According to the amendment, which has been notified in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, the provision relating to imprisonment under Section 68 of the Act has been omitted. The provision stipulated that any allottee who failed to comply with or contravened an order or direction of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) or the Appellate Tribunal, as applicable, would be liable for punishment. The penalty included imprisonment up to one year or a fine, which could extend to 10% of the estimated cost of the plot, apartment or building. 

Under the RERA Act, homebuyers, promoters and real estate agents can approach the regulatory authority with complaints regarding violations of the Act.

The authority can then restrain a promoter, agent or allottee from continuing any activity that is under probe. It can also impose penalties against those who fail to comply with orders of the authority or the Appellate Tribunal.

A division bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and MD Sumathi observed, “The purpose of holding an inquiry is only to find out if a crime has been committed. The identification of the offender can be done during investigation. In this case, since it has been conceded that a crime has been committed, we felt that an FIR should be registered forthwith. Since the learned state public prosecutor has undertaken that the DVAC would register an FIR within a few days, we grant them time.”

The bench observed that bound stationery passing for books had been purchased for various public libraries, leading to an expenditure of several million rupees from the public exchequer. It said the alleged scandal could not have been perpetrated without the involvement of officials working in the Directorate of Public Libraries.

Examining the procurement process, the bench noted that four committees — the Book Recommendation Committee, Book Selection Committee, Book Procurement Negotiation Committee and High Level Committee — had been constituted through a Government Order dated November 5, 2025. The Director of Public Libraries had given the court the impression that the suspect books had also been recommended and approved by these committees.

The court recorded the submissions of Badrinarayanan Seshadri of Kizhakku Pathippagam, who pointed out that his publishing house, despite having published hundreds of books, had received a purchase order worth only Rs 23,000, while Agal Vilakku Publications had been paid Rs 17 lakh. Agal Vilakku had offered 2,335 titles, of which 1,700 were selected, the bench noted.

Seshadri expressed the view that the recommendation committee comprising reputed individuals might not have been taken into confidence. “Agal Vilakku must have been clandestinely inserted because the entire process took place digitally,” said Seshadri.

*Tamil translation of Mann Ki Baat never made it to libraries*

The Madras High Court observed that Badrinarayanan Seshadri of Kizhakku Pathippagam offered to assist the investigating authorities in unearthing the alleged cyber fraud.

The court also recorded that a member of the expert committee had informed it that a Tamil translation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat', titled 'Manathin Kural', had been recommended but rejected and had not made it to the shelves of public libraries in Tamil Nadu. The bench said it sought to verify the information by questioning the Director of Public Libraries, but received no response.

The bench said the Department of School Education should publish a consolidated and comprehensive list of books procured for public libraries over the last two decades, along with the titles, number of books purchased and amounts paid to the respective publishers. It also observed that details of the dates on which publishers submitted their bills and the dates on which payments were settled would help establish transparency, though it clarified that it was not issuing a direction on this aspect at that stage.

The court directed the Director of Public Libraries to file an affidavit specifying the number of suspect books dispatched to various public libraries across Tamil Nadu and the amounts paid to each of the publishers concerned. It also mandated the production of all relevant records relating to the procurement. The bench further sought details of the books and titles procured from established publishers, including Vijaya Pathippagam, Sandhiya Pathippagam, Kaalachuvadu, Uyirmai Pathippagam and New Century Book House.

The next hearing is on Monday.

During the meeting, Vijay also cautioned the legislators against falling into traps set by Opposition parties, said sources.

According to sources, Vijay reportedly inquired about two legislators, Kallakurichi MLA C Arul Vignesh and Deputy Speaker M Ravi Shankar, who are facing damning allegations that are now haunting the ruling party. "The Chief Minister warned both of them," party sources said, but did not elaborate.

Vignesh is accused of sending inappropriate messages to a district Collector, a charge he has denied. Ravi Shankar was caught on camera assaulting a man who approached him with complaints about drinking water supply and uncollected garbage. Though the complainant withdrew his allegation, he later alleged that the deputy speaker threatened him into issuing a public statement absolving him.

During the closed-door interaction, Vijay warned the party MLAs against falling into rivals’ trap. "Except our alliance partners, all others are our enemies. MLAs should not fall into traps set by opposition parties. Several Opposition parties are targeting and trying to create a negative opinion about us," Vijay told the legislators.

The comment came amid repeated assertions by DMK and AIADMK leaders that the TVK government would not complete its full term. While TVK has accused the Dravidian parties of attempting to lure its legislators, opposition parties have alleged that the ruling party was using inducements to attract AIADMK MLAs to resign and join TVK.

Party sources said Vijay told the MLAs that they can meet him at any time to bring people's grievances to his attention and also asked them if anyone was preventing them from meeting him. He sought details of civic issues in their respective constituencies and assured them that the grievances would be addressed at the earliest.

During the two-hour meeting, Vijay interacted individually with the legislators and reviewed their performance. He also took note of complaints raised by MLAs against certain officials and their functioning.

Ministers Rajmohan, D Sarathkumar and A Srinath could not attend the meeting owing to personal reasons and official commitments. VS Babu, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Chennai, and Madhar Badhurudeen were also absent.

The DMK cadres staged a protest condemning Ravisankar for allegedly assaulting Karthik Kannan, a local resident and TVK supporter, who had approached him with a civic complaint.

Raising slogans against the Deputy Speaker and the TVK government, the protesters alleged that elected TVK representatives were unfit to represent the people. They demanded that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay take strict action against Ravisankar and remove him from office.

Addressing the protesters, Thiyagarajan said the six-month-old TVK government had seen a deterioration in the law-and-order situation across the State, particularly in the Thuraiyur constituency. He alleged that Ravisankar, despite being elected, insulted his supporters. He claimed the incident created fear among residents, who were now hesitant to approach elected representatives with their grievances.

Later, the Thuraiyur police registered a case against 137 DMK cadres, including 10 women, Thiyagarajan, former MLA Stalin Kumar and town secretary Murali.

Madras HC seeks State's reply on relief for Dalits hit by caste atrocities

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday has directed the State government to file a status report on the implementation of statutory relief and rehabilitation measures for families of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe members who died in cases registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The court posted the case for further hearing on November 25.

The Court issued this direction on a petition filed by a human rights activist, Kathir alias Vincent Raj from Madurai, who cited 30 case studies from 14 districts to draw the attention of the court to the alleged gaps in the provision of employment, pension, housing, agricultural land, essential supplies and educational assistance to eligible family members under the Act.

The rights NGO flagged lacunae in implementing the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, amid rising caste-based crimes.

On Day 2, city cops detain 769 people

The Chennai police detained 769 people, including 631 history sheeters and rowdies, during the second consecutive day of a special drive against criminal elements across the city on Tuesday.

Of those detained, 147 people, including 49 history-sheeters, were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Ten history sheeters were made to execute good conduct bonds, promising not to indulge in criminal activities in future.

The remaining 612 people, including 572 history sheeters, were let off after being sternly warned against involving themselves in crimes. Officials said their movements and activities would be kept under close surveillance.

Teams led by inspectors carried out intensive checks, searches and combing operations in all police districts.

4-member gang hacks auto driver to death

A 27-year-old auto driver was hacked to death allegedly by four men near Abiramapuram on Tuesday evening over a previous enmity.

The deceased has been identified as A Sivakumar, a resident of KVB Garden in Raja Annamalaipuram. According to the police, Sivakumar was sitting in his auto near the U-turn on Ramakrishna Mutt Road, when four men who arrived on two-wheelers confronted him. The gang allegedly attacked him with a knife and fled from the spot.

Passersby rescued the grievously injured man and admitted him to the Government Royapettah Hospital (GRH). Based on a complaint from his mother, the Abiramapuram police registered a case under various sections, including attempt to murder, and traced the accused, identified as Loganathan, Veera, Ajith, and Ramu, within a few hours of the incident.

Sivakumar was later shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for further treatment, where he died without responding to treatment late on Tuesday night. Following his death, the case has been altered to murder and further investigation is under way, police said.

During inquiry, police found that Sivakumar and Loganathan had a fallout about three years ago. Following this, Loganathan allegedly joined hands with his friends and attacked Sivakumar, leading to his death.

Gudalur tribals hit streets over loan repayment fraud

Tribal people, led by Tirupur MP K Subbarayan, staged a protest in Gudalur on Wednesday demanding action under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against a private trust for misappropriating loan repayments made by borrowers under the Joint Liability Group (JLG) scheme.

The protesters said they had regularly paid their monthly instalments through the trust, but the banks later informed them that the loans remained unpaid. The accounts were subsequently frozen, leaving the borrowers facing repayment demands.

Following complaints lodged by the affected people with the Economic Offences Wing in Udhagamandalam and Gudalur, the police conducted an inquiry, but no further action has been taken so far.

MP K Subbarayan said he would take up the issue with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and raise it in Parliament. “Protests would continue until the tribal people get justice in the issue,” he said.

Chennai: Staff replace QR code, steal Rs 2 lakh from employer

A 33-year-old employee of a water-wash and mechanic shop in Vyasarpadi was arrested for allegedly replacing his employer's payment QR code sticker with one linked to his own account and diverting customer payments totalling about Rs 2 lakh over two months.

The complainant, S Sarathkumar (35), runs a shop in Vyasarpadi. He had stayed away from the shop for the past two months as his wife had given birth to a child, the police said.

During this period, his employees, Vijayakumar and Thirumalai, allegedly removed the QR code sticker linked to Sarathkumar's bank account and pasted a sticker with their own bank account number in its place. Customers who scanned the code over two months paid about Rs 2 lakh, which was allegedly misappropriated by the duo.

When Sarathkumar returned and questioned them, they allegedly threatened to kill him. He lodged a complaint with the Vyasarpadi police, after which a team investigated and arrested Vijayakumar (33) of Kannikapuram in Pulianthope. The police also seized the QR code sticker used in the offence.

Vijayakumar was produced before a court on Tuesday and remanded in judicial custody. The police are now searching for the absconding second accused, Thirumalai.

RPF rescues 9-yr-old Andhra Pradesh boy found wandering at Central station

The Railway Protection Force (RPF), Chennai Division, rescued a 9-year-old boy who was found roaming alone at Central Railway Station late on the night of November 10 and in the early hours of November 11.

Upon noticing the boy wandering alone on the station premises, Head Constable Kathiravan ensured his safety.

The child was identified as Yellappa, a native of Tirupati. While trying to reach Tirupati, he had unknowingly boarded a train at an unidentified station and eventually arrived at Central.

The RPF personnel handed him over to the Child Help Desk. Chennai Division rescued 613 children in 2025 and 413 children in 2026 so far.

History sheeter arrested for stabbing man

A 32-year-old history sheeter was arrested on Tuesday for stabbing a man and damaging four vehicles following an argument at Padi Pudhu Nagar on Deepavali night.

The injured man, Suresh (46), a real estate businessman from Anna Nagar West Extension, was meeting his friends Praveenkumar, Madhavan, and Damodaran at their usual gathering spot on First Main Road when Manikandan (32) came there and insisted they leave the place.

After an argument broke out when Suresh and friends refused to leave, Manikandan allegedly attacked them with a knife, leaving Suresh with bleeding injuries. Manikandan then picked up a wooden long and smashed two two-wheelers and two load vans parked nearby before fleeing the scene.

Based on a complaint, the JJ Nagar police registered a case, including charges of attempted murder, and arrested Manikandan of Padi Pudhu Nagar. Officials said he was a history sheeter with 18 criminal cases, including murder, attempted murder, theft, and robbery. He was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.

Auto driver hacked to death in Abiramapuram

A 27-year-old auto driver was hacked to death allegedly by four men near Abiramapuram on Tuesday evening over a previous enmity.

The deceased has been identified as A Sivakumar, a resident of KVB Garden in Raja Annamalaipuram.

According to police, Sivakumar was sitting in his auto near the ‘U’ turn on Ramakrishna Mutt Road, when four men who arrived on two-wheelers confronted him. The gang allegedly attacked him with a knife and fled from the spot.

Passerby rescued the grievously injured man and admitted him to the Government Royapettah Hospital (GRH). Based on a complaint from his mother, Abiramapuram police registered a case under sections including attempt to murder and traced the accused, Loganathan, Veera, Ajith and Ramu, within a few hours of the incident.

Sivakumar was later shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for further treatment, where he died without responding to treatment late Tuesday night. Following his death, the case has been altered to murder and further investigation is underway, police said.

During inquiry, police found that Sivakumar and Loganathan had a fall out about three years ago. Loganathan allegedly joined hands with his friends and attacked Sivakumar, leading to his death.

History-sheeter hacked to death in Kasimedu

A 28-year-old history-sheeter was hacked to death after a quarrel during a drinking session at a vacant plot near Kasimedu fishing harbour on Tuesday evening. The deceased has been identified as Deepak, a resident of Singaravelan Nagar in Kasimedu. He was a C-category rowdy in police records, with several cases pending against him at Kasimedu police station.

According to police, Deepak was drinking with a group of acquaintances at the vacant plot when an argument broke out between them.

During the argument, the accused allegedly attacked him with a knife, repeatedly on the back of his head after which Deepak died on the spot. The accused then fled from the place.

Fishermen passing through the area noticed the body and alerted the police. A team from Kasimedu fishing harbour police station rushed to the spot, recovered the body and sent it to Government Stanley Hospital for a postmortem.

