The nondescript village near Usilampatti in Madurai came to national attention in 2008 after the oppressed community and the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front of the CPM protested the existence of an ‘untouchability wall’ between the houses of members of the Devendrakula Velalar (a Scheduled Caste community) and Pillaimar, a dominant caste in southern Tamil Nadu.

Though the then DMK government headed by chief minister M Karunanidhi demolished a portion of the wall, the key point of contention – the rights of Devendrakula Velalar community members to worship at the Muthalamman temple, which belongs to the Pillaimar community, and the peepal tree located within its premises – had remained unresolved for nearly 30 years. Although temple festivals had been conducted over the years, the customary Abhishekams and Utsavams for the deities were not being performed.

“…to find a permanent solution to the worship-related problems of the petition temple by executing the order to be passed within legal rules regarding the rights dispute between the two communities, it is essential to establish the right to worship for everyone as guaranteed under Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, and to bring the petition temple under the direct control of the HR&CE,” said V Sabaramathi, Joint Commissioner, HR&CE Department.

The order was issued based on the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court's April 21, 2025, judgment in a writ appeal, which directed the Joint Commissioner (Dindigul) to initiate proceedings under the HR&CE Act to determine the customary practice governing worship of the Thala Virutcham (peepal tree).

The representatives of the two communities held discussions in 1989 to resolve the dispute. As per the agreement reached on June 23, 1989, Devendrakula Velalars were restricted from worshipping or offering respects to the Peepal tree. They could come only up to the bridge on the panchayat road branching southwards from the main road on the day of Kayiru Kuthum, worship the deity, and leave. Only the regular Maruladis (deity-possessors) and the priest were permitted to enter the area.

Despite the agreement, several peace committee meetings in the presence of Revenue and police officials, and even various orders being passed by the High Court, the dispute continued to fester.

The order noted that no specific solution to the dispute over worship of the peepal tree was reached even at the peace committee meeting held on October 20, 2011, under the chairmanship of the police superintendent. Subsequently, in writ petition No. 10500 of 2010, the Madurai Bench directed the district administration to take appropriate measures to implement the agreement reached under the leadership of the SP. Against this backdrop, the bench directed the HR&CE Department to address the dispute over worship of the temple.

Following this, the Assistant Commissioner of Theni and the Inspector of the Peraiyur Range have been directed to take immediate action to bring the temple under the direct control of the HR&CE Department.

Having done his homework, the TVK chief first referred to the Sarkaria Commission report that raised the spectre of suspicion about the then DMK chief Karunanidhi, before deftly using the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) documents to train the fire on Stalin and Udhayanidhi.

Vijay cited an ED report on alleged collection of commissions ranging from 7.5% to 10% between 2021 and 2025 in the name of party funds by the Municipal Administration Department, and said the central agency named Stalin and Udhayanidhi, the then chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively, as the direct beneficiaries.

He then quickly moved on to everyone’s favourite punching bag, Tasmac. "The ED had alleged in its report that the then minister in charge of the [Prohibition and Excise] department misused his power," Vijay said.

A person named Rathish wielded powers to transfer all district revenue officers in Tasmac and the then MD of the corporation acted on his instructions, Vijay alleged, adding that after the TVK-led government came to power, Rathish fled to Dubai.

Similarly, he added, the ED report said the then minister V Senthilbalaji’s brother Ashokkumar was involved in fixing transport tenders in Tasmac. "The ED mentioned in its report that the Karur gang collected party funds from bar owners. We, and the people, are eager to know who the leader of the gang is," Vijay said, noting how the central agency has said that the gang was fleecing Rs 10-Rs 100 from customers in an organised manner.

Vijay vowed that the TVK-led government would demolish what he described as the DMK's "fake image".

Referring to the political legacy of three icons from South India – CN Annadurai, MG Ramachandran, and NT Ramarao – he said: “The next is me."

The fiery speech and the dramatic manner in which it was delivered did not, obviously, amuse the DMK members, who were on their feet but were largely drowned by the desk-breaking thumping by the ruling party MLAs.

When Speaker JCD Prabhakar refused to allow Udhayanidhi to respond to the allegations, the DMK members protested for nearly half an hour, repeatedly seeking an opportunity to give their explanation to the charges. Some of them even staged a sit-in before the Speaker's chair.

The proceedings threatened to reach a flash point when the Speaker directed the marshals to remove the DMK members. But, after both Leader of the House KA Sengottaiyan and Vijay appealed to the Speaker to allow the Opposition to respond, Prabhakar initially agreed to allow Udhayanidhi, only to rescind the decision. The DMK members, led by Udhayanidhi, subsequently walked out of the Assembly.

Justice V Lakshminarayanan directed the police to respond to the petition and posted the matter to September 9.

S Anbumani, a Tirupur district executive committee member of the Hindu Munnani, filed the petition seeking a direction to the Tirupur District Superintendent of Police to consider his application for permission to install a Vinayagar idol and conduct a procession in Kattupalayam from September 14 to 17 as part of the Vinayagar Chathurthi celebrations.

He stated that he was ready to comply with the conditions and regulations issued annually for the procession.

When the case came up for hearing, the government counsel said the district police would be consulted, and a response would be filed granting permission for the installation of the Vinayagar idol and the procession.

But Chef Goku says there is much more to Tamil food than these familiar dishes.

His new project with Nirupama Reddy, Tamil Quarter, explores the lesser-known food traditions of Tamil Nadu and Tamil communities across the world.

“I have been working on this project for the last two years, documenting recipes from different regions and communities. There are so many food traditions within Tamil Nadu that are not usually represented. We wanted to bring those dishes back and showcase the different varieties of Tamil food,” says Goku.

