The deceased, Vinodini, from Bharathi Nagar in Erode, had separated from her husband from Tirupur owing to some differences, and was living with her four-year-old son in a house near her parents' residence over the last two years.

Police said Vinodini befriended Navaneethakrishnan (26) from Sayalgudi, near Kamuthi, in Ramanathapuram district, through Instagram. “Over a period of time, they developed an affair. However, their relationship did not last long as Vinodini started to distance herself from him in recent days, resulting in a confrontation,” police said.

On Monday night, Navaneethakrishnan came to her house and broke into a heated argument. In a fit of rage, he poured kerosene and set her ablaze. As flames engulfed her, Vinodini clung to the accused, causing him to sustain burn injuries as well. Hearing screams, neighbours rushed into the house, while the accused fled away from the spot.

Police said Vinodini was admitted to Erode GH with severe burns in a critical condition. In her dying declaration made before the Additional Mahila Court Judge, she stated that Navaneethakrishnan set her on fire.

Following her death, the Erode Taluk police registered a case of murder and traced Navaneethakrishnan to a private hospital in Karur, where he is undergoing treatment to burn injuries. He is likely to be arrested after treatment. Further investigations are on.

He started his journey from the Omandurar station to Nandanam in the afternoon, and he was accompained by officials.

The CM purchased ticket for the journey.

According to sources, Vijay is also expected to conduct further inspections between Porur and Poonamalee Metro stations.

Similarly, he is also scheduled to inspect the ongoing Metro Rail works at Kathipara.

Her escape and complaint have now led to the arrest of two men and opened an investigation into an alleged network that police believe lured vulnerable pregnant women from other states with promises of free accommodation and medical care before attempting to sell their babies after birth.

The Erattupetta Police arrested Muppili Raja (27), a native of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and K S Arjun (21) of Idukki district.

Both were taken into custody from a house at Theekkoy near Pala where the woman had earlier been staying. They were produced before a local court and remanded in judicial custody.

Police have also registered a case against a woman identified as Harshitha, while the investigation is continuing to trace others suspected to be part of the alleged racket.

According to the woman's complaint, she fled her home in Assam after facing sustained pressure from her husband to terminate her pregnancy, police said.

Already the mother of a one-and-a-half-year-old girl, she said her husband and family opposed her second pregnancy, forcing her to leave home in the hope of finding a place where she could safely continue the pregnancy and raise her child.

While in Delhi, she came across an Instagram account, which she believed belonged to a voluntary organisation. The account allegedly offered free accommodation and delivery expenses for pregnant women. Trusting the promise, she travelled to Kerala and reached Kottayam on July 16.

Police said Arjun, a hotel management student in Bengaluru, and Harshitha received the woman and took her to an isolated house surrounded by a rubber plantation at Theekkoy in this district.

Police said the property was being used as a guest house by Anitha, a private hospital nurse from Coimbatore, and her husband Raja, also known as Karthik.

According to the complaint, the woman realised something was wrong when she was allegedly told that her newborn baby would have to be handed over for Rs 3 lakh after delivery.

It was then, police said, that she understood she had been trapped by a group allegedly involved in selling newborn babies.

Her escape came with the help of an anganwadi teacher she met by chance. With the teacher's assistance, she reached the Erattupetta Police Station and narrated her ordeal.

She was later shifted to Santhwanam, a government-run shelter home in Gandhi Nagar near Kottayam town, where she is currently under care.

Police said preliminary investigation indicates that the accused may have links to a wider network involved in procuring newborn babies.

Investigators are examining the role of the Instagram account through which the woman was allegedly contacted, the financial transactions involved and whether other pregnant women were similarly targeted.

Officials are also trying to identify others who may have been part of the operation and determine whether the network has been active in other states.

The arrested have been identified as Murugadas (56) of Villupuram district, who allegedly sold the land using forged documents; Vellaithurai (60) of Madathukulam in Tiruppur district, who allegedly purchased the property; Sethupathi of Palani Pudur; and advocate Anvarudeen (65) of Palani, who is alleged to have facilitated the fraud.

They have been booked under Sections 318(4), 336(3), 340(2), 49 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The arrests came a day after former AIADMK MLA K.S.N. Venugopal Senapathi moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking a CBI probe into the case. In his petition, he alleged that the CB-CID had not made any arrests despite having taken over the investigation and expressed apprehension over the fairness of the probe, as the allegations involve government officials.

According to police sources, four CB-CID teams searched houses and lodges in Palani and other places before securing the accused on Tuesday night. They were brought to the CB-CID office in Dindigul for questioning.

Senior CB-CID officers supervised the interrogation at the Dindigul office on Wednesday morning. The accused are expected to be produced before the jurisdictional court in Madurai later in the day.

The case pertains to the alleged fraudulent registration of the mutt's land on Sannathi Street in Palani for ₹2 crore using forged documents, allegedly in violation of a court order. Based on a complaint lodged by Muruganandam, Superintendent of the Palani Temple Lands Division, the Palani Adivaram police registered a case against Sub-Registrar Justin Manikandan, trust functionary Murugadas, purchaser Vellaithurai, Sethupathi and others under charges including criminal conspiracy and cheating.