Police said that a special team has been formed to trace and arrest the accused. They are checking CCTV footage from nearby areas and questioning the victim’s friends to find out what led to the quarrel and identify those involved in the murder.

Chennai: Three arrested for killing man over argument on bursting crackers

A 34-year-old man was hacked to death by a gang after a quarrel over bursting crackers near his house in Tiruvottiyur on Monday night. Police arrested three suspects on Tuesday and launched a search for others involved in the murder.

The deceased was identified as Pavithran, a resident of Vanniyar Street. Police said that he suffered multiple injuries and died on the spot.

The arrested persons were identified as Surya (27), Kishore (29), and Hari alias Anandan (27), all residents of the same street. Their friend Madhan was injured while trying to stop the attack, police said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that he had objected to the group bursting crackers. This led to an argument, which escalated to murder. Pavithran had allegedly hit one of them after which the group ganged up and attacked him with weapons, leading to his death.

Pavithran’s family told police that he used to feed stray dogs in the neighbourhood, which was not welcomed by some of the residents. They suspected that it might have played a role in the murder.

However, police ruled out that angle and said that the argument over bursting crackers led to the murder.

Gang hurls country-made bombs at auto driver, attack him with sickles in Chengalpattu

A gang hurled country-made bombs at a 27-year-old auto driver and chased him with sickles after a quarrel broke out while bursting crackers in Chengalpattu. His elder brother, who came to rescue him, was also attacked. Police are searching for more than five suspects in connection with the incident.

Ranjith (27), an auto driver from Thenpathi village in Aathur near Chengalpattu, was returning home from Chengalpattu in his auto on Sunday night.

As he passed near the Vinayagar temple, a group of youngsters were bursting firecrackers on the road. They questioned Ranjith about why he was driving through the area while they were bursting firecrackers. This led to an argument, during which the youngsters assaulted him. Shocked by the incident, Ranjith managed to escape from the group and approached the Chengalpattu Taluk police station and filed a complaint against them.

Later on Monday evening, while Ranjith was at his house, a gang of more than five persons arrived to his house. Ranjith attempted to flee, but the gang chased and attacked him with sickles. They also took out two country-made bombs and hurled them at him.

Fearing for his life, Ranjith ran into a nearby house and locked himself inside, escaping the attack. Meanwhile, his elder brother Tamizhselvan (29), who rushed to rescue him, was also attacked by the gang. They hacked him on the head with a sickle before fleeing the spot.

Neighbours rescued the seriously injured Tamizhselvan and rushed him to the Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital, where he was admitted to the ICU. Following the incident, the Chengalpattu Taluk police registered a case and initiated an investigation.

Police are searching for the gang, including those named in the complaint filed by Ranjith.

House gutted as rocket cracker explodes inside

A house was gutted in fire after a rocket cracker burst inside the premises during Deepavali celebrations, in Sriperumbudur on Sunday.

Gangadharan of Veerasamy Pillai Street was at home when the incident occurred. A group of children were bursting firecrackers on the street near his house. At the time, a rocket firecracker entered Gangadharan's house and exploded, setting household articles, including a sofa, air conditioner and bureau, on fire.

The fire spread rapidly throughout the house, seeing which, Gangadharan and family members rushed out of the house in panic. Neighbours who witnessed the incident immediately alerted the Sriperumbudur Fire and Rescue Services. Firefighters rushed to the spot, doused the fire, and brought the situation under control.

While no one was injured in the incident, all household articles were gutted in the fire, and the house also suffered extensive structural damage.
The Sriperumbudur police have registered the case, and further investigation is on.

Two run over by trains in separate incidents

A guest worker was among two people run over by trains in separate incidents in the late hours on Sunday.

Bijoykumar Behurah (44) of Cuttack, Odisha, involved in construction work in Thanjavur's Papanasam, was run over by a train while consuming liquor with his friends on a track in the Papanasam-Pandaravadai section. His friends had escaped in a fraction of a second.

The Railway police registered a case and are investigating. Similarly, Manikandan (36) of Punnai Nallur near Thanjavur was crossing the railway track between the Thittai-Thanjavur section when the Mayiladuthurai-Sengottai intercity express train hit him. Manikandan died on the spot.

Thanjavur railway police registered a case and retrieved the body for autopsy. Further investigations are ongoing.

3 murdered in Tiruchy on Deepavali night 

Deepavali night in Tiruchy saw three murders, including that of two minors, in separate incidents.

The minors, Rahul from Inam Samayapuram and his cousin R Vishal, both 17,  were riding along the Pullambadi canal near Samayapuram tollgate on a two-wheeler when they were confronted by an unidentified group that had been tailing them, the police said.

They allegedly attacked the duo with lethal weapons, killing Vishal on the spot. Rahul sustained a slit throat and succumbed on the way to the hospital, the police said.

Superintendent of Police Dongare Pravin Umesh ordered three special teams headed by the Lalgudi DSP Rajmohan to nab the culprits. The police secured three suspects by Monday evening.

In another incident, an IT employee, X Christopher (21), from Irungalur near Samayapuram, was killed in front his house after a fight broke out with two-wheeler-bound V Donald (28), who lived in the same area, objected to Christopher bursting crackers on the street.

Wild jumbo tramples man to death in Tenkasi

A 72-year-old retired Highways Department employee was trampled to death by a wild elephant near Puliyarai in Tenkasi district on Sunday morning.

Subbaiah had gone to his farm in Kottavikulam, near Puliyarai, around 7 am on Monday when a wild elephant came charging along the same path. Scared, Subbaiah tried to escape, but the elephant kicked him in the chest, and he died on impact

Kadayanallur MLA TM Rajendran urged the State government and district administration to provide compensation to Subbaiah's family and urged for round-the-clock monitoring by the Forest department as wild elephants and boars are increasingly entering residential and farm areas.

Man hacked to death in Perambalur during Deepavali celebration

A 50 year old man was hacked to death in Perambalur after the Deepavali celebrations turned violent in the wee hours of Monday.

Sources said, R Ravi, a resident from Nochiyam village near Perambalur had reportedly gone out to celebrate Deepavali with his friends. Since he failed to return even on Monday morning, the anxious family members went in search of him and they were shocked to see Ravi was lying dead near Mariamman temple premises with severe cut injuries.

Soon they passed on the information to the Perambalur Town police who rushed to the spot and retrieved the body and sent it to Perambalur GH. Police said that the murder had occurred in the early hours on Monday. The police had also retrieved the CCTV footage’s from the spot and commenced investigation. Finger print experts and sniffer dog squad also visited the spot and conducted investigation.

Based on the complaint by Ravi’s mother Sarasu, a case was registered and investigations are underway.

Gang murders two minor boys in Tiruchy

Two minors were brutally murdered near Samayapuram in Tiruchy in the late hours of Sunday (November 8).

Sources said Rahul (17), a resident of Inam Samayapuram, was staying at a relative's house in the locality after the death of his parents. He was doing odd jobs to earn a living.

On Sunday, around 11.30 pm, Rahul, along with his cousin, R Vishal (17), was walking along the Pullambadi canal near the Samayapuram tollgate when they were confronted by an unidentified gang. The duo were brutally attacked with lethal weapons. Vishal died on the spot, sustaining severe cut injuries to his head and face, while Rahul was left struggling for his life with a slit throat. The assailants fled the scene under the cover of darkness.

Passersby who noticed the incident alerted the police, who rushed to the spot, retrieved Vishal’s body and shifted the injured Rahul to hospital.

However, Rahul too succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Subsequently, both bodies were sent to Tiruchy Government Hospital (GH) for post-mortem examination.

A case has been registered, and an investigation is under way.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Dongare Pravin Umesh, who visited the spot, conducted an inquiry and ordered the formation of three special teams to nab the culprits.

Trio robs couple at knifepoint

The city police arrested three men for allegedly threatening a young couple at knifepoint and robbing them at the Elliots Beach in Besant Nagar during the early hours of Friday. Officials said the trio decamped with two mobile phones and a gold chain weighing two sovereigns.

The complainant, a 23-year-old man working as a marketing executive, had come to the beach with his girlfriend around 2 am. They were sitting on the beach talking, and when it started raining at about 3.30 am, the couple moved towards a shop on the beach to take shelter.

That was when four men approached and threatened them. One of the suspects held a knife to the man’s throat while the others took two mobile phones and the woman’s gold chain. Based on the man’s complaint, the Shastri Nagar police registered a case and launched an investigation. The police identified the suspects as Arya (35) from Kerala, and Ashwin Kumar (33) and Raj (21) from Chennai.

Investigators found that the three men rode horses at Elliot’s Beach. All three of them were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Search is on for another suspect who is at large.

Man held for abusing 3 boys he lured with Deepavali gifts

A 38-year-old man was arrested by the Kasimedu police for allegedly sexually abusing three 12-year-old boys after luring them to a hotel room on the pretext of buying them Deepavali gifts.

The boys were playing in their neighbourhood when the accused, identified as Vikram, approached them and offered to buy them festival gifts. He took them to a hotel and confined them in a room.

The probe revealed that Vikram forced the boys to massage him, touch him inappropriately and consume alcohol. He also allegedly burnt them with cigarette butts before leaving them near their homes that night.

After the parents alerted the police, investigators examined CCTV footage from the areas where the children had been taken and traced Vikram. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

Tiruvallur: Guest worker from Bihar stabs 45-year-old to death over drunken brawl

A 22-year-old guest worker from Bihar was arrested for allegedly stabbing a 45-year-old construction worker to death at his house in Ayanambakkam near Tiruverkadu, on Friday night. The attack was triggered by a drunken brawl the previous night, police said.

The deceased was identified as Kamalakannan. He is separated from his wife and after she moved away with their two sons, his mother lived with him.

The accused, Arvind Kumar of Muzaffarpur district in Bihar, worked as a cook at a hotel in Thiruverkadu.

On Thursday, they were drinking at Kamalakannan's house when an argument broke out and Kamalakannan assaulted Arvind, leading to an enmity. To exact revenge, Arvind went to Kamalakannan's house on Friday night while under the influence of alcohol.

They entered into a fresh altercation, following which the Bihar man took out a knife and stabbed Kamalakannan repeatedly in the abdomen. He suffered fatal injuries and died on the spot.

On receiving information, the Tiruverkadu police reached the house and sent the body to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Arvind initially went into hiding but was arrested from a hideout on Saturday morning.

The police produced him before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody. Further investigations are on.

Debt-saddled IT manager turns to chain-snatching, caught by public in Tambaram

After facing a huge loss in online trading, which left him saddled with a sizeable debt, a 46-year-old project manager with an IT company took to chain-snatching to pay off his loans – only to be caught by the public, who gave him a sound thrashing before handing him over to the police in Tambaram.

Chennai: Horse-rider trio robs couple at knifepoint on Besant Nagar beach, arrested

The city police arrested three men for allegedly threatening a young couple at knifepoint and robbing them at the Elliots Beach in Besant Nagar during the early hours of Friday. Officials said the trio decamped with two mobile phones and a gold chain weighing two sovereigns.

The complainant, a 23-year-old man working as a marketing executive, had come to the beach with his girlfriend around 2 am. They were sitting on the beach talking, and when it started raining at about 3.30 am, the couple moved towards a shop on the beach to take shelter.

That was when four men approached and threatened them. One of the suspects held a knife to the man's throat while the others took two mobile phones and the woman's gold chain.

Based on the man's complaint, the Shastri Nagar police registered a case and launched an investigation. The police identified the suspects as Arya (35) from Kerala, and Ashwin Kumar (33) and Raj (21) from Chennai.

Investigators found that the three men rode horses at Elliot's Beach. All three of them were arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Search is on for another suspect who is at large.

Youth detained after molestation bid on school girl on bus

Ariyalur police secured a youth who reportedly misbehaved with a Class 12 girl on a moving TNSTC bus on Thursday late evening. School students were returning home after class on Thursday evening by a TNSTC bus bound from Ariyalur via V-Kaikatti.

When the bus was proceeding from Ariyalur, a youth who was said to be in an inebriated condition attempted to misbehave with one of the girls.

As the girl raised the alarm, the co-passengers secured the youth and handed him over to the Ariyalur All Women police. He was identified as Arun, a driver from Ponparappi Kudikadu village near Sendurai.

NIT Tiruchy student kills self in hostel

A final-year student from NIT, Tiruchy, committed suicide by hanging in the hostel room here on Friday, frustrated over a relationship failure.

A Shirthick (21), a resident from Chrompet in Chennai, was pursuing BTech at NIT, Tiruchy. As his hostel room remained shut for a long time, his classmate Prassanna opened the window to check. He found Shrithick hanging dead.

Soon, the institute alerted the Thuvakudi police, who sent his body to Thuvakudi GH. The police found that Shrithick was in love with his senior.

The police also retrieved letters written to his lover and family members. Further investigations are on.

Man held for land records tampering in Tiruvarur

A man was arrested for allegedly tampering with official land records at a Sub-Registrar office in Tiruvarur to facilitate the illegal transfer and sale of properties, police said on Thursday.

Based on a complaint lodged by the District Registrar, Tiruvarur, the CB-CID registered a case on August 21 against the accused Sasikumar, along with officials of the Tiruvarur Joint Sub-Registrar Office and other private individuals.

Sasikumar conspired with officials to erase existing particulars in official records and insert fabricated details to illegally obtain 'pattas' for properties belonging to the Virudhachalam Kumara Devar Mutt, the Tiruvarur Dakshinamurthy Mutt, certain temple lands, and private lands located in Adiyakkamangalam Village. The accused subsequently sold these properties. Sasikumar was arrested on November 3.

