The Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Second Amendment Act, 2026 (Tamil Nadu Act 20 of 2026), came into force on September 25, according to an Extraordinary Gazette notification issued by the Agriculture-Farmers Welfare Department.

In a separate notification, the government designated agrimark.tn.gov.in/godown as the official portal for applications, grant and renewal of licences under Section 8-A of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1987.

The online portal is intended to provide a dedicated digital channel for licence-related procedures, reducing the need for applicants to depend entirely on in-person interactions with government offices.

The government subsequently amended the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Rules, 1991, with a notification published on October 14, detailing the online application procedure and supporting documents required from applicants.

The changes are relevant to those seeking licences to operate agricultural godowns under the State’s agricultural marketing law. The online system provides a centralised route for applications and renewals, while the amended rules govern the procedures applicants must follow.

The immediate battleground is set for November 1, when the former Chief Minister will chair a crucial meeting of party district secretaries at the AIADMK headquarters here.

Observers view this gathering as a litmus test for his leadership following the party's disastrous third-place finish in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly by-elections earlier this month - the seats the AIADMK had won in the general assembly polls in April this year.

The unprecedented political rise of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which relegated the principal opposition party - the DMK - to the margins in those segments, has shattered the AIADMK’s rank and file to a distant third place, emboldening internal critics.

Senior functionaries, including former state ministers C Ve Shanmugam and SP Velumani have reportedly voiced strong discontent regarding the current leadership's strategic direction and have been demanding that the leadership immediately convene a meeting of the party to take stock of the changing political developments.

Compounding the crisis is a full-blown legislative mutiny. A bloc of dissident AIADMK MLAs, who broke ranks to support the TVK government during a recent assembly trust vote on May 13, are now actively contemplating moving the Assembly Speaker to recognise them as a separate group within the Assembly house, say sources.

In a pre-emptive bid to neutralise the brewing revolt, Palaniswami has engineered a rapid and extensive reshuffle of the party's district-level functionaries, replacing fence-sitters with fierce loyalists. The general secretary aims to secure a compliant majority among the district secretaries, who wield immense influence over the composition of the party's General Council.

The upcoming November 1 meet is designed to set the agenda for the broader Executive Committee and General Council sessions required to be held by December.

Insiders reveal that Palaniswami will use the platform to enforce strict party discipline, evaluate the loyalty of local leaders, and draft resolutions to project an image of absolute authority.

The meeting convened by Palaniswami will also determine whether the party will officially slam the door on expelled rebels or consider a strategic reconciliation to stave off further erosion.

A release from the party quoting the general secretary said a meeting has been convened on November 1 and all district secretaries should attend the meeting without fail.

The extensive operation concluded after the final two fugitives, Tirupathi and Meenakshisundaram, were captured on Wednesday.

According to police, after fleeing from the Aranjanaipudur area on a motorcycle toward Uthamapalayam, the escapees borrowed a stranger's phone in Ammachipuram to contact their associates who provided them funds, clothing, and vehicles.

The intensive search mobilised 17 specialised teams, five Special Task Force units, and four Tamil Nadu Special Police battalions, deploying specialised drones during daylight hours to scan the dense canopy and pinpoint suspect locations, police added.

Legal proceedings are moving swiftly as the judicial system processes the captured individuals.

Five escapees were produced before a judicial magistrate on Tuesday evening and remanded to judicial custody until November 10, while another group of eight appeared on Wednesday with custody extended through November 11.

The remaining prisoners captured on Wednesday are scheduled for court appearances on Thursday.

Once all legal formalities conclude, authorities will relocate the inmates from local lockups to central prisons in Salem, Vellore, Cuddalore, and Puzhal.

Meanwhile, Theni SP Praveen Gowtham stated that preventing the escapees from crossing the state borders remained our top priority, though investigations continue to probe the exact motives and masterminds behind the breakout.

On Monday night (around 10 pm), the inmates had orchestrated the jailbreak by staging a fake medical emergency, pretending that one of them was suffering an epileptic seizure. When a guard entered their cell to assist, the prisoners overpowered and assaulted him. They subsequently seized the main gate keys, opened the entrance, and fled into nearby forested areas.

The girl's mother, Bhavani, said she and her family visited a Shiva temple in their village and were told that the child is alive and would be found soon. She said the police were conducting a thorough investigation and had assured the family that they would receive positive information in the next two to three days, as reported by Maalaimalar.

What is the latest news in the investigation?

The CB-CID has set up a temporary interrogation centre at a school in Alampoondi and has been questioning the girl's family members, relatives and neighbours. The girl's parents, grandmother, sister, relatives and neighbours have been questioned over the past six days.

The police have also questioned a suspect with a criminal record for six hours. However, the interrogation did not yield any information, according to the details available.

As part of the second phase of the investigation, CB-CID teams led by Deputy Superintendents of Police Geetha and Velmurugan visited the school where the girl studied and examined student attendance records. Teachers were questioned about the girl's activities and habits at school.

The team also visited the college of the girl's elder sister in Kilpennathur in Tiruvannamalai district and questioned her friends. Two youths were also questioned on suspicion. While some details are said to have emerged from these inquiries, the investigation is continuing.

The police have also learnt that some of the girl's relatives are in Bengaluru. A team has been sent there to question them directly.

When did the girl go missing?

The missing girl, identified as Hemavathi, is the second daughter of the couple Vadivelu and Bhavani, who reside on Kulakkarai Street in Alampoondi village near Gingee.

The girl went missing under mysterious circumstances in the early hours of October 12. According to the complaint lodged by her parents, after celebrating her birthday on October 11, she was sleeping inside her house at midnight when she suddenly disappeared.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the decision was taken at a consultation meeting held at the temple auditorium on October 28.

When will Kanda Sashti festival be held?

The Kanda Sashti festival will be held from November 10 to 21, with more than 15 lakh devotees expected to participate in the Soorasamharam, the main event of the festival, on November 15.

What arrangements are being made for devotees during Kanda Sashti?

The municipality and the Water Supply and Drainage Board will provide five lakh litres of drinking water daily at 30 locations across the municipal area and temple premises.

A total of 919 personnel will be deployed for sanitation work during the festival. The team will comprise 130 municipal cleanliness workers, 339 temple cleanliness workers and 450 additional special workers.

The Health Department will carry out mosquito-control spraying, while medical teams will be stationed at three locations within the temple premises. Ambulances will be kept ready at six locations.

Four fire engines will be stationed across the town and temple area. For the safety of devotees, CCTV cameras will be installed at 493 locations.

How many toilets and shelters will be available for devotees?

The temple complex currently has permanent shelters at five locations for devotees observing the Kanda Sashti fast.

The temple complex has 325 permanent toilets, and another 300 temporary toilets will be provided for devotees during the festival.

According to a Home (SC) Department order dated October 29, K Shankar, Additional Director General of Police, Enforcement Bureau CID, Chennai, has been appointed Additional DGP of Police and DG of Prisons and Correctional Services, replacing Rathore.

The transfers have been ordered with immediate effect.

On Wednesday (October 28) the Supreme Court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Muthukumar.

So far, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Greater Chennai Police (GCP) has arrested four people, including former Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, BT Arasakumar, president of the Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association, and two others, Suresh and Raja.

In this situation, Muthukumar surrendered before Judge L.S. Sathyamurthy of the special court for cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act in Chennai on Thursday (October 29).

The judge remanded him to judicial custody until November 12 and ordered that he be lodged at Puzhal Central Prison.

Accepting Muthukumar’s requests, the judge also directed the prison authorities to provide him with first-class facilities, ensure necessary medical treatment and permit him to wear his own clothes.

According to the proposed itinerary, Vijay will also hold a roadshow covering around 1.5 km and distribute welfare assistance to beneficiaries during the visit.

The Chief Minister is expected to arrive at Tiruchirappalli airport from Chennai by a special aircraft and travel to Pudukkottai by helicopter. He is scheduled to land at a helipad at the Armed Reserve Police grounds in Pudukkottai.

From there, Vijay will travel by road to the new bus stand, located around half a kilometre away, where he will inaugurate the facility. He will then proceed to the district sports stadium, approximately one kilometre away, to inaugurate the newly constructed indoor stadium and inspect the facility.

Welfare assistance is also expected to be distributed to beneficiaries at the indoor stadium. After completing the engagements, the Chief Minister is scheduled to undertake a roadshow covering around 1.5 km before returning to the helipad at the Armed Reserve Police grounds.

He will then travel by helicopter to Tiruchirappalli airport for his onward journey. The district administration and police are making arrangements for the proposed visit, including security measures for the helicopter movements and roadshow.

However, the travel arrangements are subject to change. Police are also preparing for the possibility of the Chief Minister travelling by road from Tiruchirappalli to Pudukkottai instead of taking a helicopter.

The Special Court for trial of cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, presided over by Special Judge LS Sathiyamurthy, directed the CCB to file a response to the bail petition filed by Anbil Mahesh and another petition seeking the return of electronic gadgets seized from him.

The judge also directed Anbil Mahesh to respond to the CCB’s plea seeking five days of police custody on the day of the next hearing.

DMK leader and former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi was arrested on October 26, 2026, in connection with a case involving the alleged cheating of private schools of over Rs 100 crore.

In his bail petition, he alleged that the police had not produced any evidence to show that he had received bribes or acted to obtain any illegal benefit.

He also argued that the action taken against him without the Governor’s approval, as required under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, was illegal. He further stated that he had fully cooperated with the police investigation.

Citing his health condition, Anbil Mahesh sought bail, stating that he was suffering from pancreatitis and required continuous medical monitoring.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Energy and Law Minister R Nirmalkumar said the State government would constitute the commission in February or March 2027, after the Union government completed its caste-based enumeration.

“The commission will comprise a retired judge and IAS officers. They will work out the process for conducting the social justice survey,” Nirmalkumar said.

In the Governor’s address to the Assembly, Governor R V Arlekar had announced that the State would conduct the survey after the completion of the caste enumeration by the Union government.

