According to a Maalaimalar report, the explosion occurred at the Chinnathambi Fireworks factory. Fire and Rescue Services personnel reached the spot and began efforts to douse the fire and carry out rescue operations.

The rescue operation was affected by repeated explosions at the unit. Firefighters were unable to enter the affected area due to the continuing blasts.

The deceased was identified as Madasamy.

On September 3, three workers were killed in explosions at firecracker manufacturing units in the district. The latest incident has resulted in the death of another worker.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the deceased was identified as Maharajan, president of Kannanlur Panchayat in Valliyur Union.

Police are searching for the accused, Isakkiyappan (40), a labourer from Thamaraikulam, who allegedly fled the spot after the incident.

Why did the worker argue with the panchayat president?

Isakkiyappan's house had not received water from the overhead reservoir tank in the area for the past few days. He reportedly went to Maharajan's house on Friday evening and complained about the issue.

An argument subsequently broke out between the two. In a fit of anger, Isakkiyappan allegedly picked up a brick kept at the house for construction work and threw it at Maharajan.

Maharajan suffered a severe head injury and collapsed.

The injured Maharajan was taken to the Nanguneri Government Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, Valliyur police rushed to the spot, recovered the body and sent it to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.

According to police, the deceased were students of an engineering college in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, and were travelling from Guruvayur towards Kodungallur along NH-66.

Police have identified six of the deceased. Four of them—Surya, Yuvasanjith, Vishva and Johua—were from Dindigul, while Santhosh and Prasanna were from Madurai.

Police said the identities of two others are yet to be confirmed.

The accident occurred at around 11.40 pm on Friday, police said.

The car, which had a Tamil Nadu registration, collided with a Maharashtra-registered lorry parked on the highway at Panambikkunnu in Kaipamangalam near here.

Six students died on the spot, while two others were declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital, police said.

The youth were pulled out of the car during a rescue operation carried out by residents, fire and rescue personnel and police. Their bodies were taken to the mortuary of Thrissur Medical College, police said.

Kaipamangalam police have registered a case against the lorry driver under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide.

The lorry driver went into hiding soon after the accident, police said.

According to the FIR, the lorry was illegally parked on the right side of the highway, and the car rammed into its rear.

Police said the lorry was parked near a barricaded section where traffic had been diverted as part of ongoing construction work.

The car was travelling at high speed, and the driver apparently failed to notice the diversion barricade before hitting the rear of the lorry, police said.

Police contacted the families of the deceased using the student identity cards recovered from the bodies. Some of the families were unaware that their children had travelled to Keralam, police said.

Postmortem examinations will begin after the families of the deceased reach Thrissur Medical College, police said.

Searches at 19 Chennai locations

The searches began in the morning and were carried out at locations in Chennai, including Mylapore, Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur, Anna Nagar and Abiramapuram. Searches were also conducted at Nehru’s residence and other premises in Thillai Nagar, Tiruchy.

A team of DVAC officials arrived at Nehru’s Thillai Nagar residence in four vehicles. Nehru later reached the residence after learning about the searches. Former minister Anbil Mahesh and other DMK functionaries gathered outside the house, leading to tension in the area.

Stalin alleges political motive

Reacting to the searches, DMK president and former Chief Minister MK Stalin alleged that the action against Nehru was politically motivated.

In a statement posted on X on Saturday, Stalin said the searches were being conducted even as a case was pending before the High Court and the Assembly session was underway.

Stalin alleged that the ruling TVK government had resorted to the action for “purely political reasons”. He also accused the government of having allegedly induced legislators from other parties to resign and join the ruling party on the Assembly premises, and alleged that the DVAC had not registered an FIR on complaints relating to the alleged horse-trading.

Stalin further accused the government of using the searches as a diversionary tactic and described them as a continuation of what he termed the “dark side” of Indian democracy.

“Nehru and the party will not be intimidated by such threats from the new government. We will face everything through legal means and emerge victorious,” Stalin said.

What is the case against KN Nehru about?

The case stems from allegations of irregularities in appointments and tender allocations during Nehru’s tenure as MAWS minister. The Enforcement Directorate had alleged that bribes amounting to several crores were collected in connection with the appointment of 2,538 officials, while also alleging irregularities worth around Rs 1,020 crore in recruitments and tenders.

The Madras High Court, in February, directed the DVAC to register a case based on materials supplied by the ED, observing that they prima facie disclosed cognisable offences.

The DVAC subsequently registered an FIR in June under Section 7(c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, naming Nehru, the DMK's principal secretary, his brothers and several officials.

Nehru currently represents the Tiruchirappalli West Assembly constituency and is the DMK's deputy floor leader in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. He is also a prominent DMK leader in central Tamil Nadu.

(With Bureau inputs)

According to the police, Isakkiyappan's house did not receive water during the supply, and he questioned the water pump operator. When an argument broke out, panchayat president Maharajan (68) intervened. Isakkiyappan allegedly picked up a brick lying nearby for construction and hit Maharajan on the forehead before fleeing on a two-wheeler.

The police said Maharajan's relatives took him to a private hospital at Parappadi. The doctors provided first aid and referred him to Nanguneri Government Hospital. However, he died on the way.

Preliminary inquiry pointed out that the incident followed a dispute over water supply. The police are investigating whether previous enmity was also a factor.

Sudalai (45) of Azad Nagar was involved in buying and selling firecrackers for temple festivals and a woman named Thangam assisted him by storing some of the crackers at her house.

Around 1.40 am on Friday, the crackers stored at her house exploded, injuring Thangam's younger daughter Krithika (7), who was sleeping inside the house.

Thangam and her eldest daughter Balasoundarya (13) managed to escape, but the latter sustained injuries.

The girls were admitted to Tirunelveli GH, where Krithika succumbed to her burns.

The Courtallam police arrested Sudalai and seized firecrackers worth Rs 1 lakh.

The van was travelling towards Courtallam with 13 tourists from Sivakasi, and the car was travelling from Courtallam to Sivakasi.