Woman arrested for stealing gold, cash in Chennai

A 51-year-old domestic help was arrested for allegedly stealing gold jewellery and cash from her employer’s house in Mylapore. The police recovered around 53 sovereigns of jewellery and Rs 15.5 lakh in cash from her.

The complainant, V Padma (85), a retired government official lives with her daughter on Karaneeswarar Koil 2nd Street in Mylapore. The arrested woman, Manimekalai of Mandaveli, has been working as a domestic help at her house for the past 15 years.

Prisoner dies at Stanley Hospital, probe on

The police are investigating the death of a prisoner who died while undergoing treatment at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital on Thursday.

R Ramesh Kumar (49) of Selvalakshmi Nagar near DNK Puram in Tirupur was convicted in a case registered at the Tirupur North police station in 2021 and was serving his sentence at the Coimbatore Central Prison.

According to prison officials, he was recently diagnosed with jaundice. As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to Puzhal Prison on October 28 for further treatment.

He was admitted to Stanley Hospital, where he was receiving intensive care.

Despite treatment, he died on Thursday. The Puzhal police have registered a case and begun an investigation. Officials said the body has been sent for autopsy to ascertain the exact cause of death.

Chennai: Domestic help arrested for stealing 53 sovereign jewellery, Rs 16 lakh from 85-yr-old employer

A 51-year-old domestic help was arrested for allegedly stealing gold jewellery and cash from her employer's house in Mylapore. The police recovered around 53 sovereigns of jewellery and Rs 15.5 lakh in cash from her.

The complainant, V Padma (85), a retired government official lives with her daughter on Karaneeswarar Koil 2nd Street in Mylapore. The arrested woman, Manimekalai of Mandaveli, has been working as a domestic help at her house for the past 15 years.

On Wednesday, Manimekalai allegedly stole a box containing the cash and gold jewellery from the house. Based on Padma's complaint, the Mylapore police registered a case and began investigations.

A police team conducted a detailed inquiry at the spot and detained Manimekalai for questioning. Investigation revealed that she had access to all parts of the house and had stolen the box containing the cash and jewellery when the elderly woman was in another room.

After investigations, the police arrested Manimekalai and recovered the stolen valuables. She told the investigators that she stole the valuables to repay debts she had incurred. Officials said that she would be produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

15 school students injured in beetle attack in Kumbakonam

As many as 15 students from Kumbakonam were admitted to the GH after being stung by swarms of beetles on the premises of a government school on Thursday.

A swarm of beetles from a tree on the Government Girls Higher Secondary School premises in Tirunaraiyur stung students.

A few sustained injuries. On hearing them screaming, the teachers rescued them and rushed the injured to the Nachiyarkoil GH, where they underwent treatment till evening. Later, they were sent to their houses.

Based on the complaint by VAO Thiyagu, the police registered a case and conducted an inquiry. Meanwhile, the fire and rescue personnel removed the beetle nest from the particular tree.

Unemployed Kerala youth turns to smuggling, caught by Chennai Air Customs with 5 kg hydroponic ganja

A 27-year-old youth from Kerala, who was struggling to find a job after completing his graduation, turned to drug smuggling for an international ring, only to land in the Puzhal Central Prison after being nabbed by the Air Customs officials at the Chennai international airport for ferrying 5 kg of high-quality hydroponic ganja from Thailand via Kuala Lumpur.

The officials who were monitoring passengers arriving from Thailand via Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday became suspicious of the flyer who had returned to Chennai after visiting Thailand as a tourist. When questioned, he reportedly failed to cooperate properly with the officials. He was taken to the Customs office for further questioning, and his luggage was thoroughly checked.

During the search, officials found packets of processed food items in his luggage. Hidden between these packets were several other packets containing high-quality hydroponic ganja. A total of 5 kg of hydroponic ganja was seized from him.

Following this, the officials arrested the youth and seized the drugs. During further questioning, officials found that the young man was a graduate who had been unable to find a job. He had allegedly agreed to work as a drug courier for a smuggling gang. The arrested youth was produced before a court and remanded in Puzhal Prison.

The officials are now investigating further to find out the members of the smuggling ring who lured the youth.

Kumbakonam man held for illegal cracker manufacturing

Kumbakonam police on Thursday arrested a man on charges of illegally manufacturing and selling country crackers ahead of Deepavali.

Vijayapandian (37), a resident of Muppakovil in Kumbakonam, is a construction worker.

Acting on a tip-off that Vijayapandian has been illegally selling crackers to regular customers and making varieties of crackers for the past few weeks, the Kumbakonam East police conducted a surprise search in his house late Wednesday,

They seized 50 gunny bags full of country crackers and around 500 kgs of raw material from the house. The police registered a case and arrested Vijayapandian early Thursday.

Woman cop dies of cardiac arrest on way to work in Thanjavur

A woman head constable died of a sudden cardiac arrest while commuting from her home to work in Thanjavur on Thursday.

According to sources, S Muthu Nachiyar (39), a resident of Keezhavastha Chavadi in Thanjavur, was working as a head constable in Kallaperambur police station.

On Thursday, while Muthu Nachiyar was on her way to work, she suddenly suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed. Soon, the passersby rushed her to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital.

However, the doctors declared her dead upon arrival. She is survived by her husband, Sankar, an Armed Reserve personnel, a son and a daughter. 

Burglars plunder 10 sovereigns of gold from retired teacher's house in Tiruvarur

Miscreants decamped with 160 sovereigns of gold jewellery belonging to a retired teacher in Tiruvarur in the early hours of Thursday. The police have retrieved CCTV footage and are searching for unidentified persons.

The incident occurred when Govindaraj (65), a retired teacher, residing at Karuppukilar village in Tiruvarur, had gone to Bengaluru with his family members to give ‘Deepavali seer (gift)’ to one of his daughters. They had left on November 2 and returned on Thursday.

Upon returning home, they were shocked to see the front door of their house broken. Govindaraj found the almirah in one of the rooms damaged and 160 sovereign gold ornaments and cash of Rs 10,000 missing. The value of the gold ornaments was said to be around Rs 2 crore.

Soon, he passed on the information to the Kottur police, who registered a case. The information about the theft was also passed on to the Tiruvarur SP, V Satish Kumar. The SP, along with a police team, visited the spot and conducted an inquiry with the retired teacher Govindaraj.

Fingerprint experts were also deployed while the police retrieved CCTV footage near Govindaraj's house. Further investigation is on, and a search is under way for the culprits.

Class 10 boy severely injured after leaping off school building

A Class 10 boy leapt from the second floor of his school after exam invigilator found him exchanging papers during a model exam on Wednesday.

According to reports, CBSE students in Class 10 and 12 were now involved in preparing for model examinations. On Wednesday, while an examination was going on, a Class 10 boy reportedly exchanged his paper with a classmate, which was found by the invigilator. He was caught red-handed and the invigilator inquired with him.

While the invigilator was talking with him, the boy suddenly ran out of the classroom and jumped from the second floor of the school.

On impact, he sustained severe fractures in his hand and hip. The school authorities rushed to his rescue immediately and moved him to a private hospital. He is currently undergoing treatment.

The E-Pudhur police registered a case and are investigating.

DMK man hacked to death over financial dispute

A DMK functionary, identified as Lakshmanan, was hacked to death by a gang near Kodaikanal in Dindigul district.

Police suspect that a dispute over money between Lakshmanan and one Ajith of Meenatchipuram led to the murder. According to the initial information, the gang had first attacked Lakshmanan's son in an attempt to murder him.

However, he escaped and lodged a complaint with the police. The assailants subsequently targeted his father, Lakshmanan, and hacked him to death. Following the incident, police have launched a search for Ajith and other suspects who fled the scene.

Dindigul Superintendent of Police Jayakumar is conducting an intensive investigation into the murder.

14-yr-old boy succumbs to fever after falling unconscious in school

A Class 8 boy who fell unconscious on his school premises died after undergoing treatment in the hospital in Tiruchy on Wednesday.

Sources said that on October 31, S Mohammed Yasin (14), studying in a private school near Pullambadi in Tiruchy, fell unconscious on the school premises after vomiting. Soon, the school authorities took him to a private hospital for treatment. The boy reportedly developed a fever for a couple of days, and the temperature failed to subside.

He was shifted to another hospital at Kallakudi near Lalgudi, but his condition had worsened. The boy was shifted again to the Tiruchy Government Hospital to continue treatment. Unfortunately, the boy's treatment failed, and he succumbed.

Based on the complaint by Mohammed Yasin's father, Seit Mohammed, the Kallakudi police registered a case and are investigating. The police also conducted an inquiry at the school and with the doctors who treated him.

Man gets triple life term for wife's murder

Karur Mahila Fast Track Court on Wednesday awarded a triple life sentence to a man who murdered his wife over a domestic quarrel and burnt the body to destroy evidence.

On November 9, 2023, Sivakumar of Kulathupalayam quarrelled with his wife, Palaniammal, and later took her on a drive in their car to pacify her. Sivakumar later severely assaulted her, and she died on the spot. He then burned her body to destroy evidence.

After a few days, Palaniammal's parents lodged a missing person complaint with the Aravakurichi police. Subsequently, the police arrested Sivakumar following a probe.

The Mahila court judge Thangavel, who heard the case, awarded triple life term and a fine of Rs 10,000 to Sivakumar. He has been lodged in Tiruchy Central Prison.

History sheeter hacked to death in Madurai

A notorious history-sheeter was hacked to death by an unidentified gang near Samayanallur in Madurai district in the wee hours on Monday, police said.

The deceased, identified as Surya alias ‘Kuttisaku’, a resident of Sadachiamman Nagar in Samayanallur, had over 10 pending criminal cases against him, including charges of murder and assault. According to the police, the incident occurred when Surya was consuming alcohol at the old panchayat office complex located on the Madurai-Dindigul National

Highway around 2 am. An armed gang confronted him and attacked him with lethal weapons. His face was severely disfigured in the attack, and he died on the spot before the assailants fled the scene.

Upon receiving information, the Samayanallur police rushed to the site, recovered the body, and sent it to the Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Preliminary investigations suggest that prior enmity and retaliation could be the motive behind the murder.

The police have launched an intensive investigation and are currently on the lookout for the absconding gang members, officials added.

VCK man’s murder: DMK cadre among 5 held

Five people, including a DMK functionary, have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a VCK functionary at a petrol pump here, police said on Monday.

The Police apprehended all five suspects within six hours of the incident after reviewing CCTV footage from the fuel station. The deceased, Balamurugan (40), was a former VCK union secretary for Ottapidaram who ran a vegetable shop and worked as a van driver.

According to the police, the murder was the fallout of a dispute over the placement of flex banners on the Sottaiyan Thoppu main road. The fatal attack occurred around 6 am on Sunday. Balamurugan had gone to a fuel outlet on Sethupathi Road to refuel his two-wheeler when a five-member gang arriving on two motorcycles surrounded him. They hacked him with sickles, and he died on the spot.

The Thalamuthunagar police recovered the body and sent it to the Thoothukudi Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Based on a complaint filed by Balamurugan’s wife, Sudha, a case was registered at the Thalamuthunagar police station.

The incident triggered tension in the highly populated area. Hundreds of locals and relatives of the victim staged a road blockade on the Sottaiyan Thoppu main road, disrupting traffic and demanding immediate action against the killers. The protest was withdrawn after senior police officials held talks and assured them of swift arrests. Over 200 police personnel have been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure.

Woman smuggles 800g gold, held in Coimbatore airport

A woman passenger from Sharjah was arrested for smuggling 808.27 grams of gold, valued at around Rs 1.15 crore, at the Coimbatore International Airport on Monday. Acting on a tip-off, officials of the Customs Intelligence Unit intensified surveillance and screened over 200 passengers. During the checks, they found that the woman had concealed gold in paste form inside her garments. The officials recovered 808.27 grams of gold, valued at approximately Rs 1.15 crore, from her possession. The woman was detained, and the seized gold was confiscated. An investigation is ongoing to ascertain whether others were involved in the smuggling operation.

Ennore: Week after son's arrest in Pocso case, father held for similar offence

Days after his 32-year-old son was arrested for alleged sexual assault on a two-and-a-half-year-old girl child in Ennore, his 61-year-old father was arrested in a similar complaint.

The arrested person was identified as Desingh. He had allegedly behaved inappropriately with a 7-year-old girl in June, according to the police. The police said the two families had earlier tried to resolve the matter through a local community meeting, and no complaint was filed at that time.

The matter came to light again after the accused's son was taken into custody last week in a separate case registered under the Pocso Act concerning a toddler from the same locality.

Following the recent arrest of his son, the mother of the 7-year-old survivor approached the police and lodged a formal complaint. Based on her complaint, Ennore police registered a case and arrested Desingh on Saturday. He was produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.

Earlier, Desingh's son, Ranjithkumar, was arrested on October 26 after he allegedly lured a child to his house twice last week and had allegedly sexually abused her.

63-yr-old woman killed as tanker rams bike near Pallikaranai

A 63-year-old woman died on the spot, and her husband was injured after a private water tanker hit their two-wheeler from behind near Pallikaranai on Saturday.

The victim was identified as Indumathi (63) of Radha Nagar, Perumbakkam. She was riding pillion with her husband Balachandar (67).

According to the Pallikaranai Traffic Investigation Wing, the couple was heading home on Velachery Main Road when the tanker rammed their bike near Mayilai Balaji Nagar.

