The interruption occurred while a Madras High Court judge was addressing the gathering at the graduation ceremony, causing a brief commotion at the venue.

Nirmalkumar said the venue was being powered by generators and that the power supply was interrupted for about five seconds while switching from one generator to another.

However, TNPDCL, in a post on X, said the 110 KV Alagarkoil-Pasumalai feeder at the Ottakadai substation had developed a fault around 11.22am following a jumper cut.

Repair work was under way and supply would be restored in about two hours, it said.

The incident comes amid reports of power interruptions at events attended by ministers at different locations in the state over the past two weeks.

According to police, Vinothkumar, an exporter residing at VIP Garden near Anantha Nadar Kudiyiruppu, and his wife Madhumitha (29), a YouTuber, had gone to Tirunelveli on Thursday to purchase clothes for their two-year-old child's upcoming birthday.

Upon returning late at night, they found the rear door of the house had been broken open. On checking the first-floor bedroom, they found the bureau damaged and 220 sovereigns of gold jewellery stolen.

Based on a complaint, police launched an investigation and discovered that the intruders had cut through the rear door frame using a gas cutter to gain entry. The police are currently scanning CCTV footage to track down the suspects.

Investigators suspect that her frequent social media posts and reels showcasing her extensive gold jewellery collection -- where she routinely boasted about buying gold every month -- may have alerted the burglars to the stash. A special team has been formed to apprehend the culprits involved.

The Lottery Department of the Keralam government has scheduled the draw at 1.30 pm on Saturday, and results will be announced at 2 pm.

The frenzy over the result was such that the government website where the result is uploaded crashed. Now, a ‘502 bad gateway’ alert is displayed there.

Prizes galore, but what would the winners get?

The first prize is Rs 30 crore. But that is not all. There are 20 second prizes, each Rs 1 crore; Rs 25 lakh for 20 people as the third prize; Rs 5 lakh for 10 people as the fourth prize; and Rs 2 lakh for 10 people as the fifth prize. There are also smaller prizes of Rs 5,000, Rs 2,000, Rs 1,000, and Rs 500.

To be clear, the bumper prize winner won’t receive the full amount. Around 12% will go as agent commission (Rs 3.6 crore), and the remaining amount will attract a tax of Rs 30%. Also, the individual’s personal Income Tax slab will also apply. However, even after the deductions, the winner stands to get more than Rs 18 crore (excluding personal IT).

Onam bumper lottery records brisk business

The sale has been a roaring success, with 89.85 lakh of the 90 lotteries printed being sold. Each ticket costs Rs 500, fetching the government around Rs 450 crore in revenue.

Such is the interest for the prize money that many from Tamil Nadu often head to Keralam to purchase tickets to try their luck. R Vivek, a middle-aged man from Chennai, said he bought five tickets when he went to visit Guruvayoor temple last month.

Despite the police being aware of the case, no effective legal action was taken amid alleged attempts to "settle" the matter involving large sums of money, he said.

The opposition DMK has already said it had no links with Veeramani, 84, in connection with the case.

Speaking to reporters here, Nirmal Kumar reiterated that the DMK was "overreacting" to the action against Veeramani and alleged that the party was deliberately shielding the granite baron in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences case.

He claimed that an initial complaint against the industrialist in 2024 was systematically suppressed by the previous administration and that a closure report was filed citing "insufficient evidence".

He questioned how alleged attempts to settle the case involving large sums of money and allegations of sexual abuse of a minor could have taken place in the capital without the knowledge of the state intelligence machinery.

"It is impossible for such massive extortion attempts and extra-judicial settlements to occur without the knowledge of the Home department and intelligence officers," Nirmal Kumar said, asserting that the case was prematurely closed to protect the accused after alleged monetary deals were concluded.

The minister assured that a transparent probe would be conducted under the direct supervision of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and said law enforcement would not spare anyone found to have participated in attempts to cover up the case, extortion or destruction of evidence.

"There will be absolute impartiality in this investigation. Every individual involved, whether in attempting to shield the accused, profiting from extortion or suppressing evidence, will face strict legal action under the law," Nirmal Kumar said.

The state government has constituted a four-member all-women Special Investigation Team to probe the POCSO case against Veeramani and related matters. The team comprises senior women police officers and will function under the supervision of the Chennai Police Commissioner.

The Chennai POCSO Special Court extended the judicial custody of Veeramani, who was arrested on August 29, till October 9. His earlier remand period ended on Friday.

Welcoming the expansion of the breakfast programme to Classes 6 to 8, benefiting an additional 15.30 lakh students in government and government-aided schools, the TNCRW said security arrangements during VIP visits should not compromise children’s dignity and rights.

The organisation said schools should remain safe and respectful spaces for children and argued that security measures for visits by constitutional and public office-holders must be proportionate, age-sensitive and non-intimidating while respecting children's privacy.

TNCRW urged the TVK government and the departments concerned to identify who authorised and directed the frisking and checking of school bags and clarify whether the measures formed part of an approved security protocol for the CM’s visit.

As an alternative, it suggested declaring a "No-Bag Day" in advance if school bags were considered a security concern, with parents and students informed beforehand.

The organisation also called for a review of security procedures for VIP visits to schools and child-friendly guidelines for the police, School Education Department, Social Welfare Department, district administrations and schools.

TNCRW said responsibility for VIP security should remain with security and law-enforcement agencies rather than being imposed through intrusive measures on children. It sought corrective action if the children’s rights or dignity had been violated and urged the government to institutionalise child-rights and safeguarding protocols for official events held in schools.

The proposal has been submitted to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) as part of the six-monthly exercise to determine the additional surcharge payable by consumers who source power through open access.

TNPDCL said that its existing power purchase agreements left it with fixed financial commitments even when some consumers bought electricity from sources other than the distribution utility. It has sought to recover the resulting stranded costs through the proposed surcharge.