“It is a fundamental policy of this government that true social justice lies in every community getting due representation. To fulfil this policy and promise, we will urge the Centre to swiftly complete the caste enumeration in conjunction with the ongoing population census. After the Union government completes the caste enumeration, the Government of Tamil Nadu will conduct the social justice survey,” Arlekar had said.

The proposed survey will be different from the caste enumeration to be conducted by the Union government. It will involve a detailed socio-economic assessment of communities, including family income, occupation, land ownership, educational status, school and college enrolment, dropout rates and access to welfare schemes.

The Cabinet also discussed the Thalambur land issue, involving allegations of illegal issuance of pattas that have reportedly affected around 3,000 families in the village near Chennai. It decided to constitute a committee to resolve the issue in accordance with the Supreme Court’s verdict. The Cabinet also decided to appeal to the Apex Court against the judgment concerning converted Muslims.

The package is aimed at making essential cooking ingredients more affordable during the festive season, when household spending typically rises. It will contain chana dal, moong dal, urad dal, red chillies, coriander seeds, garlic, tamarind, mustard, cumin and fennel.

The new offering will complement an existing grocery package priced at Rs 500, providing consumers with a lower-cost option for their festive purchases.

The State has been using its cooperative retail network to make essential commodities available at affordable prices. Measures have also included selling fine-quality rice at Rs 30 per kg through cooperative and Amudham stores.

Special grocery hampers have previously been introduced through cooperative outlets ahead of Deepavali to help consumers manage festival expenses.

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.

READ FULL STORY HERE

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.

READ FULL STORY HERE

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.

READ FULL STORY HERE

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.

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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.

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In a statement, Stalin expressed shock over reports that police personnel in plain clothes had taken Kalaiyarasan away in a hired vehicle in the early hours of Wednesday. He alleged that the professor’s fundamental rights had been violated and his mobile phone seized.

Stalin highlighted Kalaiyarasan’s academic credentials, noting that he holds a doctorate in economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University and is among the authors of The Dravidian Model, published by Cambridge University Press. He also said the professor had served on the Union government’s Planning Commission and contributed to the preparation of Tamil Nadu’s economic survey. Kalaiyarasan is also a member of the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Governance Committee, Stalin said.

Questioning the reason for the arrest, the DMK leader asked whether it was linked to the professor’s research on Tamil Nadu’s development under the Dravidian model or his reported criticism of rising prices under the TVK government.

Stalin accused the government of using the police to intimidate academics and critics instead of addressing administrative shortcomings. He also questioned whether the arrest had taken place with the knowledge of the Chief Minister and senior officials.

Describing the alleged action as authoritarian, Stalin demanded that the Tamil Nadu police and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay publicly apologise to Kalaiyarasan for the reported arrest and treatment.

It may be noted that in his complaint to the state police chief on Wednesday Prof Kalaiyarasan has said that he was taken by plain clothed policemen of Shankar Nagar police station from his residence around 5 am alleging that he had posted some defamatory content on a TVK MLA and later dropped him back around 7.45 am after learning it was mistaken identity as he had no Instagram account.

Murugan said he resigned on October 13 after obtaining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approval to take up organisational responsibilities in the State.

“My resignation is only to work alongside party office-bearers and cadres at the grassroots level and strengthen the organisation in preparation for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections,” he said in a statement.

Terming the allegations against him baseless, absolutely fabricated, malicious and politically motivated, Murugan accused certain individuals of attempting to tarnish his reputation and create confusion over his decision.

He called upon media organisations, social media page administrators, content creators and others to remove the allegedly defamatory content and issue public apologies, warning that failure to do so would invite civil and criminal legal action.

A former Tamil Nadu BJP president, Murugan said he would travel across the State, visit villages, meet people and work alongside party leaders and cadres to expand the BJP’s organisational presence. He also said he intended to explain the Union government’s policies, programmes and funding for Tamil Nadu to the public.

Recalling his five years in the Union Council of Ministers, during which he served in the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting, Parliamentary Affairs, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Murugan expressed gratitude to Modi for the opportunity to serve.

He cited projects including Chennai Metro, Thoothukudi Port expansion and railway station redevelopment as examples of the Centre’s engagement with Tamil Nadu.

Murugan reiterated that strengthening the party at the grassroots and preparing for the 2029 parliamentary elections were the principal objectives of his resignation.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Thursday launched extensive searches at 25 places across Tamil Nadu including Chennai and Tiruchy linked to DMK leader KN Nehru in connection with an alleged Rs 634-crore cash-for-jobs scam.

The premises include the residence of former DMK minister KN Nehru in Thillai Nagar, Tiruchy, and his brother Ravichandran’s residence and office in Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai.

In a post on X following news of the raids, Stalin asked whether the Chief Minister was considering a "roadshow or a raidshow" to divert public attention and media coverage. He alleged that women, children and senior citizens were no longer safe in Tamil Nadu.

KN Nehru raids: Stalin accuses TVK of vendetta politics

The DMK president accused the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of targeting former DMK ministers through what he called "Vettri Vendetta Politics". He alleged that the ruling party was inducting people accused of corruption while directing vigilance action against former ministers of the DMK government.

He further claimed that the raids were being conducted to prepare social media reels ahead of the Tiruchy East bypoll and provide opportunities for the Chief Minister to deliver punch dialogues at public events.

“The toenail of even the last DMK cadre will not fear these raids,” Stalin said in his X post, adding that the party would step up its efforts to expose the TVK-led government.

Stalin also criticised the government over alleged law and order failures, administrative shortcomings and rising prices, claiming that these issues were affecting the public across the State.

In separate representations to SIPCOT’s Managing Director, the Industrial Waste Management Association and the Manufacturers Association of Vallam-Vadagal Industrial Park sought the restoration of application-based allotment for MSMEs and reservation of a portion of industrial plots exclusively for them.

The associations said the earlier system, which assessed applications and project proposals before allotting land on long-term leases, enabled entrepreneurs with viable manufacturing plans but limited financial resources to establish industrial units.

Under the auction-based mechanism they have raised concerns about, smaller enterprises face competition from larger corporations with greater financial muscle, making it difficult for first-generation entrepreneurs to secure land at competitive prices, they said.

The associations cautioned that restricted access to industrial land could impede the establishment and expansion of small manufacturing units, with implications for entrepreneurship and employment generation.

They have sought a separate allotment mechanism for MSMEs, along with preference for manufacturing projects backed by viable proposals and demonstrable employment-generation potential.

The representations come as Tamil Nadu seeks to expand its industrial footprint. The State has identified 14,839.62 acres across 30 locations for new industrial parks as part of SIPCOT’s land-bank creation initiative, while land acquisition is under way for another 44 proposed parks.

SIPCOT’s published land-allotment procedure provides for scrutiny of applications and objective evaluation by an allotment committee when multiple applications are received for a plot.

The associations have urged the corporation to intervene, arguing that equitable access to industrial land is essential to nurturing first-generation entrepreneurs, strengthening the MSME sector and ensuring more balanced industrial development across Tamil Nadu.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, in its latest bulletin, has forecast light to moderate rain at isolated places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal from October 31 to November 2. Rain is likely over the Western Ghats districts and south Tamil Nadu on October 28–30, while dry weather is expected to prevail over the rest of the State during this period.

Heavy rain is likely at isolated places in Tiruvallur district on November 3, while light to moderate rain is forecast over North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, with light to moderate rain also likely over South Tamil Nadu.

Maximum temperatures are expected to rise by 2-3°C at isolated pockets over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal until October 30, and remain above normal by 2-3°C until November 1.

Fresh low-pressure system in Bay, may intensify into cyclone, cross near Chennai

Even before Chennai could heave a sigh of relief after Cyclone Arnab went past the State’s borders to Andhra Pradesh and further north, weather experts have said a fresh low-pressure system is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal, which, if it intensifies into a cyclone, could cross the coast near the city.

According to weather experts, favourable conditions are developing over the Bay of Bengal for the formation of a new low-pressure system, which could intensify into a cyclonic system and move towards the northern parts of Tamil Nadu. If the system strengthens into a cyclone, there is a possibility of it making landfall along the coast between Chennai and Andhra Pradesh, potentially bringing significant rainfall to Chennai on November 1 and 2.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Arnab to further weaken into cyclonic storm, then deep depression

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam between 2 am and 8 am on October 28, with maximum sustained winds of 125–135 kmph and gusts up to 150 kmph. The landfall process was completed by 8 am, after which the storm weakened into a Severe Cyclonic Storm.

Arnab is likely to move north-northwestwards and weaken gradually, becoming a cyclonic storm within six hours and a deep depression over the following six hours.

Meanwhile, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the south Andaman Sea and adjoining areas within the next 24 hours, as forecast by the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, in its latest bulletin.

Andhra worst hit by Cyclone Arnab, 3 killed

Andhra Pradesh bore the brunt of Cyclone Arnab, with three people killed and 31 houses damaged, a senior National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officer said on Wednesday.

The disaster response and rescue teams of the Centre and those of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are now bracing to tackle the effects of rainfall, which is expected to continue in the two states and adjoining areas, NDRF Inspector General (IG) Narendra Singh Bundela told reporters here during a press briefing.

The cyclone has made landfall near Yanam, Puducherry, and has weakened from a very serious cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm. It is estimated that it will gradually lose strength to convert into a cyclonic storm and finally into a deep depression by the evening, he said.

Cyclone Arnab-induced rain batters Odisha, alert sounded in southern districts

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall triggered by cyclone Arnab has battered southern Odisha, prompting the state government to evacuate over 30,000 people and place several districts on high alert, Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Wednesday.

The government is focusing on Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts, where people are being shifted to safer places.

The cyclone disrupted train services, with more than 50 trains cancelled along the eastern coast.

Mahendragarh in Gajapati district recorded the highest rainfall at 249.9 mm, followed by Pottangi in Koraput at 188 mm, Mohana in Gajapati at 168.8 mm, Ganjam station at 161.4 mm and Similiguda in Koraput at 143.1 mm.