Due to the impact, both fell on the road. Indumathi was run over by the tanker and suffered fatal injuries. Balachandar escaped with minor injuries.

Residents rushed them to a nearby private hospital, where Indumathi was declared brought dead. The police sent the body to Tambaram Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. The police registered a case and arrested the driver, Chinnarasu (31) of Tiruvarur

5 held for circulating counterfeit notes in Vellore

The Vellore police arrested five people for circulating counterfeit currency notes.

Rafiq Ahmed (46) of Gudiyatham had paid for a Flipkart delivery using two counterfeit Rs 500 notes.

The delivery agent tipped off the police, and Rafiq was arrested. He told the police he acquired the notes from Zubair Ahmed (52), who in turn revealed that Gopal (47) and Kamaraj (48) were his suppliers.

The duo named Babu (65) as their supplier. Further probe revealed that Babu had been arrested in counterfeit currency cases in West Bengal around 10 years ago and had served a prison term.

Police have seized counterfeit currency notes worth Rs 1.50 lakh and are Babu's connections in West Bengal.

Chennai: 26-year-old Siddha medical student dies by suicide

A 26-year-old postgraduate Siddha medical student dies by suicide at the girls hostel of the National Institute of Siddha in Tambaram on Thursday. The deceased was identified as T Shenbagavalli, who was pursuing her third year of postgraduate Siddha medicine at the institute and was staying at the college hostel along with two other students.

Police said that Shenbagavalli was also preparing for central government recruitment examinations. The question papers were difficult, and she was worried about whether she would clear the exam and secure a government job.

READ FULL STORY HERE

12-year-old FSC detainee accused of sexually abusing infant in Tiruchy

 A 12-year-old Bangladeshi boy, lodged as an alleged illegal immigrant at the Foreigners Special Camp (FSC) in Tiruchy, has been accused of sexually abusing a one-year-old girl inside the facility.

Sources in the Centre said the incident occurred because the boy, who should have been housed in the men’s block, was instead allowed to stay with his mother in the women’s block. The child he allegedly abused belongs to another Bangladeshi family lodged in the women’s block, they said.

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Thanjavur: 3-yr-old girl sexually abused; mother, lover held

Thanjavur police arrested a man for sexually abusing a three-year-old child.

The police also arrested the child’s mother for supporting the accused on Friday. Yogaraj (32), a collection agent in a finance firm in Kumbakonam, had an extramarital affair with a 24-year-old woman whose husband was said to be working abroad.

On October 26, Yogaraj, who went to the woman’s house, had reportedly sexually abused the woman's three-year-old child. Yogaraj had also bitten the baby in several places.

When neighbours inquired about it, the mother gave an evasive response. Based on the alert, the Natchiyarkoil police found that the child was sexually abused and arrested Yogaraj and the baby’s mother.

Tamil Nadu: 3 assault cop and HG personnel, held

A gang of three arrested for attacking a policeman and a home guard personnel after being warned against consuming alcohol in a public place in Ariyalur in the wee hours of Friday.

When Raja Kannan (37), a policeman from Thalavai station near Sendurai, along with home guard personnel Venkatesan (47), were on routine patrol in the late hours of Thursday, a gang of three were consuming alcohol at a shed along the main road.

Both personnel urged them to leave the spot immediately. However, they picked up a quarrel and hurled abusive words at the personnel.

Soon, the police constable Raja Kannan contacted the Thalavai police station and passed on the information. Suddenly, the trio attacked the duo and escaped.

However, the police secured the trio, identified as Mathivanan, Thamaraikannan and Elamparithi, all from Silappanur village.

Tiruchy: 3 held in separate ganja peddling cases

Three persons, including a woman, were arrested for peddling ganja across Tiruchy City.

Based on a tip-off, the City Commissioner of Police Rupesh Kumar Meena ordered an elaborate raid across the city.

When a team from E-Pudhur police were searching at Panjapur, they found one Pavithran (22) from Ramji Nagar selling ganja.

Soon, the police arrested him and seized ganja packs. Similarly, another team found Sakthivel (24) from Ramji Nagar selling ganja in Rettamalai and arrested him.

A 35-year-old woman selling ganja was arrested from a house in Ariyamangalam.

Jewellery dealer cheated of 7.3 kg gold; man arrested in Triplicane

A 30-year-old man was arrested for allegedly cheating a jewellery dealer of 7.30 kg of gold ornaments worth several crores of rupees in Triplicane.

The accused, Masook Jain of Vepery, was arrested by the Triplicane police on Wednesday and remanded in judicial custody.

According to the police, the complainant, Seerak (25), runs a jewellery shop and workshop on Irulappan Street in Sowcarpet. Jain had reportedly been collecting gold ornaments from him on a commission basis, claiming that he would sell them to jewellery shops operated by his contacts.

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Chennai man, Bangladeshi mother-in-law held for serial robberies

Thanjavur police arrested a Chennai man and his Bangladeshi mother-in-law for stealing 30 sovereigns of gold jewellery from a house. The duo were habitual offenders involved in a series of theft cases across the state, targeting houses locked for a long period.

On October 23, K Karthi, who runs a finance firm at Pillayarpatti near Tiruvidaimaruthur in Thanjavur, returned home in the evening after work, and he found the front door of his house broken and 30 sovereigns, 250-gram silver articles and Rs 2.50 lakh cash were missing. A complaint was filed.

During a vehicle check, on suspicion, the police secured B Gunasekar (40) from Choolaimedu in Chennai and his mother-in-law Hannah Begam (59) from Bangladesh. The probe found that the duo had been involved in the robbery at Karthi's house, and valuables were recovered. The duo was lodged in prison.

Further investigation revealed that Gunasekaran had befriended Hannah Begum's daughter on social media and managed to go to Bangladesh illegally and married her. He returned with his mother-in-law and they targeted several locked houses in a similar manner in Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Tiruchy.

Villupuram man strangles 14-year-old daughter to death for having a relationship

A 14-year-old Class 10 student was allegedly strangled to death by her father following an argument over her relationship with a young man in Villupuram district's Vanur on Thursday night (October 29).

According to a Maalaimalar report, the accused, identified as Sivasastri (40), a lorry driver, later surrendered before the Vanur police and was arrested.

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Poverty drives Panruti woman to sell newborn boy for Rs 4.5 lakh; auto driver arrested

A three-day-old baby boy allegedly sold for Rs 4.5 lakh by his mother, who was struggling with poverty, was rescued by the police from a woman in Tiruchy.

An auto driver, identified as Zafar Khan (41), who allegedly acted as a middleman in the transaction, has been arrested.

Fatima (30), from Thattanchavady near Panruti, gave birth to the boy at the Panruti Government Hospital on October 19. Already having two daughters and living separately from her husband, she reportedly struggled to raise the children.

Taking advantage of Fatima's financial difficulties, Zafar Khan, an auto driver from Panruti, allegedly persuaded her to sell the baby. Through him, the child was handed over to Renuka Devi of Tiruchy for Rs 4.5 lakh on October 22.

Zafar Khan allegedly took a major portion of the money, leaving Fatima with only a small amount. This led to a dispute between the two. Fatima later asked Renuka Devi to return the baby. However, Renuka Devi allegedly refused.

Fatima subsequently lodged a complaint at the Panruti police station on October 28. The police registered a case and formed a special team, which went to Tiruchy, rescued the baby from Renuka Devi and safely handed him over to Fatima. The police have arrested Zafar Khan in connection with the case.

Two arrested in separate Pocso cases in Ambattur, Guduvanchery

Two men were arrested and remanded in judicial custody on Thursday in separate cases involving the alleged sexual assault of minor girls in Ambattur and Guduvanchery.

In the first case, the Ambattur All-Women Police arrested Mohammad Rafeeq alias Sarphul Dewan (40), a native of Jharkhand, for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl who had gone to a mosque to attend Quran classes.

According to the complaint lodged by the girl’s father, the accused had assaulted the child while she was returning from the mosque after her classes. The girl later informed her parents, who approached the police.

In the second case, Kilambakkam All-Women Police arrested Manoharan (50), a financier, for sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl at her house near Guduvanchery in Chengalpattu. Police said Manoharan, a resident of Thailavaram, runs a small chit fund business.

On October 24, he visited the house, located two streets away from his residence, to collect money. The child was alone at the time, and he sexually assaulted her. Following a complaint from her parents, police registered a case, arrested Manoharan and produced him before a Chengalpattu court, which remanded him in judicial custody.

20-year-old son beats woman to death after quarrel in Dharmapuri

A 20-year-old construction worker, who was released on bail three days ago, beat his mother to death with an iron rod following a quarrel at their house in Dharmapuri district on Thursday night.

The police identified the accused as Devaraj of Old Indur village. Earlier on August 3, the Indur police had arrested him for creating a public nuisance while wearing a police cap and brandishing a knife. He had chased passers-by on the road and attempted to attack a man identified as Veeramani, according to the police. After a complaint, police arrested him and remanded him in judicial custody at Salem Central Prison. On October 28, he secured bail and returned home.

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Villupuram man argues with wife, then throws six-year-old son into well; arrested

A 40-year-old man was arrested for allegedly throwing his six-year-old son into an agricultural well following an argument with his wife over money near Senji in Villupuram district.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the deceased boy, identified as Sanjay, was the couple's only son. His father, Selvaraj, allegedly threw him into a well behind the government hospital in the area after a prolonged argument with his wife, Devi, over the spending of borrowed money.

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Two arrested for murdering 19-year-old, burying body near Pulicat

Two men from Cuddalore were arrested for murdering a 19-year-old youth at Thirupalaivanam near Ponneri and burying his body on Sathankuppam beach near Pulicat. The arrested men were identified as G Dinesh (23) and S Devarasu (18), both from Siruvathur village in Cuddalore.

The body was exhumed on Friday following their confession, police said. The deceased, Prashanth (19), was working as a tile layer along with his maternal uncle Ramesh in Cuddalore. He is the son of Ezhilarasi, a domestic help working at actor Radhika Sarathkumar’s house in Chennai.

On October 27, Prashanth informed his uncle that he was travelling to Chennai to meet his mother. The following day he went missing. Based on a complaint lodged by Ramesh, Cuddalore police registered a missing person case and launched an investigation.

During the probe, police found that Prashanth was in a relationship with Devarasu’s wife. During interrogation, the accused confessed to assaulting Prashanth to death at Thirupalaivanam before burying his body at Sathankuppam beach near Pulicat.

Following the confession, Cuddalore police, with the assistance of Thirupalaivanam police, exhumed the body on Friday. It was subsequently sent to the Ponneri GH for a postmortem examination.

Kancheepuram: Three, including school student, killed in accident

CHENNAI: Three people, including a school student, were killed and three other school students injured in two separate road accidents in Kancheepuram district on Wednesday night.

In the first incident, four school students — Sanjay (16), Joshua (15), Jaswanth (14) and Chandru (14) from Echur near Sriperumbudur — were travelling on a bike towards Panrutti near Sunguvarchatram on Wednesday night. 

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Rashly driven MTC bus kills woman on way to hospital near Puzhal

CHENNAI: A 49-year-old woman who was on her way to a hospital for a health check-up was killed in a road accident at Kathirvedu near Puzhal on Wednesday after a rashly driven MTC bus hit the two-wheeler she was travelling on.

The deceased woman was identified as K Savithri, a resident of Sholavaram. On Wednesday, Savithri, along with her husband, Kumar, were on their way to a hospital, police said.

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22-yr jail for kidnap, assault of minor

CHENNAI: The Tiruvallur Pocso court on Wednesday sentenced a 22-year-old man to 22 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2018. Police said that the incident occurred on Dec 28, 2018.

The accused, Peter (aged 21 at the time) lured a 13-year-old girl on the pretext of marrying her and sexually assaulted her. Based on a complaint from the victim’s mother, a case was registered at the All Women Police Station, and the accused was arrested and remanded. After investigation, a charge sheet was filed before the Pocso Court.

Retired Warden killed inside CSI school in Sivaganga

A woman was murdered by unidentified persons who allegedly broke into her house inside the premises of the CSI School in Manamadurai, Sivaganga district, on Thursday evening. Vasantha Mallika, wife of Easwaran, was killed, and the assailant snatched the jewellery she was wearing before fleeing the scene. The incident occurred while the school was functioning. The deceased had worked as a warden at the school. The incident came to light only after her husband found her dead upon his return home. Sivaganga Superintendent of Police Abhishek Gupta inspected the spot. Further probe is under way.

5-member armed gang robs car dealer of Rs 1 crore in Erode

A five-member armed gang robbed a used-car dealer of Rs one crore at knifepoint near Perundurai in Erode on Thursday.

The police said Arun Kumar (55) of Rajendra Prasad Street in Perundurai was engaged in the used-car business and was also overseeing the construction of a temple on a 55-cent plot on Kanjikovil Road through receiving donations.

The police said a businessman from Tirupur had donated Rs one crore towards the temple's construction. On learning about the cash, some unidentified persons contacted Arun Kumar over the phone and offered to give him Rs 1.15 crore through online transfer in exchange for Rs one crore in cash.

Tempted by the prospect of making an additional Rs 15 lakh, Arun agreed to the deal and asked them to come to Perundurai. “Arun Kumar was counting the cash using a currency-counting machine at a house on Kanjikovil Road when five men arrived armed with knives and iron pipes on Thursday. When he attempted to raise an alarm, the gang threatened to stab him to death. The assailants then fled with the Rs one crore kept in a suitcase,” the police said.

