with respiratory infections, influenza and dengue, with crowded outpatient departments and wards. Some hospitals have reported waits of up to 12 hours for beds, although doctors said most infections were mild.

At the State level, around 19,000 dengue cases and nine deaths had been reported up to Sunday. Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu were among the districts reporting higher numbers of fever cases. About 2.24 lakh dengue tests had been conducted, while fever surveillance was being carried out at 5,818 government and private medical facilities. As many as 26,303 health workers have been deployed for field-level surveillance and response.

In Chennai, more than 3,000 fever cases were reported during the first 20 days of September, including 180 dengue cases. Around 4,500 fever cases were reported in August, of which 160 were dengue. Adyar, Anna Nagar and Valasaravakkam have reported relatively higher numbers.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has intensified mosquito-control operations across all 15 zones, with house-to-house surveillance, source reduction, larvicidal treatment and fogging being stepped up amid intermittent rain. Officials have also been directed to obtain regular fever-case reports from private hospitals and identify mosquito-breeding sources around reported cases.

Government hospitals across the State are being kept prepared with fever wards, diagnostic facilities, medicines, equipment and beds. In Thoothukudi, a government medical college hospital has already earmarked 100 beds in separate adult and paediatric dengue wards, reflecting the broader preparedness drive.

While the Health Department has said the State’s dengue situation is within the seasonal pattern and not at an unusually high or dangerous level, the continuing rise in cases has prompted hospitals and civic agencies to maintain heightened preparedness as the monsoon progresses.

The gold bars, along with 28 sovereigns of jewellery and Rs 12.1 lakh in cash, were seized from Kutty alias Saravanan (50) of Athur in Thoothukudi and his five relatives during a vehicle check within the Kenikkarai police limits on September 17. The gold bars are estimated to be worth around Rs 5 crore.

The claim that the gold was simply found in the river, however, has come under scrutiny.

The Customs Department has informed the Ramanathapuram police that 24 bars, bearing the names Valcambi Suisse and Airgar, are from Switzerland and are suspected of having been smuggled into India through illegal routes. It said action would be initiated under Sections 110 and 111 of the Customs Act.

“These 24 gold bars, bearing the names Valcambi Suisse and Airgar, are from Switzerland, while the remaining 14 bars are from MMTC-PAMP, a Government of India-authorised gold-bar seller. However, the standard response given by the member of the Kattunayakan community during our inquiry was that he had found the gold bars in the Thamirabarani River,” G Chandeesh, Superintendent of Police, Ramanathapuram, told DT Next.

The five — two from Ramanathapuram district and three from Thoothukudi district — are relatives. Police said they claim to have recovered the gold a couple of months ago.

Balu Kutty alias Saravanan (50) of Athur in Thoothukudi district told police that he had found the gold in the river and distributed the bars among his relatives for safekeeping and to sell them. He reportedly said he did not feel it was safe to keep the gold at his thatched house near the river.

Police suspect that the group may have sold part of the gold, lost some in the process or been cheated while attempting to dispose of the bars. No one has come forward so far to claim ownership of the gold.

Though some members of the Kattunayakan community have been involved in robbery cases, police said the five persons in the present case do not appear to have any criminal antecedents. This has added another layer to the mystery surrounding the origin of the gold.

With the five unable to produce valid documents for the valuables, the Kenikkarai police registered a case under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) on September 18 and seized the goods. The Judicial Magistrate Court-I subsequently directed that the valuables be kept in the safe custody of the District Treasury Officer.

The Ramanathapuram police then wrote to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Customs Department on September 19. In communications dated September 22 and 24, the Customs Department informed the police that it was ready to take custody of the gold in accordance with the prescribed legal process.

Customs has specifically flagged the 24 Swiss-marked bars, suspecting that they entered India through illegal routes. Action under Sections 110 and 111 of the Customs Act is expected to follow, the SP said.

“After we seized the valuables, we photographed them using the eSakshya (e-Evidence) App. We will hand over the gold bars to the Customs Department shortly through the court,” Chandeesh said.

The Ramanathapuram police are expected to hand over the gold bars, currently kept with the District Treasury Officer, to Customs through the court within the next two days.