Late Friday (September 4), the car and the van, coming from opposite directions, collided head-on near Ilathur Vilakku.

Both vehicles caught fire following the impact. The car's driver, Vijay Anand (34), an assistant bank manager, was returning from taking a bath at Courtallam.

Trapped in the fire, Vijay succumbed while the 13 tourists managed to escape.

Three passengers in the van, Nargis Banu (18), Balkis Banu (21) and Haseena Banu (42), suffered serious injuries and were admitted to Tenkasi GH.

The fire affected traffic on the highway and police diverted vehicles to an alternative route.

Addressing the controversy over the omission of the names of the temple's current trustees from the invitation for the consecration ceremony scheduled for September 17, Energy Resources and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar said the missing names were "not a result of a deliberate plan or conspiracy, but rather an administrative oversight".

Speaking to reporters here, the minister dismissed allegations of intentional exclusion and attributed the omission to a lack of consensus among the current committee members.

He reiterated the government's policy of non-interference in temple administration and contrasted it with previous regimes, which he alleged had routinely appointed party functionaries and family members to temple trustee boards.

"It is an insignificant issue being blown out of proportion," the minister said.

Responding to the viral video, officials swiftly intervened in the matter on Friday. In the clip, the woman, identified as Vanitha, pleaded for her life and talked about extreme cruelty, starvation, and unpaid wages she endured at the hands of her overseas employers.

"I am Vanitha, who had sought the Indian Embassy's help to rescue me. Now, I am in the Indian Embassy. Thank you, Indian Embassy. I have good dress and good food now," she said in a follow-up video, supposedly recorded inside the embassy.

The ordeal came to light when Vanitha, a mother of two, recorded her initial SOS message from a cramped room with her head covered. She stated she had traveled to Kuwait three months ago, but was denied her salary for the past two months. With folded hands, she made a direct appeal to the Kallakurichi District Collector and Superintendent of Police to rescue her before her employers could kill her.

Following the widespread sharing of her video online, authorities in Tamil Nadu quickly traced her family. Her mother, Vennila, lodged a formal complaint with the district administration, stating that the employment agent had deceived her daughter regarding the nature and safety of the domestic work abroad.

Kallakurichi Superintendent of Police Shahnaz confirmed that district officials verified the family's identity based on the video.

An FIR has been registered against the agent based on Vennila's complaint, and local police have initiated legal action against him.

Claiming that 1931 was the last time a caste census covering the entire population was conducted in India, Anbumani said a national caste census was now being conducted for the first time in 95 years following decades of advocacy by social justice organisations, including the Pattali Makkal Katchi.

"With house-listing operations completed across the country, population enumeration with caste details commenced on September 1 in Himalayan border states, while states like Tamil Nadu are scheduled to begin the exercise in February," he said.

Anbumani said the PMK was the first party to object to the Centre's decision to leave a blank field for enumerators to manually enter the caste name given by a respondent.

"I wrote to all OBC Members of Parliament regarding this issue, after which the Indian National Congress adopted the same stance," he said.

In a statement, Anbumani said the explanation offered by union government officials for not incorporating the official central and state OBC lists into the census software was weak, unacceptable and failed to justify the decision.

Reports indicate that government officials had considered integrating the central and state Other Backward Classes lists into the census software, allowing respondents to select their respective caste from a pre-defined list.

However, the proposal was allegedly dropped after officials argued that the lists contained "classes" including local inhabitants and traditional mendicants, such as "beggars" or "locally born" groups rather than strictly defined "castes", and that their inclusion could be confusing.

Anbumani said the argument was "completely baseless".

"The fundamental objective of these measures and of the caste census itself is to deliver social justice to those lagging socio-economically," he said, adding that recognising such classes as distinct units for census data collection would not diminish or distort the exercise, but instead help ensure accurate allocation of welfare and reservation benefits.

Conversely, Anbumani said, relying on manual text entry could lead to extreme fragmentation of the data. While India has approximately 4,147 recognised caste groups, he said an open-ended survey method could generate more than 46.7 lakh (4.67 million) variations arising from mismatched entries, alternative spellings and localised names.

"Adopting such a flawed approach to avoid minor technical ambiguities is like burning down the house to get rid of a bedbug," he said, adding that it would "severely harm the cause of social justice".

Demanding that the union government abandon the open-ended text-entry method for recording caste names, Anbumani said the Centre should integrate the Central and State OBC lists into the census software, enabling respondents to select caste names along with their corresponding numeric codes.

When the matter came up before a division bench of Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice K Rajasekar, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden filed a status report.

According to the report, the Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department had notified three elephant corridors on August 27 – Jawalagiri-Thaggatti Elephant Corridor, Jawalagiri-Anchetty Elephant Corridor and Bilikkal-Jawalagiri Elephant Corridor.

Venuprasad, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and chairman of the committee, constituted for the purpose, submitted that the Wildlife Trust of India had originally identified 17 elephant corridors, while a committee constituted by the state government had identified 41 corridors. “A study is under way to determine whether all the identified areas need to be notified as elephant corridors. The study includes detailed assessment and field inspections to ascertain the requirement for notifying the areas as corridors.”

Seeking more time to complete the exercise and submit a comprehensive report, Venuprasad said the assessment was still in progress. The bench granted the State 3 more months to identify the areas requiring notification and adjourned the matter to December 14.

The Election Commission of India (ECI), in an order issued under Sections 77 and 78 of the Representation of the People Act, held that Maulaana had failed to account for expenditure incurred on newspaper advertisements published during his campaign.

Maulaana had declared his total election expenditure at Rs 17,03,548. During scrutiny, however, the Chennai district election authorities found that advertisements published in 10 newspapers had not been included in his account.

The District Election Officer (DEO) had sought an explanation from Maulaana on whether the advertisements published by the Congress were intended to promote his election. Maulaana denied authorising the advertisements and contended that the Congress had independently borne the expenditure.

