According to a press release issued by the Salem Railway Division, additional coaches will be attached to the following express trains:

1. Coimbatore-Nagercoil Express (Train number 22668) departing from Coimbatore Junction at 7:30 pm from September 29 till January 4, 2027.

2. Nagercoil-Kevai Express (Train number 22667) departing from Nagercoil Junction at 9:55 pm from September 30 till January 5, 2027.

3. Karaikal-Ernakulam Express (Train number 16187) departing from Karaikal at 4:30 pm from September 29 till January 5, 2027.

4. Ernakulam-Karaikal Express (Train number 16188) departing from Ernakulam Junction at 10:25 pm from September 30 till January 6, 2027.

5. Coimbatore-Rameswaram Weekly Express (Train number 16618) departing from Coimbatore Junction on Tuesdays at 7:45 pm from December 6 to 29.

6. Rameswaram-Coimbatore Weekly Express (Train number 16617) departing from Rameswaram on Wednesdays at 8:15 pm from December 7 to 30.

The award aims to recognise women whose contributions have transformed lives, strengthened communities and inspired others, but whose work may not always have received the visibility it deserves, Aspire K Swaminathan, general secretary of "We The Leaders" said on Tuesday.

According to him, across Tamil Nadu, countless women continue to make a difference in education, agriculture, community development, social service and several other fields, often working quietly and away from public attention.

The Kamaraj Award seeks to identify such women, bring their stories before a wider audience and recognise the values of perseverance, service, leadership and social responsibility that their journeys represent.

This year, around 12 outstanding women from different parts of Tamil Nadu and from diverse spheres of activity have been identified for recognition.

Each awardee has distinguished herself through sustained effort, personal commitment and meaningful contribution in her respective field.

The award has been instituted in the name of "Perunthalaivar" K Kamaraj, whose public life continues to be remembered for simplicity, integrity, commitment to education and concern for the welfare of ordinary people.

Through this recognition, "We The Leaders" seeks to celebrate women who continue to reflect these values through their work and service.

The awardee will then be invited onto the dais to receive the honour from Annamalai, following which she will briefly share her thoughts and experiences with the audience.

After launching "We The Leaders", Annamalai have undertaken several key social activities and events across Tamil Nadu.

Recently, Annamalai visited Madurai to participate in the "Vaigai Sirpi" awards event, highlighting the movement's massive cleanup drive which removed approximately 1.63 lakh kg of waste from the Vaigai River.

Annamalai also addressed public meetings such as speaking at Signograph 4.0 in Tiruppur on September 25 emphasizing corruption-free governance, transparency, grassroots participation, and the elimination of drug and liquor abuse.

"Urged our Indian entrepreneurs to invest more in innovation and personal fulfilment. India’s next phase of growth will be driven not just by the scale of our businesses, but by the ambition, innovation and courage of our entrepreneurs to solve tomorrow’s problems today," Annamalai said.

He also recently claimed "in many constituencies, more than 30,000 leaders are part of our 'We The Leaders' organization. In every constituency, we must set as our goal the creation of at least 30,000 leaders on behalf of our organization".

The direction, issued by the Union Ministry of Power under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003, will be in force from October 1 to December 31.

Six captive power plants located in Tamil Nadu figure in the list of 112 plants listed by the ministry. They include DCW Ltd, Sahupuram in Thoothukudi (108 MW), Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd (TNPL), Unit 1, Karur (103.62 MW), TNPL, Mundipati in Trichy district (30 MW), Ramco Cements, Govindapuram Works (60 MW), JSW Steel Ltd, Salem Works (97 MW), and Ultratech Cement Ltd (India Cements), Sankarnagar unit (48 MW).

The six plants have a combined installed capacity of 446.62 MW. Of these, five plants with a combined capacity of 416.62 MW have an installed capacity of 50 MW or more and fall within the threshold specified in the Centre's directive.