According to the latest petition, TNPDCL has calculated Rs 180.91 crore as the net stranded charges recoverable from open access consumers. The calculation is based on data for the said period. The utility has estimated an adjusted open access quantum of 2,891.13 MU and arrived at the surcharge of Rs 0.63/unit.

The proposal comes against the backdrop of TNPDCL seeking no additional surcharge for the preceding six-month period, from April 1 to September 30, 2026. In that petition, based on data from April to September 2025, TNPDCL calculated the net stranded charge as zero after adjusting the demand charges recovered from open access consumers and asked TNERC to determine the surcharge as nil.

At the same time, TNPDCL told the regulator that Rs 282.64 crore in net stranded charges for the October 2025-March 2026 period remained unrecovered, as the corresponding petition was yet to be decided. It sought an early order on that petition.

The latest petition shows that open access consumers had an average allowed capacity of 712.25 MW during the assessment period, while the capacity stranded due to open access was estimated at 486.76 MW. TNPDCL has put its total fixed cost at Rs 8,795.15 crore and the fixed cost attributable to stranded capacity at Rs 384.18 crore.

After accounting for transmission and distribution charges recovered from open access consumers, the utility arrived at the net stranded cost of Rs 180.91 crore. TNPDCL has now invited suggestions and comments from stakeholders on the petition filed before TNERC.

CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said employees had been seeking a five-day workweek for several years. A joint memorandum submitted by bank management and the employees' federation to the Centre in March 2025 was yet to yield a decision, he said.

The other demands include filling vacancies, regularising temporary staff, ending outsourcing, providing defined pension benefits and ending discrimination in the name of performance-linked incentives.

Referring to the one-day strike on September 11, Shanmugam said neither the government nor bank management had initiated talks. An indefinite strike has also been announced from October 26, he said.

Alleging that the government was threatening employees and officers to deter them from joining the strike, Shanmugam urged the Centre to hold talks and reach a settlement.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian also urged the Centre to drop its "threatening approach" and negotiate with the federation. He said the three-day strike had been called by the All India Bank Employees and Officers Federation over the employees' long-pending demands.

"Heartfelt congratulations to Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar, who have brought pride to India and Tamil Nadu by winning the bronze medal in the squash mixed doubles event at the Asian Games," Vijay said in a social media post.

He said the duo's achievement would inspire the younger generation of sportspersons in Tamil Nadu and reiterated the State government's commitment to supporting talented athletes.

"Their victory will provide fresh inspiration and confidence to the young sportspersons of Tamil Nadu," he said.

Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna also congratulated the duo, pointing out that both athletes had trained under the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority's Elite Scheme.

"Both have brought recognition to India and pride to Tamil Nadu," Aadhav said, adding that the two would receive the Rs 30 lakh cash incentive offered by the State to Asian Games bronze medallists.

He said the achievements of Tamil Nadu's athletes were giving fresh impetus to youngsters pursuing sport and assured that the State government would stand by those determined to excel.

The bronze medal adds to Joshna's distinguished Asian Games record and marks another notable achievement for Velavan, as the Tamil Nadu-trained duo brought India a podium finish in squash.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the State-run corporation is also gathering intel on people with vested interests, who may scuttle the tender process.

Tasmac currently operates 4,048 retail liquor shops across Tamil Nadu. Private operators are permitted to run bars in spaces adjacent to these outlets, where they can sell snacks, soft drinks and other permitted items.

The existing bar contracts were originally awarded for two years in January 2022 and expired in January 2024. However, the contracts were subsequently extended on two occasions first up to June 30 and later up to October 31 in view of the Assembly elections.

With the extended contracts nearing expiry, Tasmac has decided to issue fresh tenders next month.

NOC rule relaxed to break cartels, encourage newcomers

According to a Tasmac official, the tender conditions have been modified to provide opportunities for new operators.

Previously, applicants were required to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the owner of the building where the bar was proposed to be operated. The official said this condition had created difficulties for new applicants, as building owners themselves were operating bars at several locations.

As a result, the same group of operators had reportedly continued to run bars at many locations for nearly two decades.

To address the issue, the government relaxed the tender conditions through a Government Order issued in July.

Distance norm eased

Under the revised rules, a bar need not necessarily be located in the premises immediately adjacent to a Tasmac outlet. It can now be established within a 100-metre radius of the liquor shop, subject to the applicable conditions.

The official said the change is expected to allow more applicants to participate in the tender process and provide newcomers an opportunity to secure bar contracts.

Tasmac ‘spies’ on dissenters

Meanwhile, Tasmac has received information that certain sections opposed to the revised rules may attempt to create hurdles in the tender process. Officials are discreetly gathering details regarding those involved.

The official said Tasmac is prepared to deal with any legal challenges that may arise after the tender notification is issued and take necessary steps to ensure the contracts are awarded without delay.

Camp from 9 am to 5 pm

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the special camp will be conducted from 9 am to 5 pm. Ration card holders who have not yet completed fingerprint verification have been urged to use the opportunity and complete the process.

Verification under NFSA

The exercise is being carried out under the National Food Security Act, 2013, to verify Aadhaar details of beneficiaries covered under Priority Household (PHH) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration cards.

All beneficiaries whose names are linked to electronic family cards have been advised to complete the Aadhaar-based biometric verification.

96.21% verification completed

Fingerprint verification has been under way since October 2023, with arrangements made to ensure that family members can complete the process without inconvenience.

So far, 96.21 per cent of priority ration card beneficiaries have completed fingerprint verification.

Aim to achieve 100% coverage

The special camp has been organised with the objective of completing the fingerprint verification process for all eligible beneficiaries.

Those who have not yet registered their fingerprints at ration shops have been requested to visit their respective fair price shops today and complete the verification.

Vijay is scheduled to be in Madurai on September 28 to launch the State government’s one-gram gold ring scheme for newborns at a government hospital. The launch venue has been shifted from Usilampatti Government Hospital to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.

After the scheme launch, Vijay is expected to proceed to the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundaraswarar Temple to offer prayers, according to sources. His proposed visit comes days after the temple’s maha kumbabhishekam, held on September 17 following a gap of 17 years.