The DEO and Expenditure Observer, however, found that the advertisements prominently carried Maulaana's name, photograph and the Congress party's hand symbol, besides an appeal to voters to support the "Velachery Congress candidate Aassan Maulaana JMH". The symbols of other parties in the alliance did not figure in the advertisements.

The DEO consequently determined that Rs 32,05,915 spent on the newspaper advertisements had been understated in Maulaana's election expenditure account.

The ECI accepted the finding and held that the expenditure should have been included in the candidate's account. This would have taken his total election expenditure to Rs 49,09,463, well above the prescribed ceiling of Rs 30.80 lakh for an Assembly constituency.

The Commission concluded that Maulaana, who was elected from Velachery in the 2021 Assembly election, had failed to lodge a true and correct account of his election expenses within the time and in the manner prescribed by law.

Accordingly, the ECI disqualified him for three years from being chosen as, or being, a member of either House of Parliament or of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council of a state or Union Territory.

No effect on former MLA benefits

The three-year disqualification will prevent Maulaana from contesting elections but will not affect the benefits available to him as a former MLA, including his pension.

Maulaana was elected Velachery MLA in 2021 and served a full five-year term. Election Department officials said the disqualification imposed by the ECI only bars him from contesting elections for three years and does not affect his eligibility for benefits available to former MLAs.

"He need not return the salary and other perks that he received during his tenure as an MLA," officials said.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, several people across Tamil Nadu are currently applying for new ration cards through district-level e-Sevai centres. However, applicants in some areas were reportedly being asked by local Taluk Supply Officers to attach a gas cylinder connection receipt along with their applications.

The requirement had caused confusion among applicants as a gas cylinder connection can generally be obtained only after securing a ration card. As a result, people applying for a new ration card were finding it difficult to provide a document that they were being asked to submit as part of the application process.

Gas receipt not mandatory for ration card

Following several complaints, Ragini Ravichandran, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Civil Supplies, issued an order clarifying that there is no requirement to mandatorily attach a gas cylinder connection receipt while applying for a new ration card.

The department has stated that a gas cylinder connection receipt is only one of the documents that applicants can submit, if available. It is not a compulsory document for the application. The clarification is expected to provide relief to applicants who were unable to proceed with their applications because they did not have a gas cylinder connection receipt.

Aadhaar cards mandatory for all family members

According to the clarification, applicants must upload the Aadhaar cards of all family members along with the new ration card application.

In addition to the Aadhaar cards, applicants can attach any one of the following documents, if available:

• Property tax receipt

• Rental agreement

• Electricity bill

• Gas cylinder connection receipt

New ration card to be issued in 60 days

The Civil Supplies Department has also stated that a new ration card is generally issued within 60 days after the application is submitted, subject to the necessary verification and processing. The department's clarification comes as applications for new ration cards continue to be submitted through district-level e-Sevai centres across Tamil Nadu.

The ruling, passed by Judicial Magistrate N Moorthy, relates to animals seized during a forest department inquiry into the possession of exotic wildlife at the farmhouse of SK Keshavanathan (53). He had two Lar gibbons, seven cats and two tufted capuchins.

An investigation was launched after a video of actor Vikram with a Lar gibbon surfaced on social media. Following the inquiry and examination of the documents submitted by him, the Forest Department registered a case against Kesavanathan under relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act.

The court has directed Keshavanathan to execute a surety bond agreeing to produce the animals whenever required. He has also been prohibited from selling, gifting, transferring, relocating or otherwise changing ownership of any of the animals. The forest department can inspect the animals periodically at their place of residence. A qualified veterinarian must examine the animals every month and submit a report to the court.

The order provides for further action if the investigation establishes that the animals were obtained unlawfully or that the farmhouse owner was involved in illegal trade. In such circumstances, the forest department may initiate steps to move the animals to the zoological park at Vandalur. Any birth or death among the animals must be reported immediately to the forest department.

With 43,384 boats accounting for nearly 19 per cent of the 2,24,985 boats operating across the country’s coastal states and Union Territories, according to data from the Union Fisheries Ministry, TN stands tall in the fishing industry.

A large fishing population is concentrated in coastal districts such as Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram and Kanniyakumari, which have major fishing harbours and fishing communities. This concentration helps explain why issues faced by Indian fishermen operating in waters close to Sri Lanka affect a large number of families dependent on the sector.

Chennai is also among Tamil Nadu’s important fishing centres. Tamil Nadu’s 1,068 km coastline and historic seafaring capabilities have led to immense growth in the sector, often at odds with neighbouring countries and states over allegations of poaching. If a large section of fishers from Nagai and Ramnad face issues with Lanka, their brethren from Kanniyakumar

face issues with Kerala, while Chennai-based fishers have been accused by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh of poaching in its waters. Incidentally, Andhra is the second-largest state in terms of the number of fishing boats.

Andhra Pradesh ranks second with 30,315 fishing boats. It is followed by Gujarat with 28,073 boats. Fishing forms the backbone of the fisheries sector, which contributes around 6.72 per cent to India’s agricultural GDP. The sector provides livelihoods, directly and indirectly, to more than 2.8 crore fishers.

The police received information that a gang was peddling drugs at Keezhavasal in Thanjavur.

Rushing to the spot, police spotted a history-sheeter D Prakash alias Maadu Prakash (26) from Vannarathurai near Keezhavasal, who had a huge quantity of sedative pills.

Upon inquiry with Prakash, the police team found that his friends H Mohammed Abbas (25) from Keezhavasal, S Subash (24) from Sunnambukara street and M Sanjay Sampath (23) were also involved in selling drugs.

Subsequently, the police team arrested all four and seized 6,000 pills worth Rs 60,000 and a car from them.

Further inquiry found that Mohammed Abbas had a connection with a drug trading firm in Nagpur and was in the habit of making online purchases from the firm.

After purchasing the drugs he used to distribute the pills to the other friends, who sold them in the local markets.

Hitesh Kumar and Imran Basha were arrested on September 3 in the cryptocurrency fraud case and were subsequently remanded to five days’ ED custody by a special PMLA court.