The ministry has asked the eligible plants to maximise generation after meeting their own captive power requirements. Any surplus electricity available is to be offered through power exchanges in accordance with applicable regulations.

The plants have also been asked to maintain adequate coal stocks to ensure fuel availability and enable maximum generation. They will have to submit weekly reports to the Central Electricity Authority detailing generation, captive consumption, sale of power through exchanges or other permitted avenues, available capacity and coal stocks.

The ministry said the directions were aimed at optimising electricity generation from all available sources, including captive generating stations, to ensure adequate power availability amid the prevailing demand-supply situation and expected rise in demand.

After campaigning in Dharapuram, he will campaign in Madurantakam the next day, seeking votes for his party candidate I Paranthamen.

DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin is campaigning in both constituencies and seeking votes for the party candidates. His campaign will conclude in Dharapuram on October 4.

DMK deputy general secretary Kanimozhi Rajathi Karunanidhi is also campaigning for the party candidates.

After Dharapuram, she will campaign in Madurantakam.

The by-poll campaign will conclude on October 4, while polling will be held on October 6. Counting of votes will take place on October 9.

The by-polls to the two Assembly constituencies are witnessing a five-cornered contest, with 49 candidates in the fray after the withdrawal of nominations.

The class 12 girl took the extreme step on Monday.

According to preliminary police investigations and a complaint filed by her parents, the teenager decided to end her life after persistent phone calls, stalking and harassment by two polytechnic students.

The alleged harassment had caused distress to the victim over recent weeks.

Outraged by the incident, aggrieved relatives and locals staged a protest outside the Shoolagiri police station to demand swift and stringent action against all individuals involved.

Demonstrators held a dharna outside the station premises, refusing to disperse until safety assurances and justice were provided.

Following the public uproar, the police registered a case and arrested both the 18-year-old college student and his 17-year-old accomplice.

Further investigation into the matter is underway to ensure comprehensive action against the perpetrators, police added.

Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. In case you feel distressed by the content or know someone in distress, call --- Sneha, Chennai: 91-44-2464 0050, 91-44-2464 0060; Maithri, Cochin: +91 239 6272; Sumaitri, New Delhi: 2338 9090; Aasra, Mumbai: 9820466726; Fortis MentalHealth: 8376804102.

The study found that high digital literacy does not necessarily protect individuals from cyber fraud.

Victims included IT professionals, bankers, doctors, management and finance professionals, public-sector officers and individuals with cybersecurity certifications, a release from the institution on Tuesday said here.

India’s rapid digital transition near-universal mobile access, UPI, and the wider Digital India push has brought hundreds of millions of first-generation users into digital finance within a decade, opening an unusually wide attack surface for investment and stock-trading frauds, task and job scams, digital payment frauds, malware attacks, and the distinctly Indian “digital arrest” scam.

While official statistics from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) record the transactional breach, they remain silent on the human trauma behind the numbers, prompting the research team to ask a human question rather than a technical one.

The researchers found that victims were often targeted during periods of stress or life disruption, including illness in the family, retirement, job searches, or workplace pressure.

Fraudsters exploited fear, financial expectations, and reputational concerns to create an “engineered brain freeze," with victims describing a state of “mind arrest” that impaired their ability to think clearly.

Financial losses ranged from a few thousand rupees to more than Rs 1 crore, while victims also reported shame, insomnia, depression, and damaged family trust.

The study also found that institutional responses varied, with some banks and cybercrime cells responding quickly while others lacked the required technical capabilities and coordination.

The findings are based on semi-structured interviews with 33 victims — 22 men and 11 women, including 12 senior citizens—across Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Mumbai. The interviews were conducted in English, Hindi and Tamil and analysed using the Gioia methodology.

The study was led by Prof P Kandaswamy, IPS (Retd), and Prof Nandan Sudarsanam, from IIT Madras in collaboration with Prof. Akanksha Jaiswal, Associate Professor, The University of Western Australia, Chennai Campus and Prof. Ameeta Fernando from Loyola Institute of Business Administration, Chennai.