The Customs Department has also expressed its willingness to take custody of the remaining 14 Indian-made gold bars and investigate their origin, as the five also lacked valid documentation.

For now, the central question remains unanswered: Did the Kattunayakans really strike gold in the Thamirabarani — or did a smuggling trail end up in their hands?

The farmers say the water shortage has become so severe that they are now seeking an alternative lifeline — a proposal to divert surplus water from the Amaravathi Dam to Uppar through a new connecting channel.

“Water theft by hundreds of coir-making units and poultry farms along the PAP main canal is one of the major reasons for the shortage. Water meant for Uppar is being diverted along the way,” alleged A Kalimuthu, president of Tamilaga Katchi Sarbatra Vivasayigal Sangam.

The Uppar Dam, with a storage capacity of 576 mcft, irrigates about 6,060 acres through its right and left bank canals. Farmers say water is also essential to meet the drinking water requirements of people and livestock in the area.

Built across the Uppar stream in 1958 to store surplus water from the PAP system, the dam supplied adequate water for more than two decades, allowing farmers to cultivate even paddy. However, farmers say the situation changed after the PAP command area was expanded from 2.75 lakh acres to nearly four lakh acres.

“After the expansion, there was not enough water even to meet the requirements of PAP farmers. The situation has worsened year after year. Since the 1990s, we have been receiving water only after staging protests,” Kalimuthu said.

Over the past 15 years, farming in the Uppar ayacut has become largely dependent on rainfall, farmers said. They also alleged that water flow to the dam is impeded by around 18 check dams along the 48-km Uppar Odai.

“This year, despite our protests, we could not receive water. Last year, the Uppar Dam received water for only 10 days following a breach in a PAP main canal,” Kalimuthu said.

With irrigation becoming increasingly uncertain, farmers have turned to deep borewells. They said the groundwater table in several areas has fallen beyond 1,500 feet, making it increasingly difficult and expensive to sustain agriculture.

Farmers are now renewing a long-standing proposal to create an alternative water source by diverting water from the Amaravathi Dam’s main canal to Uppar Dam through an approximately eight-km channel.

“About four TMC of surplus water from the Amaravathi Dam could be diverted to Uppar through an eight-km channel. This would provide a more reliable source of water and reduce our dependence on the PAP system,” said S Venkatachalam, a farmer dependent on Uppar Dam.

The proposal is particularly significant for coconut growers, who say inadequate irrigation has already affected their yields. “The recent rains have provided some relief. Otherwise, the situation would have become much worse and the borewells could also have dried up. If there is no further rain, farmers may be forced to buy tanker water to save the crops,” he said.

Farmers said adequate water supply earlier enabled them to harvest coconuts in five cycles a year, but the number has fallen to around three cycles this year. As the Dharapuram bypoll brings farmers’ concerns into sharper focus, Uppar farmers say stopping water thefts and finding an alternative source through the proposed Amaravathi link are essential to prevent further agricultural distress.

DAMNED DAM

• Farmers allege diversion of water to coir units and poultry farms

• Uppar Dam irrigates around 6,060 acres

• Dam capacity: 576 mcft

• Farmers say water shortage has worsened since PAP expansion

• Groundwater has fallen below 1,500 feet in some areas

• Farmers seek an eight-km Amaravathi-Uppar link

While farmers dependent on Uppar Dam are demanding water to protect their crops amid drought-like conditions, PAP ayacut farmers are strongly opposing any diversion, contending that the storage in the Thirumoorthi reservoir is insufficient even to meet their own irrigation requirements.

The issue acquired a political dimension recently when PAP-dependent farmers confronted TVK candidate P Sathyabama during her campaign in Kundadam and questioned her over the proposed release of PAP water to Uppar Dam. PAP Planning Committee chairman K Paramasivam said water could be released to Uppar only if there was adequate surplus in the PAP system.

“Water can be released only when the PAP system has satisfactory storage and surplus water is available. There is no justification for releasing water compulsorily when the PAP system itself is struggling to meet the requirements of its ayacut farmers,” he said.