After the State Government transferred the case to the CB-CID on July 15, more than 30 police personnel led by SP Shajitha and DSP Ajay Thangam have been conducting an intensive investigation in Dindigul and Palani.

As part of the probe, the CB-CID questioned more than 15 persons, including former temple Joint Commissioner Marimuthu, retired Tahsildar Mariyappan, retired Village Administrative Officer Chinnasamy and HR&CE Inspector Sivanesan.

Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Sub-Registrar Justin Manikandan and directed him to appear before the CB-CID office in Dindigul daily from July 27 to August 3. He has been appearing before the investigating officers in compliance with the order.

In a related development, the original legal heirs of Kuppusamy Maniyakkarar, who is claimed to have owned the land in 1880, appeared before the CB-CID office in Dindigul on Tuesday evening. Sundari, her son Vishnu Sudarsan and daughter Jayalakshmi submitted the original title deed and other documents in their possession and gave statements before the investigating officers.

The police are also searching for Jayaprakash, a land broker and document writer from Oddanchatram, who is suspected to be involved in the alleged fraud.

Tamil Nadu notifies restructuring of HR&CE department

In a major restructuring of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, the Tamil Nadu government has divided its administrative jurisdiction into North and South zones and vested two IAS-rank Additional Commissioners with wide-ranging supervisory powers over temple properties, finances, leases, encroachments and administration.

Under the new arrangement, the Chennai-based Additional Commissioner will oversee the North Zone, comprising Chennai and several northern and western districts, including Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Salem, Erode and Coimbatore. The Tiruchy-based officer will administer the South Zone, which includes Thanjavur, Madurai, Sivaganga, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi.

As part of the investigation, DVAC officials carried out simultaneous searches at 41 locations across the State, including 14 premises in Chennai and neighbouring districts.

Officials confirmed the registration of the case but did not provide further details on the allegations or the evidence gathered.

In Karur district, searches were conducted at Senthil Balaji's residence in Rameshwarapatti, the house of his assistant Subramani in Murthy Palayam, the residence of Karur DMK East Union Secretary Bhaskar in Koyampalli, and the homes of Ramesh and Karthik in Kothai Nagar. Officials also searched the TASMAC regional office at Thozhilpettai.

According to the DVAC, the investigation centres on allegations that Senthil Balaji and the other accused amassed assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. The case also includes distillery companies that are alleged to have been linked to the suspected irregularities.

Search teams continued to examine documents, financial records and other materials from the identified locations as part of the probe.

At a function held at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister presented appointment orders to 28 Deputy Collectors, seven Deputy Superintendents of Police, 19 Assistant Commissioners (Commercial Taxes), 15 Assistant Directors of Rural Development, three District Employment Officers, and six Assistant Commissioners of Labour.

In addition, 48 candidates selected through the TNPSC's Combined Technical Services Examination also received their appointment orders from the Chief Minister.

Minister for Human Resources Management D Sarathkumar and Minister for Environment and Forests VK Rajeev participated in the event.

Speaking to reporters in Thanjavur, Vasan said the statement, made by the minister in the Rajya Sabha, had shocked farmers in Tamil Nadu. He claimed that the State government, political parties and the public were united in opposing Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu project.

"It is inappropriate for a Union minister to take a biased stance and attempt to create tension between two states," he said.

Pointing out that the Supreme Court, the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee had upheld Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water and directed Karnataka to release its due share, Vasan said the minister's remarks ran contrary to the recommendations of the water management authorities.

Appealing to the Union government and the authorities to safeguard Tamil Nadu's rights, Vasan urged them not to take any decision on the Mekedatu dam project that would affect the State's interests.

On the political front, Vasan said the TMC was strengthening its organisational base in preparation for the local body elections. Reiterating the party's recent break with the BJP-led NDA, he asserted that the TMC would not enter into an alliance with the NDA.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan issued the directions while disposing of a PIL filed by a young woman who was allegedly raped by two police constables in Tiruvannamalai district, seeking a speedy trial.

The Bench directed the Fast Track Mahila Court, Tiruvannamalai, to continue the trial on a day-to-day basis, without unnecessary adjournments, and make every effort to conclude the trial as expeditiously as possible.

The Court directed all Principal District and Sessions Courts, Additional Sessions Courts, Mahila Courts, and other Special Courts in Tamil Nadu trying rape and sexual offence cases to comply with the mandatory two-month timeline under Section 346(1) of the BNSS and grant adjournments only for truly exceptional reasons recorded in writing, in accordance with Section 346(2) of the BNSS.

The Bench further directed the Director General of Police to annually review the adequacy of the existing supervisory mechanisms for night patrol duties and strengthen them wherever gaps are found, particularly in remote and poorly lit highway stretches. It also observed that the authorities must ensure that incidents where the protectors turn predators never recur.

It further directed all Pocso Special Courts to comply with Section 35 of the Act by recording the evidence of child survivors within 30 days of taking cognisance and, as far as possible, completing trials within one year.

It also directed the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy to periodically train Presiding Officers on these requirements, the prompt cognisance of electronically filed charge sheets, and compliance with the mandate under Section 35(2) of the Pocso Act.