The proposed temple visit has also prompted the police to review security arrangements along the likely routes and around the temple premises. Officials are examining traffic and crowd-control measures in view of the Chief Minister’s visit.

The ‘Thai Maman Thanga Mothiram’ scheme will provide one-gram gold rings to eligible children born in government hospitals. The government has procured 1.28 lakh rings for the first phase, with the scheme covering eligible children born from June 22, 2026.

The September 28 programme will be Joseph Vijay’s first reported official engagement in Madurai as Chief Minister. While preparations are under way for the proposed temple visit, the final itinerary is yet to be formally confirmed by the authorities.

Justice V Lakshminarayanan orally urged media outlets to exercise sensitivity when reporting on the Pocso case, observing that the premature publication of videos and details of the investigation could have a “chilling effect” on other victims and discourage them from coming forward.

The court made the observations as Tulir Charitable Trust, represented by Managing Trustee Vidya Reddy, approached the Madras High Court seeking directions to the Commissioner of Police to prevent the further circulation of a video allegedly containing Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) and protect the identity and privacy of the victims.

The NGO said the circulation of the material outside the investigation process raised concerns over the custody and confidentiality of sensitive evidence and posed a continuing threat to the victims’ privacy, dignity and safety.

The court also said the issue could be debated, but asked whether it could be done without circulating the videos, noting that “there is something more important in life than TRP ratings.” It observed that while the media had a fundamental right to report the incident, it did not have the right to conduct a “media trial.”

Whether the accused was guilty or not had to be decided by the court and not by the media, the court said, stressing the need to keep the children safe. The court noted that the investigation was at a crucial stage and police were examining whether there were more victims.

It said that conducting debates with investigation details and circulating photographs could discourage victims from giving statements.

The court said the media’s right to report carried a corresponding duty towards both the victim children and the accused. Though the peti- tioner sought a John Doe order barring such violations, the court declined to grant it to balance the media’s rights.

However, it restrained media outlets from publishing the videos.

More than 20 DVAC personnel from Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts conducted searches following allegations of illegal sand excavation to hold a DMK conference.

The search was reportedly based on a complaint filed by Arappor Iyakkam with the DVAC alleging that soil worth more than Rs 8 crore had been illegally excavated from the Malappambadi lake in Tiruvannamalai and used to level land for a recent DMK conference held in the district.

The organisation had alleged violations by Annadurai.

He was addressing a campaign here for the October 6 bypoll, necessitated by the resignation of AIADMK’s K Maragatham Kumaravel, who later joined Vijay’s TVK and has now been re-nominated. At the campaign meeting, Vijay went all guns blazing, dubbing the MK Stalin-led party as an “evil force.”

Harping on the TVK’s “clean governance and pure force,” plank, Vijay accused the DMK of corruption and charged it with colluding with the AIADMK even in the case of child sex abuse by Veeramani.

Without directly mentioning the POCSO case against Veeramani, Vijay alleged that the industrialist was abusing children for so many years. And though a complaint was lodged during the previous DMK regime, the entire crime and its history was buried.

The Central Crime Branch's Anti-Vice Squad registered a case on October 7, 2025, based on a complaint by a social activist.

However, action was delayed for several months.

The case was later transferred to the ITPU, which arrested R Veeramani, Mahendra Simhan and Shanthi on August 29 in connection with the alleged sexual assault of minor girls.

They were booked under Sections 7, 8, 15 (1) and 21 (1) of the POCSO Act; Sections 354 (A), 354 (C), 201 and 120 (B) of the IPC; and Sections 66 (E) and 67 (B) of the Information Technology Act.

Veeramani, who was remanded in judicial custody on August 29, was due to complete his remand period on Friday (September 26).

Considering security concerns, he was produced before S Padma, Judge of the Special Court for Pocso Act cases, through video conference.

After hearing the matter, the judge extended his judicial custody till October 9.

Standing Committee Chairman for Education D Viswanathan questioned the decision to route the salaries of 180 data entry operators through an external agency.

The operators work across 417 GCC-run schools, including 206 primary, 130 middle, 46 high and 35 higher secondary schools, assisting headmasters with student data, welfare assistance details and administrative reports. They were engaged through Overseas Manpower Corporation Ltd (OMCL) for the 2026-27 academic year (July 2026 to June 2027).

“Workers whose monthly salary was fixed at Rs 26,765 or Rs 26,755 were receiving only Rs 20,768 after deductions,” Viswanathan said. “In addition to deductions like PF and ESI, Rs 1,896 is being deducted as service and GST charges. Instead of paying through contractors, the GCC should directly credit salaries as was done earlier.”

Perungudi zone chairman SV Ravichandran said that the number of data entry operators in Zone 12 had been reduced from 20 to 12. “Contractors quoting 35% lower rates in tenders have reduced workers’ salaries from Rs 18,000 to Rs 15,000, affecting their livelihoods,” he alleged.

Deputy Mayor M Magesh Kumaar asked the GCC Commissioner Sameeran to enforce a strict minimum wage to prevent sudden reductions in the pay of temporary staff.

Responding to concerns, Sameeran clarified, “OMCL is a State-owned public sector organisation and not a private agency. The minimum wage of Rs 868/day was fixed as per the Labour Department’s minimum wage order, and will be ensured.”

On staff rationalisation, he stated that the GCC would assess the actual requirement in each zone and retain staff wherever necessary while streamlining excess positions.

Kanniyakumari MLA N Thalavai Sundaram and Thiruvananthapuram Deputy Mayor Asha Nath were among those who attended the programme organised by the Sree Moolam Thirunal Maharaja Jayanti Celebration Committee.

Asha Nath led a floral tribute to Sree Moolam Thirunal's portrait near the dam, following which an aarti was performed. A seminar and cow puja were also held as part of the programme.