Following the robbery, Arun Kumar lodged a complaint with the Perundurai police, who registered a case and special teams have launched a search for the accused.

Theni jailbreak: Last four inmates nabbed, all 17 back in custody

The police on Wednesday recaptured four more inmates, bringing all 17 inmates who escaped from the Theni District Jail on Monday night after assaulting three prison staff back into custody. The inmates had pretended that one of them was suffering from an epileptic seizure to trap the guards and carry out their escape plan.

On Wednesday morning, around 100 police personnel intensified their search in the Amachiyapuram hills to trace four inmates: Rejin from Kanyakumari, and Tirupathi, Meenatchisundram and Ponmuthuselvam from Madurai.

The police team recaptured Rejin and Ponmuthuselvam from the hills. The other two, Tirupathi and Meenatchisundram, who are brothers, allegedly fled after learning that police had entered the area where they were hiding. They allegedly assaulted a motorist who was passing by on a motorcycle, seized his bike and escaped, a police source said.

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Trio snatches gold chain from home alone woman

An unidentified trio robbed a home alone woman of a 2.5-sovereign gold chain in Tiruchy on Wednesday after gaining entry into the house and locking it from inside.

The victim, a 41-year-old woman, lived alone in KK Nagar and works as a domestic helper. On Monday evening, while the woman was cooking, three unidentified persons had reportedly gained entry into the house and locked the doors from inside.

On seeing them, the woman raised an alarm, but one of them gagged her. They snatched her 2.5-sovereign gold chain and fled. She immediately ran out of the house, raising an alarm, but the trio had escaped. She lodged a complaint with the KK Nagar police, who registered a case and are searching for the culprits.

Thanjavur ganja peddler nabbed in Ariyalur

A notorious peddler from Thanjavur was arrested in Ariyalur while attempting to smuggle ganja from Odisha on Wednesday evening.

A police team led by Jayankondam inspector Balaji conducted a vehicle check following a tip-off and suspected a youth, who fled. After a chase, the man was caught and identified as R Shanmuga Ganapathi (29) of East Street, Thanjavur.

They found 6 kg of ganja concealed in his belongings and arrested him. Further probe revealed that the accused sold to regular customers in the neighbouring districts and procured the contraband from Odisha. He faces several pending cases in Thanjavur.

Two murdered in Otteri, Avadi

Two people were murdered in separate incidents in Chennai and Avadi on Tuesday night. In one incident in Otteri, an elderly man was beaten to death after an argument with a neighbour.

The deceased has been identified as S Ponnurangam (69), a resident of Rettaimalai Srinivasan Street in Otteri. Police said there was an existing enmity between Ponnurangam’s family and the family of his neighbour, Subramani.

A few days ago, Ponnurangam’s daughter-in-law was cleaning the entrance of their house when Subramani’s sons – Sathish (27) and Santhosh (25) – allegedly spat near the spot, which triggered an argument between the two families. On Tuesday night, an argument broke out between Ponnurangam’s son Kandhan and Sathish and Santhosh.

Hearing the commotion, Ponnurangam came out of the house and reprimanded the brothers after which they attacked him and pushed him to the ground. Ponnurangam was severely injured, and collapsed after which he was rescued and rushed him to the Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital.

Doctors who examined him declared him brought dead. The Otteri police have registered a case and are searching for the duo, who fled after the incident.

In another incident in Thirumullaivoyal in Avadi city police limits, a 30-year-old man was hacked to death by his friend during a drinking session in the victim’s house on Tuesday night. The deceased was identified as Gokul.

Police said that Gokul and the accused, Rajesh (25) lived in the same neighbourhood and would argue often. On Tuesday, Rajesh made fun of Gokul, which had infuriated him and both of them argued and left.

The same night, the duo gathered again for a drink when Gokul questioned Rajesh about his comments and took a knife from the kitchen and attempted to attack him. Rajesh dodged the attacks, managed to retrieve the weapon from Gokul and stabbed him to death. On information, Thirumullaivoyal Police arrested Rajesh.

Man arrested for kidnap, murder of a Chennai woman

A 45-year-old man was arrested for kidnapping and murdering a woman from Aminjikarai and dumping her body in a farm well in Sirunagalur village near Melmaruvathur in Chengalpattu district.

Police said the murdered woman had failed to repay the loan which she had borrowed from him. The deceased was identified as Manimegalai (41), wife of Gurunathan, and a resident of Aminjikarai in Chennai.

Two days ago, the body of an unidentified woman with a slit throat was found in a private farm well in Sirunagalur village near Melmaruvathur. The Melmaruvathur police recovered the body and sent it to the Chengalpattu GH for a postmortem.

During the investigation, the police found that Manimegalai had borrowed money at interest from Jani Anbu Das (45), a resident of Egmore. He had allegedly threatened to kidnap her when she failed to repay the loan.

A special police team from Melmaruvathur detained Das for questioning. During interrogation, he confessed to kidnapping Manimegalai and murdering her by slitting her throat over the unpaid debt. Police said that the accused also allegedly removed the gold earrings and silver anklets worn by the woman, along with her mobile phone, before dumping her body in the farm well and escaping from the spot.

Following that, the Melmaruvathur police arrested Das for the murder, and he was remanded to judicial custody and sent to Puzhal prison.

Kanniyakumari: Four arrested for murdering panchayat staffer after he refused to steal lotuses from ponds

Four people, including Cyrus (32), have been arrested for allegedly murdering Kavin (27), a temporary electrician with the Alagappapuram Panchayat, after he refused to help them steal lotus flowers from local ponds, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

According to the police, Cyrus, a resident of Alagappapuram, had been illegally cultivating lotus flowers in ponds in the area. He allegedly asked Kavin, who hailed from Achankulam near Kottaram, to switch off the lights to facilitate the theft. Kavin’s refusal reportedly led to a dispute, following which Cyrus allegedly plotted to kill him.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Man hacked to death by friend following argument in Thoothukudi market

A man was allegedly hacked to death with an axe by his friend following an argument at a daily market in Tittangulam near Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi district in the early hours of Tuesday (October 27).

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the deceased, identified as Kaliraj, was employed as a load lifter at a private daily market in the area. According to the available information, Kaliraj and his friends were talking at the market premises when a light-hearted exchange of jokes and teasing reportedly escalated into an argument. One of his friends, identified as Ayodhya, allegedly attacked him with an axe, killing him on the spot.

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Newborn rescued from pvt clinic toilet succumbs, cops mull altering case to murder

A newborn girl rescued from a private clinic's toilet succumbed on Tuesday. Police are contemplating altering the case based on postmortem findings.

A 19-year-old girl who was in a relationship with a lorry driver went to a private clinic on October 24 after experiencing labour pains. Despite her parents' knowledge of her pregnancy, she went alone.

She told the clinic staff that she had diarrhoea and locked herself in the toilet for nearly two hours. When the staff checked in on her, they found she had given birth there and shifted both of them to Government Stanley Hospital.

The girl is undergoing treatment; however, the newborn succumbed and was taken for autopsy. The reports indicated injuries, following which officials are considering altering the case to murder. The girl has not been arrested yet. The lorry driver has married another woman. Further probe is ongoing.

Woman arrested for allegedly setting husband on fire after domestic quarrel in Virudhunagar

VIRUDHUNAGAR: A 35-year-old construction worker, Shankar Guru, died after his wife, Sankareswari, allegedly poured kerosene on him and set him on fire following a domestic quarrel at their house in VVR Colony in Allampatti, Virudhunagar, in the early hours of Tuesday.

According to police, Shankar Guru frequently returned home intoxicated and quarrelled with his wife. The couple had divorced in 2022 but later reunited and resumed living together.

On Monday night, Shankar Guru returned home after consuming alcohol and picked up a quarrel with Sankareswari in the early hours of Tuesday. In a fit of anger, Sankareswari allegedly poured kerosene on her husband and set him on fire, said the police source. She subsequently surrendered at the nearby Virudhunagar East police station.

The police recovered Shankar Guru's body and sent it to the Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Virudhunagar SP Gautham Goyal conducted an inquiry.

History sheeter hacked to death in Indira Nagar

Chennai: A 22-year-old history sheeter was murdered in broad daylight in Adyar's Indira Nagar on Tuesday. The police identified the victim as Maithreyan, originally from Mylapore and currently residing in Tiruvanmiyur.

According to officials, Maithreyan was listed as a C-category history sheeter with multiple criminal cases. Last week, he had secured bail in a case with a condition to report at Mylapore police station every day. Around 11 am on Tuesday, he was returning from the station in his autorickshaw when he was intercepted by a gang.

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Missing 7-year-old found dead in Madurai's abandoned house

A seven-year-old boy who went missing while playing near his house at Thaniyamangalam near Melur in Madurai district yesterday was found dead in an abandoned house nearby on Monday.

The deceased, Muthuchelvan, a Class 3 student, had left home around 11 am on Sunday to play and did not return. His relatives and villagers searched for him with police assistance. Police recovered the body and sent it to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai for a post-mortem examination. Senior police officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.

College student killed in clash over wastewater

A 20-year-old college student was hacked to death on Sunday night following a clash between two families over wastewater flowing in front of their houses at Alwarkarkulam near Srivaikuntam in Thoothukudi district.

The deceased, Isakkiraja, son of Mariappan, was a second-year student at an arts and science college near Srivaikuntam. The families of Mariappan and Sundararajan had reportedly been at loggerheads for a long time over the issue, the police said.

During an argument on Sunday night, both parties took to weapons and Isakkiraja was killed during the clash. The police have booked over 10 people in the issue.

Man held after pregnant wife dies by suicide in Otteri

Police have arrested a man on charges of abetment to suicide after the death of his pregnant wife in Otteri. The arrested man was identified as Santhosh (29), who worked in a mobile phone accessories shop.

Santhosh had married Kokila (26) on March 6 this year after being in a relationship with her. The couple lived in a rented house in Pudhu Vazhai Nagar.

Police said differences had developed between them within months of their marriage and the duo had frequent arguments. The couple had an argument on Saturday too after which Santhosh left the house. Kokila had video-called Santhosh on Saturday night and threatened to kill herself.

When Santhosh reached the house, he found her unconscious and rushed her to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. Doctors declared her brought dead after which Otteri Police rescued her and sent the body for a postmortem. 

Meanwhile, Kokila’s family filed a complaint alleging that she had been subjected to dowry harassment by Santhosh’s family and protested demanding his arrest.

After investigations, police arrested Santhosh. As the couple had been married for less than a year, the police have recommended an RDO inquiry.

Man held for sexual assault of toddler in Ennore

Avadi City Police on Monday arrested a 32-year-old man for sexually assaulting a two-and-half-year-old girl child in Ennore. The arrested person was identified as D Ranjithkumar, a fisherman, a neighbour of the victim.

Police said that he was separated from his wife and lives alone, and that he had lured the child to his house twice last week and had sexually abused her.

The child’s parents, who noticed injuries on her body, took her to the Institute of Child Health in Egmore. The incident came to light on October 23, when doctors examining the child suspected sexual abuse and alerted the authorities. 

Based on the information received from the hospital and a complaint filed by the child’s mother, the Ennore All Women Police Station registered a case and launched an investigation on the same day. After investigations, Police arrested the accused under the Pocso Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences).

The child is undergoing treatment. The accused was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. 

Techie flees after running over sleeping senior citizen in Chengalpattu; nabbed

An elderly man was killed after a techie who was reversing his car from a marriage hall reportedly ran over him, unmindful of the man sleeping on the roadside in Chengalpattu on Saturday.

Visuals showed the victim's friend sitting beside the body, holding an umbrella over it to protect it from the rain while they waited for an ambulance to arrive.

The deceased was identified as Kumar (77), who lived in a thatched hut in the neighbourhood. According to local residents, Kumar was sleeping along the roadside when a car reversing from a nearby marriage hall ran over him, killing him on the spot.

Police sources said the techie, who was behind the wheel, got down to check on the man but drove off upon seeing a mob gathering at the scene, as his wife and child were inside the vehicle.

The elderly man was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Meanwhile, the Chengalpattu police traced the car using CCTV footage and arrested the driver, G Saravanan (43), an employee with a private IT firm.

Bizman held under Pocso in Tirunelveli

A 52-year-old real estate businessman was arrested under the Pocso Act at Panagudi in Tirunelveli district for allegedly sexually harassing a six-year-old girl on Sunday.

According to police the accused was found committing the sexual offence after examining the CCTV footage. The accused was sitting in front of a church in the area on the night of October 23 when the girl walked alone on the road, said the police, adding that he allegedly called her over and sexually abused her.

The girl went home crying and told her parents, who lodged a complaint. The police registered a case under the Pocso Act and arrested him.

Special Sub-Inspector transferred to Armed Reserve on bribe charges

Tirunelveli District Superintendent of Police Viswesh Sastri on Saturday transferred a Special Sub-Inspector attached to the Seethaparpanallur police station to the Armed Reserve following a complaint that he accepted a bribe in a sand smuggling case.

According to the police, Special Sub-Inspector Muthupandi (54) is alleged to have received Rs 5,000 from the owner of a lorry linked to a sand smuggling case under investigation.

The money was reportedly transferred through his wife's GPay account.

Guest worker killed over card game in Chennai

A 26-year-old guest worker from Nepal was murdered after an argument during a card game in Perungudi on Saturday. Thoraipakkam police have registered a murder case and launched a search for the absconding suspect.