The Court also directed that the four presently vacant Pocso Courts at Cuddalore, Dindigul, Madurai, and Thoothukudi be filled at the earliest and that the Government take an early decision on constituting the six Special Courts already sanctioned but not yet established, and report the progress made to the Court through the Registrar General within two months.

Justice B Pugalendhi made the observations while closing two criminal appeals arising out of the rejection of two bail petitions in a case relating to the alleged assault on a Scheduled Caste activist over his efforts to retrieve Panchami land, following an order passed by the High Court on December 12, 2025, in respect of Keeranur village in Madurai district.

Within a week of the High Court's order on the activist's plea to restore Panchami land, the appellants, along with a few others, allegedly brutally attacked the activist and caused him grievous injuries on December 18, 2025. Having regard to the gravity of the allegations, the High Court, at that stage, did not consider it appropriate to decide the question of bail, and the matter was kept pending for consideration.

The subsequent bail applications were filed before the Sessions Court when the criminal appeals challenging the earlier rejection of bail were already pending before the High Court. However, neither the counsel for the accused nor the Public Prosecutor brought the pendency of the appeals to the notice of the Sessions Court. Consequently, the Sessions Court granted bail to the accused.

"The present case highlights the importance of ensuring that the State is effectively represented by competent prosecuting officers," the Court said.

Referring to the appointment of Public Prosecutors in district courts, the judge noted that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) prescribes only a minimum of seven years' practice for Public Prosecutors and ten years' practice for Special Public Prosecutors, but does not lay down objective criteria such as legal acumen, drafting skills, integrity, behaviour and professional reputation.

The Court described Public Prosecutors as the "gatekeepers of the criminal justice system" and said they play a crucial role in protecting the rights of victims.

Justice Pugalendhi also referred to the First Bench decision in V Vasanthakumar vs State of Tamil Nadu, which had directed the State to evolve objective criteria for appointing Law Officers. The Court observed that appointments should strictly adhere to those standards and be based on demonstrable professional ability, competence and integrity rather than extraneous considerations.

The Court further observed that a Public Prosecutor is not expected merely to file lengthy written objections but must effectively assist the Court by identifying and presenting the material facts relevant to the issue under consideration. Effective advocacy, it said, lies in clarity, brevity and highlighting the decisive facts rather than the volume of pleadings.

The judgment also reiterated that once the High Court is seized of a bail matter, subordinate courts should ordinarily avoid entertaining subsequent bail applications unless there is a substantial change in circumstances, emphasising the need to maintain judicial discipline and prevent conflicting orders.

The special services will be operated on July 31 (Friday), August 1 (Saturday), August 2 (Sunday), and August 3 (Aadi Perukku).

So far, 13,547 passengers travelling from Chennai and other cities to their native places have booked tickets. The number of reservations is expected to increase in the coming days.

From the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus in Kilambakkam, special buses will be operated to Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode, and Tirupur. A total of 420 buses will be operated on July 31, 330 buses on August 1, and 270 buses on August 2.

From the CMBT, Koyambedu, special buses will be operated to Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur, and Bengaluru. 120 buses each will be operated on July 31 and August 1, while 55 buses will be operated on August 2. In addition, 200 special buses will be operated from Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Erode, and Tirupur to various destinations.

From the Madhavaram bus terminus, special buses will be operated to Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Polur, and Puducherry. Forty-five buses each will be operated on July 31 and August 1, while 50 buses will be operated on August 2.

To facilitate passengers returning to Chennai and Bengaluru from their hometowns, 420 special buses will also be operated from various parts of the State on August 2.

So far, 5,721 passengers have booked tickets for July 31, 2,396 passengers for August 1, and 5,430 passengers for August 2, taking the total number of advance bookings to 13,547. The number is expected to rise further in the coming days.

Additional officials have been deployed at major bus terminals to monitor the operation of the special services. Passengers can book their tickets in advance through the TNSTC mobile app or the www.tnstc.in website.

The collaboration will be led by IIT Madras' Centre of Tech Excellence, with support from a CSR grant by Walmart Global Tech.

The initiative aims to drive the digital empowerment of MSMEs operating in manufacturing, retail and allied sectors, according to a release issued on Wednesday.

The solutions developed through the collaboration will be low-cost and user-friendly, making them suitable for MSMEs that require accessible and scalable technologies without significant capital investment.

An MoU for the collaboration was signed between FaMe TN and IIT Madras.

The collaboration envisages the development of a state-level MSME Digital Readiness and Adoption Index to assess the digital maturity of MSMEs across Tamil Nadu as one of its key outcomes.

The initiative will support AI, digital transformation and Industry 4.0 adoption through digital readiness assessments, capacity-building programmes, technology demonstrations and implementation support.

It will facilitate the development, technology transfer and large-scale deployment of indigenous digital solutions, while establishing a collaborative government-academia-industry innovation ecosystem anchored at the Centre of Tech Excellence at IIT Madras.

Elaborating on the collaboration, Prof Raghunathan Rengaswamy of IIT Madras said, "This partnership aims to integrate AI-enabled workflows, shop-floor digitisation and Industry 4.0 tools into the day-to-day operations of MSMEs in Tamil Nadu."

"By focusing on practical, field-deployable technologies and on-ground interventions, the initiative seeks to enhance productivity, improve product quality and strengthen the global competitiveness of small and medium manufacturing units across sectors such as automotive, engineering and fabrication," he added.