The Pechiparai dam was constructed between 1897 and 1906 during Sree Moolam Thirunal's reign. He ruled the erstwhile Travancore State from 1885 to 1924. His birth anniversary has been observed at the dam for several years.

At the seminar, former Rubber Board vice-chairman Anil Kumar spoke about the ruler's contribution, while BJP Kisan Morcha district vice-president Jayakumar, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh state vice-president Parthasarathy and Poovendha Pandian of the Environmental Protection Movement also addressed the gathering.

Thiruvananthapuram Mayor Rajesh delivered the special address. A book on Sree Moolam Thirunal was released, and a tree-planting programme was held.

Former MLA MR Gandhi, BJP district president Gopakumar, AIADMK west district secretary Jaya Sudharsan and several farmers, BJP and AIADMK functionaries and members of Hindu organisations attended the programme.

He welcomed the Pocso court's decision on June 19, 2026, to order a reinvestigation after refusing to accept the closure of the case on the ground that the identities of those involved could not be established from video evidence. Had the court not intervened, those allegedly responsible for the "heinous" crime could have escaped, he said.

Shanmugam said the TVK government had subsequently arrested Veeramani and others allegedly involved in the crime and was taking further action. The CPM demanded that all those involved in the case, those who aided the alleged offences and those who attempted to suppress them be brought before the law and given stringent punishment.

Shanmugam also criticised former ruling party DMK and its president MK Stalin over his recent statement that the party had neither intervened to protect anyone nor issued instructions in connection with the case.

The state government has constituted an SIT under the supervision of the police commissioner. However, Shanmugam said such an arrangement was not appropriate in a case involving influential people, particularly given past instances in which ways had allegedly been created for them to escape legal action.

The CPM therefore demanded that the SIT be constituted under the supervision of a High Court judge and conduct the investigation. He made the demand after leading a protest seeking stringent action in the sexual abuse cases. Shanmugam said reports that Veeramani had allegedly sexually abused more than 100 girls from poor and vulnerable families were shocking and described the allegations as an example of the serious crimes allegedly committed by wealthy and influential people.

An order issued by Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, dated September 24, stated that an SIT has been formed "to effectively investigate the case and related matters" involving the Gem Granites founder.

The SIT is headed by PC Thenmozhi, Additional Commissioner of Police, Central Crime Branch, Greater Chennai Police. The other members are Disha Mittal, Joint Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, West, Greater Chennai Police; J Mutharasi, Superintendent of Police/Media Relations Officer in the DGP's office; and VV Geethanjali, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime against Women and Children, Greater Chennai Police.

The SIT will function under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police A Amalraj. The commissioner has been directed to provide the required manpower and logistical support to the team.

Meanwhile the investigators had summoned assistant commissioner, MA Yasmin, now placed on vacancy reserve, former anti-vice squad inspector Mahesh Kumar and inspector Rajalakshmi for interrogation.

On Friday, the Chennai POCSO Special Court extended the judicial custody of Veeramani till October 9. He has been in judicial custody since August 29 and his existing remand period was due to end on Friday.

In view of security concerns, Veeramani was produced before Special Judge S Padma through video conference.

Veeramani has been accused of sexually abusing minor girls. Three of his associates have also been arrested in the case, which has sent shockwaves across the State, with all political parties and the civil society demanding stringent punishment to the perpetrators.

Following allegations of police inaction despite a complaint made in November 2024, by Ranjan Kumar, president of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee's Scheduled Caste Department, seeking police action against the industrialist, the government on Thursday eased two top IPS officers, A Arun and N Kannan, who served as then Commissioner and Additional Commissioner, respectively, out of their posts and placed them on "compulsory wait."

Cases booked for sharing minor’s clips

The Cyber Crime Cell of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) has registered a case against media handles for publishing and circulating the photographs and video clips of a minor girl in connection with the Veeramani case. The case was registered on Friday under Section 23(4) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 67-B of the Information Technology Act. The police have appealed to the public not to circulate the minor’s photographs or video clips.

In a statement issued by Anbumani said that stormwater drain works taken up across Chennai based on the recommendations of the Thirupugazh Committee had not been fully completed even four years after they began in 2022. Of the proposed 1,093 km network, works had been completed for 1,045 km, leaving around 48 km pending, he said.

He pointed out that several stretches, including Anna Nagar Second Avenue, Arcot Road, Ashok Nagar, KK Nagar, Alandur, Perungudi, Sholinganallur, Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram and ThiruViKa Nagar, still had incomplete works and open trenches posing risks to motorists and residents.

Anbumani also claimed that interconnection work between drains was pending at 68 of the 105 identified locations. Further, desilting had not been completed in 41 per cent of the inlet structures along the 1,682 km stormwater drain network, potentially obstructing rainwater flow into the drains.

Citing the State government's committee on the impact of the Super El Niño system, he said Tamil Nadu could witness excess rainfall and flooding this year. He recalled that Chennai had experienced severe flooding in previous high-rainfall years, including 2015 and 2023.

Anbumani urged the government to complete all pending works on a war footing and immediately close and restore road trenches to prevent flooding and accidents.

The ICCC, which went live in December 2020 under the Smart Cities Mission, brings together data from various civic services and field equipment for monitoring and response.

ICCC 2.0 involves additional infrastructure, applications and data integration being developed around the existing system. The latest decision is to have one System Integrator handle the existing ICCC as well as the identified 2.0 components for five years.

The move comes as the ICCC’s original operational and maintenance arrangement ended in November 2025 and was subsequently extended. The current extension runs until November 30. The Corporation said that the five-year arrangement was chosen to ensure continuity and improve lifecycle value and commercial competitiveness.

The arrangement will also cover software and data integration, the Early Warning System, cloud and internet connectivity, cybersecurity, maintenance and selective replacement or upgrading of equipment. The integration will cover/ maintain 1,256 cameras: 668 already part of the ICCC and 588 additional cameras identified under ICCC 2.0.