The ED’s Chennai Zonal Office-II had searched 11 premises on September 1 as part of its probe into the Hashpe cryptocurrency fraud case. The investigation was initiated based on an FIR registered by the Puducherry Cyber Crime Police.

According to the ED, Kumar, Basha and Syed Usman alias Babu allegedly floated a fraudulent investment scheme in the guise of a cryptocurrency trading platform and lured investors by promising lucrative returns through a purported token called TCX.

The accused allegedly used promotional events, celebrity endorsements and social media campaigns to attract investors, while artificially inflating the value of the token.

Withdrawals were subsequently blocked, and around Rs 40 crore collected from investors was allegedly diverted through shell entities, associates and relatives, the agency said.

Separately, the ED’s Madurai Sub-Zonal Office searched six premises in Nagapattinam on September 3 in a money-laundering case linked to alleged methamphetamine and ganja trafficking.

The agency said M Alex, a repeat offender, was intercepted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in April 2025 with methamphetamine. The proceeds allegedly generated through drug trafficking were subsequently invested in properties, shrimp farms and vehicles in Nagapattinam, Velankanni and Thaliyamadi, it said.

Digital devices and documents were seized during the searches in both cases, the ED said.

Principal Secretary TN Venkatesh inspected the cooperative spinning mill at Kundagavayal village near Aranthangi in Pudukkottai on Friday as part of the exercise.

Venkatesh said the inspection was being carried out following Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s instruction to distribute free dhotis and sarees through PDS outlets for Pongal. The cooperative spinning mills at Andipatti, Ettayapuram, Aralvaimozhi, Ramanathapuram and Pudukkottai are being inspected to assess their yarn production, he said.

The yarn produced at these mills would be transported to handloom and powerloom centres in Erode, Thiruchengodu, Coimbatore and Srivilliputhur, where dhotis and sarees would be woven before being distributed to the respective districts, Venkatesh said.

He said the state government had allocated Rs 12 crore to renovate six spinning mills across Tamil Nadu, which would facilitate the production of yarn for dhotis, sarees and school uniforms.

The Pudukkottai mill, under the control of the state government, is spread over 23.47 acres and provides employment to people from the district and surrounding areas, he said.

The society, which was started with a capital of Rs 7.50 crore, was renovated at an estimated cost of Rs 34.58 crore and resumed operations with a capital fund of Rs 15.58 crore, Venkatesh said.

The Pudukkottai spinning mill has the capacity to produce 7,000 kg of yarn a day, he added.

TIDCO's outreach offers flexible spaces ranging from 9,000 to 20,000 sq ft, targeting startups, MSMEs, large enterprises, and multinational companies.

The facility has covered parking, 100 per cent power backup, round-the-clock security and a food court.

The move follows the inauguration of the Chennai Aerospace Park Ltd (CAPL) AeroHub by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay at the Vettri Tamil Nadu Investment Conclave last month.

Developed by TIDCO and TIDEL Park, the Rs 250 crore facility has 3.04 lakh sq ft of built-up space across eight floors.

The project is intended to support aerospace and defence activities, including engineering design, avionics manufacturing and repair, advanced prototyping and defence technology development.

TIDCO is now pitching the facility as a platform for companies seeking a foothold in Sriperumbudur. Its campaign describes AeroHub as a place "where businesses take flight."

The business push comes as Tamil Nadu seeks to build a stronger aerospace and defence ecosystem around the industrial corridor.

TIDCO has said two Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme facilities at AeroHub, an electronic warfare testing facility and an electro-optics testing facility, are ready for inauguration.

The division bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and MD Sumathi passed the order on a husband's appeal against the Sivaganga family court that had refused to dissolve his marriage.

The couple got married in September 1992 and have four children. The husband had filed for divorce, alleging adultery by the wife.

Though Section 13(1) (i) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, states that adultery is a ground for seeking divorce, before granting relief, the court must be satisfied that the petitioner is not taking advantage of his or her own wrong.

However, the family court judge had his own interpretation of the provision. The High Court noted that when adultery is pleaded, the paramour must be made a party to the proceedings, and failure to do so by the family court is fatal.

Instead, the family court reasoned that the husband had contributed to his wife's alleged adultery by leaving her behind in Sivaganga to take up a job in Mumbai.

The High Court disagreed with this reasoning. “It may not always be feasible to take the wife along. Suppose the husband is a soldier, it is not possible to set up a marital home in the army barracks. The wife could be gainfully employed. She cannot be expected to conduct herself like the pug in the unforgettable Vodafone ad,” the court observed.

The bench held that long separation, absence of cohabitation, complete breakdown of meaningful bonds and existing bitterness between the parties could be read as cruelty under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and granted divorce to the couple.

“...We are satisfied that there is much bad blood that there is simply no possibility of a reunion,” the court observed.

It also directed the husband to pay Rs 7 lakh as alimony to the wife.

The NIA registered a case in August after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs directed it to take up the investigation, considering the matter to have national security ramifications.

The case has been registered under Sections 13(1)(a) and 13(1)(b) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and Sections 152 and 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The original FIR, registered by Tiruverambur police on February 4, named Thamizharasan alias S Narayanan of Tiruverambur, besides other unidentified persons.

According to the NIA, the case pertains to several Instagram accounts and a Facebook page allegedly disseminating content supporting the LTTE and TNLA. The accused is alleged to have called upon like-minded individuals to work towards a separate sovereign Tamil nation comprising Tamil Nadu and northern Sri Lanka (Eelam).

The investigation also concerns allegations that the social media accounts propagated secessionist ideology aimed at reviving the defunct TNLA and promoted a new organisation called the Tamil Nadu Youth Organisation through posts, images and videos.

Noting that the case involves the alleged indoctrination of youth towards secessionism by invoking the ideology of the LTTE and TNLA, and the implications for the security, sovereignty and integrity of India and the possibility of a larger conspiracy, the Union government directed the NIA to take over the investigation under the NIA Act, 2008.

“Questions related to various departments could be replied to by the concerned ministers. Even during the previous DMK regime, ministers have responded to questions on behalf of the then Chief Minister MK Stalin,” he said.