-- PTI

Cyclone Arnab crosses Andhra coast; damages roads, electric poles

Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra coast early on Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction with uprooted trees and electric poles and damaged roads, while two persons were electrocuted in separate instances, officials said.

The very severe cyclonic storm Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between 2 am- 8 am, before weakening into a severe cyclonic storm, the weather office said.

"The cyclone crossed the Andhra Pradesh & Yanam coasts to the Southwest of Yanam near latitude 16.450 N and 81.90 E, about 20 km east-northeast of Narsapur, 40 km southwest of Yanam and 60 km southwest of Kakinada," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in an official release.

Cyclone 'Arnab' likely to bring heavy rain in parts of Bengal till Oct 31

 The IMD has forecast heavy rainfall in parts of West Bengal till October 31 under the influence of cyclone 'Arnab', which made landfall in the Andhra Pradesh coast in the early hours of Wednesday.

Moderate to heavy rain lashed the coastal and some southern districts of West Bengal on Tuesday, it said.

Heavy rainfall will occur in the coastal and western districts of the state until Friday morning and over the sub-Himalayan region till Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.

Cyclone Arnab: Two electrocuted in separate incidents in Andhra

Two people, including a 55-year-old woman, died of electrocution in separate incidents in Andhra Pradesh during Cyclone Arnab, officials said on Wednesday.

A senior district official said a 53-year-old man died on Tuesday night after coming into contact with a live wire that snapped over an agricultural field channel.

In the second incident, a woman died after accidentally stepping on an exposed live wire outside her home in Yellamanchili town in Anakapalli district on Wednesday morning, police said.

-- PTI

Odisha evacuates over 30,000 people as cyclone Arnab triggers alert in southern districts

The Odisha government has evacuated over 30,000 people to safety, with the entire southern region of the state remaining on high alert on Wednesday after the landfall process of very severe cyclonic storm Arnab was completed along the Andhra Pradesh-Yanam coast, a minister said.

Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state expects the cyclone to affect all southern districts, with Malkangiri likely to be the worst hit.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone crossed the Andhra Pradesh-Yanam coast between 2 am and 8 am as a very severe cyclonic storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125-135 kmph.

Cyclone Arnab: No loss of life reported in Andhra, says CM Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said no loss of life has been reported so far following Cyclone Arnab, crediting advance precautionary measures taken by the administration for preventing casualties.

Speaking during a teleconference with 32,000 personnel, including district collectors, the Chief Minister directed officials to minimise property damage and restore normalcy in cyclone-affected areas at the earliest.

"No loss of life has been reported so far due to Cyclone Arnab. The advance precautionary measures taken by the administrative machinery helped prevent casualties," said Naidu in an official press release.

Very severe cyclone Arnab crosses Andhra coast, weakens into severe cyclonic storm

Very severe cyclonic storm Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts on Wednesday morning before weakening into a severe cyclonic storm.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the landfall process is complete with the weather system moving entirely over land.

Peak wind speeds reached up to 135 kmph and gusts of up to 150 kmph.

Schools closed in parts of J'khand till Oct 29 in view of cyclone 'Arnab'

The Jharkhand government has ordered the closure of schools till October 29 in several districts in the wake of rainfall triggered by cyclone 'Arnab', which made landfall in the Andhra Pradesh coast in the early hours of Wednesday, officials said.

Ranchi, West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Simdega district administrations said schools will remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

Cyclone Arnab's landfall process continues along Andhra coast

The landfall process of “very severe” cyclonic storm Arnab was continuing along the Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said with the storm’s centre remaining very close to the coastline.

The northern spiral band of the cyclone has further entered the land and the landfall process is expected to continue for the next three hours, it said.

Andhra, Odisha step up preparations as cyclone Arnab hurtles towards east coast

Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have stepped up preparations, including moving people to safer locations, as "very severe" cyclonic storm Arnab hurtles towards the east coast and is expected to make landfall within the next 24 hours, officials said on Tuesday.

In its latest bulletin, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclone was over the Bay of Bengal, about 170 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, at 11.30 am. It is likely to move west-northwestward until evening, before crossing the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, by Wednesday forenoon.

The system is expected to make landfall with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph, the agency said.

According to the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), the cyclone's impact is being felt, with heavy rainfall expected in the north coastal districts shortly. Srikakulam district is likely to experience heavy rain accompanied by strong winds, while strong winds have already begun in Visakhapatnam and Kakinada.

--- PTI

What is the TN rain status?

According to the latest bulletin by the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), light to moderate rain is likely at isolated places in the Western Ghats and southern Tamil Nadu on October 27, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph at one or two places. The rest of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are likely to experience mainly dry weather.

On October 28, the Western Ghats may receive light to moderate rain, while southern Tamil Nadu is likely to see light showers. Light rain is forecast in the Western Ghats on October 29 and 30, followed by light rain at isolated places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on October 31.

On November 1 and 2, light to moderate rain is likely in north Tamil Nadu, the Western Ghats, Puducherry and Karaikal, while other parts of Tamil Nadu may receive light showers, the RMC added.

Bengal's coastal districts get rain as Cyclone Arnab advances towards Andhra coast

Coastal areas of West Bengal saw moderate rain on Tuesday afternoon as the very severe cyclonic storm Arnab hurtled toward the Andhra Pradesh coast, with landfall expected the next day.

The storm, likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry's Yanam coasts on October 28, will bring moderate rainfall across all districts of South Bengal until October 29, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

It may bring heavy rain in some districts of the state till October 30.

Chhattisgarh on alert for heavy rains due to Cyclone Arnab

The Chhattisgarh government has directed all district collectors to stay on alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall due to Cyclone Arnab, ordering round-the-clock relief camps, uninterrupted medical services and heightened vigilance, with zero casualties as the goal, officials said on Tuesday.

Cyclone Arnab to trigger heavy rains in parts of Jharkhand, govt asks districts to remain alert

Cyclone Arnab, which is expected to make landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday, is set to bring heavy rainfall in parts of Jharkhand for three days, prompting the state government to ask district administrations to maintain vigil, officials said.

A 'yellow' alert (be updated) of heavy rain has been issued for Ranchi, Khunti, Simdega, Gumla, Lohardaga, Saraikela-Kharsawan, East and West Singhbhum for 24 hours starting from 8.30 am on October 28, the India Meteorological Department said.

The rain intensity is likely to increase thereafter, with IMD issuing an 'orange' alert (be prepared) for seven Jharkhand districts - Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Simdega and West Singhbhum - for 24 hours till 8.30 am on October 30, according to a weather bulletin.

Heavy rains lash parts of Odisha as cyclone Arnab hurtles towards east coast

Heavy rains, accompanied by strong winds, lashed parts of Odisha on Tuesday as very severe cyclonic storm Arnab moved towards the east coast, with landfall expected along the Andhra Pradesh shore within the next 24 hours, the IMD said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange warning, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall of 12-20 cm, for six districts -- Puri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri.

The districts under the yellow warning, indicating rainfall of 7-11 cm, are Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Khurda, Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur, Nuapada, Balangir and Boudh.

The storm is likely to move west-northwestwards until the evening of October 27, before turning northwestwards and crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, by the forenoon of October 28.

31 houses collapsed in Tiruchy after rains

As many as 31 houses collapsed across Tiruchy district on Monday as the North East monsoon rains continued unabated.

The rains had lashed the central region for the past few days, after which water entered several residential areas in the region, particularly in Tiruchy district. Sources said that on Monday, a tiled-roofed house belonging to Muthukumar in Pullambadi collapsed. Similarly, the house of Rasu from Manapparai collapsed after the walls were soaked in the continuous rainfall.

READ THE FULL STORY

14 killed in lightning strikes, tourist entry barred to hill stations as rains batter TN

Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister K A Sengottaiyan on Monday said 14 people have died due to lightning strikes since the onset of the Northeast monsoon, even as intensifying rains triggered red alerts and prompted authorities to bar tourist entry to major hill stations.

Detailing the state's monsoon relief efforts, Sengottaiyan said families of the deceased have been provided Rs 4 lakh each as compensation.

He firmly dismissed media reports claiming 35 rain-related fatalities in a single day.

Red alert in Kodaikanal

With the Northeast monsoon intensifying across Tamil Nadu, a red alert has been sounded in Kodaikanal, keeping tourists away and leaving popular spots in the hill station deserted.

The continuous downpour has not only impacted the local hospitality and tourism sectors but has also severely disrupted the daily lives of residents in Dindigul district. In the Moonjikkal-Dobikana (Topikkanal) area of Kodaikanal, over 20 houses were flooded, forcing residents to spend sleepless nights safeguarding their belongings and livestock. - PTI

Cyclone Arnab likely to intensify into severe cyclonic storm by midnight today

Cyclonic Storm Arnab over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by midnight on October 26 and a very severe cyclonic storm on October 27.

It is expected to move northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, by the forenoon of October 28.

At landfall, the storm is likely to bring maximum sustained winds of 115–125 kmph, with gusts reaching 140 kmph.

At 8.30 am on October 26, Cyclonic Storm Arnab was centred over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal.

It was located 580 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha, 610 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 620 km northwest of Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman Islands, 690 km east-southeast of Kakinada, 790 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam and 860 km east-southeast of Bapatla in Andhra Pradesh, according to the IMD.

Cyclone warning: No 1 signal hoisted at 9 ports in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

 Cyclone warning signal no. 1 has been hoisted at nine ports in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as strong winds prevail amid the likelihood of a cyclone forming over the Bay of Bengal, according to officials.

The ports where the warning signal has been hoisted are Chennai, Ennore, Kattupalli, Cuddalore, Thoothukudi, Pamban, Puducherry, Nagapattinam and Karaikal.

Red alert for Theni, Dindigul, Madurai amid heavy rain forecast for TN

A red alert has been issued for Theni, Dindigul and Madurai districts, with the Regional Meteorological Centre forecasting extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places on Sunday as the northeast monsoon remains vigorous over Tamil Nadu.