It will also cover 65 rain gauges, 46 flood sensors, 36 environmental sensors, 101 Variable Message Displays (VMDs), 40 floodometers, 159 pump-monitoring units, 57 vehicle GPS units, 17 automated boom barriers and 50 smart poles. Three Regional ICCCs are also included. Separately, 75 environmental sensors and 225 cameras for hi-tech labs are being implemented and can subsequently be integrated with the ICCC where applicable.

The Corporation has reduced the proposed operational manpower from 55 to 44, including four personnel for each of the 3 Regional ICCCs. For cloud storage, the Corporation has adopted 7-day retention of camera footage to video feeds. Application databases, system logs, backups and cybersecurity data will have separate storage and recovery requirements.

The appointments give senior AIADMK turncoats a prominent place in the TVK's organisational structure, months after a series of high-profile defections. The move is also significant amid continuing speculation over further political migration from the AIADMK to the ruling party.

The 11 former ministers appointed as deputy general secretaries are MSM Anandan, MC Sampath, K Radhakrishnan, KV Ramalingam, M Anandan, Kadambur Raju, KT Pachaimal, Vellamandi N Natarajan, NR Sivapathi, S Vaigaichelvan and S Valarmathi.

J Sundeep Anand, son of DMK leader S Jagathrakshakan, along with KG Muthu Venkateswaran, Thollamur Kannan and VCR Kumaran, has also been appointed deputy general secretary.

Former MLA C Mahendran has been appointed secretary of the Tirupur Rural South district.

Welcoming the new office-bearers, Vijay urged them to work in coordination with party functionaries and under the guidance of general secretary N Anand. He also appealed to cadres to extend their full cooperation to the new appointees.

Vijay said Baranica had brought laurels to Tamil Nadu and India through her hard work and perseverance. He said her achievement would inspire sportspersons who continued to work towards their goals.

“Her success will instil new confidence and motivation among athletes who work tirelessly to achieve their goals,” Vijay said, wishing her greater success in the years ahead.

He said the Tamil Nadu government would provide her the Rs 30 lakh incentive as recognition of her performance.

Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna also congratulated Baranica and said she had created a landmark by becoming the first Indian to win an Asian Games medal in the women’s pole vault event.

He said the Rs 30 lakh high cash incentive was being provided through the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority to athletes winning bronze medals at the Asian Games.

“The success achieved by our sportspersons through hard work, dedication and sustained efforts is instilling confidence among the youth of Tamil Nadu,” Aadhav said.

He added that the State government would extend its support to athletes in pursuing their sporting ambitions.

Baranica, a Tamil Nadu athlete, had been selected for India’s 2026 Asian Games athletics squad in women’s pole vault. She had earlier set a national record of 4.22 metres at the National Indoor Athletics Championships in March this year.

In a statement, Tagore said the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) had recommended that Karnataka release 4,000 cusecs a day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from September 25. The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) subsequently accepted the recommendation and issued an order, he said.

Pointing out that the latest direction was 2,000 cusecs lower than an earlier order stipulating 6,000 cusecs a day, Tagore questioned Karnataka's reported decision to challenge the order in the Supreme Court.

He said the delay had already affected Kuruvai cultivation in Tamil Nadu and could now put Samba cultivation at risk if adequate water was not released. He urged Karnataka to respect the decisions of the statutory Cauvery authorities and release the stipulated 4,000 cusecs without further delay.

Tagore also demanded that Karnataka make good the accumulated shortfall and release Tamil Nadu's due share of Cauvery water.

"With Samba cultivation under way, any further delay in water release will put delta farmers under additional pressure," Tagore said, stressing the need for timely release of water to protect cultivation in the Cauvery Delta.

It is said that on July 5, Kannan, a resident of Natchiyarkoil near Kumbakonam, befriended a 17-year-old girl and had reportedly taken her to a farm to abuse her sexually. The girl became pregnant for two months, and so Kannan took her to Nagapattinam GH on Thursday and terminated the pregnancy.

On information, Natchiyarkoil police conducted an investigation. Later, the Tiruvidaimarudur All Women police registered a case against Kannan under various sections, including the Pocso Act and arrested him on Friday. Further investigations are ongoing.

It is said that A Rajalakshmi (60), a retired Government School Headmistress residing at Kurumbalur in Perambalur, went to her daughter’s house in Chennai on September 10.

On Friday morning, when one of Rajalakshmi’s relatives noticed that the door of her house was broken, she passed on the information to her and the Perambalur rural police.

While Rajalakshmi was rushing to Perambalur, the police, along with her relatives, inspected the house and found 80 sovereign jewels. The police also retrieved the fingerprints.

Similarly, the miscreants broke open the doors of the house of Kamaraj (50), from Athanur in Perambalur, while he was away for work along with his wife Chinnammal and escaped with six sovereign jewels and cash of Rs 5 lakh kept for his son’s education.

Kamaraj lodged a complaint with the Maruvathur police, who rushed to the spot and conducted an investigation. The theft incidents, in which valuables worth Rs 1 crore were stolen on a single day had created shock waves among the residents.

Countering Vijay’s allegation that the DMK and BJP were no different, Stalin asked how the TVK could claim to oppose the BJP when, according to him, even references to the party were removed from Assembly records. He also took a jibe at him for taking a candidate from the BJP-led NDA.

Referring to the Karur tragedy, Stalin said he had remarked that no leader would want his cadres to die and denied seeking political mileage from the incident.

Ask yourself whether you are speaking with the same dignity expected of a Chief Minister, Stalin added. On the Veeramani case, Stalin said he had already explained his position and questioned whether Vijay had failed to keep himself updated on the matter. He also referred to the High Court’s observation against politicising the case.

Stalin said Vijay had claimed to have stopped acting in films but continued to act before the people. Referring to Vijay’s Madurantakam speech, he said: “I watched your dialogue delivery at today’s Madurantakam shooting. I have a few questions for you.”