On the criticisms surrounding the announcement made under Rule 110 in the assembly, Sengottaiyan said it was a practice already in vogue, and successive Chief Ministers had followed it.

Regarding the proposal to construct a new Assembly building, the minister said that governments in the past had also explored establishing dedicated buildings for this purpose.

“An Assembly complex built during the DMK regime has become a hospital, while former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa explored the possibility of shifting the Assembly to the Queen Mary’s College premises,” he said, adding that considering the growing requirements, Tamil Nadu desperately needs a new assembly building.

Replying to a query on the prevailing law and order situation, Sengottaiyan said various measures were being taken to maintain the law and order situation and curb the circulation of narcotic substances.

Meanwhile, Sengottaiyan ducked a question on TVK ministers demanding CM Vijay as PM candidate. "Please do not ask me another question and get me into trouble."

Asked at Chennai airport about TVK leaders, including ministers, seeking Vijay's projection for the top post, the veteran minister said the Chief Minister's priority was to lead Tamil Nadu towards greater progress and make the State a guide for the country across sectors.

"His objective is to ensure that Tamil Nadu advances in all fields and serves as a guide to the country," he said.

Asked about the Congress opposing Vijay's projection and backing Rahul Gandhi for the Prime Minister's post, Sengottaiyan said: "I have clearly stated what the Chief Minister's thoughts are. Please do not ask me another question and get me into trouble."

He then left without taking further questions.

Due to the low storage level in Mettur, the release of water for the Delta irrigation was delayed, resulting in kuruvai failure. However, the Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on September 1 released water from Mettur when it stood at 92 feet. As the inflow was 8,456 cusecs, 7,000 cusecs of water were released, which reached Mayanur barrage in Karur on Thursday.

Sources said that the flow was very low and Mayanur could get only 2,737 cusecs initially, and later it touched 4,081 cusecs. Subsequently, 2,050 cusecs of water were released from Mayanur to Upper Anicut.

On Friday at around 6 am, the water released from Mayanur reached the Upper Anicut. Despite 777 cusecs of water already being available, which was utilised for drinking purposes, the Upper Anicut could receive only 1,500 cusecs out of the 2,050 cusecs released from Mayanur.

Though officials predicted the flow would increase, they released the received 1,500 cusecs into the Cauvery. Officials said that the water released from the upper anicut would reach Grand Anicut (Kallanai) on Saturday and it be released for irrigation on Sunday.

Meanwhile, irrigation experts said that the water release would have to be above 16,000 cusecs for it to be effectively utilised for irrigation. At the present flow, the water could only flow into the main river, leaving the branch rivers and canals used to divert water for irrigation without sufficient water.

While farmers have already been fighting for the release of water into the irrigation canals, the meagre quantum of water could fail to meet their irrigation needs, irrigation experts stressed.

The case concerned an incident on January 20, 2026, when the Judicial Magistrate No V was conducting proceedings in an open court. The advocates allegedly insulted the Magistrate and disrupted the proceedings.

The trial Court had fined them Rs 100 each and ordered one week’s simple imprisonment if they failed to pay the fine.

The advocate filed an appeal. Allowing the appeal, the Additional District and Sessions Judge I, S John Sundarlal Suresh, set aside the conviction and sentence imposed on the four advocates under Section 267 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The court also directed the refund of the fine.

The Sessions Judge examined the CCTV footage of the proceedings and held that there was no evidence to establish that the advocates had intentionally insulted the magistrate or caused interruption to the judicial proceedings. The judge also noted that one advocate had apologised in open court and all four had expressed regret through separate affidavits.

After his meeting with the TVK ministers, the CPM state secretary posted on X that they (the ministers) had said the actions of the Chief Secretary and the Gujiliamparai tehsildar were mistakes by officials, that the matter had not come to the government's attention, and that they expressed regret over the incident. This was against his previous stance of questioning the role of the Chief Minister and demanding action against the Chief Secretary. TVK minister R Nirmalkumar reportedly assured him that such an incident would not be repeated.

The ruling TVK is set to formally expand its political front on September 9 and is also expected to unveil its name as it seeks to bring more parties into its fold. Sources said discussions were also underway on the alliance's leadership and organisational structure. Vijay is being considered for the top leadership role, while Vaiko could be entrusted with a coordinating or organisational responsibility, given his political experience. The final arrangement is expected to be decided after consultations with the alliance partners.

TVK ministers N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, R Nirmalkumar and Rajmohan on Friday met CPI state secretary M Veerapandian, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam and MDMK general secretary Vaiko at their offices and residence, respectively, and invited them to the September 9 meeting on behalf of Chief Minister and TVK president C Joseph Vijay.

The CPI and CPM have yet to decide on formally joining the TVK-led front. TVK leaders, however, hope that both Left parties will come on board at the September 9 meeting. The Left parties had stayed away from the first consultative meeting held at Kovalam on July 1.

"We will meet the VCK and Congress in the coming days and invite them to the meeting. Both are already our allies. The alliance will be expanded in the coming days," a source told DT Next.

The September 9 meeting is also expected to clarify the structure of the front. Several names, including Secular Vettri Alliance, are under consideration, with "Vettri" likely to figure in the final name.

In a statement, Tagore alleged that the Sri Lankan Navy had been repeatedly arresting Tamil Nadu fishermen who venture into the sea for their livelihood and subjecting them to imprisonment and hefty fines.

Questioning the Centre's handling of the issue, Tagore asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to raise Indian fishermen's rights with Sri Lanka.

Tagore also criticised the BJP-led government over its economic policies, alleging that the Centre had provided tax concessions worth several lakh crore rupees to corporate houses while failing to protect the interests of poor fishermen.

He demanded that the Centre immediately bear the Rs 5.76 lakh fine imposed on the fishermen and take responsibility for securing their release.

Tagore further urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka to intervene immediately and take steps to end such arrests.

He also demanded that the Centre initiate measures on a war footing to bring back the arrested fishermen and their boats to India without any conditions.