The victim has been identified as Ganeshkumar, who had been employed at a metal fabrication unit in Perungudi and was staying with his brother-in-law Umesh. The police said the suspect, Saurav (25), also a Nepali national, was working at a private eatery. Ganeshkumar and Umesh had gone to Saurav's house on Friday night. During a card game, a heated exchange between Ganeshkumar and Saurav turned into a physical confrontation. Saurav attacked Ganeshkumar with a knife.

Chennai: Woman dies after pushed to floor while rescuing son

A 62-year-old woman died after she was pushed to the floor while trying to rescue her son, who was being attacked by a group of men during a family dispute in Perungalathur. The deceased, Naseema Bee (62), was the mother of Vasivudeen (43), a resident of Kamarajar Street in Perungalathur.

Vasivudeen lives with his wife, Naseema (40). Police said an argument broke out between Vasivudeen and his wife on Wednesday.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Kancheepuram silk showroom owners arrested in Rs 20 crore fraud case

Two owners of a popular silk saree showroom in Kancheepuram have been arrested by the Kancheepuram District Crime Branch police in connection with an alleged Rs 20 crore fraud involving wholesale saree suppliers from Rajasthan, Chennai and Salem.

Krishnamoorthy (52) and Sathish (50), both residents of George Town in Chennai, jointly operated Murugan and Kalikambal Silks, located near Rangasamy Kulam in Kancheepuram.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Sathankulam man kills teen lover’s mother for opposing relationship

A 23-year-old man launched a sickle attack on a couple in their house, killing the woman and injuring the man and their minor son, and kidnapped her two minor daughters, at Mudalur near Sathankulam early on Friday. The girls were rescued shortly and the man, Gnanaprakash of Anandapuram, was apprehended by the Thoothukudi police after the girls shared their live location with them via WhatsApp.

The father Muthukrishnan (50) and son Pleasant Raja (12) sustained grievous injuries and are in the intensive care unit of the Government Super Specialty Hospital in Tirunelveli. Muthukrishnan’s condition is said to be critical.

2 lorry drivers confess to murder of coworker in Tiruvallur

Two lorry drivers allegedly confessed to murdering their colleague following a drunken quarrel and burying his body in an isolated spot near Alamathi in Tiruvallur district, police said. The police are scheduled to exhume the remains on Saturday in the presence of a Tahsildar.

The deceased, M Gokul (27), a native of Kanniyakumari district, worked as a lorry driver for a private transport company in Alamathi. His younger brother, Rahul, lodged a complaint with Sholavaram police stating that Gokul had been missing since October 7.

Following the complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation. They examined CCTV footage from the Alamathi area and identified two suspects, Ayyappan (18), and Sathish (33), who worked as lorry drivers.

READ FULL STORY HERE

The experience centre gives prospective buyers a chance to view the company's motorcycles, understand its technology, and experience their performance. Visitors can interact with the company's team to learn about the 240V high-voltage architecture and charging facilities.

Raptee HV has developed the T30, which the company describes as India's first high-voltage electric motorcycle. The motorcycle features a 240V high-voltage electrical architecture and is compatible with the CCS2 public DC fast-charging network, enabling it to use charging infrastructure available for electric cars.

A team of engineers with experience leading technology organisations, including Tesla and Wipro, as well as premier institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), founded the company. The company has also developed its proprietary high-voltage electric vehicle technology platform, HV-TEC.

As part of Tamil Nadu's efforts to promote start-ups and new-age technology companies, TIDCO invested Rs 25 crore in Raptee Energy Private Limited through the Compulsorily Convertible Preference Shares (CCPS) route. TIDCO has also invested in Agnikul Cosmos and several other start-up companies.

Industries Minister S Keerthana, Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Industries Department S Vijayakumar, TIDCO officials, and representatives of Raptee Energy Private Limited attended the inauguration.

The affected persons are employed in colleges at Dharapuram, Coonoor, Anthiyur, KV Kuppam, Serkadu, Ottapidaram and Alandur, among others.

The workers were appointed in July 2026 after the respective Regional Joint Directors granted permission. Each of the 23 colleges was authorised to engage 2 sweepers, 1 cleaner and 1 night watchman. However, the Commissionerate of Collegiate Education has not released funds for their salaries, leaving the workers without payment since July.

Tamil Nadu has established 78 Government Arts and Science Colleges over the past 12 years. As permanent support staff positions

The newly established colleges have limited PTA funds and cannot meet the salary expenses from their own resources. The government must immediately release the funds required to clear their pending salaries — Suresh, general secretary, TN Government College Teachers’ Association

were not filled in these institutions, college principals initially engaged workers on a temporary basis and paid their wages using Parent-Teacher Association funds. Around 5 years ago, these positions began to be filled through outsourcing agencies, with the government fixing daily wages at Rs 250-300.

However, the 23 colleges established between 2022 and 2026 were not provided with outsourced workers until July 2026. This created difficulties in maintaining cleanliness and sanitation.

Suresh, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers’ Association, opined, “The newly established colleges have limited PTA funds and cannot meet the salary expenses from their own resources. The government must immediately release the funds required to clear their pending salaries.”

The police had registered a case under six sections following a complaint by a Chennai resident, Murugan, who alleged that the MLA made objectionable remarks about the chief minister and the minister at a wedding function in Pattukottai in August.

Chandrasekar appeared in response to a summons and was questioned for more than 30 minutes. He submitted written responses and answered questions from the investigating officers.

Speaking to the media, Chandrasekar said he had cooperated with the investigation and was prepared to face legal proceedings and alleged political vendetta.

In a statement, the government said the families of the 13 deceased persons would receive an additional Rs 25 lakh each, involving an expenditure of Rs 3.25 crore. With this additional assistance, total compensation to each bereaved family will increase to Rs 50 lakh.

The government has also ordered an additional relief of Rs 5 lakh each to the 40 persons who sustained grievous injuries during the protests.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay issued the order following representations from the affected families seeking enhanced compensation and based on the recommendations of the Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission.

According to the government, 13 people were killed, and 40 others sustained grievous injuries during the protests held on May 22 and 23, 2018, against the Sterlite copper plant in Thoothukudi.

The government had earlier provided compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the 13 deceased persons and Rs 5 lakh each to the 40 grievously injured persons.

The latest decision will increase the total compensation for each deceased person's family to Rs 50 lakh, while providing additional financial assistance to those who sustained grievous injuries.

The drive was conducted on November 9 and 10 under the supervision of West Zone Inspector General of Police RV Ramya Bharathi. As part of the operation, police verified the records of 1,235 history-sheeters; arrested 36 for continuing to engage in criminal activities and remanded them in judicial custody.

Efforts are also under way to obtain bonds for good behaviour from 1,111 history-sheeters, while the remaining offenders were warned of stringent action if they continued to indulge in criminal activities.

In a separate exercise, police monitored 441 persons, including those previously involved in murder and assault cases and those released on bail in such cases. Four cases were registered; eight persons were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.

During special vehicle checks, cases were booked against 684 motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol, 208 for dangerous driving and 150 for overspeeding.

The police also deployed drone cameras to monitor public places and curb drinking in open spaces. A total of 786 cases were registered, and action was initiated against 806 people for consuming alcohol in public places.

In a representation to School Education Minister Rajmohan dated November 11, ACLEWA honorary president Su Manikandan and general secretary K Prabhu said librarians from the Anna Centenary Library and Kalaignar Centenary Library had carried out administrative work related to the procurement on the instructions of the Director of Public Libraries. However, they had neither the authority to select or purchase books nor the power to authorise payments.

The association pointed out that book procurement for all categories of public libraries in Tamil Nadu, including the Anna Centenary Library and Kalaignar Centenary Library, was handled by the Directorate of Public Libraries at the Devaneya Pavanar complex in Chennai.

It said librarians from the two Chennai libraries had performed administrative duties at the Directorate's office on the instructions of the Director of Public Libraries. They had acted on oral instructions from senior officials who had decision-making powers, the representation stated.

The association expressed concern that the DVAC, during its action on November 10 in connection with the Periyar Arivagam book procurement inquiry, was attempting to register an FIR against the librarians who had only carried out the administrative tasks assigned to them.

While stating that it had no objection to action being taken against officials found guilty of wrongdoing, the association said targeting librarians without decision-making powers could amount to protecting the officials responsible for the decisions.

It added that the developments had created an atmosphere of fear and mental stress among librarians working at the Anna Centenary Library and Kalaignar Centenary Library.

The association appealed to the School Education Minister to intervene and ensure that cases were not registered against librarians who had merely carried out administrative work on the instructions of senior officials.

Research scholars R Prem Kumar and S Satheesh Kumar have flagged discrepancies in the publisher's credentials, ISBN details and the content of the books, raising questions over their procurement for the library.

“Each book published by Vintage Press Limited with only around 300 pages was priced exorbitantly at Rs 9,000 to Rs 9,900. The collection reportedly includes books on tourism, science, chemistry, botany and research articles. The website address printed in the books was linked to another entity in the UK, while the ISBN numbers could not be traced in the relevant databases,” Prem Kumar said.

They also examined the website mentioned in the books and claimed that it contained no details of bank accounts or book prices. Their investigation allegedly revealed that the same website address had previously been used for selling T-shirts.

He said an analysis of the first 15 pages of a foreign book authored by Emily Lawson and titled Tourism: Principles, Practices and Philosophies, using plagiarism-detection software, indicated 64 per cent plagiarism and 70.72 per cent AI-generated content and information from several research papers had also been copied. “Photographs of foreign authors featured in several books also appeared to have been lifted from the internet,” he added.

The researchers estimated the total value of the 257 books at Rs 25 lakh. After accounting for a 30 per cent discount, they claimed that around Rs 16 lakh could be involved in the alleged irregularity.

The researchers have demanded a comprehensive examination of the library's entire collection, which comprises more than one lakh books, to establish whether all the publications were procured from genuine publishers or whether similar irregularities occurred in other purchases.

They also said they were examining a few more books and would disclose their findings after completing the exercise.

Meanwhile, officials have launched inspections across public libraries in Coimbatore district and other parts of western Tamil Nadu to identify books with fabricated credentials and AI-generated content. In Coimbatore, teams have begun checking the collections of 195 libraries.

At Periyar Arivulagam, around 1,700 books, valued at approximately Rs 18 lakh, have been removed in the latest exercise on Wednesday. Earlier, around 2,000 books published by Agal Vilakku Publications were withdrawn from the library.

In neighbouring districts, 779 books valued at around Rs 1.85 lakh have been removed from libraries in Namakkal, while 1,120 books worth Rs 2.31 lakh have been seized in Krishnagiri. The numbers in Dharmapuri and Salem stand at 1,725 books valued at Rs 3.32 lakh and 1,700 books worth around Rs 2.5 lakh, respectively.

The scrutiny follows the controversy over the quality and authenticity of books procured for the Rs 300-crore Periyar Arivulagam. The issue broke out after Tamil writer Perumal Murugan questioned the literary and academic merit of several titles stocked at the library. The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has also conducted an inquiry into the procurement process.

Delivering the special address, Supreme Court judge Justice V Mohana recalled that she had enrolled with the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Bar Council on this day, November 11, back in 1988, describing the occasion as a proud and nostalgic moment for her.

The judge advised the young advocates to follow professional ethics every day and maintain dignity and integrity in their profession. She also pointed out that advocates who appear before courts without adequate preparation waste valuable court time, which amounts to a failure to observe professional etiquette and fulfil their duties. Describing the present generation as far more talented and keen than earlier generations, she reminded them that the legal profession is a profession and not employment.

Justice Mohana further advised the advocates to exercise extreme caution while using AI technology.

High Court Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and justices AD Jagadish Chandira, N Sathish Kumar and GK Muthukumaar also spoke, offering advice to the young advocates.

G Mohanakrishnan, chairman of the Bar Council's enrolment committee, administered the oath to the newly enrolled advocates.

Bar Council office-bearers and members, former and sitting judges, advocates and law college students, among others, participated in the event.

Under the Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) system, vehicles will no longer have to stop or slow down at toll booths for payment. The technology uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers to detect FASTags and AI-enabled Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to capture vehicle registration numbers. The system will match the two sets of data in real time and automatically deduct the toll from the linked account.

Nemili is the second toll plaza in Tamil Nadu to adopt the system after Paranur near Chengalpattu on GST Road, which switched to barrier-free collection on October 1. NHAI is also likely to introduce the system at Chennasamudaram near Walajah on the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway after trial operations.

The technology is expected to eliminate queues at toll plazas, cut travel time and fuel consumption, and reduce vehicular emissions. It will also lower the operational and maintenance costs associated with conventional toll plazas.

NHAI has also invited bids to replace the existing toll plazas on the Chennai Bypass, connecting Tambaram and Puzhal through Maduravoyal, with the MLFF system.

Palaniswami said the government could compare economic performance to the previous regime, not crime data, hitting out at minister Rajmohan's controversial remarks, which he later retracted.

Taking aim at the government over its failure to act against a TVK MLA accused of sending obscene messages to a woman District Collector, he demanded prompt action against the legislator.

“The use of narcotics has increased, contributing to a rise in murders, robberies and sexual offences. The increase in the sale of single-digit lottery tickets should also be curbed,” he said.

He also criticised Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for remaining silent on the Mekedatu dam row after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar made controversial claims. He urged the State government to take appropriate steps to protect the livelihood of people in the Cauvery delta region.

Claiming that 467 industries had shut down across the State in the last six months, Palaniswami alleged that corruption had also increased manifold.

“Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had asked people to mention his name when someone demands a bribe. But officials are demanding higher bribes after saying his name,” he said.

In the first incident, Velu (41), his wife Kavitha (38) and their three-year-old son, from Munungampattu village near Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai, were returning to Chennai on a two-wheeler after celebrating Deepavali in their hometown. The family was staying in Chennai for work.

When they were nearing the Meyyur Road junction near Padalam on the Tiruchy-Chennai National Highway on Wednesday morning, a tipper lorry carrying M-sand rammed into their two-wheeler from behind. The impact threw all three off the vehicle. Velu and Kavitha were crushed under the lorry and died on the spot. Their three-year-old son miraculously survived with minor injuries.

Padalam police rushed to the spot and rescued the child before sending him to Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital for treatment. The bodies of the couple were sent for postmortem. Police have registered a case and are searching for the tipper lorry driver.

In another accident near Vandalur, a six-year-old schoolboy was killed after an over-speeding van went out of control and rammed into two bikes on the Vandalur flyover on Wednesday morning. Saravanan, who lives in the residential quarters inside the Vandalur Zoo premises, was taking his son Miliran (6), a Class 1 student of a private school, near Vandalur railway station.

While they were crossing the flyover, the van lost control and rammed into their bike and another two-wheeler. Miliran was crushed on impact and died on the spot. Saravanan, and rider of the other two-wheeler were injured.

Police from the Guduvanchery Traffic Investigation Wing rushed to the spot and shifted the injured men to a private hospital in Potheri. The boy’s body was sent to Tambaram District Government Hospital for postmortem.

Police arrested the van driver, Manikandan, and further investigation is on.

The police said that Rahul (17) and his cousin Vishal (17) were brutally murdered by a gang on the Deepavali eve at Samayapuram, and the investigation found that the murder took place over a love affair.

The police later arrested six persons who were identified as Kirubakaran (19) from Solai Nagar in Samayapuram, Hariharan (22) from the same place, Sivanesan (21) from Cholan Nagar near Inam Samayapuram, Saravanan (18) from Lalgudi, Keni Vins (19), a resident of Thoothukudi, presently residing at Samayapuram and Renison (20) also from Samayapuram.

Further investigation revealed a prolonged dispute between the deceased Rahul and one of the accused, Keni Vins, over a love affair, which led to the murder.

In such a backdrop, on Wednesday, the police took one of the accused, Sivanesan, to the murder spot after they confessed that they had concealed the weapons at the spot. While the police were trying to locate the weapons, Sivanesan had reportedly attacked the police with a stone, assaulted the police constable Mohan with a steel rod and attempted to flee from the spot. However, the alert Samayapuram Inspector Gunasekaran opened fire against Sivanesan, in which he sustained injuries to his left leg and fell. Subsequently, the police rescued the constable Mohan and the injured Sivanesan and rushed them to the Tiruchy GH, where they are undergoing treatment.

On information, the SP Dongare Pravin Umesh visited the GH and consoled the police constable Mohan. The SP said that the accused were habitual offenders and there are five cases pending against Keni Vins, four cases against Renison and several cases pending against Sivanesan.

Speaking to reporters after attending the National Education and Urdu Day celebrations organised by the Tamil Nadu Urdu Academy Centre at the University of Madras campus, he said an understanding had been reached during a meeting with the Governor last week.

He said that following a recent meeting with the Governor, attended by himself, the School Education Minister Rajmohan, and the Speaker JCD Prabhakar, a resolution is in sight. Another meeting would be held within a week to arrive at a final decision, he added.

Acknowledging that several universities were functioning without Vice-Chancellors, he said cases relating to the appointment of Vice-Chancellors were pending before the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court. The matter was expected to come up for hearing soon, he said, declining to comment further as the cases were sub judice.

Speaking to reporters after attending the National Education and Urdu Day celebrations organised by the Tamil Nadu Urdu Academy Centre at the University of Madras campus, he said an understanding had been reached during a meeting with the Governor last week.

He said that following a recent meeting with the Governor, attended by himself, the School Education Minister Rajmohan, and the Speaker JCD Prabhakar, a resolution is in sight. Another meeting would be held within a week to arrive at a final decision, he added.

Acknowledging that several universities were functioning without Vice-Chancellors, he said cases relating to the appointment of Vice-Chancellors were pending before the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court. The matter was expected to come up for hearing soon, he said, declining to comment further as the cases were sub judice.

Acknowledging the vacancies, Minister Viswanathan said cases relating to the appointment of Vice-Chancellors were pending before the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court

On faculty vacancies in government colleges, Viswanathan noted that around 9,000 Assistant Professor posts remained vacant. The Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) had conducted examinations to fill 2,700 posts, and the results had been announced, he said, adding that recruitment examinations would be conducted over the next two years to fill the remaining 6,000 vacant posts.

Meanwhile, at the Urdu Day celebrations, awards were presented to 30 teachers serving in Urdu-medium schools, 10 poets and 626 students from 19 schools and colleges.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the DGP to respond to the petition within two weeks.

The petitioner, advocate H Syed Alim, sought a direction to the DGP to issue a Police Standing Order or circular prescribing uniform safeguards for police stations, cybercrime units, and investigating officers while dealing with such complaints.

The petitioner said the plea was necessitated by the increasing registration of criminal cases against citizens, journalists, political commentators, activists, and social media users for expressing criticism, satire and political opinions online.

He cited recent cases registered against DMK MLA GV Markandeyan, DMK's Anbanathan, and Vinoth Suriya Kumar over remarks made during public speeches.

He contended that the police often registered cases and made arrests without verifying whether the complainants were legally aggrieved by the alleged expressions or examining the legal maintainability of the complaints.

He further alleged that the police, under pressure from influential politicians and amid political rivalry, were using arrests and inquiries to harass individuals under the guise of investigation.

The petitioner argued that such arbitrary exercise of State power violated Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and affected the freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19 (1) (a), and sought a uniform procedure requiring careful scrutiny of complaints involving political speech and social media expression before taking coercive action, without affecting the police's duty to register and investigate cognisable offences.

During the hearing, Additional Public Prosecutor Arun Anbumani informed the court that two similar petitions were pending before a single judge. He added the State had begun the process of issuing an SOP, which would take several aspects into consideration.

On Thursday, all district election offices will publish the draft electoral rolls, which will also be displayed at the respective polling stations for public inspection. "People whose names were deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise can submit Form 6 to seek inclusion in the electoral rolls until December 11," the Election Commission of India (ECI) said in its notification.

The ECI will dispose of the claims and objections received during the period by December 28, and publish the final electoral rolls on January 4, 2027.

The ECI has urged voters to submit applications through its Voter Service Portal (voters.eci.gov.in) or the ECINET mobile application to register their names in the electoral rolls.

The Commission said applicants must electronically sign the applications using an Aadhaar-enabled e-signature facility. The ECI also plans to hold four special camps during the exercise to facilitate voter registration and corrections.

During the SIR exercise in Tamil Nadu, the poll panel removed more than 97 lakh voters from the electoral rolls. The deleted entries included nearly 27 lakh names classified as deceased and around 66 lakh voters who had shifted their residences. The exercise identified around 3.4 lakh entries as duplicate registrations.

The month-long exercise will give those whose names were omitted during the SIR process a chance to seek inclusion in the electoral rolls before the final list is published.

Mahesh was arrested on October 26 in connection with a case involving allegations of cheating private schools to the tune of over Rs 100 crore, and his judicial custody was extended till November 18.

On November 10, the Special Court for cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act observed that the investigation was still at a preliminary stage and dismissed Anbil Mahesh's bail petition.

Meanwhile, appearing for Mahesh, senior counsel P Wilson mentioned the matter before Justice V Lakshminarayanan and sought an urgent hearing, informing the court that a bail petition had been filed on behalf of the former minister.

The court said that a decision on the request for an urgent hearing would be taken after the petition was numbered by the Registry.

Wilson also sought an adjournment of the petition filed by Anbil Mahesh seeking to quash the case registered against him over allegations of collecting party funds from private schools. Accepting the request, the judge adjourned the case to November 30.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, forecast that a low-pressure area is likely to develop over the Bay of Bengal on November 13, with the potential for further intensification.

An official release said that all categories of fishing vessels, including traditional country boats engaged in fishing activities along the eastern coastal areas, have been strictly advised to return to the shore by November 12 night. Boat owners and operators were also required to ensure that their vessels are safely navigated back and securely moored at the designated fishing harbour. Fishing tokens will not be issued to any fishing boats starting from November 13 (tomorrow) until further notice.

The Department of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare has strongly appealed to all fishermen to strictly follow weather warnings issued by the IMD and advisories released by the department, the release added. 

Justice V Lakshminarayanan directed the SIT to file a response to the petition and adjourned the matter to November 17.

Archana Veeramani, daughter of Gem Granite chief R. Veeramani, has moved the court seeking to quash a summons issued to her under Section 35(3) of the BNSS and to order an investigation into the alleged human rights violation.

She submitted that she was not an accused in the case being investigated by the SIT but had informed the agency about her travel to Singapore on October 23 to attend to her son, who required medical treatment.

However, she alleged that she was deplaned without any reason or legal authority and forcibly taken to the SIT office in Egmore for questioning.

Archana further submitted that she was denied access to the restroom despite suffering from Multiple sclerosis. She alleged that she collapsed around 5 pm and lost bladder control several times, but the police failed to provide medical assistance and instead recorded her on mobile phones and video cameras.

She said she was served a summons only at 9 pm, seven hours after being deplaned and five hours after reaching the SIT office. Her laptop, phone and other belongings were also seized without a seizure mahazar. She was taken to hospital for treatment at 9.30 pm.

Claiming that she suffered physical collapse, mental distress and public humiliation, Archana sought action over the alleged human rights violation.

During the hearing, Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Arun Anbumani submitted that the SIT had issued a summons to Archana on October 23, 2026. However, as she was unavailable, the summons was handed over to the watchman. He further submitted that after the officers learnt that Archana was leaving the country, another summons was sent to her via WhatsApp, following which her phone was switched off.

Denying the allegations of human rights violations, Anbumani said that a doctor, who was also Archana’s relative, was brought to the SIT office when her health deteriorated.

The removal follows a statewide inspection of libraries after a major controversy over the purchase of books for the Coimbatore Periyar Arivulagam.

Library staff inspected the Tenkasi District Central Library, located on the premises of the Tenkasi Government Higher Secondary School, and found the books during the exercise.

How were the books purchased?

The books were reportedly purchased from Agal Vilakku Publishing House for Rs 27 lakh in December last year, during the DMK regime. It is also alleged that payment to the publishing house was made much faster than payments to other publishers.

Under whose names were the books published?

The books were published under the names of Nivetha Anbazhagan, Nivetha Subbaiah, Manisha Saravanan, Manisha Akash and Manisha Arjun.

Library staff said all 2,200 books identified during the inspection had been removed.

The incident occurred at Manjushree Estate, falling under the Barwood beat of the O'Valley range within the Gudalur forest division, forest officials said.

Upon inspection on Wednesday, forest personnel discovered a dangling power cable that had snapped off a utility pole.

The surrounding tea bushes directly beneath the wire were found charred due to the intense electric current, pointing to electrocution as the cause of the animal's death.

Following the discovery, a post-mortem examination was conducted at the spot by veterinary doctors from the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and the Gudalur forest division in the presence of the assistant conservator of forests, Gudalur.

Visceral samples were collected and sent for laboratory analysis to confirm the official cause of death.

Following the autopsy and per the advice of the forest veterinary surgeon, the carcass of the wild gaur was buried in a deep pit dug at the scene.

Officials from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) along with forest department staff visited the site and have launched a detailed investigation into the incident.

Defending the MLA, Tagore claimed Arul Vignesh was innocent. "Nothing has been proven against him so far," he added.

Asked about reports that the District Collector, who was allegedly affected by the incident, had lodged a complaint with the Chief Secretary, Tagore said he was unaware of the details.

"I do not know anything about it. Whether such a complaint is true or not is something you, as journalists, should tell me," he said.

Describing Arul Vignesh as a first-generation MLA from a backward community, Tagore said it was unfair to subject him to such public scrutiny based on unverified information. He added that the MLA had already given interviews to television channels and denied the allegations.

Tagore said he had also been watching the MLA's television interviews and expressed concern about how the media was discussing the issue. "We are living in a situation where even rumours circulating on WhatsApp require us to give explanations. The media is portraying a person as a culprit and subjecting them to a media trial. He is being forced to show CCTV footage and his mobile phone to explain his position," he said.

Pointing out that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) had brought several first-generation MLAs into the Assembly, Tagore said many of them came from ordinary family backgrounds and warned that media trials against such elected representatives could set a dangerous precedent.

However, Tagore also questioned the criticism levelled against the MLA by a Congress MP even after he had given his explanation, saying such criticism was not justified.

Tagore's defence came a day after his party MP, Jothimani, issued a strongly worded statement demanding strict action against Arul Vignesh over the allegations. She said that despite women becoming educated and reaching higher positions, society's mindset of viewing them as objects continued to prevail.

According to police, private bank agents collect sales proceeds from TASMAC outlets across Kancheepuram district. On Tuesday night, Das (52), a private bank agent from Chennai, and hired car driver Habeeb Rahman (38), were travelling in a car after collecting money from more than 20 TASMAC outlets in the district.

At around 9.30 pm, they went to a TASMAC outlet operating in a forest area under the Oragadam police station limits. While Das went inside the outlet to collect money, Rahman remained in the car.