Stalin questioned how Vijay could call TVK a “thooya shakthi” while fielding Maragatham Kumaravel, who had resigned as an AIADMK MLA and joined TVK, as his candidate in the bypoll. He also questioned whether persuading NDA MLAs to switch sides soon after an election could be described as representing a “thooya shakthi”.

Taking aim at Vijay’s election promises, Stalin recalled his assurance that he would promise only what was practically possible. “After coming to power, you say the treasury is empty. Is this how you keep your promises?” he asked.

He sarcastically listed power cuts, sickle attacks, price rises, dengue, and milk shortages as TVK’s new initiatives, while claiming that several schemes of the TVK government were continuations of programmes introduced by the DMK.

The seizure was made during a routine vehicle check near SIPCOT in Perundurai on Thursday night.

Police signalled a Maharashtra-registered car to stop, but it sped away.

Acting swiftly, the police chased and intercepted the vehicle at the four-road junction on Chennimalai Road near the Perundurai bus stand. During a search of the car, police found bundles of cash amounting to Rs 1.5 crore.

The occupants were identified as Swapnil Nagen, 35, and Akshay, 37, both from Maharashtra.

As they allegedly failed to produce documents explaining the source of the cash or its intended destination, the police seized the money and handed over the two men to Income Tax officials for a detailed inquiry.

The meeting in Tiruchy was chaired by Collector Pratik Tayal, in which Ayilai Siva Suriyan, District Secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, said the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee instructed the Karnataka government to release 12,000 cusecs of water initially this year, but they refused, and it was reduced to 9,000 cusecs, then 6,000 cusecs and on Thursday, the committee recommended releasing 4,000 cusecs but each time Karnataka refused to oblige.

“This is due to the absence of an independent board to solve the issue. The Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal sought the union government to find an independent body to make decisions, but instead of establishing a board, the union government formed a commission which has no power to pressurise any government. The Tamil Nadu government should initiate steps to establish an independent body to discuss water sharing; only then would the issue be solved,” Siva Suryian said.

Meanwhile, P Ayyakannu, State president, Desiya Thennidhiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam, demanded that the State government to approach the Supreme Court to file a case against Karnataka to provide compensation of Rs 1 lakh crore to Tamil Nadu for failing to adhere to the directions of the court. 

“If the state government is unwilling to file a case, let the government allow the farmers to go ahead with filing a petition for compensation. As we have lost the entire kuruvai and samba this year due to water shortage,” Ayyakannu said.

Monishwaran, son of Jyothiswaran, a resident of Ambal Nagar near Kalpakkam, was studying in Class 9 at Infant Jesus Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Puthupattinam near Kalpakkam. While the class was in session on Thursday morning, the boy told the teacher that he was feeling dizzy and told her to inform his parents.

However, within a few minutes, Monishwaran collapsed inside the classroom. The teacher immediately informed the headmaster and contacted his parents, and the boy was taken to a private hospital in Puthupattinam by an auto-rickshaw. After examining him, doctors reportedly said his pulse rate was very low and advised the school officials to take him to a government hospital.

He was taken to the Government Primary Health Centre at Sadras, where the doctors declared that the boy had already died. Later, his body was sent to the Chengalpattu Government Hospital for autopsy.

Unable to come to terms with the sudden death of the teenager, his parents and relatives raised several questions over the incident. The family questioned what caused the student to collapse and why they were not informed immediately. They also questioned why the school did not have an ambulance or emergency medical facility and why the student was taken to the hospital in an auto-rickshaw.

They have demanded a thorough post-mortem examination and a detailed investigation into the student's death to reveal the truth.

Based on their complaint, the Kalpakkam police have registered a case and are investigating the incident.

The power utility will engage private firms through limited tenders to read meters of low-tension (LT) non-CT services. The number of meter readers on contract will be decided division-wise, based on the number of assessors available and the volume of LT services.

A TNPDCL Revenue Division circular issued on Sept 24 said vacancies in the assessment cadre had resulted in LT service assessments being carried out beyond the prescribed billing cycle, leading to consumer complaints and increased workload for existing staff.

The manpower gap is particularly acute among assessors, who undertake door-to-door meter reading. Of 7,590 sanctioned assessor posts, 5,602 are vacant, a vacancy rate of 73.81 per cent. Overall, 7,119 of the 14,804 sanctioned posts in the assessment and revenue hierarchy are vacant. Among inspectors of assessment, 1,073 of 3,976 posts are vacant.

TNPDCL has around 3.5 crore LT services across the State, including 2.5 crore domestic connections.

The utility has prescribed daily targets for outsourced meter readers, ranging from 250 services in Chennai Corporation areas to 80 in hill regions. The targets are 220 in other corporations, 200 in municipalities, 180 in town panchayats, and 110 in rural areas.

Consumers say delayed readings can result in higher bills. A Manapakkam resident said his meter, due for reading on August 20, was checked only on August 28. The delayed reading showed consumption of 508 units and resulted in a bill of Rs 2,107. Had the reading been taken on time, he said, consumption would have remained below 500 units and the bill would have been around Rs 1,570.

However, even as they expressed concern over the rising workload, electricity board employees said deploying contract workers was not the solution.

S Kannan, president of the Central Organisation of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees (COTEE), said the shortage had forced inspectors to take up meter-reading duties, while revenue supervisors were being deployed for bill collection. However, outsourcing the work could result in errors and under-assessment, he alleged.

"Unless the vacancies are filled, these problems will continue," he said, adding that the decision to engage contract workers was taken without consulting trade unions and alleging violation of labour laws.

Stop-gap solution

DAILY TARGET FOR CONTRACT ASSESSORS

• Chennai Corporation - 250

• Other corporations - 220

• Municipal towns - 200

• Town Panchayats - 180

• Rural areas - 110

• Hill regions - 80

PENALTIES FOR INCORRECT READINGS

• Rs 50 per service for erroneous readings taken up to 10 mistakes/month

• Rs 100 per service for errors between 10 and 20 services/month

• Rs 200 per service for errors exceeding 20 mistakes/month

“Considering Rule 14(b) of the Tamil Nadu Special Police Subordinate Service Rules and the ground reality, the court seeks a report from the Director General of Police on the number of criminal cases pending against police officials and how long they had been pending, as well as details of the departmental proceedings, if any, initiated against police officials involved in criminal cases,” said Justice B Pugalendi.