He said the recurring arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities required a permanent solution and urged the Union government to take immediate diplomatic action to protect their livelihood and ensure their safety.

The school has around 50 students.

On August 31, a teacher, who was carrying out the quality check of food prepared for students, noticed that the sambar was unusually yellow.

She informed the headmistress Kumudha, who then quizzed the cook Ponnamma on the quantity of turmeric used in the sambar.

When the cook insisted she used only the usual required quantity, Kumudha sensed something amiss.

School authorities started making inquiries among students, and a Class 8 girl revealed she had mixed cow-dung powder in a portion of the sambar, as directed by Arumugam, the husband of a former school cook.

According to the police, the school had fired Arumugam’s wife over complaints about the quality of food she prepared.

This angered Arumugam. He gave the girl Rs 10 and instructed her to purchase the powder and mix it in the sambar.

The girl spent Rs 5 on snacks and used the remaining money to purchase the cow-dung powder.

However, she mixed it only into a portion of sambar that was kept aside for teachers to taste as part of the regular quality check.

She left the bulk of the sambar meant to be served for students untouched, the police said.

The Sathyamangalam police registered a case and arrested Arumugam on Thursday night.

He has been remanded in judicial custody.

In the video, the woman – identified as Vanitha from Tamil Nadu – appealed to the authorities in her home state to help her return to India.

Responding to a question on the issue during his regular press briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the embassy has extended her a helping hand.

"As soon as our embassy became aware of this issue, it offered assistance," Jaiswal said.

"She is currently at our embassy. We remain committed to doing our best for the well-being, safety and welfare of Indian nationals abroad," he said.

The woman from Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district alleged torture, starvation and non-payment of wages by her employers.

She said she travelled to Kuwait three months ago through an employment agent.

In the video, in which she is seen with her head covered with a scarf, the woman alleged that she had been denied proper food for more than 50 days and not paid her salary for the past two months.

"They are torturing me... I request the Collector madam and the Superintendent of Police madam to somehow rescue me and help me return to my motherland," she said with folded hands.

Jaiswal also responded to a separate question on certain remarks reportedly made by Birmingham Mayor Zaker Choudhry on the Kashmir issue.

"The whole of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of India," Jaiswal said.

The HC further observed that every day the police maintain CCTV footage for even a minute less than the period directed by the Supreme Court, they would be in breach of the Supreme Court order.

The case concerns the petition filed by Sakthivel alleging corruption and the accused cops' counter-plea to preserve CCTV footage at the Salem and Coimbatore DVAC offices. A resident of Salem district, he lodged a complaint with the Salem DVAC, alleging that he was asked to pay a bribe of Rs 15,000 to permit the smuggling of ration rice. The complaint was against Salem Civil Supplies CID Inspector Ramarajan, Sub-Inspectors Saravanakumar and Ramakrishnan, among others.

Meanwhile, Sub-Inspector Saravanakumar approached the Madras High Court seeking a direction to secure and preserve the CCTV footage from inside the DVAC office in Coimbatore for the period from September 15, 2025, to October 15, 2025, to prove that a false complaint of corruption had been lodged against him and to disprove the prosecution's charges. He also sought the preservation of the CCTV footage from the Salem DVAC office, claiming it was necessary to bring out the truth in the case.

When the matter came up for hearing, DVAC counsel submitted that the Digital Video Recording Systems (DVRS), as they exist, record and retain data only for 15 days.

Petitioner's counsel argued that the DGP had issued a direction to maintain CCTV footage for 18 months.

The court directed the DGP to file the report before the next hearing and adjourned the matter to September 10.

According to the TNEA schedule, candidates can fill and submit their preferred choices of colleges from 11 am on September 4 to 5 pm on September 5.

Of the 18,548 eligible applicants, 13,484 are academic general candidates, 205 are vocational general candidates, 4,798 are academic government school candidates, and 61 are vocational government school candidates.

The 56,530 seats available for allotment include 53,668 under the academic general category, 2,731 under vocational general, 31 under academic government school and 100 under vocational government school categories.

The tentative allotment will be released on September 7, with candidates required to confirm their allotment by 7 pm the same day. The provisional allotment list will be released on September 9.

The supplementary counselling follows the earlier rounds of TNEA counselling, through which 1,44,295 students have already secured engineering seats in colleges across Tamil Nadu. The supplementary round gives eligible candidates another opportunity to secure seats from vacancies left after the general counselling process.

With 56,530 seats being offered in the supplementary round alone, a substantial number of seats are still vacant in engineering colleges. Officials and colleges expect that more than 40,000 engineering seats could remain vacant after this year's admission process.

The accused, M Ammas (26) from Kanniyampatti, murdered Gokila (23) from Konasamudram village in Konganapuram by strangulation, stuffed her body in a sack and dumped it in a farm well. She was unmarried and had been staying at home after completing her college education.

Her pregnancy was known to family members when she was taken to a Primary Health Centre for examination after she complained of severe stomach pain. Following an inquiry by the All Women Police Station (AWPS), Ammasi agreed to marry Gokila and took her to his residence.

However, on August 31, Ammasi informed Gokila’s parents that she had gone missing. Her decomposed body was then recovered from a sack floating in a farm well at Vellalapuram village.

On suspicion, police detained Ammasi, who then confessed to having murdered Gokila following an argument. He assaulted her and strangled her to death with a dupatta. Police said Ammasi wrapped her body in a sack and took it to a nearby well by a two-wheeler and dumped it inside.

Police said he then misled the police and family members that Gokila had gone missing. Following his arrest, the police produced him in a court and remanded him to judicial custody on Friday.

The body parts were found inside the suitcase which was carrying on the Tamil Nadu Express to Agra, and have since been kept under the protection of authorities at a government hospital there.

The police are now planning to bring the body parts to Chennai for further examination and DNA testing as part of efforts to formally establish the identity of the victim and gather crucial evidence in the murder case. Also, the red suitcase, an important piece of evidence in the investigation, is required to be produced before the court as part of the case records.