It is said that M Vasanthi (52), a resident of Somarasampettai had recently met Irudayaraj (50) who told her that he has several contacts in Tiruchy court and would get her son a job there.

Trusting him, Vasanthi handed over a sum of Rs 5.30 lakh in several instalments from 2022 to 2025.

However, Irudayaraj failed to arrange the job and started threatening when she demanded the money. Subsequently, Vasanthi lodged a complaint and Tiruchy GH police commenced investigation.

Police said the girl Nanditha and younger brother were in the care of her grandmother Pannammal (65) at Kanjampalayam in Tirupur.

Her parents had separated following differences and the girl’s father remarried and settled elsewhere.

The girl was alone at home, while her brother was playing outside and her grandmother had gone to work. When Pannammal returned, she was shocked to find Nanditha hanging on Tuesday.

It was learnt that the girl was under distress due to family circumstances leading her to take the extreme step.

In separate corrigenda, TNSHA annulled the tenders floated on March 10 for all three packages of the project. It did not elaborate on the reasons or indicate when fresh bids would be invited.

The proposed greenfield corridor, to be developed under the public-private partnership model using the hybrid annuity mode, was planned as an extension of the Oragadam-Cheyyar industrial corridor.

The highway would originate at the under-construction Chennai Peripheral Ring Road at Valayankaranai and terminate at Manampathy on the Kancheepuram-Vandavasi State Highway.

The civic polls are linked to the seventh State Finance Commission to determine the financial distribution for local bodies and necessary preparations for the local body polls, including budget allocation, are tied to this assessment, the official said.

The state government had recently issued an order extending the tenure of the commission till December 31, 2026. The tenure was scheduled to expire on August 31. Hence, the civic polls are likely to be held in early 2027, it was pointed out.

The previous local body elections were held in a single phase on February 19, 2022 for municipal corporations, municipalities, and town panchayats. The elections to rural local bodies were held on December 27 and 30 in 2019 across 27 districts, and on October 6, 2021, in the remaining nine districts, including Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram, following delimitation.

In highly concentrated urban centres like Chennai, the boundaries remain frozen for now. Sources said the Greater Chennai Corporation’s plan to expand its limits to integrate adjacent panchayats such as Vanagaram and Adayalampattu have been put on hold. The delimitation exercise in the GCC areas has been postponed until the new national census is available.

Eligibility: Application is open to Indian nationals pursuing or having completed their UG, PG, or PhD programmes in Science or Technology from recognised institutions in India or abroad in the last six months.

Prizes & Rewards: Training certification and research experience benefits

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The association said that sections of departments such as Commercial Taxes, Home, and Registration have been functioning on the second and third floors of the 10-storey building, with the top floor proposed to be converted into the Chief Minister's Office.

"Due to this shift, the sections of these three departments will be relocated to conference halls and dining halls on various floors. This is not acceptable. Similarly, the proposal to shift the entire Home Department to the present Chief Minister's Office is also unacceptable due to space constraints," the association said.

Alleging that the Public Department, which is responsible for the maintenance of the Secretariat, did not consult the office-bearers of the association before taking a decision on the Namakkal Kavignar Maligai, the association expressed its dissatisfaction.

"The sudden relocation of offices will affect the preparatory work for the Budget. Therefore, the Tamil Nadu government should ensure adequate infrastructure and the safety of the officials and staff of the Secretariat before implementing the shift," the association said.

More than 100 teacher organisations and non-teaching staff unions presented their demands, grievances, and suggestions directly to the minister and senior department officials.

During the meeting, he said, “These associations raise issues about a particular unit that affect the department overall. We’ve taken into consideration most of the concerns, including their demand for chicken biryani once a week in noon meals. We’ll ensure that our support is extended to the teachers and the associations.”

Rajmohan also assured that the petitions and demands submitted by the associations would be digitised to enable tracking. Meanwhile, one of the major demands was to fill vacant teacher posts for elementary classes.

The protesting farmers, headed by the Tamil Nadu Sugarcane Production Association president P Ramasamy, said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay promised MSP of Rs 3,500 per quintal of paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne of sugarcane during the election campaign, but the promise has not so far been fulfilled. They demanded that the MSP be as promised in the upcoming state budget.

Meanwhile, they pointed out that a special incentive of Rs 4,500 for paddy used to be released in October till the previous government, and the same should be followed by this government, and a GO should be released on this, they said.

They also demanded drought compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre to farmers and Rs 10,000 to agricultural labourers.

Later, they raised slogans in support of their demands with the sugarcane crops. General Secretary R Thirupathi and others took part in the protest.

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Prizes & Rewards: Selected students will get a chance to receive up to Rs 60,000 per year.

Last Date to Apply: August 20

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While it does not warn of fines unlike the Chennai Metro Rail that decided to slap a stiff fine of Rs 2,500, the government cautioned that such acts would be considered as misconduct.

In a circular, Transport Secretary L Nirmal Raj directed the managing directors of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), State Express Transport Corporation (SETC), and all Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations to immediately implement passenger etiquette guidelines and create awareness among commuters.