According to farmers, the proposed release would not immediately solve the water crisis faced by Uppar-dependent farmers. Water released from Thirumoorthi reservoir has to travel nearly 50 km through the PAP main canal and another 40 km through the Uppar Odai before reaching Uppar Dam.

The Uppar Odai has several check dams and nearby ponds, farmers said, adding that the watercourse is currently dry and overgrown with ‘seemai karuvelam’ (prosopis) vegetation. They contend that unless the watercourse is cleared and sufficient flow is ensured, even a release from Thirumoorthi reservoir may not result in substantial inflow into Uppar Dam.

The competing demands have intensified amid a sharp decline in water availability in the PAP system. Farmers said the system had around 23 TMC of water at this time last year, compared with only about eight TMC now. Around 6,000 acres in Dharapuram are dependent on Uppar Dam, while the PAP system caters to about 60,000 acres in the region, according to farmer representatives.

PAP farmers say they are already struggling to protect their own crops as water has not been released adequately and irrigation channels remain uncleared. “Of the nearly 1,800 km of channels requiring desilting, around 200 km falls within Dharapuram constituency,” they said.

PAP Distributory Committee chairman in Kundadam P. Eswaran said farmers had repeatedly met ministers and senior officials seeking funds for desilting and maintenance, but the works were yet to begin.

“Coconut trees across lakhs of acres are drying up. Farmers have met several ministers and officials over the past few months seeking funds to desilt the channels, but the work has not started. Unless the vegetation is cleared, water will not reach the tail-end areas,” he said.

Farmers also point out that water was expected to be released for the PAP irrigation areas in August, but the release has not taken place as anticipated. They said the government’s proposal to release water to Uppar Dam had been deferred following protests from PAP farmers.

The stakes are particularly high in Dharapuram, where coconut cultivation dominates the agricultural landscape, with farmers estimating that coconut plantations cover nearly one lakh acres. Vegetable crops, drumstick and maize are also cultivated in the region.

With their plantations under stress, farmers say they are being forced to buy tanker water to keep the coconut trees alive. “Farmers are paying around Rs 6,000 for a tanker carrying about 24,000 litres of water to save the coconut trees. If there is no rain for another month, the trees could completely dry up,” Eswaran said.

As the by-election campaign gathers pace, the PAP-Uppar dispute has brought the constituency’s water crisis squarely into the political spotlight, with rival groups of farmers demanding that their competing irrigation needs be addressed without jeopardising their livelihoods.

"Political leaders can speak about 'mode' while seeking votes, but speaking about 'mood' is not acceptable. Udhayanidhi's remarks are condemnable. Political discourse is increasingly taking a turn towards double meanings," she said.

Taking aim at the TVK government's liquor policy, Tamilisai alleged that the government, despite announcing the closure of more than 700 liquor outlets, was expanding liquor sales by offering concessions to bars and proposing liquor outlets along with restaurants. She questioned whether the move amounted to a betrayal of women who had voted in large numbers.

On the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the BJP leader said TVK leaders should thank the exercise, claiming that without SIR, Rajmohan could not have become a minister and Joseph Vijay could not have become Chief Minister. She criticised those opposing SIR merely because others were doing so.

The former governor also sought clarity on the government's plans for Pattinapakkam, alleged that power cuts persisted despite claims to the contrary, and criticised the practice of allegedly purchasing MLAs, calling it contrary to democratic principles.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay recalled Aditanar’s lasting contributions to journalism and public life, noting that he had introduced a lively, accessible style that helped carry the newspaper-reading habit across Tamil Nadu, including to remote parts of the State. Aditanar’s efforts also played a pioneering role in fostering political and social awareness, he added.

Vijay noted that Aditanar held several key positions, including serving as a State Cabinet Minister and Assembly Speaker. As Speaker, he introduced the practice of starting the House's daily proceedings with a Thirukkural couplet.

Describing Aditanar as “Thamizhar Thanthai”, Vijay said he had devoted his life to the advancement of the Tamil language and its people. “Aditanar’s legacy will remain etched in Tamil Nadu’s history,” the Chief Minister said.

On behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, Speaker JCD Prabhakar, Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Venkataramanan, and School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity Minister Rajmohan garlanded Aditanar’s statue in Egmore and offered floral tributes to his portrait.

DMK president MK Stalin recalled Aditanar’s rich contributions to Tamil journalism, the Tamil language, and society. “Si Pa Aditanar, the patriarch of Tamil journalism, was hailed by Thanthai Periyar himself as one who accomplished difficult deeds,” Stalin said. “He transformed journalism by adopting a simple style that enabled ordinary people to read and understand developments around the world. In his political career, Aditanar served as a two-time DMK MLA, Speaker of the TN Assembly under CN Annadurai, and a Minister in Karunanidhi’s Cabinet.”

Maalai Murasu Managing Director R Kannan Adithan, Daily Thanthi Group Chairman S Balasubramanian Adityan, and Director B Sivanthi Adityan garlanded the statue and paid their respects.

Employees of Daily Thanthi, DT Next, Maalai Malar, Rani, Ranimuthu, Rani Printers, Hello FM, Thanthi TV, Subasree, India Cabs, AMN TV, Gokulam Kathir, Pharos Hotel, and Maalai Murasu also paid their respects.

Born on September 27, 1905, in Kayamozhi village near Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi, Aditanar completed his legal studies abroad and qualified as a barrister. He launched the bi-weekly Madurai Murasu in 1942 and later started the weekly Thamizhan.

His commitment to publishing factual news without fear remained unchanged even after the British government banned his publication. In November 1942, he launched Dina Thanthi in Madurai and later started Maalai Malar and the weekly Rani. He made a mark on Tamil journalism by using simple words and short sentences to make news accessible to readers.

Aditanar served in the Madras Legislative Council (1942-1953) and the Legislative Assembly (1957-1962). In 1967, when CN Annadurai became Chief Minister, he was elected Speaker of the Assembly. He later served as Cooperation and Agriculture Minister in 1969.

The government observes his birth anniversary as an official State function every year.

The Chennai railway division first wrote to the state-run liquor retailer in September 2024 and again in May 2025. Having received no response, it took the matter to the chief secretary in July this year, according to railway sources.

The identified outlets are spread across Chennai, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Tirupattur, Ranipet and Kanchipuram districts.

Railway officials have flagged locations, including Royapuram, Korukkupet, Perambur, Jolarpet, Villivakkam, Avadi, Ennore, Thiruvalangadu and Nandiambakkam.

Officials said people drinking near the shops sometimes enter railway property, cross tracks at vulnerable points, travel dangerously on trains or sleep on platforms and inside coaches.

They have also reported harassment of women passengers, disturbances to railway staff, littering, theft and tampering with railway assets, including copper signal wires.

Commuter representatives said passengers have faced problems near stations at Ambattur, Tiruvallur, Avadi and Tambaram Sanatorium.

At Ambattur, some customers allegedly take liquor onto suburban trains and occupy coach floors.

The subway at Tiruvallur has reportedly become a drinking spot, leaving women reluctant to use it after dark.

In Avadi, groups gathering near an outlet on Station Road affect access to the station, a hospital and a temple.

Tasmac officials, however, have said finding replacement premises was difficult. The corporation has considered shifting more than 100 outlets across Tamil Nadu, but several proposed sites met with residents’ objections or proved unsuitable.

At least seven shops near railway facilities have been closed or moved in recent months.

The TVK government recently closed 717 Tasmac outlets within 500 metres of educational institutions, places of worship and bus stands.

A Tasmac official said there was no specific rule on the distance between liquor shops and railway tracks.

The official said several states were considering guidelines because more than 17,000 liquor outlets were situated near tracks nationwide.

An official of a Tasmac workers’ association suggested that the Railway Board seek court directions on suitable rules. The railway wants the outlets shifted to reduce risks around busy passenger corridors.

The agency had registered an FIR against Velu and others on June 25 alleging that payments were made to a contractor before the commencement of road infrastructure works, resulting in corruption in the allotment of project funds.