The victim, Nisha (38), a woman from north India, had been staying in a rented house in Guduvanchery and working at a private company in Tambaram. She was murdered on August 3. The accused, Manik Uddin Laskar (22) and his wife, Bagamathi Maji (20), both from north India, were arrested by the special police team from Manipur and brought to Guduvanchery for interrogation.

During the investigation, the police took the accused to the house where the murder took place and made them recreate the crime. The investigators also seized weapons, including scissors and a large knife used for cutting meat.

The accused were taken to MGR Chennai Central railway station, where they were made to recreate how they carried the suitcase onto the Tamil Nadu Express and left it on the train.

Officials said the accused had watched YouTube videos to learn how to carry out the murder. Meanwhile, the police had been searching for Nisha's severed head for several days but were unable to locate it.

With the next phase of the investigation now under way, officials are expected to transport the suitcase and the dismembered remains to Chennai within the next couple of days and hand them over to the Guduvanchery police special team for further investigation and DNA analysis.

Two others who were also among the attackers escaped, and a hunt is on to nab them.

It is said that a police team from Thennilai station, led by the head constable Ganesan (34), was on night patrol in the jurisdiction on Thursday.

When they were proceeding to Nallipalayam, the adjacent village, a group of five guest workers who were standing near a Tasmac outlet in the late hours picked up a quarrel with Ganesan, attacked him and escaped in the darkness.

The injured Ganesan was rushed to the Karur Medical College Hospital, and a case was registered.

On Friday, the Thennilai inspector Kandasamy, who conducted the investigation, identified the gang as Ravindra Gadia (21), Sahadev Parik (26), Gudsek Nayak (24), Uthavkumar Gadia (21) and Shakthar (24), all from Odisha.

Subsequent investigation found that they were working at a windmill at Nallipalayam.

Soon, the police rushed to the spot and arrested Ravindra Gadia, Sahadeve Parik and Gudsek Nayak and produced them before the Karur Judicial Magistrate Court and lodged them in prison. The search is on for the other two.

The disturbing incident came to light when the Coimbatore rural police were scrutinising the CCTV footage in connection with another case related to unidentified persons setting fire to a petty shop at NGGO Colony near Thudiyalur.

The CCTV visuals recorded at night recently near the deserted Ashokapuram railway overbridge showed a mentally challenged woman, who was sitting by the roadside, being approached by the youth.

He asked whether the stray dogs barking at him belonged to her. He then picked up a stone and threw it in a bid to chase them away.

As he then attempted to sexually assault the woman, she raised an alarm. Soon, the dogs began to bark furiously and also bit him. Unable to face the fury of the dogs, the offender fled away from the spot.

Based on the CCTV footage, the police traced and nabbed the accused, who is a juvenile and lodged him in an Observation Home.

The flamingos have begun visiting the region as part of the winter migration. The saltwater reservoirs and abundant food resources found in the salt pans have created an ideal environment for the birds, providing them with suitable conditions for feeding and resting during their seasonal movement.

Meanwhile, a large number of waterbirds have arrived at the wetlands and water bodies of Perungulam village in Thoothukudi district, with several migratory species, including birds believed to have come from Siberia, making an early appearance this year.

The early arrival has drawn the attention of birdwatchers, nature enthusiasts, and residents, who have observed several species gathering around the water bodies. The wetlands of Perungulam provide the birds with food, water, and suitable resting habitats during their migratory journey.

According to bird researcher Thomas Madhibalan of Muthu Nagar Nature Trust, Perungulam is distinct from several other wetlands in Tamil Nadu because its bird season begins much earlier.

"Perungulam is unique in Tuticorin district. Here, the bird season starts only from July to October, whereas in all the other ponds all over Tamil Nadu, the season starts only from October. That is why this place became unique and attracts more birds," Madhibalan said.

He said Perungulam continues to retain water even as several other tanks in the region have dried up, making it an important refuge for birds from neighbouring districts.

"All the other tanks are dried up except Perungulam. So, all the birds from all three districts come gathered in this pond for food and shelter," he said.

Madhibalan added that early migratory birds have also been arriving since mid-August, with several wader species already sighted in the area.

"Already godwits, sandplovers, common sandpipers, wood sandpipers, and several other small migratory birds have arrived," he said.

However, he raised concerns over the deteriorating shoreline of the water body, which he said could make it difficult for small wading birds to feed.

"The main problem is that the shoreline is fully ruptured. Small wading birds find it difficult to feed on the banks of this Perungulam," Madhibalan said.

He stressed the ecological importance of the wetland and called for greater government attention and protection.

"Perungulam is a very, very special place. It deserves all the government's attention and protection," he said.

Environmental activists and bird enthusiasts have also urged authorities and residents to protect the wetland from pollution, encroachments, and other disturbances. The continued availability of water, aquatic vegetation, and prey makes Perungulam a crucial habitat for migratory birds and an important site for birdwatching and wildlife documentation.

In view of these observations, the court directed the IG, South Zone, to consider forming a special team to find out the truth.

Bidari also directed the Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli, to extend necessary assistance to the SIT and make available the entire case records, necessary police personnel, vehicles and other support for effective further investigation. He also directed that the necessary instructions be issued to hand over all records relating to Nanguneri Police Station Crime No. 143 of 2026 to the SIT.

On completion of the investigation, the head of the SIT has been directed to submit a comprehensive report, along with all the evidence collected, to the Inspector General of Police, South Zone, Madurai, and the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tirunelveli Range.

The SIT has been tasked with examining the role of each accused, re-examining witness statements, and examining mobile phones, call detail records (CDRs), digital evidence, alleged Instagram groups/chats, CCTV footage, and other relevant materials. “The SIT will conduct further investigation in a fair and proper manner and ascertain the real motive behind the incident,” Bidari said in the order issued constituting the SIT.

Shanmugam, Additional Superintendent of Police, Crime Against Women and Children (CWC), has been appointed as the investigating officer. Deputy Inspector General of Police R Thirunavukkarasu, Tirunelveli Range, will closely supervise the investigation.