Recently, CMRL decided to crack down on on-board noise with stricter penalties, announcing that passengers travelling on the Metro or waiting at stations could face a fine of up to Rs 2,500 for playing music or videos without headphones, using speaker mode, or creating disturbances.

The circular said drivers should ensure that loud music is not played inside buses, as mandated under Rule 5 (10) of the Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017. It also cited Rule 228 of the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, under which any act causing inconvenience or disturbance to fellow passengers is considered misconduct.

Passengers have been advised not to speak loudly on mobile phones throughout the journey, use speaker mode during calls, or play videos and songs without earphones or headphones. The circular said passengers should use wired or Bluetooth earphones or headphones so that their mobile phone use does not disturb others.

The government has also instructed transport corporations to paste awareness stickers measuring 24 cm x 16 cm inside all buses at the front entrance, centre, and rear entrance. The stickers will carry messages such as "No Speaker Mode. Please Use Earphones/Headphones", "Respect Other Passengers" and "Quiet Travel, Safe Travel".

The circular further directed drivers, conductors and supervisory staff to sensitise passengers about the guidelines during their shifts and ensure they are implemented across all State-run buses.

Eligibility: Open to students across India who have secured admission to B.E. or B.Tech. programs at any Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) for the academic year 2026-27. Applicants must have completed their Class 12 examination with a minimum of 75% marks

Prizes & Rewards: Scholarship of Rs 70,250 per year

Last Date to Apply: August 20

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Prizes & Rewards: Scholarship up to Rs 1,00,000 based on the actual course fee

Last Date to Apply: August 24

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The restructuring was notified through a Gazette published on Monday, following a Government Order issued by the Commercial Taxes, Registration and Religious Endowments Department on July 23. The two Additional Commissioner posts, headquartered in Chennai and Tiruchy, have been sanctioned in the senior scale of the IAS.

The revamp comes amid scrutiny over the management of religious and inam properties, following the recent Palani mutt land registration case and the controversy surrounding restrictions imposed on inam lands, including in Karur district.

Under the new arrangement, the Chennai-based Additional Commissioner will oversee the North Zone, comprising Chennai and several northern and western districts, including Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Salem, Erode and Coimbatore. The Tiruchy-based officer will administer the South Zone, which includes Thanjavur, Madurai, Sivaganga, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi.

The officers have been empowered to inspect temple properties and documents, approve budgets, procurement tenders and certain property leases, and supervise other administrative functions. They will also monitor revenue from temple lands, collection of contributions and audit fees, pending cases, implementation of the Integrated Temple Management System and removal of encroachments.

Orders passed by the Additional Commissioners within their delegated subjects will be deemed orders of the HR&CE Commissioner. However, policy decisions and matters having implications for religious institutions across Tamil Nadu must be referred to the Commissioner.

In a representation addressed to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, the association said that teachers appointed before June 1, 2009, continued to receive a higher basic pay than those recruited after that date, despite both groups performing identical duties and possessing the same qualifications.

According to SSTA, the anomaly arose during the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission, when the revised pay fixation resulted in post-2009 recruits starting with a lower basic pay. The association said that the disparity, initially amounting to Rs 3,170 in basic pay, had widened over the years due to annual increments and periodic pay revisions, affecting nearly 27,000 teachers across TN. It has appealed to the government to implement ‘equal pay for equal work’ by removing the disparity.

In a separate memorandum submitted to the director, the SSTA has sought several reforms for the private education sector. It demanded strict enforcement of the norms prescribed under the TN Private Schools Regulation Act and that schools functioning without adequate infrastructure or recognition not be allowed to admit students.

It also urged the department to ensure that teachers were not forced to handle non-teaching duties and that only qualified teachers were appointed for pre-primary classes such as LKG and UKG.

The SSTA also called for transparent fee regulation, timely approval of teacher appointments, the provision of essential learning materials such as tables, books and dictionaries to students, and strict implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. It sought a limit of 25 students per section in LKG and UKG classes and recommended that schools maintain a teacher-student ratio of one teacher for every 7.5 students at the primary level to improve the quality of education.

Sources said that investigators questioned the brothers based on statements recorded from the 14 accused who already were arrested in the case. During the questioning, which has been happening for the past three days, officials sought clarifications regarding financial transactions after examining information that raised suspicions of possible hawala transactions linked to the investigation.

The case pertains to the complaint by N Elaiyaraja, TVK MLA from Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district, to the Chennai police commissioner on June 29 stating that he was approached by a man, identified as Thirunavukkarasu, offering to pay Rs 35 crore to vote against the Speaker.

Two weeks ago, Senthilbalaji wrote to the Triplicane police questioning the need for his appearance as his name is not featured in the FIR in the alleged MLA poaching attempt case and that he has not absconded.

Police sources said that the letter was sent in response to a summons issued by the Triplicane police directing Senthilbalaji to appear for an inquiry. Initially, Thirunavukkarasu and two others were arrested. The Chennai police alleged that the arrested persons acted on behalf of Senthilbalaji and his brother Ashok Kumar. A meeting in this regard was held at a star hotel in the city, the police said.

The direction was issued by a Division Bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and S Sakthivel while hearing a petition filed by Narmadha of Gomathipuram in Madurai.