The court issued the direction while hearing a petition challenging the police department’s decision to deny the petitioner appointment, despite his selection for the post of Grade-II Police Constable in the recruitment year 2022-23, on the ground that a criminal case was pending against him. The trial court had acquitted the petitioner of the charges in June 2026.

“Such stringent rules have been incorporated in the Tamil Nadu Special Police Subordinate Service Rules to ensure purity in the police service and to prevent persons with criminal character and antecedents from entering into the police service. However, the purity as per this Rule is not maintained in the department, for the serving officers and police constables,” observed Justice Pugalendhi.

The judge further observed that the court had witnessed several cases in which police officers involved in criminal cases were allowed to continue in service for years without any disciplinary action being taken against them.

“Many are rewarded with subsistence allowance and full salary,” the judge observed.

The investigations and trials under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, have been delayed for years, and, given the pendency of the criminal case, disciplinary proceedings were not initiated for several years, the court observed.

Despite the Government Order dated May 16, 1973, clearly stating that simultaneous departmental proceedings should be initiated against officials facing criminal cases, even now, persons involved in criminal cases are serving without departmental proceedings being initiated against them, the court observed.

After issuing the direction, the court posted the case for orders on September 28, 2026.

Amid the otherwise combative speech, he struck a lighter note while referring to Stalin. "Whether Stalin wins or loses, he is my Uncle. He is my 'sweet uncle'," Vijay said, in a veiled jibe.

Seeking to defend Maragatham Kumaravel's switch, Vijay said the former AIADMK MLA had made a political decision amid shifting equations in the State and urged voters to look beyond her resignation. Vijay then launched into a detailed rebuttal of the DMK's criticism of his references to alleged corruption in earlier regimes.

"When we speak about corruption in the Assembly, they say Vijay was not even born then. I ask them, what does it matter when I was born? Read the history and everything will come to light," he said.

He said it was his responsibility to place past allegations before the present generation and alleged that the Opposition repeatedly shifted its position on the issue of evidence.

"If we say corruption, they ask us to show the evidence. If we show the evidence, they say it must be proved in court. If the matter is before the court, they say it cannot be discussed in the Assembly," Vijay said.

He reiterated his pledge that public money would neither be misused nor allowed to be misused. The TVK supremo claimed that DMK is the real BJP: "The DMK in Delhi is BJP; the BJP in Tamil Nadu is DMK." He alleged that the AIADMK, formerly a "branch" of the BJP, had now become a "branch" of the DMK.

Invoking the political legacy of MGR and Jayalalithaa, Vijay recalled their repeated description of the DMK as "theeya shakthi" and said the same description applied to his party's current contest with the DMK. He also referred to past remarks made by Stalin about Jayalalithaa, saying the comments continued to circulate and that voters were closely watching the conduct of political leaders.

He also mounted a spirited defence of his government's borrowing, saying he had inherited a difficult financial situation and had sought time to implement the TVK's promises.

"Yes, I am borrowing. But I am not borrowing to loot. I am borrowing to do good for the people and to fulfil, step by step, the promises we made," Vijay said.

Referring to the TVK's promise of six LPG cylinders, he said the government could currently provide three due to prevailing financial constraints, while insisting that the promise would be implemented progressively. He highlighted the expansion of free bus travel for women and said his government had delivered some commitments ahead of schedule, including raising the milk procurement price.

On the Parandur airport issue, Vijay said his government was not opposed to development, but would not allow development to come at the cost of Chennai, water bodies or farmers.

"We decided that Chennai should not be affected, water bodies should not be affected and farmers should not be affected," he said.

He also claimed that the DMK had begun to acknowledge that the principal political contest was between the DMK and the TVK.

The Mayor claimed that several resolutions adopted by the council on key civic issues, including those seeking to scrap the proposed privatisation of the drinking water supply in Salem and the proposed waste-to-energy plant, were not forwarded.

“Under the Urban Local Bodies rules, it is the duty of the Corporation Commissioner to forward the resolutions passed by the council to the Director of Municipal Administration (DMA), District Collector and State government. However, the resolutions adopted during the council meetings held in May, June, July and August have not been sent to the authorities,” Ramachandran told reporters.

The Mayor also accused the Commissioner of failing to issue the notification for the monthly council meeting, despite having been instructed to convene it.

The agitation at the Mayor’s chamber led to tension at the Corporation office, with police personnel urging the Mayor and councillors to withdraw the protest. However, they refused to relent and continued their sit-in.

Salem Corporation has 60 wards, of which 48 are represented by the DMK, 7 by the AIADMK, 2 by the Congress, and 1 each by the VCK, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Lalit Aditya Neelam met Salem District Collector K Elambahavath and held discussions on the situation arising from the protest. A large number of police personnel were deployed outside the Corporation office as the agitation continued.

Welcoming the proposal, Anand said the Government would examine its feasibility, including the possibility of taking it forward in collaboration with TIDCO. 

He was participating in Connect Madurai 2026, organised by CII, Madurai Zone, which brought together various stakeholders to deliberate on the opportunities presented by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the future of Madurai’s technology ecosystem.

Speaking on the occasion, Atul Anand highlighted the Tamil Nadu Government’s initiatives to leverage AI as a force multiplier and promote startups, research, deep-tech innovation and the responsible use of emerging technologies.

State government will examine the feasibility to implement CII's proposal, including the possibility of taking it forward in collaboration with TIDCO

He said the Government’s focus included AI-related policies, ethical use of AI, data sharing and governance, skill development, digital public service delivery and the proposed development of an AI City.