The three districts could receive more than 20 centimetres of rain at one or two locations, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds.

As deep depression forms, IMD warns of heavy rain in Chennai, across Tamil Nadu from today

A depression over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a deep depression and further develop into a cyclonic storm by the morning of October 26, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday, forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in several parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry over the next two days.

The system, moving west-northwestwards, is expected to intensify as it approaches the west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh coast by October 28.

The IMD has forecast extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Theni, Dindigul and Madurai on Sunday. Heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds of 40-50 kmph is likely in Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchy, Karur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur and Sivaganga, besides Karaikal.

Over 150 school students rescued after landslide blocks Ooty road

Rescue personnel rescued over 150 school students trapped by a landslide on the Mettupalayam-Ooty road by using ropes. Landslides at more than 10 locations along the Udhagamandalam road have completely disrupted traffic.

Bus driver killed, conductor injured as mudslide, uprooted trees hit TNSTC bus in Nilgiris

A bus driver was killed and the conductor seriously injured after a mudslide and uprooted trees fell on a TNSTC bus near Burliar in the Nilgiris district on Saturday, police said.

The incident occurred in the early hours when the bus was travelling from Coonoor to Mettupalayam amid heavy rain.

The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus was driven by Janagaraj, a resident of Kooratty village near Ooty, while Kesavan was the conductor, police said.

The bus had three passengers, who got off at Kurumpadi shortly before it reached Burliar. Only the driver and conductor were on board when the mudslide struck, police said.

READ FULL STORY HERE

Rain forecast till 1 pm in six Tamil Nadu districts

Light to moderate rain accompanied by light thunder and lightning is likely in six Tamil Nadu districts till 1 pm on Saturday, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai.

The six districts likely to receive rain are the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Erode, Krishnagiri and Salem.

Schools closed in Tamil Nadu's Erode district today

Due to heavy rain, all schools in Erode district (government, aided, and private) are closed today (October 24).

Well-marked low-pressure over Bay likely to intensify into depression today

The low-pressure area over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal, reported on Friday, has intensified into a well-marked low-pressure area as of 5.30 am on Saturday, October 24, according to the latest bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The system is likely to intensify into a depression on Saturday and further strengthen into a cyclonic storm by the morning of October 26.

According to the IMD, the well-marked low-pressure area is likely to persist over the same region and intensify into a depression on October 24. It is then expected to move west-northwestwards and strengthen into a deep depression on October 25 before becoming a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 26.

Heavy downpours lash Tamil Nadu, roads flooded; Virudhunagar teen killed in wall collapse

Heavy showers caused waterlogging in low-lying areas across Tamil Nadu, and districts such as Madurai and Virudhunagar received bounteous rain, bringing down temperatures in the region.

A 17-year-old girl died, and her mother was injured after a wall of their rented house collapsed due to heavy rains at Mettamalai near Sattur in Virudhunagar district on Thursday night, police said on Friday. Sattur and its surrounding areas had experienced heavy downpours for over five hours prior to the collapse.

The deceased was identified as Muthuchelvi, a Class 12 student. Her mother, Solaiyammal, who sustained injuries in the incident, was admitted to the Sattur GH.

Meanwhile, the water level in the state's 89 reservoirs stood at 27.9% of their total capacity as on October 22, retaining 62.53 TMC against a capacity of 224.3 TMC. The storage rose by 1.02 TMC in the last 24 hours, but remained 134.4 TMC below the corresponding period last year, sources said.

The IMD said that a low-pressure area formed over East Central and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal at 5.30 am on Friday is most likely to persist over the same region and intensify into a depression on October 24. Thereafter, it is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a deep depression on October 25 and into a cyclonic storm over the Westcentral Bay of Bengal by October 26 morning.

Heavy rain leaves Madurai under water, hundreds of homes flooded; Rs 23 crore drainage projects planned

Heavy rain that lashed Madurai district for more than four to five hours from Thursday evening inundated hundreds of houses, flooded major roads and severely disrupted traffic, leaving residents struggling to access essential services.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, several low-lying areas, including Sellur, Mattuthavani Vegetable Market, Koripalayam, Anna Nagar and Periyar Bus Stand, were submerged in knee-deep water following the downpour. In Sellur, floodwaters entered hundreds of houses along the 50-foot and 60-foot road stretches, causing considerable hardship to residents overnight.

Meanwhile, the Corporation has announced plans to undertake drainage projects worth ₹23 crore to address recurring waterlogging near Madurai Railway Station and along the Masi streets. Officials said the projects would be launched soon to improve rainwater drainage in these flood-prone areas.

What is the current TN weather status?

The low-pressure area that formed over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on Friday morning persisted over the same region, with its associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 5.8 km above mean sea level, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its Friday afternoon bulletin. 

The system is likely to intensify into a depression on October 24, a deep depression on October 25 and a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 26, the IMD added. 

The system is then expected to move west-northwestwards towards the north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts over the following two days. If it develops into a cyclone, it will be named Arnab, as suggested by Bangladesh.

The IMD also reported that the low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Lakshadweep region persists, with a trough extending across Kerala to the north coastal Tamil Nadu coast.

Red alert for extremely heavy rain in Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli today (October 23)

The Regional Meterological Centre (RMC) has issued a red alert for Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places on Friday (October 23). Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Theni districts.

Heavy rain is forecast in Erode, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Tenkasi, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Villuppuram, Tiruppur, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi districts, as well as Puducherry and Karaikal.

Very heavy rain forecast in several districts

The RMC has forecast very heavy rain (11.6–20.4 cm in 24 hours) at isolated places in Kanniyakumari, Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts on Friday (October 23), warranting an orange alert, while a yellow alert has been issued for heavy rain (6.5–11.5 cm) in several other districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Erode and Tiruppur, besides Puducherry and Karaikal.

On Saturday (October 24), very heavy rain is likely in Kanniyakumari, Coimbatore, Nilgiris and the Ghat areas of Tirunelveli district.

On Sunday (October 25), very heavy rain is forecast in Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Pudukkottai, Madurai, Dindigul, Sivaganga and Theni districts. Heavy rain is likely in several other districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Madurai and Tiruppur.

On Monday (October 26), very heavy rain is likely in Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Pudukkottai districts.

Bay Of Bengal low-pressure area may intensify into cyclone by October 26

With widespread rainfall continuing across Tamil Nadu, a new low-pressure area that formed over the Bay of Bengal at 5.30 am on Friday (October 23) is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 26, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The system has formed under the influence of an upper-air cyclonic circulation over the southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. It is likely to intensify into a depression on Saturday (October 24), a deep depression on Sunday (October 25), and a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by Monday (October 26).

The system is expected to move west-northwestwards towards the north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts over the following two days. If it develops into a cyclone, it will be named ‘Arnab’, as suggested by Bangladesh.

Under the influence of this system, further heavy rain is likely across Tamil Nadu. The RMC has forecast very heavy rainfall of 11.6–20.4 cm at isolated places in Kanniyakumari, Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts on Friday.

Meanwhile, another low-pressure area that was over the Comorin region and adjoining parts of south Tamil Nadu and Kerala has moved over the southwest Arabian Sea, off the south Kerala coast, on Friday morning, according to the IMD.

Schools closed in four Tamil Nadu districts today

Schools in Villupuram, Kallakurichi and Vellore districts have been declared closed on Friday (October 23) due to heavy rain. In Tiruvannamalai district, Collector Vandana Garg has declared a holiday for both schools and colleges.

Several parts of Tamil Nadu have been experiencing widespread heavy rain since Thursday night, prompting the respective district administrations to announce the closures.

Several parts of Tamil Nadu continued to receive rain on Thursday (October 22) as the northeast monsoon remained active, swelling waterfalls and boosting reservoir levels across the State. Heavy overnight showers caused waterlogging in parts of Chennai and several southern districts, with Sankarankoil among the worst-affected areas.

Key updates from TN districts on October 22:

-- Kanniyakumari: Schools closed after heavy overnight rain, thunder and lightning. Homes inundated in Kollamcode.

-- Tirunelveli and Tenkasi: Rain holidays already announced for schools.

-- Madurai: Heavy rain has submerged over 140 acres of newly planted paddy fields. Farmers blame undredged irrigation canals for crop damage and are seeking compensation from the State government.

-- Cauvery delta: Farmers said initial showers were sporadic and insufficient to sustain the samba paddy crop.

-- Reservoir storage: Northeast monsoon rains have boosted inflows into drinking water reservoirs and irrigation dams. Chennai’s six key reservoirs have reached 37% of their combined capacity. Vaigai dam stands at 44.88 feet, Mullaperiyar at 116.90 feet, Papanasam at 48 feet and Perunchani at 44.35 feet.

---- PTI

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• Heavy to very heavy rain: Forecast in 17 districts, including Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam, over the next 24 hours.

• Heavy rain: Expected in 10 districts, including Tiruvallur, Villuppuram, Cuddalore and Tiruppur.

• Chennai: Moderate rain likely over the next two days, with heavy downpours possible on October 24 and 25.

READ FULL REPORT

What is the current TN weather status?

An official told PTI that the low-pressure area remained active over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Tamil Nadu coast since October 21 evening. It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and under its influence a low-pressure area is likely to form over Southeast and adjoining East central Bay of Bengal around October 23. Then it is likely to move northwestwards and intensify further.

Meteorologists are also tracking a secondary upper-air cyclonic circulation over the North Andaman Sea. This separate system is forecast to move west-northwestward and likely consolidate into a second low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal around Friday.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over the next 24 hours in districts including Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai.

Low-pressure over Bay to bring heavy rain to Tamil Nadu; Chennai to get moderate showers for 3 days

A low-pressure area has formed over the Southwest Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu coast and it will trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall across the State. Under the influence of an upper-air cyclonic circulation, the system developed on Wednesday and continues to persist over the same region. The associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), heavy to very heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai and the Karaikal area on Thursday.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

Monsoon safety advisory for public, EB staff

The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) has issued a set of safety guidelines for the public and electricity department employees during the northeast monsoon, warning of the risk of electrical leakage, accidents and fatalities caused by heavy rain, strong winds, thunder and lightning.