According to the prosecution, seven persons, armed with sickles, entered Perumpathu village in Nanguneri on the evening of March 2, 2026. They attacked John Mark, who was standing near a welding shop, and another man, a migrant worker from Odisha, who was passing by on a bicycle. Both succumbed to their injuries.

The court, in its order, observed that the investigation had been conducted casually without even ascertaining the real cause behind the killings. “From the material collected by the investigating agency, I could not find out the real reason for the incident, and even the reasons projected by the investigating agency are illogical and not supported by material evidence,” the court observed. It also condemned the investigating officer for “mechanically” giving a caste angle to the Nanguneri double murder case.

A large fishing population is concentrated in coastal districts such as Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram and Kanniyakumari, which have major fishing harbours and fishing communities. This concentration helps explain why issues faced by Indian fishermen operating in waters close to Sri Lanka affect a large number of families dependent on the sector.

The ministry data covers mechanised, motorised, traditional wooden and country boats. However, it does not provide a district-wise breakup of Tamil Nadu's 43,384 boats. Therefore, the exact contribution of Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, and Kanniyakumari to the state's total cannot be determined from the available data.

Chennai is also among Tamil Nadu's important fishing centres. Fishing-related activities support thousands of families directly and indirectly, while also generating employment in ancillary sectors such as boat building and repair, fish processing, and refrigeration equipment maintenance.

Andhra Pradesh ranks second with 30,315 fishing boats. It is followed by Gujarat with 28,073 boats, Maharashtra with 26,102, Karnataka with 25,812, Kerala with 24,163, Odisha with 18,814, West Bengal with 11,379, Puducherry with 5,815, Andaman and Nicobar Islands with 4,249, Goa with 3,128, Daman and Diu with 2,093 and Lakshadweep with 1,658.

Fishing forms the backbone of the fisheries sector, which contributes around 6.72 per cent to India's agricultural GDP, according to the information provided. The sector provides livelihoods, directly and indirectly, to more than 2.8 crore fishers and fisheries-related workers across the country.

The Union and state governments have been implementing various schemes aimed at supporting the economic development of people dependent on fishing and improving marine production.

The protesting employees, who assembled in front of the Tasmac Managers’ Office near the SIDCO complex in Thanjavur, said the department had instructed them to collect the empty bottles and take responsibility for their storage.

They said the additional duty was affecting their routine work and causing frustration. They appealed to the government to withdraw the order and allow private parties to handle the collection of empty bottles.

The employees also alleged that they faced punishment when they collected additional amounts as instructed by officials. They further demanded that the State government bear the rental costs of Tasmac shops and other facilities, saying this would help them avoid collecting additional charges for bottles.

The strike greatly affected tipplers who waited for hours in front of closed liquor shops, hoping they would open soon. In Ranipet, customers waited for hours despite being informed about the strike. In Tiruvarur, tipplers rushed to places where liquor was available, scaled walls to enter recreational clubs, leading to traffic chaos. Police ultimately had to shut down the clubs as it disrupted normalcy.

Speaking at a meeting of DMK functionaries from the Mailam Assembly constituency at Theevanur, Masthan said enrolling the next generation in the party was not only a duty but also a way of expressing gratitude to the party.

"Just as every parent has a duty to raise their children well, it is our duty to enrol our children, descendants and relatives as DMK members and groom them to become branch secretaries," he said.

"More than a duty, this is the gratitude we owe the party. We must all take this as a pledge," he added.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Sekar, Villupuram North district praesidium chairman. Mylam Panchayat Union chairperson Yogeswari Manimaran welcomed the gathering.

Former Union minister Gingee Ramachandran, former MLAs Dr Masilamani and advocate Sethunathan, resolution committee member Gingee Siva, state executive committee member Veedur Ravi Sezhian, district executive committee member Prakash and Belakuppam panchayat president Poonga Bhagyaraj were among those who attended.

Mylam North union secretary Manimaran made arrangements for the meeting.

President of the farmers body, P R Pandian, made this annoucement following a detailed, five-hour meeting between a farmers' delegation and Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar in Gurugram.

Accusing Karnataka's political leadership of pushing the Mekedatu project for political gain despite local opposition, Pandian stated that farmers will seek an audience with the prime minister, if necessary, to press their demands after the campaign that will start at Poompuhar.

While speaking to reporters, he strongly objected to the proposed dam across the River Cauvery, terming the Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted by Karnataka to the Central Water Commission (CWC) as "fraudulent" and legally invalid. He noted the DPR lacks the requisite consent from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

Urging the Central government to deny any environmental or forest clearance for the project, Pandian warned that the dam would be detrimental to farmers in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. He stated that Karnataka farmers acknowledge that the dam would offer them no benefits due to its location deep in forested areas downstream of the Krishnarajasagara (KRS) dam. "Building a dam at Mekedatu to store water under the guise of drinking water requirements during scarcity periods is unacceptable and will only ruin agriculture," he stated.

As an alternative, Pandian proposed the construction of a dam at Rasimanal in Tamil Nadu. He claimed that during a joint meeting in 2024, farmers from both states reached a consensus on the Rasimanal site, and he urged the Central government to grant permission for its construction.

During the talks with Khattar, Pandian urged the Union government to enact legislation guaranteeing a Minimum Support Price (MSP) and to implement the M S Swaminathan Committee's recommendations in this regard. He called for the withdrawal of the Electricity Regulatory Commission Act, an end to the mandate for installing smart meters, and amendments to the Land Acquisition Act. The minister assured the delegation that the issues would be discussed with relevant departments and taken to the prime minister's attention, Pandian told reporters.

Pandian also strongly condemned the recent detention of Punjab farmers at the Haryana border during a march to Delhi organised by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political).

Highlighting the severe impact of the El Niño phenomenon on agriculture in Tamil Nadu, he also urged the Centre to allocate additional financial assistance under the disaster management fund. He appealed for funds to desilt water bodies in order to maintain groundwater table and to harness the upcoming northeast monsoon rains effectively.