Speaking at the programme, B Subburaman, Co-Chair, CII Southern Region Taskforce on AI Adoption & Responsible Adoption, emphasised that Madurai should build on its existing strengths in manufacturing, software, embedded technologies, industrial automation and engineering to move towards the creation of intellectual property and technology-led products.

The DVAC registered the FIR on September 23, following a surprise raid on the Madurai Corporation Chief Engineer’s office on September 22, based on a tip-off about alleged bribery in connection with the issuance of tenders.

The police registered a case against Chief Engineer R Ramasamy; Assistant Executive Engineers VS Maniyan, M Balamurugan and K Mayilerinathan; M Gokulan, Technical Assistant; S Karthikeyan, Junior Engineer (employed on a contract basis); C Selvakumar, Technical Assistant (temporary staff); S Jegadesh, Technical Assistant (temporary staff); M Vinoth Mani, corporation staff; Ganesh Pandi, Official Assistant; contractors K Radha, R Karuppasamy, A Ramesh; and K Rajaram of AMR Engineering & Construction Technology.

The police seized Rs 1.35 lakh in cash, allegedly kept without proper accounts or documents, and three registers from the office of the corporation chief engineer.

The police obtained statements from the persons concerned and registered the case as DV&AC Crime No. 14/2026 under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended by the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, and Section 106 of the BNSS.

The farmers also demanded desilting and maintenance of irrigation canals, which they said was crucial for ensuring timely water supply to the ayacut areas.

“Canal desilting works under the PAP are normally completed by July. Water is subsequently released to the second-zone ayacut areas by August 15 and to the third zone in January. However, the desilting works have not been completed this year, resulting in a delay in water release,” said ‘Medical’ K Paramasivam, chairman of the PAP Planning Committee.

The farmers alleged that the delay had severely affected coconut plantations, a long-duration crop dependent on regular water supply. They said several areas were facing even drinking water shortages, despite water being available in the PAP reservoirs for emergency release. They also sought a field-level assessment of the damage to coconut plantations and compensation for farmers who had suffered crop and yield losses due to delayed water release.

A police team led by Udumalpet Deputy Superintendent of Police S Thaiyal Nayagi, along with revenue officials, reached the spot and held talks with the protesters. The officials assured the farmers that their demands would be brought to the attention of senior authorities for appropriate action. Following the assurance, the farmers withdrew the road blockade.

The farmers' grievances redressal meeting was held in Thanjavur, chaired by Collector R Revathi, and soon after the commencement of the meeting, the farmers raised concerns about the water flow, which failed to reach the tail-end regions.

The farmers from Peravurani ayacutdars said that the water from Mettur had not reached the tail-end region even after the release a month ago. The farmers said that the water had not reached the water bodies, including tanks and lakes controlled by the Water Resource Department and even the cattle were also affected without drinking water. They demanded the release of water from Mettur be stepped up to ensure samba cultivation, as they have already faced kuruvai loss.

Suddenly, a section of farmers headed by Kakkarai R Sukumaran, state president of Federation of Tamil Nadu Farmers Associations raised slogans against the State government and demanded that the Delta be declared a drought-hit region. They also asked for crop loan waiver as per the poll promise and walked out of the grievance meeting hall.

After coming out, they staged a protest and distributed porridge to the members, claiming that the livelihood of the farmers has been affected due to poor water release and the failure of crop loan waiver.

The protesting farmers demanded kuruvai loss compensation of Rs 35,000 per acre and demanded that the State government initiate steps to get the due share of water from Karnataka.

The court acquitted Abu alias Syed Abuthagir (accused number 1) of all charges framed against him, while convicting Saddam alias Saddam Hussain, Subair, Mubarak alias Md Mubarak, and Mohamed Rafiqul Hussain alias Hassan, the second to fifth accused in the case, on all charges.

The court subsequently sentenced the four accused to life imprisonment.

Sasikumar was returning home on a two-wheeler near Thudiyalur on September 22, 2016, when he was chased and attacked with sickles, suffering multiple cut injuries. He succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital.

The assassination triggered widespread communal tension and violent protests, including arson, rioting, and stone-pelting, across Coimbatore over the subsequent two days.

The case was initially probed by local police and then the CB-CID, and Abu and Mubarak were arrested during the course of the investigation. However, the Union government stepped in and got it transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to media reports from the period, the Union Home Affairs Ministry felt that the State police did not invoke the proper sections of law and also that the investigation was not carried out in a proper manner.

During the probe, the NIA revealed in court that the murder was a case of mistaken identity. The intended target was another Hindu Munnani functionary from Theni, who shared the exact same name and initials as the victim, and had posted an allegedly communal comment on Facebook.

The case was heard by the Special Court for NIA Cases, Chennai. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court pronounced its judgment on Friday.

He was addressing a campaign here for the October 6 bypoll, necessitated due to the resignation of AIADMK's K Maragatham Kumaravel, who later joined Vijay's TVK. She has been re-nominated.

Harping on TVK's "clean governance and pure force," plank, Vijay accused the DMK of corruption and charged it with colluding with the AIADMK even in the horrendous case of abuse of girls by granite baron R Veeramani.

The DMK, as they were unable to level any allegation against the ruling party, out of frustration and irritation, has taken up a dangerous weapon.

Vijay said he tolerated even when they spoke bad about his own mother. But when they spoke in an obscene manner about "my sisters and mothers in Tamil Nadu," he could not accept it.

Both the DMK and the "DMK family" speak in such a manner and Stalin and his family enjoy such speech. "This cannot be tolerated."

Without mentioning directly about the POCSO case against Veeramani, Vijay alleged the industrialist was abusing children for so many years.

Though a complaint had been lodged during the previous DMK regime, the entire crime and its history was buried.

He asked: "What was the deal, Tamil Nadu is asking. Stalin sir, open your mouth, joining hands with you the AIADMK is also not opening its mouth; should there be a collusion even in this issue, will you not open your mouth by having an understanding even in this matter."

Hitting out at DMK, Vijay also said while a CM was a people's servant, the DMK spoke as it "owns the state."