Tamil Quarter, a food revival project and dining experience, is an initiative of Pushpa’s Kitchen.

The project looks at food through the regions, communities and people behind it, working with farmers, fisherfolk, pastoral communities, indigenous communities, home cooks, artisans and small producers.

“We wanted to document these recipes and understand the communities and people behind them. A lot of these recipes are passed down through generations, but they are not documented,” he says.

The project also looks beyond Tamil Nadu, tracing how Tamil food has travelled through migration and evolved in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Pakistan and Myanmar.

“Tamils have been living in these places for generations and their food has evolved according to the ingredients available there. But the core of the food is still Tamil,” points out Goku.

Tamil Quarter will function as a dining experience, with a new chapter every three months.

The experience will take place three of four consecutive days every month, with each chapter focusing on a particular region, community or food tradition.

The first chapter, running from September to November 2026, focuses on the Gulf of Mannar, covering the coastal stretch from Thoothukudi to Rameswaram, including Kayalpattinam, Mandapam and Ramanathapuram.

The food traditions of the region have been shaped by the sea, fishing communities, local ingredients and migration, including the influence of Sri Lankan refugees who travelled along this coast.

“For the first three months, we are focusing on the Gulf of Mannar region, stretching from Thoothukudi to Rameswaram and covering Kayalpattinam, Mandapam and Ramanathapuram. It is a coastal stretch and there is also a lot of Sri Lankan influence because refugees came through this route by boat. Those are some of the stories we are telling,” he says.

The Gulf of Mannar menu will feature 12 courses, largely following traditional methods. Goku says every detail has been researched and documented, while a few dishes have been given a contemporary interpretation.

“Usually, Tamils put a sweet on the elai, and the meal starts with a sweet and ends with a sweet. One of the most unique things from the Gulf of Mannar is a kathrikkai dessert, which we are showcasing,” he says.

Another dish is Mudalur muscoth halwa, a sweet with Sri Lankan influence that became part of Thoothukudi’s food culture.

The menu will also feature ingredients and preparations such as koolichor with sea urchin roe thuvayal, seaweed keerai kootu, bringing lesser-known coastal food traditions to the table. “I wanted people to taste and see these foods. There are so many lesser-known ingredients and preparations from different regions of Tamil Nadu and we want to bring them into the dining experience,” says Goku.

The second chapter, from December 2026 to February 2027, will move to Kumbakonam and the surrounding Cauvery delta, focusing on agraharam and temple food traditions.

The dining experience will explore vegetarian food, temple offerings, festive preparations and lesser-known dishes from Tamil Brahmin households.

“The Kumbakonam food pop-up is also during Margazhi season, so we wanted to showcase vegetarian food and temple food, including lesser-known preparations that are not usually presented,” he adds.

The third chapter, from March to May 2027, will travel to Penang, Malaysia, to explore the food of the Tamil diaspora.

Goku has already researched the region and plans to return for further research. “For Penang, I have done a lot of research and I will be going there again. The idea is to understand how Tamil food has evolved there while still retaining its core,” he says.

For Goku, Tamil Quarter is not just about recreating forgotten dishes. It is also about documenting the people, ingredients and stories connected to them.

“It is a passion project for Nirupama ma’am and me. We want to tell these stories through food and make people curious about the different food traditions within Tamil culture,” he says.

Tamil Quarter will officially launch on September 27 at Hanu Reddy Residences, Poes Garden. For more on the project, check out @tamil.quarter, @chefgokuny and @pushpaskitchenofficial on Instagram.

District Election Officer and Chengalpattu Collector M Veerappan announced that the election code came into effect from Monday night and will remain in force until October 11.

Municipal workers and officials have begun removing banners, posters and cut-outs put up by political parties across the constituency. The names and photographs of political leaders displayed on plaques, flagpoles and publicity boards are also being covered or removed in accordance with election regulations. Wall writings and political graffiti are being erased by painting over them.

The Madurantakam (SC) constituency has a total electorate of 2,11,295 voters, comprising 1,03,943 men, 1,07,288 women and 64 third-gender voters.

The constituency fell vacant following the resignation of its sitting MLA, Maragatham Kumaravel. She had won the seat as an AIADMK candidate in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election held on April 23. However, within days of her victory, she resigned from her Assembly membership, quit the AIADMK and joined the ruling TVK, resulting in the seat being declared vacant.

The Election Commission of India has subsequently announced by-elections for the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies.

The nomination process is scheduled to begin on September 9 and will continue until September 16. Polling will be held on October 6, while the counting of votes and declaration of results are scheduled for October 9.

Election officials have warned that carrying cash exceeding Rs 50,000 without proper supporting documents could invite action during the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. Flying squad personnel will conduct checks on vehicles and individuals and may seize cash for which satisfactory documentation cannot be produced.

Those whose money is seized can approach the election authorities and reclaim it after producing valid accounts and supporting documents. Unaccounted cash, jewellery, gifts and other valuables suspected to be linked to electoral malpractice will be seized and deposited with the district treasury in accordance with election procedures.

To ensure the smooth and peaceful conduct of the bypoll, the Chengalpattu Collector has convened a meeting of representatives of all recognised political parties on Tuesday.

As soon as the House proceedings commenced, DMK Whip EV Velu, referring to Vijay's statement on Monday, demanded that references made by the chief minister on matters such as ED's allegations of graft be removed from House records as it contravened rules.

Velu also objected to references to Sarkaria Commission maintaining that no offences were made out.

Law Minister R Nirmalkumar defended the CM's statement based on Sarkaria Commission report and the ED's official documents and reiterated allegations of corruption against the then DMK regime.