The petitioner submitted that several women employed in private establishments in Tamil Nadu continue to work despite suffering severe menstrual pain and that the State does not have a policy providing paid menstrual leave. Seeking directions to the government, she urged the court to constitute a State-level committee to examine the feasibility of introducing paid menstrual leave and formulate a policy in the interest of women's health and welfare.

The Bench directed the government to furnish details of the members of the committee constituted for framing the rules and adjourned the case by two weeks.

Anbumani on Tuesday alleged that the Centre was supporting Karnataka in the Mekedatu dam issue by stating that Tamil Nadu's approval was not required for the project, calling it a "dangerous conspiracy" against the interests of the State.

Citing previous assurances by former Union ministers Uma Bharti and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat that Karnataka could not proceed without Tamil Nadu's consent, Anbumani accused both the BJP-led Centre and the Congress government in Karnataka of acting against Tamil Nadu's interests.

In a statement, Anbumani referred to a written reply by Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary in the Rajya Sabha to a question raised by him. According to the minister's response, the Supreme Court's February 16, 2026 judgment on the Cauvery dispute does not state that Karnataka must obtain the consent of Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Puducherry before undertaking any construction across the Cauvery river.

Rejecting the interpretation, Anbumani argued that the Centre had selectively quoted the judgment while ignoring the continuing validity of the 1892 and 1924 agreements between the Madras and Mysore governments, which, he said, require prior consent from the downstream State before constructing new reservoirs or anicuts.

He further claimed that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award did not permit new irrigation projects beyond those already recognised and questioned how the Union government could now claim Tamil Nadu's approval was unnecessary. He also demanded an immediate all-party meeting to decide the State's next legal and political course of action.

The decision was taken at the CWRC meeting held in New Delhi on Tuesday, despite objections from Karnataka citing drought-like conditions. The committee directed Karnataka to ensure the release of 4 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water to Tamil Nadu at the rate of 3,500 cusecs per day for 15 days.

After hearing submissions from both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and taking into account the live storage levels in reservoirs of the two riparian states and the anticipated worsening El Niño conditions, the committee directed Karnataka to maintain a flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu from 8 am on July 29 for a period of 15 days.

The order comes amid efforts to resolve the long-standing Cauvery water-sharing dispute, with talks expected between the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

During the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting held on June 22, Karnataka had declined Tamil Nadu's request to release water as per the Supreme Court's final award, citing deficient rainfall and drought-like conditions, particularly in and around Bengaluru.

Despite Karnataka's objections, the CWRC has now ordered the release of water, offering relief to Delta farmers who have already been affected during the kuruvai season.

"The rights of the farmers of Tamil Nadu have been discarded from consideration by the BJP-led central government for electoral gains in Karnataka," Annamalai said in a statement.

Contrasting the statement with the Centre's earlier stand, he cited then Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat's statement in Parliament on August 5, 2021. Shekhawat, Annamalai said, had stated that Karnataka's permission to prepare a Detailed Project Report was conditional and that consent of lower riparian States was mandatory under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act for constructing a dam across an inter-State river.

"Why is the Central Government now suddenly making a U-turn on the position it had already taken?" Annamalai asked.

He urged the Centre not to take the people of Tamil Nadu for granted or unnecessarily strain the brotherly relationship between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The privatisation will be limited to corporations and municipalities. Sources from the Department of Prohibition and Excise have confirmed the government decision and that necessary legal amendments on Prohibition and Excise Act will be tabled in the ensuing Assembly Session.

The move is largely being read as the beginning of the State government’s intention to close down all Tasmac shops across Tamil Nadu. Once the plan is put into action, around 2,500 shops, including bars, will be operated by private players.

The State has been operating liquor stores for 23 years. It was in the year 2003, during the AIADMK regime, that the government had decided to take over the business of operations of retail liquor shops.

"After the privatisation of shops in urban local bodies, the government wouldn't have to face allegations of excess MRP on bottles. The government will collect a licence fee from private players. This model is based on the one that is followed in neighbouring states like Puducherry, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh," an official said.

Tasmac operates 4,048 retail liquor outlets across the State. It is the largest revenue-generating component of the State government. According to the Excise and Prohibition Policy note for 2025-26, the state earned Rs 48,344 crore through excise duty and value-added tax (VAT) on liquor sales during 2024-25. This year, the corporation is eyeing more revenue from the additional levy imposed on liquor suppliers.

Meanwhile, the state government is set to explore various revenue streams to meet the shortcoming that the liquor shop privatisation may bring about.

The direction was given during a virtual meeting of the party's legislators, attended by 56 of the 59 DMK MLAs. Party whip EV Velu welcomed the members before Udhayanidhi addressed the legislators.

According to party sources, the Leader of the Opposition instructed MLAs to focus on issues affecting their respective constituencies as well as matters of State-wide importance during the Assembly proceedings. He also advised members to move special mentions and adjournment motions on pressing public issues to ensure they receive the government's attention.

The meeting, which lasted for around 15 to 20 minutes, also discussed the party's strategy for the Budget Session and the role of legislators in effectively highlighting public concerns on the floor of the House.

The TVK-led government is scheduled to present its maiden State Budget in the Assembly on August 5, followed by the Agriculture Budget on August 6.