The research received support from the Wadhwani School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at IIT Madras.

Elaborating on the findings, Nandan Sudarsanam, Wadhwani School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, IIT Madras, said, “Our findings show that financial cybercrime is not simply a problem of inadequate digital literacy. Even highly educated and digitally experienced individuals can become vulnerable when fraudsters exploit fear, stress, and urgency. Understanding these factors is essential to designing more effective prevention strategies.”

Kandaswamy IPS (Retd), Adjunct Faculty, Department of Data Science and Artificial intelligence, Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras said, “The response to cybercrime must move beyond blaming victims. Banks and law-enforcement agencies need stronger systems for early detection, rapid intervention, and coordinated response, along with better support for victims.”

Citing apprehensions of widespread displacement and threat to their traditional fishing livelihoods, the fishermen say such a massive structure on over 24 acres land will destroy the traditional fishing grounds and public access to the sea.

Hundreds of members from the community including women sat in protest at Srinivasapuram Beach in Pattinapakkam (Foreshore Estate) while another section took out a black flag procession to draw the government's attention to their plight, amidst heightened police presence, barricaded areas and traffic diversions.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led government had announced the plan to shift the power centre from the historic Fort St George to the sea-facing Pattinapakkam area and later issued a government order (GO) on September 8, 2026, granting in-principle approval to initiate the construction process for the new Secretariat-Assembly complex at Foreshore Estate.

As protests from the fishing community and political parties swelled, the government clarified that only the detailed project report (DPR) process is underway, asserting that the process is only in the preliminary stage.

The fishers, however, commenced the protest today demanding the government to formally rescind the GO which posses a threat to their traditional livelihoods and coastal ecology.

The proposed complex is expected to come up on 25.55 acres of land while early design and initial department transfers estimate a plot size of about 25.16 acres. The GO formalised an aggregate of 25.55 acres at Pattinapakkam.

The Public Works Department has been given a three-month deadline to complete and submit the DPR along with cost estimates, as per the GO.

The villagers from Mullikuppam, Mullima Nagar, Mylapore, Srinivasapuram, Nuchikuppam, Ennore and Kovalam and other coastal areas have joined the protest in support of their demands which also include declaring the coastal stretch as a traditional residential area for fishermen, providing the promised housing for community and land titles (pattas).

Over 200 police personnel have been deployed to ensure security in the area.

Today's protest is part of a structured flash protest and token strike with the community leaders warning of launching an indefinite protest and multi-phase agitations if their demands were not met.

The fishermen from across 12 hamlets halted the fishing activities for the day and conducted black flag demonstrations.

Tamil Nadu Private Bus Owners Federation president K Thangaraj said in a statement on Tuesday that Revenue Minister KA Sengottaiyan and Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban had contacted the federation and assured them that their major demands would be considered.

“Based on the assurance given by the ministers, we have decided to defer the one-day token strike announced for Wednesday,” Thangaraj said.

The operators had announced the strike demanding revision of private bus fares and extension of the women’s free travel scheme to private buses with government subsidy.

Around 7,000 private buses operate across Tamil Nadu, excluding Chennai, Madurai, Nagercoil and Udhagamandalam. Operators had said fares had not been revised since 2018 despite a steep increase in diesel and spare parts costs, resulting in mounting losses.

Federation of Bus Operators Association of Tamil Nadu secretary DR Dharmaraj had said private bus operators were currently running at a loss of around 65%.

A federation of private bus owners’ associations had approached the Madras high court in March last year seeking directions to revise fares in view of the increase in diesel prices. Following the court’s direction, the government sought the views of operators and the public on fare revision, but no further action was taken, the operators had alleged.

The operators had also opposed the proposed expansion of the women’s free travel scheme from Oct 2, pointing out that state transport undertakings received government subsidy for the scheme while private bus operators did not receive any compensation.