The DMK members objected to it.

As Speaker JCD Prabhakar ruled against expunction of CM's remarks, noisy slogans by the DMK MLAs continued.

Several DMK MLAs gathered in front of the Speaker's podium, pressed their demand and continued with sloganeering.

Leader of the House KA Sengottaiyan demanded action against them in compliance with House rules.

Eventually, Speaker ordered the marshals to evict them and his directive was followed by them.

While being taken out of the Assembly hall, DMK MLAs continued to raise slogans on the issue.

The Bill was subsequently passed by the House on Monday. Prior to the revision, MLAs received a total monthly salary and allowances of around Rs 1.05 lakh, including compensatory, telephone, and constituency allowances, among other benefits. Following the latest revision, their total monthly salary and allowances will increase to around Rs 2.05 lakh.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KA Sengottaiyan introduced the Bill in the House. The legislation follows the Chief Minister's announcement in the Assembly on August 19, 2026, that a vehicle would be provided to every MLA to help them effectively serve the public and discharge their constituency-related duties.

The Chief Minister had also announced that the vehicle allowance for MLAs would be increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 75,000 per month. In addition, a Personal Assistant allowance of Rs 25,000 per month would be sanctioned for every MLA.

Responding to remarks on his speech at a Tiruvannamalai district general council meeting, Basha said he had only conveyed the views expressed by his party leader.

Speaking later, Minorities Welfare Minister AM Shahjahan asked who had approached the IUML on May 7 seeking its support for a particular person as the next chief minister. He alleged that the DMK had initially decided to prevent a government being formed under the leadership of C Joseph Vijay before changing its position.

Going a step ahead, he alleged that two MLAs were confined at a hotel and threatened, adding that details would be revealed if required.

Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna said the TVK had held discussions with leaders of the IUML, VCK and the Left parties, but denied holding individual negotiations with any MLA.

After finding his party being caught in the crossfire between TVK and DMK, senior AIADMK leader and MLA Agri SS Krishnamurthy rejected the allegations that his party and the DMK had tried to join hands to thwart the TVK from coming to power.

The two seats are among seven vacancies in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The EC, however, has not announced polls for Tiruchy East, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai, Perundurai, and Karur, where election-related cases concerning the returned candidates are pending. The restraint on holding by-elections in these five constituencies has been extended till September 8.

The announcement brought the Model Code of Conduct into force immediately in Madurantakam and Dharapuram. According to the schedule, nominations can be filed from September 9 to 16, scrutiny will be held on September 17, the last date for withdrawal is September 19, and counting of votes will take place on October 9.

The two constituencies fell vacant after AIADMK legislators Maragatham Kumaravel and Sathyabama resigned as MLAs and joined the TVK. They are likely to be fielded by the ruling party, though the TVK is yet to formally announce its candidates.

The bypolls assume political significance as they come barely three months after the TVK formed the government. A victory in both constituencies would provide a boost to the ruling party’s numbers and help demonstrate that its electoral support has remained intact after assuming power.

The contests also come against the backdrop of differences between the TVK and some of its allies. The CPI has held protests over rising prices, while the CPM has differed with the State government on various issues. The Congress has warned that it could reconsider its participation in the cabinet unless Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is accepted as the alliance's Prime Ministerial candidate.

The principal Opposition DMK has lost all its major allies to the TVK. The AIADMK-led alliance, in contrast, has remained intact despite six of its MLAs quitting the party and joining the TVK. At the same time, some senior leaders and MLAs rebelled against AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami.

The DMK, AIADMK, and BJP are expected to mount an aggressive campaign against the TVK in both constituencies. For the AIADMK, the bopolls are particularly significant as the vacancies were caused by the defection of its legislators to the TVK.

In a social media post, the AIADMK IT Wing alleged that the Chief Minister spoke loudly without presenting data or substantive answers to questions on the State’s law-and-order situation. It also accused him of deviating from the issues that should have been addressed during the debate on the police department’s grant requests and of delivering a political speech instead.

Taking a jibe at the Chief Minister, the IT Wing compared his speech to the spoof film Tamizh Padam, starring actor Mirchi Shiva, saying it was high on noise and drama.

It further remarked that if a “Best Loudspeaker Award” were given for speeches, the Chief Minister’s speech in the Assembly on Monday would deserve it.

The opposition party also alleged that Vijay had failed to answer questions on law and order with supporting statistics.

Meanwhile, AIADMK whip Agri Krishnamurthy asserted in the Assembly that the AIADMK was not a party that depended on others, but one that led on its own strength. He warned that the party would not remain silent if anyone made negative comments against the AIADMK.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian has urged all parties to uphold legislative democracy and protect the dignity of the Assembly, while calling for action against women being subjected to derogatory remarks on social media as well.

He said Assembly proceedings in a vibrant democracy should focus on discussing people’s demands and problems and finding solutions. Instead of listening to the Opposition’s voice and responding appropriately, valuable Assembly time was being wasted through arguments dominated by shouting, he alleged.

The ruling party had a greater responsibility to protect legislative traditions and democracy, Veerapandian said. He also urged the Speaker to function in a neutral manner.

Responding to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s statement in the Assembly that action would be taken against anyone making derogatory remarks about women, Veerapandian said the announcement was welcome. He also urged the government to take action against the denigration of women on social media platforms.

Dhanapal and his family were seated in the visitors' gallery when the Commercial Taxes and Registration Department's Demand for Grants debate was taken up in the House. They watched as Logesh Tamilselvan addressed the Assembly.