According to a Government Order issued by Public Works Department (PWD) Secretary R Selvaraj, the committee will be headed by PWD Chief Engineer E Senthil.

The committee comprises Anna University Professor S Karthikeyan, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) Superintending Engineer TR Rajan Babu, Directorate of Town and Country Planning Additional Director P Ranganathan, Greater Chennai Corporation Chief Engineer S Rajeswari, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department senior engineer AG Sethuraman, and senior engineer A Kuttalingam. Law Department Deputy Secretary M Jeevanantham will oversee the legal aspects of the proposed legislation.

The government said the State currently does not have a separate law to regulate professional civil engineers or protect their professional practice and livelihood. The committee has been tasked with exploring the formulation of dedicated legislation to address the gap.

The desilting of Adyar river was launched at Manapakkam and the South Buckingham Canal near the East Coast Road Old Mahabalipuram Road junction at Sholinganallur.

Officials said the restoration would facilitate the free flow of floodwaters through areas, including Manapakkam, Nandambakkam, Jafferkhanpet, Saidapet, Kotturpuram, and Mylapore during heavy rains.

The minister also launched desilting operations along the South Buckingham Canal at Sholinganallur, where water hyacinth and floating waste have significantly reduced the canal's carrying capacity. The canal serves as a major flood carrier, taking excess rainwater through Okkiyam Maduvu into the Bay of Bengal.

The Water Resources Department said removing aquatic vegetation and accumulated waste would improve drainage, reduce water stagnation, minimise mosquito breeding and help mitigate flooding in nearby residential areas during the monsoon.

Handlooms and Textiles Minister Vijay Balaji, Sholinganallur MLA P Saravanan, Alandur MLA M Harish, senior Water Resources Department officials and representatives of voluntary organisations were present during the launch.

Shanmugam said the reply given by Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary had come as a shock to farmers and the people of Tamil Nadu. He said PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss need not have raised such a question in Parliament at a time when all efforts should be focused on safeguarding Tamil Nadu's irrigation rights and opposing Karnataka's attempts to build the Mekedatu dam.

Shanmugam said it is an internationally accepted principle that upper riparian States cannot take unilateral decisions on disputes involving inter-State rivers. He alleged that the Union minister was well aware of this principle and accused the BJP-led Union government of continuing to act against Tamil Nadu's interests by giving such a reply in Parliament without considering its consequences.

The CPM leader alleged that Karnataka had failed to release Tamil Nadu's due share of Cauvery water every month as mandated by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and the Supreme Court's final judgment. Instead, he claimed, Tamil Nadu had been treated merely as a drainage outlet for surplus water released by Karnataka during periods of heavy rainfall.

He warned that construction of the Mekedatu dam could deprive Tamil Nadu of its rightful share of Cauvery water, posing a serious threat to irrigation and drinking water supplies and potentially turning fertile regions into arid land.

Shanmugam further said the Supreme Court had not examined every aspect of the Cauvery Tribunal's award and had confined its judgment mainly to Karnataka's plea on water sharing. He urged the Union government to withdraw the minister's reply in Parliament and take steps to protect the rights of lower riparian States, including Tamil Nadu.

In a social media post, the Opposition party recalled a statement made by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay when he assumed office, in which he had warned party members against misusing power.

"If you think that because we are in power, our party cadres can act beyond limits, I will not sit idle and watch," Vijay said, but what we are seeing is the contrary, AIADMK alleged.

Referring to the Chief Minister's earlier remarks, the AIADMK questioned what action he would take against the MLA over the alleged assault on journalists.

The party alleged that the incident reflected the "arrogance of power" of the ruling TVK government.

The AIADMK also demanded that the injured journalists be provided proper medical treatment and that appropriate action be initiated against those responsible for the attack.

Its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is estimated to rise to Rs 35.29 lakh crore, making it India's second-largest economy after Maharashtra, while per capita income has also grown faster than the rise in borrowings.

Data tabled in the Rajya Sabha by the Union Finance Ministry shows Tamil Nadu's outstanding debt is estimated at Rs 10,42,858 crore in 2025-26 (Budget Estimates), making it the only State to cross the Rs 10-lakh crore mark. Maharashtra follows with Rs 9,37,160 crore, Uttar Pradesh with Rs 8,83,977 crore, Karnataka with Rs 8,14,278 crore, and West Bengal with Rs 7,90,238 crore.

The numbers, however, also point to sustained economic expansion. Tamil Nadu's GSDP is estimated to increase from Rs 26.89 lakh crore in 2023-24 to Rs 31.19 lakh crore in 2024-25 and further to Rs 35.29 lakh crore in 2025-26, registering a cumulative growth of about 31.2% over two years.

Per capita income has also recorded strong growth, rising from Rs 3,13,329 in 2023-24 to Rs 3,61,619 in 2024-25 and is projected to reach Rs 4,08,027 in 2025-26, an increase of about 30.2%.

In comparison, the State's outstanding debt has risen from Rs 8,43,532 crore in 2024 to Rs 9,38,358 crore in 2025 and is projected to touch Rs 10,42,858 crore in 2025-26, reflecting a cumulative increase of about 23.6%. The gap indicates that the State's economy and income levels have expanded at a faster rate than its debt burden over the period.