They had demanded that the scheme be extended to private buses with government subsidy and that fares be revised to make the operations financially viable.

The federation said nearly three lakh employees depended on the private bus sector and several lakh passengers used private buses every day.

The move marks the first major project-preparation step following the announcement made by the Chief Minister in the Assembly during the recently concluded session. The feasibility report is expected to provide the technical and economic assessment required to firm up the project’s contours and take it forward.

Vijay had announced the establishment of the Digital FinTech Hub in Coimbatore at an estimated cost of Rs 400 crore, with the project intended to strengthen the State’s financial-technology ecosystem and create a platform for technology-driven financial services.

The consultant’s assignment will involve preparing the techno-economic feasibility report, which will form the basis for assessing the project’s viability and planning its subsequent implementation.

The initiative comes as the State seeks to widen its technology and innovation footprint beyond Chennai. Coimbatore, one of Tamil Nadu’s major industrial and technology centres, already has an established IT ecosystem, with major companies operating from the city’s IT parks. The city also has a regional hub of the Tamil Nadu Technology (iTNT) Hub, focused on supporting startups, researchers and industry in western Tamil Nadu.

TIDCO has previously been involved in developing the State’s FinTech infrastructure, including the FinTech City and FinTech Tower at Nandambakkam in Chennai. The corporation’s existing FinTech projects are aimed at creating an ecosystem for financial-services and FinTech companies.

The appointment of a consultant for the Coimbatore project will now pave the way for a detailed assessment before the government moves to subsequent stages of project development and implementation.

The initiative was earlier implemented as the ‘Meendum Manjappai’ campaign during the previous DMK regime.

What is the 'Thunippai Scheme' aimed at?

The scheme was aimed at encouraging people to use cloth bags instead of single-use plastic bags.

How did the 'Meendum Manjappai Scheme' begin?

The then AIADMK government had banned single-use plastic bags in Tamil Nadu in 2019.

In December 2021, the then DMK government launched the ‘Meendum Manjappai’ campaign to promote cloth bags as an alternative. Machines were installed at public places where people could obtain cloth bags by paying Rs 10, and funds were allocated for the initiative.

What is the 'Thunippai Scheme'?

Following the change in government, questions were raised over the continuation of funding for the initiative. The government has now removed the ‘Manjappai’ name and is continuing the as the 'Thunippai Scheme’.

Under the scheme, steps have been taken to provide cloth bags and install machines at public places.

Where will 'Thunippai Scheme' machines be installed?

In the first phase, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has started the process of inviting tenders to install machines at 105 locations and provide the cloth bags required for them.

The film, which focuses on the need for accessible and barrier-free housing for the ageing population, follows the emotional journey of an ageing father and his son and explores the relationship between the environment, community and care.

It highlights the importance of residential spaces that enable people, regardless of age or disability, to live independently and with dignity. A key feature of the project was the participation of persons with disabilities in technical and artistic roles, aiming to position them as creators and professionals in mainstream media rather than merely subjects of stories. 

The screening was followed by an expert panel discussion on practical solutions for inclusive urban living, with professionals from real estate, engineering, architecture, assistive technology and community management participating. 

If not done, vendors warned of protests and also to campaign against the TVK in the Tiruchy East bypoll.

The general body meeting of the vendors welfare association was held in Tiruchy, chaired by the president MK Kamalakannan, in which the members raised the issue against the shifting of Gandhi Market from the existing spot.

The members expressed that the Gandhi Market is located in the heart of Tiruchy City, and thousands depend on the market for their livelihood.

Apart from wholesale merchants, several hundred platform vendors and retail vegetable vendors are also involved for their daily earnings.

They pointed out that the previous DMK government faced a setback when it attempted to shift the Gandhi market to the new location at Panjapur. They also said that the Tiruchy East segment is where Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay was elected and later resigned.