Meanwhile, a group of unidentified persons allegedly arrived on a motorcycle and deliberately rammed it into the rear of the car. When Rahman got out to question them, the suspects allegedly distracted him and drove away with the car containing around Rs 1.5 crore.

The gang reportedly drove the vehicle for around 10 km along the Walajabad-Vandalur road towards Padappai before stopping near the road leading to a private engineering college at Karanithangal. They then transferred the cash to another car and fled.

On receiving information, Oragadam police rushed to the spot and began an investigation. After locating the abandoned car near the college, police found Rs 18 lakh lying on the ground nearby. Investigators suspect that the money fell while the gang was hurriedly transferring the stolen cash to another vehicle.

A case has been registered and police are investigating whether the suspects had prior information about the collection schedule and route. They are also examining the possibility of an insider's involvement.

Police are questioning both Rahman and Das. Their mobile phone records, including incoming and outgoing calls and WhatsApp calls, are also being examined.

Five special teams have been formed under the leadership of the Sriperumbudur Deputy Superintendent of Police to trace the suspects. Police are also examining CCTV footage from the TASMAC outlet and the Karanithangal area.

The incident has caused concern in the Oragadam and Sriperumbudur areas.

The deceased was identified as Ramesh (33) of Perambur. Police said that Ramesh was married and lived with his family. However, he had developed a relationship with a woman, Gayathri, who was separated from her husband.

Gayathri's father, K Babu (53) who learnt of the relationship had warned Ramesh and told him to stop meeting his daughter, but the deceased had not restrained, police investigations revealed.

Irate over this, on Tuesday night, Babu went to Ramesh’s house at Chakrapani Thottam on Paper Mills Road in Perambur and again questioned him about continuing the relationship with his daughter. An argument broke out between the two during the confrontation.

Babu allegedly took out a button knife he had hidden with him and stabbed Ramesh. Ramesh died on the spot due to the injuries, police said.

Based on a complaint from Ramesh’s wife Sharmila, Sembium police registered a murder case and moved his body to a government hospital for post mortem.

Police arrested Babu and seized the weapon used in the crime. He was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.

According to a Maalaimalar report, the inauguration ceremony will be held on Friday, November 20, with the Chief Minister presiding over the event. Preparations for the visit and the inauguration are currently under way, with hospital authorities and district officials making arrangements for the programme.

600-bed facility at Tiruchy Government Hospital

The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Puthur is one of the major government healthcare facilities in Tiruchy. Thousands of people visit the hospital every day for outpatient consultations and inpatient treatment.

With the existing infrastructure facing challenges in accommodating the growing number of patients, a new building was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 134 crore. The facility, which has a capacity of 600 beds, is expected to provide additional space for patient care and ease the pressure on the hospital's existing facilities.

The new building is being inaugurated as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve facilities for patients seeking treatment at the government hospital.

Security arrangements ahead of CM's visit

Meanwhile, preparations for the inauguration ceremony are being coordinated by officials and hospital staff under the leadership of Kumaravel, Dean of K A P Viswanatham Government Medical College. Various departments are involved in making arrangements ahead of the Chief Minister's visit.

As part of the preparations, Tiruchy City Deputy Commissioner of Police Arvind Panawat visited the hospital and inspected the security arrangements. The inspection focused on the measures required to manage the Chief Minister's visit and ensure security during the inauguration ceremony.

With the event scheduled for November 20, officials are continuing preparations at the hospital and surrounding areas ahead of the Chief Minister's visit.

On the statewide crackdown, Elangovan acknowledged that the police action was necessary as the murders had taken place across the state.

However, he highlighted the severity of the crisis, pointing out that criminals had threatened police personnel and even killed one policeman. "So, this government had failed to maintain law and order," he remarked, calling the current situation "worst".

Elangovan also dismissed TVK leadership's promises of an impartial investigation into complaints regardless of political affiliations.

"TVK advocates had filed a petition in the court that government advocates were appointed by party cadres for money. What action has this government taken? There was a petition in the court," Elangovan told PTI Videos.

Alleging that the TVK MLAs were actively involved in criminal activities, Elangovan urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to warn his MLAs.

Elangovan cited specific instances of alleged misconduct, claiming that one MLA had sent a "love message" to a district collector, while a deputy speaker had physically assaulted his own party members and a press reporter.

Sources said that the police who secured three accused in the case and took Sivanesan, one of the accused to the incident spot at Samayapuram on Wednesday, where the gang had reportedly concealed their weapons.

While the police were recording the incident, Sivanesan, attempted to flee and soon the police opened fire onto him in which he sustained injuries in the leg. Subsequently the police rescued him and rushed him to Tiruchy Government Hospital where he's undergoing treatment.

The fraud, which took place in the third week of September, came to light after the department lodged a complaint on November 3, police sources said.

Preliminary findings showed that Rs 14 crore was transferred from Mandapam Panchayat Union in Ramanathapuram, Rs 3.1 crore from Nagapattinam Panchayat Union and Rs 5 crore from Dharapuram Panchayat Union in Tirupur. Police suspected that cybercriminals had breached the online portal used to transfer funds to rural local bodies.

The department’s back-end financial operations were maintained by a private bank. Investigators suspected that the perpetrators had accessed the bank’s website, stolen login credentials and diverted the funds to unauthorised bank accounts in north India. Police are examining whether overseas hackers or an international cybercrime network had links to the fraud.

The special teams were tracing the beneficiary bank accounts and analysing digital records to establish how the portal was accessed. Investigators were also examining whether insiders had assisted the perpetrators. Further investigations are underway.

In the fast-moving developments, even the stationery bought for the panel has been returned. "Stationery items, printers and other office equipment for its functioning have been surrendered. These have now been handed over to the government," an official said.

No trace of the Kurian panel's functioning remained at the Chepauk facility, as the signboard was also removed on Tuesday. The State government plans to set up the recently reconstituted State Law Commission's office in the premises the committee vacated at the New State Guest House in Chepauk. Despite the weekend and Deepavali holiday in between, the government wiped out the Kurian panel's existence at the facility on Tuesday after announcing last Friday that it would end the committee's life.

The State government plans to shift the State Law Commission's office from the Thiru Vi Ka Industrial Estate in Guindy to the Chepauk premises.

The State Law Commission was recently reconstituted, with former judge D Krishnakumar as chairman. Former judge RMT Teekaa Raman and retired IAS officer TK Ramachandran are its full-time members. Retired district Judges P Mohan Doss and R Govindarnted as part-time members. The Government has appointed an officer in the rank of Secretary to the Law Department as Member-Secretary.

As directed by the Government Order, the discontinued High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations has handed over all its documents and legal papers to the State Law Commission.

The order noted that the State Law Commission was reconstituted on August 7, 2026, with a broad mandate to examine inter-State and Centre-State relations, review existing laws and recommend improvements to the State's legal and institutional framework.

Since the High-Level Committee was a non-statutory body and its functions substantially overlapped with those of the State Law Commission, the government decided to discontinue its services with immediate effect.

The complainant, Gopalakrishnan (62), is a native of Kallakurichi district and a resident of Goundampalayam near Rasipuram. On November 5, he was travelling from Chennai to Rasipuram in a car driven by his driver, Ajmal, when a gang intercepted the vehicle near Kizhakku Valasu on the Salem-Namakkal NH and abducted both.

The abductors held the duo captive in a house and assaulted them, demanding Rs 1 crore and the original title deed of a piece of land Gopalakrishnan had purchased in Kallakurichi. The duo escaped the next day at night (November 6) and were admitted to the Rasipuram GH. Based on a complaint, Rasipuram police registered a case.

Police inquiries revealed that Gopalakrishnan borrowed Rs 70 lakh from Ashok Kumar (47), a realtor from Rasipuram, to purchase land in Kallakurichi. As Gopalakrishnan delayed repayment, Ashok Kumar plotted the abduction and paid Rs four lakh to Sundararajan (48), an advocate from Namagiripettai, to arrange the kidnapping. Sundararajan, in turn, paid Rs 2.5 lakh to a gang led by Dhanapal (48) of Mallur to execute the plan.

Based on the investigation, police arrested Ashok Kumar and eight others. They seized three cars used in the abduction, four mobile phones, a two-wheeler and Rs 90,000 in cash from the accused. A search is under way for three others.

According to the police, some residents of Thotta Kajanur village burst loud firecrackers on November 9, causing the windowpanes of the house of Manoj Raj (41), a distant relative of the actor, to shatter due to the sound and vibrations from the firecrackers.

Following the incident, police personnel visited the spot and conducted an inquiry. A case was registered against those who burst firecrackers beyond the permitted time limit.

The clarification came after reports in certain Kannada media outlets suggested that a country-made bomb might have been hurled at the house of the actor's distant relative.

However, in a statement, the district police said the reports were exaggerated and did not reflect the actual circumstances of the incident. The police appealed the media and the public against circulating unverified information that could cause unnecessary panic and confusion.

The staff quarters at the Central University premises comprise as many as 120 houses for teaching faculty. Most of the residents were out of station for Deepavali holidays for the past few days. On Tuesday, when the professors returned, they were shocked to find the doors of seven houses broken. Upon being alerted, Nannilam police commenced an investigation.

Balaji, husband of Professor Vidya, said that the miscreants had broken the doors of the houses in one block and they had stolen 10 sovereigns of gold from his house and silver articles.

While several professors are yet to return, sources claimed that the miscreants who were involved in the serial burglary, taking advantage of the holiday, might have stolen at least 100 sovereigns of jewellery and cash of Rs 10 lakh. But still, the exact quantity of valuables that went missing can be ascertained only after the others return.

The three workers were engaged in cleaning a sewage treatment plant on Monday evening, when they lost consciousness after inhaling toxic gas and died. Their bodies were sent to Krishnagiri Government Medical College Hospital for postmortem.

On Tuesday, the relatives of the deceased gathered at the hospital and refused to receive the bodies. They raised an issue over engaging workers in hazardous cleaning work without adequate safety equipment.

As tension prevailed, a large number of police personnel were deployed at the hospital as a precaution. The protesters also broke into a heated argument with police and attempted to stage a road blockade.

Following this, Superintendent of Police GS Anitha, along with the contractor, held talks with the protesters. They then called off the protest and received the bodies after long hours of persuasion. Meanwhile, Krishnagiri District Collector C Dinesh Kumar has directed Tata Electronics to submit a detailed action-taken report in connection with the death of three workers at its facility.

When he was nearing Tirunallur main road, Gopal (45), a farmer, was returning home on a tractor. The tractor hit Moovithan’s bike, and he was thrown off and died on the spot. The Pappanadu police registered a case.

On Tuesday, the kin of the deceased converged at Pulavankadu on the Thanjavur-Pattukkottai highway and blocked the traffic, demanding the arrest of the tractor driver and the owner. On receiving information, Pappanadu police rushed to the spot and held talks with the protesting people. Subsequently, they dispersed from the spot.

A division bench of Justice P Vel Murugan and Justice KK Ramakrishnan issued the direction while hearing a petition over the discovery of human excreta in a water tank at a school in Dindigul.

The petitioner, Balakrishnan of Madurai, sought an independent committee to probe the incident at the Manur Panchayat Union Primary School in Dindigul, where the tank is used by students. He also sought legal action against those involved and orders to prevent such incidents from recurring.

When the petition came up for hearing, the state government submitted video evidence to show that students were responsible for the act. The judges asked whether this evidence had been sent for forensic examination and urged the authorities to improve the investigation.

The Bench observed that CCTV cameras should be installed in government and government-aided schools across Tamil Nadu. It directed the School Education Secretary to file a report stating how many schools already have cameras, how many still need them, and the estimated cost of installing them. The Bench then adjourned the case.

The enquiry will examine alleged financial irregularities, inflated prices and the purchase of substandard books. According to DVAC sources, the responsibility would be fixed on those involved based on the findings and a case would be formally registered after obtaining approval from the State government.

A DVAC team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Kandasamy inspected documents relating to book procurement at the Anna Centenary Library during the previous government's tenure. Officials scrutinised records and collected documents for further examination.

In Coimbatore, another team examined financial transactions, accounts and procurement records at Periyar Arivulagam.

According to the procurement details cited in the allegations, based on a Government Order dated November 5, 2025, a committee was constituted to recommend books for government libraries, including Periyar Arivulagam. Subsequently, a 112-member committee recommended titles, and the final selection was made at a meeting held at the Anna Centenary Library on January 9 and a purchase order for 60,266 books was issued on February 2.

The DVAC probe will scrutinise the selection and procurement process, pricing, payments and the role of publishers, besides examining whether public funds were diverted or misused.

The probe follows a complaint by School Education Minister A Rajmohan, who accused the previous DMK government of large-scale irregularities in procuring books for the newly inaugurated Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore. He alleged that thousands of substandard books containing AI-generated content, fabricated author details and factual errors were purchased at inflated prices.

The controversy erupted after noted writer Perumal Murugan, who was part of the book selection committee, raised questions over the quality and authenticity of books procured for the Coimbatore library. He pointed out factual errors in books on classical Tamil literature and questioned the credentials of certain authors and publishers. Subsequently, around 2,000 books published by Agal Vilakku Publications and kept in the Tamil books section on the fourth floor of the building of Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore were removed from the library premises.

He alleged that nearly 1,800 books published by Agal Vilakku Pathippagam had been stocked at the library, with some 300-page volumes priced at more than Rs 1,400. He also questioned the authenticity of the International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) printed on the books.