• Stay away from electric poles, transformers, distribution boxes, power lines and stay wires.

• Avoid walking through stagnant rainwater near electrical installations.

• Inform the EB department about damaged infrastructure.

• Do not touch or remove snapped power lines on roads or in water

• Maintain a safe distance, warn others, particularly children, and alert the department

• Tree branches on power lines should not be cut or removed by the public.

• During thunderstorms and lightning, take shelter in safe buildings and avoid open spaces, isolated trees, electric poles and overhead wires.

• Stay away from open windows and metal grills.

• Avoid using electrical appliances and telephones during lightning.

• Do not operate electrical appliances with wet hands or touch damp switches and water-leaking walls.

• If any electrical leakage, disconnect power supply but only if it’s safe to do so.

• Do not tie cattle to electric poles or wires

• Do not dry clothes on those wires or use them to support banners and temporary structures.

• Install Residual Current Circuit Breakers (RCCBs) through qualified electricians

• Do a periodic check of your home wiring and protective devices

• RCCBs alone cannot guarantee complete protection without proper insulation.

For power outages, snapped wires, electrical leakage and damage to electricity infrastructure, call Minnagam 94987 94987 by phone or WhatsApp

EB staff must obtain the necessary permission before undertaking electrical work, verify that the power supply has been disconnected and follow prescribed safety procedures, including earthing, before carrying out repairs.

• Use appropriate personal protective equipment, including helmets, insulating gloves, safety footwear and safety belts.

• Repair work in waterlogged areas should begin only after a proper safety inspection.

• Field staff must respond promptly to snapped wires, leaning electric poles, damaged transformers and tree branches obstructing power lines.

• Barricades and warning signs must be installed around hazardous locations to prevent public access.

• Priority should be given to restoring power to drinking water supply installations, hospitals, telecommunications facilities and crowded public places.

• Staff must keep poles, wires, transformers, repair equipment, protective gear and vehicles ready for emergencies.

• Avoidhazardous work during heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds.

• Repairs should be undertaken only after ensuring the safety of personnel, with prompt coordination among field teams to address emergency complaints.

Chennai rains: Waterlogging, uprooted trees, battered roads greet denizens after overnight showers

Heavy overnight rainfall on Tuesday damaged the city’s main and interior roads, severely disrupting the morning commute. Waterlogging was reported in several areas, which were drained only by 11 am.

In AGS Colony, 3rd Main Road and the interior streets of Velachery, stagnated water took much longer to recede. Similarly, in Subramania Nagar 2nd Street and adjoining streets in Kodambakkam, trees were uprooted in several places and removed later.

In the morning, Bazullah Road in T Nagar, Taramani-Velachery Road, OMR, Aziz Nagar, Subramaniyan Nagar and School Road in Valluvar Kottam were waterlogged. Trees were also uprooted on Police Quarters Road in T Nagar and on 11th Street, TNHB Colony, Korattur, and later it was cleared.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

Potholes plague Tambaram-Velachery road

The Tambaram-Velachery Road has been riddled with potholes for several months due to delays in pipeline-laying work for a seawater desalination project. Recent northeast monsoon rains have filled the potholes and excavated trenches with water, making them difficult to spot and disrupting traffic. The stretch, which connects Tambaram and Guindy and passes through several residential areas, educational institutions and commercial hubs, has also witnessed frequent accidents.

Last night, a private hospital ambulance lost control after hitting a water-filled pothole, struck a median and overturned. The driver and a nurse sustained injuries and were taken to Tambaram District Government Hospital in a 108 ambulance. No patient was inside the vehicle at the time. Residents have urged authorities to speed up the pipeline work and restore the damaged road. The Highways Department said repairs could begin only after the pipeline work is completed and the road is handed back to it.

Chennai streets inundated after overnight heavy rain spell

Parts of Chennai were flooded, and streets were inundated after a night of heavy rain. The city recorded an overall average rainfall of 70.25 mm over the 24 hours ending at 6 am on October 21.

Chennai Corporation to spend Rs 21.80 crore on pothole repairs

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is carrying out pothole repair work across all 15 zones at an estimated cost of Rs 21.80 crore as a precautionary measure ahead of the Northeast monsoon.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, Rs 9.25 crore has been allocated for repairs on bus routes and Rs 12.55 crore for internal roads. The work involves filling potholes using concrete and tar mixtures, in line with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's instructions.

So far, 4,691 potholes have been filled and repaired across Zones 1 to 15. The Corporation said the repair work is still under way.

Heavy rain continues in Chennai as rain clouds move towards city, says Tamil Nadu Weatherman

Pradeep John who runs the Tamil Nadu Weatherman handle has warned that rainfall is likely to increase across Chennai as rain clouds move towards the city.

In a post on his X account, Pradeep John said several locations in the Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram (KTCC) region had recorded more than 100 mm of rainfall, putting the region at the top of Tamil Nadu's rainfall chart.

He said more rain clouds were moving towards Chennai and several places in the city could cross the 100-mm mark before 8.30 am. By the time rainfall readings are reset at 8.30 am, some locations could record between 100 mm and 150 mm of rain, he added.

Rainfall likely to increase

The rain clouds moving towards Chennai are expected to increase rainfall across the city. The weather system is bringing rain at a time when many people are returning to Chennai from their hometowns after the holidays.

Puzhal lake storage crosses 5 TMC

Meanwhile, the water storage in Puzhal Lake, one of Chennai's key drinking water reservoirs, has crossed 5 TMC as of October 21, 2026.

Pradeep John said the lake was receiving a good inflow because of its proximity to Chennai. However, more rainfall is needed in the catchment area to sustain the inflow.

He added that light rainfall was expected over the next three days, which could help maintain a steady inflow into the reservoir.

City logs 1,212 rain-related complaints in 24 hours, GCC deploys extra pumps

Up to 5 am on October 21, a total of 1,212 complaints were registered. The majority pertained to waterlogging and inundation, alongside over 50 grievances concerning tree falls and non-functional streetlights, commissioner said.  Most waterlogging and tree-falling complaints have already been cleared. Streetlight repairs have been mandated for resolution within 24 hours. Complaints are strictly closed in the system only after field engineers upload before-and-after photographs.

The majority of complaints originated from the Core City region attributed to higher population density and awareness of the 1913 helpline alongside inputs from North Chennai zones like Manali and Madhavaram.

Complaints continue to be tracked across multiple channels, including the 1913 helpline, social media, the online web portal, the PGR mobile app, and media reports, he added.

RMC issues rain alert till 10 am

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) issued an alert valid until 10 am forecasting light to moderate rain with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places across Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipettai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagappattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari districts, as well as Karaikal and Puducherry

Overnight heavy rain spell in Chennai

Very heavy rainfall, recorded in three areas, led by Vadapalani with 132.9 mm, Saidapet with 125.2 mm, and Alandur with 119.4 mm. Heavy to moderate spells at Maduravoyal recorded 112.5 mm, Madipakkam saw 114.6 mm, Valasaravakkam logged 109.6 mm, Nungambakkam recorded 106.8 mm, Adyar registered 104.1 mm, and Korattur hit 96 mm.

TN rain forecast: Here are the details

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), widespread rainfall is likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal today (October 21) and tomorrow (October 22), followed by isolated to scattered rainfall between October 23 and October 26.

Heavy to very heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching 40 to 50 kmph is likely to occur at isolated places over Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari districts on Wednesday. Heavy to very heavy rainfall will continue in Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, and Ramanathapuram districts on Thursday.

Under similar wind conditions, heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning is expected at one or two places over the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur, Namakkal, Karur, Theni, Dindigul, Tenkasi, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Sivagangai, and Ramanathapuram, as well as the Karaikal area.

In Chennai, the maximum temperature is expected to hover around 30 degrees Celsius, with the minimum temperature dipping to 25 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

Holidays declared in schools in 5 Tamil Nadu districts on Wednesday (October 21)

CHENNAI: Schools in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Ranipet districts will remain closed on Wednesday (October 21) following heavy overnight rain, with district collectors announcing a holiday.

Heavy rain lashed several parts of Chennai, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur districts through the night, while the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast further rainfall.

Meanwhile, the upper-air cyclonic circulation over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Tamil Nadu coast persists, with a low-pressure area likely to form over the same region within the next 12 hours, according to the Indian Meteorological Department's bulletin on Tuesday night.

Another upper-air cyclonic circulation over the Gulf of Thailand and adjoining areas of Thailand and Myanmar is likely to move into the north Andaman Sea by today morning. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal around October 23 and intensify over the following three days.

Due to the twin weather systems, heavy to very heavy rain is likely to continue across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal until October 26, the RMC has forecast. Thunderstorms and lightning, accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph, are likely at one or two places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal until October 26.

The recruitment comes amid a significant manpower gap across the state's four power utilities, TNPDCL, Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Ltd (TANTRANSCO), Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation Ltd (TNPGCL) and Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Ltd (TNGECL). Against a combined sanctioned strength of 1,40,635 posts, 65,921 posts remain vacant. TNPDCL accounts for the bulk of the vacancies, with 53,575 posts lying vacant against its sanctioned strength of 1,10,960. TANTRANSCO has 7,851 vacant posts, TNPGCL (3,075) and TNGECL (1,420).

The Energy Department issued a government order on October 28, permitting TNPDCL to fill 5,000 field assistant posts in 2027 and the remaining 3,000 in 2028 through direct recruitment conducted by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).

The recruitment is expected to entail an annual financial commitment of about Rs 341.26 crore, according to the order. The estimated expenditure is Rs 213.28 crore for the 5,000 appointments in 2027 and Rs 127.97 crore for the 3,000 appointments in 2028.