Welcoming Dhanapal and his family, Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar quoted a Tirukkural which conveys that a mother feels greater joy when she hears her son being praised as a worthy and accomplished person than she did at the time of his birth.

Dhanapal and his family listened to the Minister's speech from the gallery. The former Speaker's visit drew attention in the Assembly, as he watched his son participate in the proceedings as a Minister. The occasion also marked a significant family moment.

Speaking during the Demand for Grants debate, the Minister said climate change had led to more frequent forest fires in the State. Instead of relying on temporary measures, the government would introduce a comprehensive forest fire management system to strengthen prevention and firefighting efforts.

He said the new system would be implemented over a five year period with an allocation of Rs 60.58 crore. The initiative aims to improve the State's preparedness and response to forest fires and to protect forests and wildlife from damage.

The Minister also said Tamil Nadu currently has 26,450.22 sq km of forest area. In addition, the state has 5,370.72 sq km of tree cover, taking the total forest and tree cover to 31,820.94 sq km, which accounts for 24.47 per cent of the state's geographical area.

Ranjithkumar said the Tamil Nadu government would work towards increasing the state's forest and tree cover to 33 per cent of its total geographical area.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, Premallatha welcomed Joseph Vijay's assurance in the Assembly that strict action would be taken against those making defamatory remarks against women, but said the government should also take note of alleged objectionable posts by TVK members.

"TVK members themselves are posting objectionable content against women. I have brought this to the government's attention in the Assembly," she said.

Turning to the police department's grant demands, she said lakhs of people across Tamil Nadu were awaiting major announcements for the police force, but there was no significant announcement in the Chief Minister's speech. But instead of Chief Minister Vijay, Law Minister R Nirmalkumar rose and responded to her, alleging that DMK fake IDs were involved in such cases, without substantiating his charges.

Meanwhile, the DMDK chief also sought promotions, salary hikes and permanent promotions for personnel on the waiting list.

Premallatha urged the government to step up the fight against cybercrime, alleging that posts were being circulated in India from Pakistan.

She further sought financial assistance and employment for the families of persons who died in police custody, saying the absence of any announcement for them was disappointing.

Last year, the spending was heavily concentrated on the Tindivanam-Nagari project, which accounted for Rs 169.28 crore. The 184.45-km project sanctioned in 2006 at an estimated cost of Rs 3,631.34 crore has reported 16% physical progress. In contrast, the Madurai-Thoothukudi line via Aruppukkottai spent only Rs 12.19 crore, Morappur-Dharmapuri Rs 10.72 crore, and Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi a meagre Rs 0.35 crore.

Four major projects – Tindivanam-Tiruvannamalai, Chennai-Cuddalore via Mahabalipuram, Attipattu-Puttur, and Erode-Palani – had received Rs 187.5 crore in 2025-26, but recorded no spending.

"If the allocation and spending is this low, even the land acquisition process cannot be initiated. It shows the Southern Railway has no interest in getting things done," said Dayanand Krishnan, who obtained the RTI information.

For 2026-27, Tindivanam-Gingee-Tiruvannamalai, Attipattu-Puttur, and Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Cuddalore, which were brought to life after remaining on the ice for long, have been given only Rs 1 crore each, while Erode-Palani has received nil. Despite accounting for most of last year's spending, Tindivanam-Nagari line has received lesser allocation – to Rs 334.7 crore from Rs 347.7 crore.

The 10 new-line projects together cover 870.78 km and have an estimated cost of Rs 16,841.34 crore. Only Rs. 497.57 crore has been provided for 2026-27, which works out to only 2.95% of the estimated project cost.

The current year's funding is concentrated on two projects: Tindivanam-Nagari (Rs 334.7 crore) and Sriperumbudur-Guduvanchery Phase-I project (Rs 100 crore). The latter is a Rs 3,136 crore, 60-km project to provide cargo connectivity from the Chennai Peripheral Industrial Corridor to Chennai Port.

The funding concerns extend to doubling and multi-tracking projects as well. Katpadi-Villupuram has been allocated Rs 2 crore this year, less than 1/100 of Rs 200.45 crore allocated in 2025-26. Salem-Karur-Dindigul and Erode-Karur lines have fallen to Rs 5 crore each from Rs 100 crore each.

The 14 doubling and multi-tracking projects cover about 658 km, with an estimated project cost of Rs 8,173.35 crore, but received only Rs 342.10 crore allocation in 2026-27.

When CPI MLA K Marimuthu raised a query during the debate on the demands for grants for the Forest and Registration departments, he asked whether the government would constitute a separate board to retrieve the Panchami lands.

Replying to him, the minister said that the successive governments have, till date, identified around 1.86 lakh acres under the Panchami category. However, the present government has now decided to constitute a commission to identify the lands.

Tracing back the history, he said that 12 lakh acres were handed over to Dalits under the Panchami category by the British rulers, a large tract of which was encroached upon by others. He said that during the AIADMK regime between 1991 and 1996, a separate committee, headed by the then Minister SD Somasundaram, was constituted to identify the lands.

Subsequently, the DMK and AIADMK governments constituted the Justice Maruthamuthu and officials' committees, respectively.

Reacting to Joseph Vijay’s remarks during the debate on the police department’s demands for grants, Nainar Nagenthran said, “The Assembly is not your cinema studio, Joseph Vijay. The people of Tamil Nadu are not exclamation marks in your party to applaud your string of dialogues.”

Nainar claimed that 10 murders had been reported in Coimbatore over the past month and two murders in Chennai on Sunday. He also alleged that six custodial deaths had occurred since the TVK government assumed office and that some police personnel deployed for security duties were behaving improperly with members of the public.