They cautioned the Chief Minister that the Gandhi Market, which is located in the Tiruchy East segment, would face a severe setback in the upcoming bypoll if the government plans for the shifting of the market.

Subsequently, they passed a resolution against the shifting of the market and insisted that the state government drop the plan for the new location at Panjapur. They also resolved to stage a series of protests and even campaign against the ruling TVK in Tiruchy East.

From the moment Vijay landed at Madurai airport until he left the city after visiting the Gandhi Memorial Museum and the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, the mood was celebratory. But the tightly controlled arrangements, long waits in the heat and restricted media access offered a less celebratory side to the high-profile visit.

Party cadres had reportedly been kept inside barricaded areas for nearly three hours, with inadequate access to water. Around 10 people reportedly fainted during Vijay’s visit to the Rajaji Hospital and were taken for treatment by police personnel. Another four people who had gathered to see the Chief Minister reportedly fainted from the heat and were treated by medical personnel.

Yet for those who managed to catch a glimpse of Vijay, the wait seemed worthwhile.

At the Gandhi Memorial Museum, Vijay viewed artefacts, personal belongings and historical documents associated with Mahatma Gandhi. After inaugurating the renovated museum, refurbished at a cost of Rs 10.25 crore by the Heritage wing of the Public Works Department, and garlanding Gandhi’s statue, he wrote in the visitors’ book: “Very happy to have visited this holy place.”

The mood turned more exuberant at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, where crowds packed the Chithirai Streets. Vijay entered through the Potramarai Kulam, got down near the Amman Sannathi on East Chithirai Street and walked towards the temple, folding his hands as he acknowledged people gathered on either side.

Inside the temple, the political leader gave way to the devotee. Vijay requested special archana in his name, under the Poosam star, and in the names of his family members. Priests performed the archana and special deeparadhana for Meenakshi Amman before applying kumkum as prasadam on his forehead.

At the Sundareswarar shrine, special archana was performed in his name and those of his family members, followed by the recitation of Thevaram and Thiruvasagam hymns and presentation of prasadam.

Temple trustee board chairman Rukmani Palanivel Rajan presented Vijay with a statue of Meenakshi Amman, a silk saree and a veshti. Vijay enquired about her well-being and sought her blessings by touching her feet.

For the media, however, the visit unfolded from a distance. Journalists were kept away from several points of the programme, leaving them largely dependent on official releases, visuals, and other secondary sources for portions of their reports.

That distance stood in contrast to the extraordinary public access surrounding Vijay, with supporters lining the streets and waiting for hours for a glimpse of him.

By the end of the visit, Madurai had witnessed two very different moods at once — the fervour of a leader being welcomed by thousands and the strain of a crowd enduring the heat and tightly managed arrangements. It was a homecoming wrapped in devotion and celebration, but one that also exposed the human cost that can accompany such mass gatherings.

Announcing the strike from midnight on Sept 29 to midnight on Sept 30, Federation of Bus Operators’ Association of Tamil Nadu president K Thangaraj and secretary DR Dharmaraj said nearly 7,000 private buses operate in the state.

The sector, employing around three lakh people and catering to lakhs of daily commuters, faces mounting operational losses.

"Fares have remained unchanged since 2018, while diesel prices shot up from Rs 64 to over Rs 100 a litre. We are currently operating at a 65% loss, making the private bus sector unviable," they said.

Recalling their petition in the Madras High Court last March seeking fare revision aligned with fuel prices, operators alleged that despite public consultations following court directions, the government took no further action.

The federation also strongly opposed expanding the women’s free travel scheme to more government bus categories from October 2.

Pointing out that state transport undertakings receive government subsidies while private operators get no compensation, they said: "This expansion will further worsen our financial position. The government must extend the scheme to private buses with adequate subsidies or revise fares immediately."

The CDRI assessment mapped 48,416 telecom towers across the State and found 27,690 (57%) exposed to high or very high cyclonic winds and 16,113 (33%) exposed to medium-to-very high flood depths.