The government has fixed the basic pay for field assistants at Rs 18,800, with a pay scale of Rs 18,800 to Rs 59,900. The estimated monthly expenditure per employee, including allowances and the employer's contribution to the Contributory Pension Scheme, is Rs 35,548.

Separately, TNPDCL has decided to standardise the monthly contract remuneration paid to retired officials appointed to various positions, citing a shortage of personnel in certain offices. The utility issued proceedings on October 27, approving fixed monthly payments based on the category of post held by the retired officials.

Under the revised arrangement, retired officials appointed to posts such as assistant audit officer, assistant engineer, junior engineer Grade-I, private secretary, section officer and superintendent will receive Rs 40,000 a month.

Those appointed as assessment officers, assistant accounts officers, assistant administrative officers, assistant personnel officers and other officials in the corresponding category will receive Rs 45,000 a month. The remuneration is fixed at Rs 50,000 for assistant executive engineers, medical officers and senior chemists, and Rs 60,000 for accounts officers, administrative officers, chief stores officers and internal audit officers.

The monthly payment rises to Rs 75,000 for posts including executive engineer, deputy chief chemist, deputy financial controller and under-secretary. Retired officials appointed as chief medical officers, deputy secretaries, financial controllers, senior personnel officers and superintending engineers will receive Rs 1 lakh a month.

For senior-most positions, including chief engineers, chief financial controllers and chief internal audit officers, the standardised monthly contract remuneration has been fixed at Rs 1.25 lakh.

The order said retired personnel from different categories were already being engaged on a contract basis as officers on special duty, consultants and special officers to perform specific assignments. The revised pay structure is intended to bring uniformity to their remuneration across offices.

The searches come days after the Madras High Court cleared the decks for the anti-corruption agency to investigate an alleged Rs 634 crore cash-for-jobs scam linked to the former minister.

The court's order paved the way for the DVAC to proceed with its investigation into allegations of irregularities in recruitment to government posts. The case centres on allegations that money was collected from candidates in return for jobs during the previous DMK government's tenure in municipal administration and water supply department which was headed by Nehru as minister.

The searches across multiple locations are part of the agency's investigation into the alleged scam. Officials are expected to examine documents and other materials that could help establish the alleged financial transactions and identify those involved.

Further details about the searches, including the specific premises covered and the materials seized, were not immediately available.

Reacting strongly to the raids, DMK president MK Stalin termed the action as "Vettri Vendetta Politics" orchestrated by the TVK government.

In a lengthy post on X, Stalin accused Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of staging a "raidshow" to divert public and media attention from the state's deteriorating law and order, which he claimed has left women, children, and the elderly unsafe.

Stalin dubbed the ruling party the "TN Branch Washing Machine" that absorbs corrupt individuals while exclusively targeting former DMK ministers.

He alleged the searches were conducted to generate "reels videos" for the upcoming Tiruchy East by-election and to give the Chief Minister a platform to deliver "punch dialogues" on stage.

"Even the toenail of a grassroots DMK cadre will not fear these raids," Stalin said.

Hitting out at the TVK regime for its "rusted administration" and severe price rises, the DMK chief said the entire country was laughing at the state government.

(With inputs from PTI)

In fact, such was the response that even Raju himself mocked the minister, suggesting that he deserved a Nobel Prize for the finding.

Minister Rajeev made the remarks on Tuesday after inspecting a river affected by foaming. Responding to this comment, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said even children knew that river foaming, particularly in the Noyyal, was caused by textile dyeing effluents discharged into water bodies.

AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran accused the government of shifting responsibility onto ordinary citizens. He said attributing severe river pollution to household soap use was absurd and reflected an alarming lack of accountability on the part of the Environment Department.

Joining them was Raju, who was the butt of all jokes for his experiment using thermocol to cover a lake to reduce evaporation. Mocking Rajeev’s explanation, Raju compared it to the controversy over his own remarks.

After he was ridiculed on social media, Rajeev cited scientific studies and pollution control board inspections to defend his position.

Citing a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) study of the Yamuna conducted in 2020, Rajeev said sewage containing surfactants, detergents and phosphorus was a major cause of foaming. He also cited foaming at the Kelavarapalli dam in Krishnagiri, attributing it to sewage flowing from Bengaluru.

He also said a Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board inspection of a foaming incident in Vaniyambadi on October 22 found surfactants to be the cause, with no evidence of other industrial pollutants.

The minister also referred to complaints about dyeing units discharging effluents into agricultural fields in Salem, saying officials had intervened. He accused the previous governments of allowing industrial effluents to be discharged in return for money and said the present government was acting swiftly against pollution.

Rajeev said the government was exploring technical solutions, including bacterial and algal cultures, to improve water quality at the Kelavarapalli dam. He added that officials had been instructed to act promptly on pollution complaints and prevent industrial and hazardous waste from harming the public.

The directive seeks to close gaps that could allow properties be sold or transferred even after a court has declared their owners insolvent, potentially jeopardising creditors' efforts to recover the assets.

IG of Registration GK Arun Sundar Thayalan said in a circular that the move followed concerns raised by the Official Assignee of the Madras High Court that delays in updating registration records could facilitate unauthorised transfers and cause avoidable hardship.

Under the Presidency Towns Insolvency Act, 1909, the property of a person adjudged insolvent vests in the Official Assignee. Failure to reflect the court's decision in registration records could complicate recovery of those assets.

The department has reiterated instructions issued in April 2018, directing sub-registrars to record the adjudication in their memo volumes, assign an "L" number and index it under the relevant provisions of the Registration Act, 1908. The details must be entered in the EC immediately upon receipt of the relevant communication.

The EC must also be sent free of cost to the Official Assignee or Official Receiver, as applicable, within three days of the entry.

The circular directs officials to strictly enforce Section 22-B of the Registration Act, which provides for refusal of registration in specified cases involving properties prohibited from registration by law or attached by a competent authority. It states that insolvency adjudication falls within the grounds for refusal under this provision.

District registrar P Suresh Babu has been designated as the nodal officer to monitor compliance at the headquarters level. District registrars have also been instructed to ensure that sub-registrars under their jurisdiction follow the directions.

As part of the heightened security measures, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel conducted a parade on the prison premises on Wednesday, wearing protective gear and helmets and carrying lathis to demonstrate their preparedness to handle possible unrest.

Established in 1872, the Coimbatore Central Prison currently houses around 2,300 prisoners, including convicts and remand prisoners. “Prisoners have been instructed to complete their daily work and return to their cells by 5.30 pm, against the earlier deadline of 6 pm. Prison staff have also been directed to carry walkie-talkies and lathis while on duty,” noted an official.

Around 300 personnel, including prison guards and police personnel, are involved in security and surveillance at the sprawling prison. Mobile phone jammers and CCTV cameras have already been installed to prevent unauthorised communication and monitor activities inside the facility.

Security has also been strengthened at the prisoners' ward at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), where inmates requiring medical attention are admitted for treatment. Besides police personnel guarding prisoners undergoing treatment, a sub-inspector and armed police personnel have been deployed at the entrance to prevent escapes.

The additional measures also follow an incident a few months ago in which an inter-state fraud accused, wanted in more than 40 cheating cases across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, escaped from the hospital ward while undergoing treatment. He was subsequently traced and apprehended.

A government order dated October 7, issued by the Home (Transport-IV) department, raised the ceiling for lower-end LMVs like Mahindra Bolero and Tata Spacio by per cent and higher-end cars like Toyota Innova and Honda City by 200 per cent. The ceiling for heavy vehicles, including those manufactured by Leyland, Mercedes-Benz, Swaraj Mazda and Eicher, has been doubled.

A committee constituted under a GO dated November 15, 2024, made the recommendations for revision to rationalise policies on departmental vehicles. The committee, which met on June 25, 2025, recommended raising the limits, citing the increase in vehicle prices, spare parts costs and servicing charges over the preceding two decades. The Director of the Motor Vehicle Maintenance Department had also sought a revision in a letter dated August 18, 2025.

Under Rule 15 (2) of the Tamil Nadu Departmental Vehicles Control Rules, 1976, the officer in charge of a government vehicle is authorised to incur expenditure on repairs and spare parts replacement within limits prescribed by the government.

The revised ceilings are intended to facilitate the efficient and safe maintenance of departmental vehicles in line with prevailing market costs. The recent GO also stipulates that the limits represent maximum permissible expenditure and do not entitle departments to spend the entire amount.

Departments have been directed to exercise economy and avoid unnecessary replacements.

Implemented in Vallipuram village panchayat in Chengalpattu under the institute's AquaMAP Centre's Clean and Healthy Village Development Programme, the project was handed over to the panchayat on Wednesday. It received funding from the Lien Foundation, Singapore, through Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

Vallipuram has around 2,000 residents across four hamlets and six wards. The intervention directly benefited over 350 people through facilities at two government schools and a primary health centre (PHC), which also serves residents of 14 neighbouring villages.

Three decentralised drinking water treatment facilities were established at the Government Primary School, Government High School and PHC. The schools use ultrafiltration and ultraviolet treatment, while the PHC has reverse osmosis and UV systems.

Internet of Things-enabled sensors installed on five water tanks and the treatment systems monitor water flow, pH, turbidity and total dissolved solids, allowing remote monitoring through an application. Laboratory testing and sensor calibration support the system.

The initiative also introduced a battery-powered waste collection vehicle and a facility to recover recyclable waste and compost organic material. Awareness campaigns promoted household segregation, reduced plastic use and discouraged waste burning.

The impact assessment found that 83.33 per cent of surveyed residents reported not burning non-biodegradable plastic. In a school-led initiative, students collected 300 kg of non-biodegradable waste in two days.

All surveyed students and PHC visitors reported using the treated water.
"The difference before and after their intervention is remarkable," said Vallipuram panchayat president Sobiya Amul Parthasarathy, crediting the project with improving drinking water access and waste management.
AquaMAP coordinators Professors Ligy Philip and BS Murty said the initiative could be replicated elsewhere. Following the handover, the panchayat will be responsible for maintaining the facilities, monitoring water quality and sustaining community participation.