The former minister said Joseph Vijay should have addressed these issues in the Assembly, taken responsibility for the law-and-order situation and proposed measures to ensure the safety of people and their property.

Nainar questions CMO shift

In a separate statement, Nainar Nagenthran alleged that Rs 6.17 crore in public funds was spent to shift the Chief Minister’s Office to the 10th floor of Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai and questioned the justification for the expenditure.

“On one hand, the government has announced a new Secretariat at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore. Why, then, spend so much on a temporary office?” he asked.

The BJP leader further claimed that farmers were struggling because of inadequate paddy storage facilities and said the government should instead spend the money on public welfare.

“Change should be reflected in people’s lives, not in the walls of the Chief Minister’s Office,” Nainar added.

Police said Vijayabalan (42) from Veeramaruthi Street on Avinashi Road attempted to sexually assault his 19-year-old stepdaughter past Sunday midnight, when his wife Visalakshi woke up and strongly objected to his behaviour.

The girl was born from Visalakshi’s first marriage. Following the death of her first husband, she married Vijayabalan, and the couple had two sons, aged 15 and 11.

After a heated argument, Vijayabalan took out a knife and slit the neck of his wife, who died on the spot after bleeding profusely. The girl, who was in shock, managed to escape from the house and locked the door from outside. She then alerted the police using a neighbour’s mobile phone.

After a heated argument, Vijayabalan took out a knife and slit the neck of his wife, who died on the spot after bleeding profusely

Meanwhile, Vijayabalan broke open the door, took his two sons with him and fled the house on a two-wheeler. Soon after, personnel from the 15 Velampalayam police station arrived at the scene and sent the woman’s body for post-mortem. Special police teams have been formed to trace and apprehend the accused.

In another murder case, an unidentified man was found dead nude inside a hollow-block shack in Sulur near Coimbatore on Monday. Police suspect that the man, aged around 35 to 40, was killed after being struck on the head with a stone.

The name “Rameshvar” was tattooed on his right hand, and police are investigating to establish his identity and the circumstances surrounding his death.

However, for centres functioning in the city, there is still no clarity on the meal funds pending from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) through the Social Welfare department.

The centres, operating across 13 districts, had reportedly not received their monthly financial assistance since March. The delay had forced several NGOs to manage the facilities with their own resources for multiple expenses, including food, rent, electricity, water and staff salaries.

The monthly allocation for the centres includes a recurring assistance of Rs 43,500. The funding delay had raised concerns over the continuation of essential services, particularly meals and recreational activities for elderly beneficiaries.

Hence, the release of the funds has finally eased the financial burden on the NGOs and helped ensure uninterrupted functioning of the centres.

The Anbucholai initiative was introduced as a day-care and engagement programme for senior citizens, offering meals, recreation, social interaction and support for those facing loneliness and isolation by the previous DMK government.

Now, the TVK government has renamed the scheme as "Senior Citizens Recreation Centres" and allocated Rs 10 crore for establishing 25 such centres in municipal corporations.

In his petition, Dhana Vimal alleged that Vijayabaskar, then AIADMK Pudukkottai district secretary, contacted him on November 19, 2025, and asked him to arrange Rs 5 crore to show his financial capacity for election expenses.

Vijayabaskar promised to return the money after his candidature was announced.

He directed Dhana to hand over the money (Rs 4.5 crore) to contractor Sothuppalai Murugesan, which he did on March 11, 2026. After his candidature was announced, Vijayabaskar returned Rs 50 lakh, but the remaining Rs 4 crore was not returned, Dhana claimed.

Dhana said he lodged a complaint with the Pudukkottai SP on July 30, but no FIR has been registered so far.

The case was heard by Justice V Lakshminarayanan. The police said a preliminary inquiry had begun and the petitioner was summoned for inquiry on September 10.

The judge adjourned the case to September 15 and directed the police to submit a progress report.

Muthuraman of Railway Feeder Road, Tirunelveli, filed the public interest litigation seeking directions to relocate the spotted deer to areas suitable for their habitat. He also sought a direction to the authorities not to permit the establishment of new industries in the areas until the relocation exercise was completed.

Hearing the petition, a division bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and Sakthivel directed the respondents to file their counter-affidavits and posted the next hearing of this case on 4th November.

CPM state secretary P Shanmugam on Monday said the TVK government is adopting a soft stance towards the Union government and is not doing enough to secure Tamil Nadu's rightful share of funds.

Speaking at a party conference in Dharmapuri, Shanmugam said the State government was merely writing letters to the Centre instead of pressing for the funds due to Tamil Nadu.

“The Centre is refusing to release the rightful share of funds due to the states. However, the State government has adopted a soft approach and is merely writing letters to the Centre,” he said.

Criticising the state government for not convening an all-party meeting to evolve a consensus on the Cauvery water issue, Shanmugam urged the government to take steps to ensure that Karnataka released the Cauvery water due to Tamil Nadu in accordance with the Supreme Court’s verdict. “Failure to secure the required water would adversely affect foodgrain production in the State,” he said.

He also opposed the proposed Mekedatu reservoir project in Karnataka, saying that Tamil Nadu could face a shortage of Cauvery water if the project was implemented. “The Union government should nationalise rivers,” he said.

On the proposed delimitation of parliamentary constituencies, Shanmugam said Tamil Nadu’s representation in parliament could decline if the exercise were carried out on a population basis.

Prema of Cholapuram, near Kumbakonam, is a widow with two daughters. Through agents from Kallakurichi, she had gone to Kuwait for domestic work about 10 months ago. She was harassed by agents in Kuwait who made her work for over 20 hours a day without the salary she was promised. Prema said that she was promised 120 Kuwaiti dinars per month but was never paid the agreed amount.