Another 6,796 towers (14%) are vulnerable to storm surges of over six metres, while 516 towers are exposed to landslide risk.

“These figures indicate exposure to hazards and should not be interpreted as the number of towers expected to fail,” CDRI Director General Amit Prothi said.

The vulnerability, however, extends beyond the towers themselves.

Chennai and Chengalpattu are among the districts with the highest concentrations of towers exposed to very high flood levels and cyclonic winds.

Kancheepuram is among the districts with high flood exposure, while Tiruvallur is among those with high cyclonic-wind exposure.

The assessment does not provide district-wise tower counts.

For flood exposure, locations identified by the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority were assessed using a 2-km buffer to identify telecom towers in affected areas.

The findings highlight the need to assess telecom resilience at the network level, as cyclones or floods can trigger several failures at once — from damaged towers and antennas to power outages, flooded backup systems, disrupted fibre links and inaccessible sites.

Damage to fibre routes can sever links between towers and the wider network. “Connectivity can therefore be affected even when towers themselves remain structurally intact,” Prothi said.

Ahead of the Northeast Monsoon, CDRI recommends that operators inspect sites in flood- and cyclone-prone areas, check tower supports and antennas, improve drainage and protect cable entry points.

For long-term resilience, hazard exposure needs to be considered when telecom infrastructure is planned and built.

In coastal and flood-prone areas, this could include stronger structures, elevated equipment, protected cable routes and alternative fibre routes.

A police team has allegedly been following the movements of Akash Delison’s parents and activist M Lenin, who has been supporting the family in taking up the issue on various forums.

“Police personnel asked us whether we had any plan to block the Chief Minister’s convoy. Even after we told them that we had no such plan, they continued to harass us,” said Lenin, coordinator of the Justice for Akash Delison Murder Campaign Group.

Akash’s father, Rajesh Kannan, opened his shop in the morning to attend to his business, but the police allegedly continued to monitor his movements.

“Police personnel waited near his shop and watched his movements. They also came looking for him at medical shops where he had gone to purchase medicines,” Lenin alleged.

Only after Rajesh Kannan threatened to self-immolate did the police leave him alone, Lenin said.

When contacted, a senior police officer confirmed that police personnel had been deployed to prevent the family from causing any disruption to the Chief Minister’s convoy, referring to their earlier attempt in Chennai.

“It will also affect their safety. We did not harass them,” the officer said.

It is worth recalling that Akash Delison's kin had attempted to approach the convoy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and submit a petition outside the Secretariat (Fort St George) in Chennai on September 3, 2026.

The tender document also reduced the annual turnover requirement for bidders from Rs 300 crore to Rs 150 crore.

According to a corrigendum issued to the tender document, the annual selling capacity required of bicycle manufacturers has been reduced from six lakh units to three lakh units.

The required production capacity has also been reduced from 10 lakh units to five lakh units per annum.

Before the corrigendum, the tender conditions stated that the bidder should be the manufacturer of the bicycle frame and fork and should possess valid BIS certification in its own name for the components.

The revised document states that the bicycle frame and fork need not have BIS certification.

The government has also made changes to the technical requirements. The earlier document required bidders to furnish details of the installed production capacity of their manufacturing facility, with a capacity of 10 lakh units per annum.

The revised document only requires bidders to furnish details of the installed production capacity of the manufacturing facility.

The requirement to submit copies of the latest valid ISI licence certification issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for the frame and fork has also been removed.

Another condition requiring bidders to demonstrate cumulative sales of 75,000 units of the proposed model in the Indian domestic retail market during the previous three financial years has also been removed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WhatsApp number to lodge complaints, share info

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How did the attack happen?

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

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

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

Police investigation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 videos posted after the theft

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

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

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

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

Follower count rises after incident

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(With inputs from the bureau)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The video has since gone viral on social media.