Talking to reporters after inaugurating the 18th edition of the India Game Developers Conference (IGDC) 2026 here on Wednesday, he said the proposed restrictions would help students distinguish between appropriate and harmful digital content.

"We are planning to introduce restricted Wi-Fi for students, specifying what they should and should not access, including which games they can and cannot play," Kumar said.

The government is also planning to introduce gaming-related curricula in schools and higher education institutions to align education with industry requirements and expand employment opportunities, he said. The Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) would serve as the nodal agency for developing the gaming ecosystem, the minister said, adding that Tamil Nadu's IT policy needed revision.

Acknowledging that artificial intelligence was displacing jobs, he said emerging technologies could also generate significant employment in the coming years.

"AI is causing job losses. That is a reality. But it can also create many jobs. Gaming and related technologies, including animation, visual effects and extended reality (AVGC-XR), will play a major role in employment generation. We want to ensure that young people get jobs through multiple avenues, including curricular changes," he said.

The GDAI GameDev Outlook 2026 survey, which covered more than 100 industry respondents and 13 academic respondents, highlighted the need to bridge the gaming sector's skills gap. While 67.3% of industry respondents expressed willingness to support curriculum advisory boards, 56.7% rated fresh talent as poorly prepared or not ready for industry requirements. Further, 54.8% of surveyed studios plan to expand their teams over the next two years.

Organised by the Game Developer Association of India (GDAI), IGDC runs from October 28 to October 31, bringing together developers, studios, publishers and investors to explore business opportunities, international partnerships and talent development.

The police identified the businesswoman as Shanmugapriya. Sources said that she runs a textile showroom. The police said that they seized electronic devices from them. The police said further investigation in the case is under way to trace the money trail and the role of other associates.

Former School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh was arrested on Monday hours after the Madras High Court denied anticipatory bail to him. He was later remanded in judicial custody.

Anbil Mahesh was booked by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) on corruption charges on September 18 in continuation of the CCB's probe into the alleged fraud perpetrated by Mahesh's associates.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Elangovan, Secretary of the Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu, with the city police. He alleged that a network had collected money from private school managements after promising to secure government approvals, including permanent recognition, upgradation, DTCP clearance and other clearances.

Based on the complaint, the CCB registered a case and arrested the prime accused, BT Arasakumar (59) of Saligramam on June 27. Two other accused -- Suresh and Raja -- were arrested later.

Over 250 people, including several government officials from the School Education Department, were questioned, and relevant government documents have been seized, the police said.

The inquiry revealed that several crores of rupees were allegedly collected from 177 private schools on false assurances. Bank accounts linked to the accused, their family members and associates have been identified and frozen. Twenty accounts linked to Arasakumar and his family and 29 accounts linked to another suspect Muthukumar are under financial scrutiny.

On October 1, 26 fishermen, including Nixon, Jackson, Amalraj, Rajesh, Sham and Salton, ventured into deep-sea fishing in three mechanised boats belonging to Sudharsan, Shankar and Susai Bakyam, residents of Tharuvaikulam.

On October 12, the Maldives Coast Guard intercepted the boats in Maldivian maritime waters, alleging that they had entered the country's maritime zone without permission and were engaged in unauthorised fishing and took them to a Maldivian port. According to the penalty notices, the vessels were handed over to the Maldives police on October 14.

The penalty notices issued by the Maldives Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources on October 27 names owners of two vessels, Advin and Aaron. Each was fined 2.6 million Maldivian rufiyaa, equivalent to approximately Rs 1.6 crore, and directed to pay the amount within 30 days of receiving the notice. The third boat owner might also receive the same notice.

The ministry cited three violations: entering Maldivian maritime zones without prior permission, fishing without the required licence and engaging in a prohibited form of fishing.

The notice further stated that during administrative hearings, the masters of the vessels told the Maldives authorities that the boats had entered Maldivian waters unintentionally because of bad weather while fishing in the Indian exclusive economic zone. However, the ministry claimed in the notice that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate their claims, citing the absence of fishing logbooks and GPS-recorded fishing positions.

The notices further state that the boats will remain detained until the fines are paid. If the amounts are not settled within 30 days, the ministry may approach a Maldivian court to recover the penalties and seek forfeiture of the vessels and their fishing equipment.

Representatives of fishermen's associations and residents of Tharuvaikulam have urged the State and Union governments to intervene and secure the release of the fishermen and their boats.

The government issued an order on Tuesday, fixing the minimum fare at Rs 50 for the first 1.8 km and Rs 25 for every additional kilometre. The CITU and other unions had sought Rs 60 for the first 1.5 km and Rs 30 for each subsequent kilometre.

The Commissioner of Transport and Road Safety said auto-rickshaw owners and drivers must recalibrate their fare meters within six months to reflect the revised rates. Until then, they must download the revised fare chart from the Transport department's website and display it in their vehicles. Passengers can scan the QR code on the chart to verify its authenticity and report overcharging through the department's helpline, 1800 425 5430.

S Balasubramanian, working president of the CITU Tamil Nadu Auto Workers Federation and coordinator of the Federation of Auto Rickshaw Drivers Unions, said the government should have consulted unions before finalising the fares. He said consumer organisations had also supported the unions' demand for higher rates and pointed out that ride-hailing platforms such as Ola and Uber charged a minimum fare of around Rs 70.

The federation thanked Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, the Transport Minister and the Transport and Road Safety Commissioner for revising fares that had remained unchanged for 14 years.

Passengers seek stricter enforcement

S Chandramohan of Kolathur said the revised fare was a steep increase, particularly when auto drivers were already charging Rs 100 to Rs 150 for rides covering two to three kilometres.

"Enforcement should be stricter, and drivers should not charge more than the notified fares," he said.

T Sadagopan, president, Tamil Nadu Progressive Consumer Centre, said the revised fares were significantly higher than those in neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka and urged the government to ensure that drivers did not collect more than the prescribed rates.

"The State government should launch an app for booking autorickshaws to enforce fares and take action against drivers who fleece passengers. It would also improve passenger safety," he said. He added that the government should encourage auto drivers to switch to cleaner fuels such as CNG and electricity.

Unions press for further relief

The federation said Chennai had more than one lakh autorickshaws but only around 40 mechanics capable of repairing fare meters. It sought sufficient time to recalibrate the meters and free GPS-enabled meters for drivers.

Other demands include a tripartite committee to periodically revise fares in line with inflation, a state-run booking app to compete with private platforms, and a ban or regulation of bike taxis.

The unions also sought exemption from online traffic fines, opposed implementing the new Motor Vehicles Act in Tamil Nadu, and demanded subsidised petrol, diesel, LPG, CNG and electricity for electric autos.

In his petition challenging the cancellation of his OCI registration by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer-cum-Civil Authority, John Daniel submitted that he was granted OCI registration in February 2015 and visited India for personal and family-related purposes, including to care for his 92-year-old mother.

He denied violating any law governing OCI cardholders or engaging in missionary activities or religious conversions. He also argued that the authorities had not identified the dates of the alleged conversion activities or the persons who were allegedly compelled to convert. Also, he was not given an opportunity to be heard before cancelling the registration, he said.

The Centre produced posters showing him delivering speeches at religious meetings in Andhra Pradesh and other documents relating to his missionary activities to claim that Daniel was a missionary attached to the Laymen's Evangelical Fellowship.

After perusing the documents and hearing arguments from both sides, Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy observed that Daniel was a professional missionary who spread the word of 'God' in relation to his religion. There were substantial materials showing that he had consistently addressed congregations and meetings at various places in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, with advertisements inviting the public to attend.

These materials could not be considered fabricated, said the judge, adding that Daniel's claim that he had never engaged in missionary activities in India and had visited only to meet his mother, family and friends was, on the face of it, a lie.

The court noted that, in his reply to the show-cause notice and before the court, he had broadly denied the allegations rather than disputing any specific incident or activity. Instead, he only maintained that he visited India only to meet his mother and relatives.

Justice Chakravarthy also pointed out that Section 7-D of the Citizenship Act, 1955, empowers the government to cancel OCI registration if the cardholder violates any provision of the Act or any other law specified by the central government. It also noted that the central government registers OCI cardholders subject to conditions and grants them rights under Section 7-B of the Act.

The court rejected Daniel's plea for a further opportunity to present his case in detail and dismissed the writ petition. However, it clarified that he was free to apply for a regular visa to visit his mother, but could conduct meetings and religious activities in India only after obtaining the requisite official permission.

Developed by AllReal, RescueSim XR combines a high-fidelity training manikin with mixed-reality simulations to help users practise CPR in simulated emergencies. Its six-minute rescue mission requires participants to assess a collapsed patient and perform the procedure, while the system provides feedback on their technique.

“It’s a high-fidelity CPR training manikin manufactured in Tamil Nadu. The main concept is that we have to revive the patient. There is a six-minute mission in this game, within which the player has to perform,” said R Niveditha, chief experience officer and co-founder of AllReal.

The product was showcased at the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) stall at the India Game Developer Conference 2026, held at the Chennai Trade Centre on Wednesday. Unlike conventional training manikins that may offer limited real-time feedback, RescueSim XR uses sensors to measure chest-compression depth and rate, helping trainees identify and correct errors as they practise.

The integration of a physical manikin with virtual environments is intended to take CPR instruction beyond demonstrations and passive learning to hands-on practice with measurable outcomes. The platform offers guided coaching and assessment modes, allowing trainees to improve their technique while enabling instructors to evaluate individual performance. Simulated settings, including metro stations, parks and gyms, are designed to familiarise users with emergencies that can occur in everyday public spaces.

The system addresses a persistent challenge in CPR education: attending a training session does not necessarily mean a person can perform the procedure correctly under pressure. Niveditha said, “Training sessions in nursing colleges and corporate workplaces often involve large groups, leaving instructors with limited opportunities to assess every participant individually. A gamified system with real-time feedback can help trainees practise more effectively and identify shortcomings before facing an actual emergency.”