She had worked in two or three houses in Kuwait. When she requested to be sent back home, the agents demanded Rs 2 lakh. She further claimed that she was threatened that she would not be sent back to India unless she paid the money. The agents locked her inside a separate room and denied her proper food and drinking water.

Unable to bear the situation, Prema recorded a video explaining her condition and shared it on social media seeking help. Following this, the Tamil Nadu Domestic Workers Welfare Trust, a voluntary organisation, intervened and took steps to rescue her.

Prema was brought to Oman and landed at the Chennai airport on Monday. Organisation members received her and arranged for her to reach home.

"I worked in two or three houses in Kuwait. I was badly treated. I was kept locked inside a separate room at the agent's office for two months. They also did not provide me with proper food," she told reporters at the airport.

She said four other women from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, who had also gone to Kuwait for domestic work, faced similar problems. "We informed the police in Kuwait about our situation, but no action was taken.

People should be careful and should not go abroad for domestic work trusting such agents. No one should face the kind of problems I went through. Strict action should be taken against agents who cheat and exploit workers," she said.

The couple surrendered before the Dindigul JM-2 Court in connection with a case registered by the Crime Branch-CID in Dindigul. Following their surrender, the Dindigul police secured them and handed them over to the Madurai EOW.

The accused allegedly cheated rural women by operating an investment scheme that promised to double their money in 45 days and offered returns in US dollars. The scheme was operated through an application called FQL Exchange (fqlin.com), which the accused allegedly helped the investors download on their mobile phones.

The first complaints in the case were filed with the Melur police by people who claimed to have been cheated in the scheme. Subsequently, thousands of people came forward to lodge complaints. Following this, Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal transferred the case to the EOW for investigation.

Sasikala (37), who works as a cleanliness worker in Kambur panchayat, had lodged a complaint with the Kottampatti police alleging that Roopa had humiliated and threatened her by referring to her caste.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case against Roopa under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and conducted an investigation.

Meanwhile, Sasikala attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison, allegedly because some persons had threatened her to withdraw the complaint. She was rescued and is undergoing treatment at the Melur Government Hospital.

Police have also registered a case against seven persons who allegedly threatened Sasikala and are conducting an investigation.

Meanwhile, in connection with the incident, the Kottampatti Block Development Officer ordered the dismissal of Kambur panchayat secretary Roopa from service.

It is said that the physical appearance of a 15-year-old girl appeared unusual, and her parents, who noticed it, made an inquiry with the girl, who later narrated the incident.

She informed her parents that an 18-year-old boy who is also related to her had reportedly sexually abused her with a promise of marriage.

Subsequently, the parents lodged a complaint with the Pattukkottai All Women Police, who registered a case under various sections of the BNS, including the Pocso Act.

On Monday, the police arrested the boy. Further investigations are on.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to police, the boy was reportedly friendly with a girl from another community.

Her father had allegedly warned and reprimanded the boy a few weeks ago to stop communicating with her.

On the day the boy went missing, the man had reportedly spoken to him over the phone, raising suspicion about his possible involvement, said the police source.

Police are investigating the case from various angles to find the real cause of the death.

Sources said there are as many as 511 cleanliness workers employed on a contract basis who are given Rs 450 per day.

They said that the wage has been fixed at Rs 750 per day and an agreement was made by the previous Collector of the district, but it has not been followed till now.

The cleanliness workers commenced their protest from August 10 in front of the Karur Corporation seeking the implementation of new wage pact

In order to implement the order of the previous district collector on wage, the cleanliness workers commenced their protest from August 10 in front of the Karur Corporation, and the Commissioner who met them assured of the wage hike with immediate effect, but it has not been implemented so far.

The disappointed workers converged in the Collectorate premises on Monday and staged a sit-in protest.

The Cleanliness Workers Union Treasurer Karunanidhi, who led the protest, said that the officials are not keen on the welfare of the workers.

Despite the repeated protests and petitions, the officials show the least interest. He warned that the workers would intensify the protest if their wages were not disbursed as per the agreement.

Justice Anand Venkatesh made the observation while hearing a contempt petition filed by Arappor Iyakkam over the delay in proceedings against former minister SP Velumani and IAS officers KS Kandasamy and K Vijayakarthikeyan in a tender irregularities case.

"How difficult is it to register corruption cases against powerful people in this country? If there were no public-spirited persons or judges, there would be no corruption cases against anyone. Everyone would be a holy cow," the court remarked.

The DVAC had registered a case alleging irregularities to the tune of Rs 98.25 crore in the award of contracts for works in the Chennai and Coimbatore Corporations when Velumani was the Municipal Administration and Water Supply minister.

Later, Arappor filed a contempt petition against DVAC for failing to comply with an earlier direction of the High Court to file the charge sheet in the case.

The court then directed the Union government to explain the delay in granting sanction to prosecute the IAS officers.

When the case was taken up again on Monday, the Union government said it had received the Tamil Nadu government's letter seeking sanction to prosecute the officers on July 28 and that the matter was under consideration.

When it was informed that the State had sent a reminder to the Centre on August 27, the judge asked how much the court had to insist on to obtain sanction to prosecute officers in a corruption case, and adjourned the hearing to September 16.

After the devastation, farmers were seen removing the bananas from the damaged plantains on Monday (September 7).

According to sources, there was sudden rain coupled with strong winds at Sathanur, Vadugakudi, Achanur, Valappakudi and the adjacent villages near Tiruvaiyaru late Sunday (September 6) evening.

This resulted in electric poles being uprooted and wires getting snapped. This also led to traffic disruption during the night hours on Valappakudi Main Road.