The figures, based on the Reserve Bank of India's ‘State Finances: A Study of Budgets 2025-26’, were furnished by Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Tamil Nadu remains India's second-largest State economy with a projected GSDP of Rs 35.29 lakh crore, behind Maharashtra's Rs 51 lakh crore. Karnataka is estimated at Rs 32.81 lakh crore, followed by Uttar Pradesh at Rs 30.25 lakh crore, and Gujarat at Rs 29.84 lakh crore.

The state also ranks among the country's leaders in per capita income. Among major states, Tamil Nadu's projected per capita income of Rs 4,08,027 is behind Karnataka's Rs 4,33,326 and Telangana's Rs 4,18,931, underscoring its position as one of India's high-income State economies even as it carries the largest outstanding debt.

Titled ‘Adaptation Roadmap: Human Health’ the report projects that by 2050, the world’s poorest populations will experience the largest increase in heat related mortality despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions.

It has warned that while wealthier countries could offset rising temperatures through adaptation, millions in India would remain highly vulnerable because of limited access to cooling, making investments in heat adaptation an urgent public health priority. Climate change will widen global health inequalities, with low and middle income countries expected to suffer the highest number of temperature-related deaths as millions of people remain unable to afford basic cooling facilities.

It attributes the disparity not only to rising temperatures but also to lower incomes, weaker healthcare systems, poor housing conditions and limited access to adaptation measures.

India, classified by the World Bank as a lower middle income country, is among the nations identified as facing significant climate related health risks. While India is not expected to record the highest mortality rate per 100,000 people globally, its vast population means that even moderate increases in mortality could translate into tens of thousands of additional deaths every year.

The report says today’s poorest populations were projected to suffer the most from a warming climate because they often lack access to AC, insulated homes, reliable electricity and quality healthcare. These were measures that wealthier populations increasingly rely on to reduce the health impacts of extreme heat.

Researchers observed that adaptation was not only about installing ACs. It also included improving access to cooling centres, expanding green spaces, strengthening public health systems, designing heat resilient cities, introducing early warning systems and ensuring that vulnerable communities received timely support during prolonged heatwaves. However, they emphasised that access to household cooling remained one of the most immediate life saving interventions, particularly in countries where extreme heat was becoming more frequent.

Across Asia, India is among the countries expected to witness increasing temperature related mortality. The study identified Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata as among 95 Asian cities projected to experience an increase of at least 10 temperature related deaths per 100,000 people by 2050, with rapid urbanisation, dense populations and the urban heat island effect expected to amplify the health risks in these areas.

The report noted that South Asia, along with Northern Africa and the Middle East, would remain one of the world’s climate mortality hotspots. Pakistan was projected to experience the largest increase in temperature related mortality in the region, but India’s population size made it one of the countries where adaptation measures could save the greatest number of lives.

The findings come at a time when India continued to witness increasingly intense and prolonged heatwaves. Several states have recorded temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius, with outdoor workers, construction labourers, street vendors, farmers and daily wage earners among those facing the highest risks because they spend long hours outdoors and often have limited-to-no access to cooling.

“Governments must invest in targeted adaptation programmes that prioritise vulnerable populations, particularly in low and middle income countries where public resources remain limited,” the report suggested. “Such measures include heat action plans, expanding tree cover, climate resilient housing, improving electricity access and strengthening emergency medical response during extreme heat events.”

Kurian Joseph, environmental engineer and former Anna University professor, said, “Rising heat exposure poses a serious risk to public health, particularly for children, senior citizens, pregnant women, persons with disabilities, migrant labourers, outdoor workers, and other vulnerable groups.”

The TN strategy, which led to the formation of a Heat Action Network under the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission, combines immediate measures with long-term interventions to strengthen the state’s resilience to heat. “It focuses on 3 key systems: natural ecosystems, vulnerable livelihoods, and the built-in environment to reduce the impacts of extreme heat. Priority must be health and well-being, sustained resource and economic productivity, and cooling solutions,” he added.

For India, where extreme heat was becoming an increasingly frequent public health emergency, the report concluded that reducing climate-related deaths would depend not only on global efforts to curb emissions but also on ensuring that affordable cooling, resilient infrastructure and accessible healthcare reach the country’s most vulnerable communities. Without such investments, the burden of climate change was likely to fall disproportionately on those least able to protect themselves.

Referring to the 2018 Supreme Court judgment validating the Cauvery water award by the tribunal, he said it had clearly stipulated that no upper riparian State should take any action under the Cauvery water-sharing scheme that would adversely affect the water supply to lower riparian States.

He reiterated the AIADMK's opposition to the proposed Mekedatu dam project and said the party would continue to resist any move that could affect Tamil Nadu's rightful share of Cauvery water.

Palaniswami further said that while the Supreme Court judgment had clearly held that upper riparian States should not undertake any action affecting water supply to lower riparian States, the Union Minister's reply had created anxiety among the people living in the states through which the Cauvery river flows.

He added that the issue is under the consideration of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, and he would take appropriate action.

Meanwhile, Law Minister R Nirmalkumar joined the issue and attacked Leader of Opposition and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, claiming that he doesn't know anything about the Mekedatu issue.