Designed primarily for medical and nursing students, emergency medical technicians and healthcare professionals, the system can also be used for corporate training and community-based emergency preparedness programmes. A biomedical engineering graduate of Dr NGP Institute of Technology, Niveditha completed a foundational course in virtual and augmented reality at IIT Madras. “CPR awareness should extend beyond healthcare facilities, as medical emergencies can occur anywhere. Anything can happen to anyone. If we can perform CPR at that moment and save a life, that is really helpful,” she told DT Next.

AllReal’s four-member team comprises Niveditha, TU Vishnu, RM Eswar and Sriram Sankaran. The company, which has experience in medical simulation, launched RescueSim XR about four months ago and has begun selling the product in India and Qatar, according to Niveditha.

“The manikin, bundled with software, costs around Rs 30,000 and is offered as a one-time purchase with lifetime access,” she said. “The company sees the integration of a physical manikin with extended-reality training as a key distinction from conventional, lower-cost training models.”

While the technology cannot replace emergency medical care or regular hands-on instruction, it seeks to make CPR training more interactive, measurable and repeatable. Its ultimate value will depend on whether trainees retain their skills and can apply them effectively when confronted with a real-life emergency.

In his complaint, A Kalaiyarasan, an associate professor of Economics at the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS), stated that three plainclothes policemen knocked the doors of his residence in Adyar around 5 am. "When I opened the door, they asked my name. As soon as I confirmed it, they snatched my mobile phone, stating that they had come to take me to the Sankar Nagar police station for an inquiry regarding a social media post. They did not furnish any documents. They alleged that I had posted an abusive comment against Pallavaram TVK MLA J Kamatchi from an Instagram account," Kalaiyarasan stated in his complaint.

Kalaiyarasan was taken in a cab and was not even allowed to inform his family members and was permitted to use his mobile phone only after repeated requests. When they reached Pallavaram, they parked the vehicle for 45 minutes and after several back and forth calls, the policemen told him that they had received orders to drop him back home.

Kalaiyarasan said he was shown a screenshot of an abusive comment posted from an Instagram account that carried his photograph as the profile picture. "The culprit appears to have taken my photograph from the website of Harvard University where I was a research affiliate. After reaching my apartment, they asked me to state in writing that I had no connection with the Instagram account," he said. His phone was returned after he wrote the letter and he was dropped back home at 7.45 am.

"It is frightening to think that the police can knock on someone's door during early hours and take them away for no fault of their own. I request you to take appropriate action against those responsible for this unlawful detention, creation of a fake ID in my name, and maligning my name in public sphere," he said in the complaint.

In a statement, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said Kalaiyarasan, a well-known professor at MIDS, was taken away from his house without any apparent reason.

“Midnight arrests and early morning arrests raise doubts about whether a police state is being established. If there was a complaint, the police could have registered a case, issued a summons and conducted an inquiry through due process,” he said.

Shanmugam strongly condemned the manner in which the professor was allegedly taken away, describing it as unacceptable.

Social Welfare Minister K Jegadeshwari had announced in the state assembly in August that persons with 40% or more disability holding a Unique Disability ID (UDID) card would be allowed free travel in Express, LSS and Deluxe buses operating in urban and city areas. The facility would also cover Mofussil Ordinary and Ghat Ordinary buses on hill routes beyond 40 km. Those unable to travel independently would be allowed to take one attendant.

The revised GO, issued by the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons Department on October 27, set out the eligibility conditions and arrangements for extending the benefit across government transport corporation services.

The order covers ordinary, express, LSS, deluxe and mofussil services, besides Ghat Ordinary buses operating on hill routes. It also distinguishes between served and unserved areas, prescribing travel limits of 35 km and 40 km, respectively, under the relevant provisions.

The government has directed transport authorities to implement the revised arrangements in accordance with the prescribed conditions.

In a statement, he urged party functionaries, including district secretaries and office bearers of towns, municipal and constituency-level functionaries and booth-level agents, to work together and ensure that all eligible voters remain on the electoral rolls.

He instructed the party functionaries to verify the names of young voters who have turned 18 and are eligible to vote, as well as identify the voters who have shifted their residences and names that have been included in the electoral rolls at more than one place.

He also asked the functionaries to identify deceased voters whose names continue to appear on the rolls and help correct discrepancies in the electoral list.

EPS urged the cadres to collect the necessary documents from eligible voters and submit the required forms to the concerned election officials to complete the process.

He directed the party functionaries to coordinate with the officials and rectify the discrepancies during verification and ensure that eligible voters are not left out of the electoral rolls. He further stressed active participation in the exercise for successful completion.

According to the schedule released by the Election Commission, the final electoral rolls are scheduled to be published on January 4, 2027, the AIADMK leader noted.

In an order issued by Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar, SP Karthikaa, Chief Executive Officer of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary to the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department, replacing S Valarmathi.

Valarmathi has been posted as Director of Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils. R Sadheesh, who held the post, has been transferred and posted as Director of Sericulture, Salem.

Monica Rana, Commissioner of the Tirunelveli Corporation, has been posted as Collector of Tenkasi, replacing Ranjeet Singh. C Muthukumar, Collector of Karur, has been transferred and posted as Collector of Tiruppur, replacing Manish S Narnaware.

Meanwhile, officers who were recently inducted into the IAS cadre have been assigned postings in various government departments.

S Prasanna Ramasamy, Deputy Secretary to the Governor (Universities), who was recently inducted into the IAS cadre, has been posted as Collector of Karur. M Indhumathi, Chief Administrative Officer of the Koyambedu Market Management Committee, has been posted as Deputy Secretary to the Transport Department.

M Manimegalai has been posted as Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Watershed Development Agency, while A Meena Priya Dharshini has been assigned to the Tamil Nadu Small Tea Growers’ Industrial Cooperative Tea Factories Federation Limited (INDCOSERVE).

T Sengottaiyan has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Chennai Metro Asset Management Limited, while S Shanthi has been posted as Chief Executive Officer of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority.

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.

The police then alerted checkpoints in the district and recaptured the two near Uthamapalayam in the evening. “We are investigating in various angles whether they have planned this escape to execute a murder or robbery,” said a police source.

The first five inmates recaptured by the police were produced before the Theni Judicial Magistrate on Tuesday evening and remanded in Theni District Jail until November 10. The eight other inmates were produced before the court on Wednesday evening and remanded in judicial custody in Theni District Jail until November 12. The four inmates recaptured on Wednesday are being questioned at the Allinagaram police station and are expected to be remanded on Thursday.

Meanwhile, tightening the security at the jail, the prison authorities have deployed nine prison personnel on deputation, a day after Director General of Prisons Sandeep Rai Rathore, who inspected the prison and suspended nine personnel for dereliction of duty.

A senior prison official said armed guards have been posted at the two watchtowers at the jail’s entrance and the lapses that led to the escape have been addressed. The authorities have also begun shifting the escaped inmates to other prisons across the State, with three moved to Palayamkottai Central Prison so far and the rest expected to follow on Thursday.

According to police, the cyber crime police searched a room in a mansion at Woraiyur in Tiruchy on Tuesday late evening based on information. They found six GSM gateway boxes and two web cameras and seized them.

The police said that each gateway box can operate as many as 360 SIM cards simultaneously and make calls by switching over the locations from time to time. The police refused to give the identity of the culprit they had arrested for safety concerns and for further interrogations.

While speaking to reporters, Deputy Commissioner of Police Manikandan said this latest equipment is banned in India as they are used often in online frauds. Yet, the culprit had operated it and was involved in a series of offences. "These GSM gateway boxes are equipped to prevent showing the live location, and the user can contact several persons at a time and change the location within seconds so that the receiver of the call might not get the proper location of the caller," the official said.

He also said that the interrogations of the accused was under way and the entire process was recorded. The team has been grilling him on whether he has conned the public of money and been involved in a 'digital arrest' offence. The Deputy Commissioner also appealed to the people to contact the toll-free number 1930 if they receive such suspected calls.

DMK leader was arrested on October 26 in connection with a case. In his petition, he alleged that a false case had been deliberately foisted against him due to political vendetta. The police had not produced any evidence to show that he had received bribes or acted to obtain any illegal benefit, he stated.

He contended that he could not be held responsible for the accused collecting money from school managements by misusing his name. He also argued that the action taken against him without the Governor's approval, as required under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, was illegal. He further stated that he had fully cooperated with the police investigation.

Citing his health condition, Anbil Mahesh sought bail, stating that he was suffering from pancreatitis and required continuous medical monitoring.

Meanwhile, the Chennai Central Crime Branch police have filed a petition before the Special Court seeking permission to take Anbil Mahesh into police custody for five days for interrogation.

Both petitions will come up for hearing before the Special Court for cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act on Thursday (October 29).

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.

The Peelamedu police initially arrested two of his classmates under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Akilan was in Class 11 at a government-aided school in Coimbatore. The class teacher and headmaster were suspended.

The CB-CID registered a case and initiated a preliminary inquiry. A team led by SP Sri Devi questioned Akilan's parents at their house regarding the circumstances of his death.

The team also inspected the school and records of the Peelamedu police's probe. The arrested students are likely to be questioned.

Acting on specific intelligence, sleuths from DRI intercepted two passengers arriving from Bangkok via Colombo on October 26 at around 3 pm on suspicion and searched their baggage, in which they concealed exotic live reptiles in as many as 27 food packets.

The further search found that there were as many as 23 corn snakes, 16 ball pythons, five Argentine Black and White Tegus and one Snow White Iguana. Subsequently, the reptiles were seized, and the duo was arrested by AIU under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

According to DRI, this successful interception underscores the agency's commitment to combating wildlife trafficking through intelligence-led enforcement and close coordination with Customs authorities to prevent the illegal movement of wildlife into the country.

Meanwhile, the District Forest Officer S Krithiga said that the formalities are underway to deport the seized wildlife. The forest department would provide a due certificate for deportation after completion of all the formalities, she said.