The gusty winds also damaged banana plantations cultivated in an area of 50 acres in the villages, which were ready for harvest within 30 days.

According to the farmers, there was rain and strong winds for more than an hour on Sunday evening, which damaged the crops which were getting ready for harvest.

They said that there were more than 50,000 banana plants either uprooted or damaged.

The farmers also said that they had spent up to Rs 1 lakh per acre and they have to spend at least Rs 5,000 per acre to remove the damaged plantation.

They said that the banana crops in these areas were ready for the upcoming Ayudha Pooja, but they have lost it all.

They demanded that the district administration depute officials immediately to assess the damage and recommend proper compensation.

Replying to the demands for grants for the Home Department in the Assembly, the Chief Minister appealed to those making derogatory remarks against women to consider them as their mothers and sisters.

Recalling an incident involving former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the Assembly, he said the DMK, which is now in the Opposition, had humiliated her in the past.

“Such incidents should not occur in the future. The TVK-led government has no issues with political comments,” he said.

Attacking the DMK, he said one MLA had stated in the Assembly that he would break someone’s bones, while another politician had said that those who voted against them would not have a proper death.

“For the past 50 years, people have voted for them (DMK). How can they talk like this? Because of this, the question arises of why they should be in politics. We will take only the good things from past incidents. Why should we take the worst and ugly politics? We should maintain political decency and decorum to the fullest extent,” the Chief Minister said.

He said the TVK would not represent an individual identity, but would work for Tamils, Tamil Nadu and the Tamil language.

“The TVK would not be an individual identity. The party and its government would work for Tamils, Tamil Nadu and the Tamil language. We are to be the identity of the eight crore people,” he said.

Defending his style of functioning in the Assembly, Vijay said it was not appropriate for the Chief Minister to intervene during every member’s speech in debates. He termed criticism of his approach as irresponsible and said the speeches he prepared were aimed at the welfare of the people.

“I prepare a speech for the Assembly, and the speech is from my heart for my people. During the debate, ministers' replies to the Opposition are a collective responsibility. It is as usual. But the DMK is thinking that making a mockery of the Chief Minister and ministers is maturity,” he said.

Responding to charges that his government had shelved schemes introduced by the previous DMK government, the Chief Minister said the DMK-led government had abolished schemes introduced by the AIADMK-led government, including Thalikku Thangam, Mini Clinics and free goat and cow distribution schemes.

“The TVK-led government is taking concrete measures to rectify the administrative lapses created by the DMK. But it will take some time,” he said.

Speaking at a marriage ceremony here, Stalin invoked the legacy of late Chief Minister C N Annadurai to underscore the historical mandate behind the state's language stance -- a policy implemented to prioritise Tamil and English while rejecting the imposition of a three-language formula.

"When Anna assumed office as chief minister for the first time in 1967 and entered the Assembly, he fulfilled three pearl-like schemes for our Tamil Nadu. One is the two-language policy, another is the event of naming the state as Tamil Nadu, and next is the law validating self-respect marriages," Stalin said.

The former chief minister's remarks came while presiding over the self-respect wedding of DMK functionaries.

Stalin noted that such marriages, which dispense with traditional religious rites and are instead conducted under the principles of the Thirukkural, gained their vital legal sanction only through Annadurai's legislative interventions.

The DMK chief utilised the occasion to push for linguistic pride. He advised the couple to exclusively choose "beautiful Tamil names" for their future children, urging them to live as "lights to the household and servants to the nation" as envisioned by revolutionary poet Bharathidasan.

Five persons, identified as Suresh (46), Manivannan (34), Satheesh (32), Vinod Kumar (22) and another Satheesh (36), all hailing from different parts of the Nilgiris, were arrested by the Pudumund Station Police for stealing seven sacks of soil from the HPF premises.

They had concealed the sacks in a nearby forest area.

When the accused persons attempted to smuggle them to Coimbatore for sale, the police nabbed them. Police seized the soil as well as the vehicle used to transport it.

It is believed that the soil in certain areas of the factory contains traces of silver.

The HPF was closed in 2018, and machinery was removed from the premises, which is now under the control of the forest department.

As part of the protest, members laid siege to district collectorates across the state, urging the government to substantially enhance the assistance to meet rising living costs and basic necessities. Several protesters detained by the police following the demonstrations were kept in public halls.

In the city, over 200 protesters gathered at the Commissionerate for the Welfare of the Differently Abled.

According to official data, Tamil Nadu has around 14 lakh persons with disabilities, of whom over 9 lakh receive monthly financial assistance from the government. Until 2022, the assistance stood at Rs 1,000 for those with disability below 75 per cent and Rs 1,500 for those above the threshold. Following sustained demands and protests, the government increased the assistance by Rs 500 for both categories in 2022.

However, TARATDAC said the current assistance remained inadequate and comparatively lower than that provided in several other states and union territories. Monthly assistance is reportedly above Rs 4,000 in Delhi, Haryana and Telangana, while Puducherry provides Rs 5,500. In Andhra Pradesh, the assistance ranges from Rs 6,000 to Rs 15,000 depending on the extent of disability.

"We have been demanding a hike in assistance for five years. The reality is that, even though governments may change, there is still no government that listens to the voices and demands of persons with disabilities," said a member of TARATDAC.

It must be noted that a similar protest was held in February across the state with similar demands, and the protestors were attacked and arrested by the police, including in Chennai.

Making the announcement during the debate on the demands for grants for his department, Logesh said the exemption would apply to retail outlets that resell petrol and diesel after VAT has been paid at the first-sale stage in the State, provided they are registered under the GST Act.