In the latest case registered by the DVAC Tiruvannamalai unit, the conference was held on December 14 last year at Kalaignar Thidal in Malappambadi village on about 124.56 acres owned by Arunai Products and Services, in which Kumaran is a director. Velu, who was then the Minister for Highways, Minor Ports and Public Works, and the DMK Northern Zonal in-charge, had organised and supervised the conference, according to the document.

The DVAC said that its factual verification found unauthorised excavation of soil and gravel at several locations inside Malappambadi Lake. The lake, spread over 70.65 acres, had not been included in a June 2024 district notification permitting removal of clay, silt and gravel from certain water bodies. The FIR alleges that the excavated material was transported by excavators and trucks and used to level the conference venue. It further states that no permission had been obtained from the Revenue Department, Corporation or Geology and Mining Department for excavation and removal of material from Malappambadi Lake.

The DVAC also examined permissions obtained by Kumaran for removing clay and silt from nearby Palliyampattu lake. The FIR states that two permissions were issued in October and November 2025, but its verification found that no clay or silt had actually been removed from that lake.

The complaint had estimated that over 45.72 lakh cubic feet of lake-bed sand was removed from about eight acres of Malappambadi Lake, causing an estimated loss of Rs 8.22 crore to the government exchequer. The FIR records this as the petitioner’s calculation.

The FIR further alleges that officials of the Revenue Department, Corporation and Geology and Mining Department failed to take effective action despite complaints and information about the excavation.

The agency said a prima facie case of criminal conspiracy, unauthorised extraction/theft of lake-bed material, criminal misconduct by public servants and abetment was made out against Velu, Kumaran and others, with their specific roles and liabilities to be established during the investigation.

The victim, Vinitha Rajesh, who runs a lottery shop at Nambiarkunnu, suffered multiple serious injuries in the attack.

Police took Sivakumar of Pattavayal in Tamil Nadu into custody following the incident, officials said.

According to police, Sivakumar frequently visited Wayanad to purchase lottery tickets but had not won any prizes.

On Sunday morning, Sivakumar reached the lottery shop in an inebriated condition and picked up a quarrel, alleging that he had never won a prize on any of the tickets he purchased, police said.

In a fit of rage, he allegedly stabbed Vinitha in the neck and also injured her head, officials said.

People present at the spot intervened and restrained Sivakumar before rushing Vinitha to a hospital in Sultan Bathery, police said.

Her condition is currently stable, officials said.

Police soon reached the spot and took Sivakumar into custody.

The area is close to the Tamil Nadu border, and people from the neighbouring state frequently purchase lottery tickets from Vinitha's shop, police said.

The daring pursuit by head constable M Velmurugan ended near Thekkalur in Avinashi in Tirupur with the arrest of the accused Babudhara, 27, Ramesh Kumar, 23, and Suresh Kumar, 23, all natives of Rajasthan.

A police team, including Velmurugan, from the Kovilpalayam police station was on a routine vehicle check in the Vilankurichi area on Sunday when they intercepted a car with Karnataka registration.

When the police personnel attempted to inspect the sacks kept in the boot of the vehicle, the occupants suddenly pushed the cops aside and sped away. However, just as the car started moving, constable Velmurugan jumped onto the vehicle and clung to its roof. The car sped away on the Coimbatore-Salem National Highways towards Kaniyur toll plaza and was headed towards Avinashi.

Soon, the police from Kaniyur and Avinashi stations also joined the chase. After nearly 40 km, the car was finally surrounded by the police near the Thekkalur checkpoint. There, two of the occupants attempted to flee, but the police caught them.

Several motorists recorded the sight of the cop clinging precariously from the roof of the speeding car and shared it on social media.

A search of the car revealed the men were in the possession of around 170 kg of gutka and other tobacco products they had procured from Bengaluru. “Our team had received a tip-off that a car was carrying banned tobacco products, and we had been conducting vehicle checks from 3 am. Around 5 am, a car carrying three occupants arrived. After being intercepted, the car suddenly reversed at a high speed and was about to get away when I climbed onto its roof and held on,” said Velmurugan.

Minister for Backward Classes Welfare V Sampath Kumar and minister for Prohibition and Excise K Vignesh congratulated the policeman for his courageous act.