The move seeks to simplify tax compliance for fuel retailers by dispensing with a separate VAT registration requirement where GST registration is already in place.

The announcement is significant for petrol and diesel retailers, as it removes a separate registration requirement under the State's VAT law for establishments that meet the specified conditions.

Logesh also announced the creation of a separate tax assessment circle in every Commercial Taxes division to administer dealers governed by earlier tax laws, including the Tamil Nadu VAT Act and the Central Sales Tax Act.

A new Economic Intelligence Wing will be established at the State level to analyse data, monitor the performance of officials and facilitate the sharing of intelligent practices, he said.

The Minister further announced the expansion of faceless procedures in tax administration, covering assessment, audit and refunds, with the objective of improving services to taxpayers.

The department's training policy will also be restructured to enhance the knowledge and skills of officials and staff and promote the use of technology in various functions under tax laws.

Front-line staff of the department spotted the distressed elephant on September 2 in the Uliyur beat of the Pethikuttai area in the Sirumugai Forest Range.

The animal was having difficulty moving after a fence wire became embedded in its foreleg.

Subsequently, the forest department took efforts to locate, immobilise and treat the elephant in its natural habitat.

Under the supervision of District Forest Officer N Venkatesh Prabhu, veterinary teams from the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR), along with around 60 forest department personnel, were deployed for the rescue and monitoring operation.

“Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras were also used to track the elephant’s movements and locate it in the forest terrain. After continuous surveillance, the elephant was located in the early hours of Monday. It was brought under the influence of sedation with a tranquiliser dart, following which the veterinary team removed the wire from its foreleg. Its wounds were then cleaned, and medicine was applied,” said an official.

As the elephant soon began to show signs of recovery, it was allowed to return to the forest cover.

Still, a team of forest department staff has been deployed to closely monitor the elephant’s movements until its complete recovery.

Vijay was scheduled to leave around September 10 for his first overseas trip as Chief Minister to UK, where he was expected to meet business leaders to showcase Tamil Nadu's investment potential and oversee the signing of memoranda of understanding with prospective investors.

However, according to senior officials, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar spoke with Vijay and advised him to postpone the UK trip so that he could receive the Malaysian Prime Minister. Anwar, who is scheduled to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi from September 11 to 13. He had spoken with the chief minister in May and had said he would visit Tamil Nadu if an opportunity arose during his India trip.

"Anwar is coming to Chennai specifically to meet the Chief Minister. It would not be appropriate for Vijay to miss the meeting. The Governor has advised him to defer the UK visit," said official sources.

Sources said arrangements were being considered for Anwar's stay in Chennai on September 13, including a reception at Lok Bhavan, where he could hold talks with Vijay.

Meanwhile, Vijay completed formalities to obtain a diplomatic passport ahead of the proposed overseas tour. Reports have put the proposed itinerary between September 10 and 16.

The proposed visit follows the Vettri Tamil Nadu investors' conclave, where 97 companies signed MoUs involving investments of Rs 67,452 crore. The government has said its investment commitments in the first 100 days crossed Rs 1 lakh crore.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, Philomin Raj (67), a resident of VOC Street in Ariyamangalam claimed that his wife, a retired school teacher, received a call from an unknown number on August 31.

The caller identified himself as Madhan Kumar and claimed to be an official from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Digital scam

The caller allegedly told her that a bank account had been opened in a nationalised bank using her Aadhaar details and that a large amount of money had been transferred through the account. He further threatened that she would be arrested unless she paid money to avoid arrest.

Believing the caller's claims, the woman transferred Rs 17 lakh to a bank account provided by him. She later realised that she had been duped after the caller's mobile phone was switched off when she tried to contact him.

Police investigation underway

Following the incident, Philomin Raj lodged an online complaint with the Cyber Crime Police.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the caller and recover the money.

Police have also been probing the bank account to which the amount was transferred.

Jayashakthi's daughter Selvamari, Selvamari's husband Muraleeswaran, and factory manager Surya Prakash, have been booked as well, under four sections, including recklessly causing death and careless handling of explosives.

While Surya Prakash has been arrested by the Sattur taluka police, the other three are absconding, according to a Maalaimar report.

Based on the complaint filed by the village administrative officer, Shanmugaraj, the First Information Report (FIR) claims the accident ocurred because the people working at the factory were not provided with proper safety equipment. The workers were also asked to manufacture firecrackers in a large quantity, knowing there would be a risk of fatalities in case of an accident.

The factory operating in Ottaiyal village near Sattur in Virudhunagar district is run by Jayashakthi, who is from Mallankinaru, and Mariappan.

On Saturday, more than 15 workers were working in the five-room unit when a sudden explosion ocurred. A worker named Madasamy (38) from Meenampatti, who was preparing a mixture in a chemical mixing room at the time, was injured and died in the incident.

The unit was reportedly operating with the proper license from the district revenue department. It manufactured small firecrackers as well as fancy firecrackers.

In his letter dated September 5, Haasan recommended enhancing the honorarium for Village Panchayat representatives and giving Gram Sabhas a decisive voice in handling Tasmac outlets.

He also called for greater awareness and public participation in gram sabha meetings and sought time-bound action on resolutions adopted by them.

Kamal recommended giving citizens a greater say in setting the gram sabha agenda, strengthening research and capacity-building in local governance, and making village development planning genuinely participatory.

He also called for building a stronger culture of grassroots accountability.

Referring to Mahatma Gandhi's vision of gram swaraj, Haasan said it was rooted in empowered villages and participatory democracy. He said the best way to honour Gandhi's legacy would be for Tamil Nadu to become India's model state for village governance.