Police said K Kumar (43), M Kithyan Raja (34) and R Rajkumar (35), all from Vanapuram near Thiruvidaimarudur in Thanjavur, went to a Tasmac outlet functioning at Aduthurai on Sunday late evening and approached the outlet supervisor Palanivel and demanded liquor on credit.

When Palanivel did not pay heed to their demands, they damaged the furniture in the shop, attacked Palanivel and escaped.

Based on the complaint by the supervisor, the Tiruvidaimarudur police arrested the trio on Monday. Further investigations are on.

The appointment, announced as part of a six-state gubernatorial reshuffle by President Droupadi Murmu, comes against the backdrop of the new TVK government’s evolving relationship with the BJP-led Centre.

Arlekar, who was serving as Governor of Keralam while discharging the functions of Tamil Nadu Governor, will be succeeded in Keralam by Om Prakash Mathur, the Governor of Sikkim. Dushyant Gautam has been appointed Governor of Sikkim.

The other appointments are Braj Mohan Ram as Governor of Odisha, Sudha Yadav as Governor of Karnataka and Dhal Singh Bisen as Governor of Uttarakhand. The appointments will take effect when the appointees assume charge.

Arlekar’s tenure in Tamil Nadu began at a politically sensitive juncture. Following the Assembly election results in May, he sought documentary proof of majority support from TVK president C Joseph Vijay before inviting him to form the government. The party, which emerged as the single largest force with 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly, initially fell short of the 118 required for a majority.

After securing the support of other parties, Vijay was invited to form the government.

A BJP veteran, Arlekar has served as Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Keralam. His appointment now formalises his role in Tamil Nadu’s constitutional administration.

Launching an intensive awareness campaign on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections at Kalaivanar Arangam here, he said that TN was strengthening prevention and awareness initiatives through educational institutions, schools and district administrations.

“Though we’ve substantially reduced HIV prevalence in Tamil Nadu, our work is not yet complete. We must all work together to achieve an AIDS-free society by 2030,” he told reporters. “More than 1.63 lakh people in TN are receiving HIV treatment. We have 51 centres providing free HIV testing and treatment services, besides medical care and counselling.”

Under enhanced financial assistance announced for 2026-27, children living with HIV who have lost both parents will receive Rs 3,000 a month, those who have lost one parent Rs 2,000, and those living with their parents Rs 1,500. An additional Rs 1.21 crore has been allocated for the scheme, with the revised assistance set to be disbursed from November.

The campaign includes awareness programmes through red ribbon clubs in 2,329 colleges and life-skills education in schools to reach adolescents. Arunraj also flagged off a two-wheeler rally and released an awareness video as part of the initiative.

On the protest by healthcare personnel, the minister said that resuming the agitation within five days of talks with the government was not justified. “Another round of negotiations will be held. Steps will be taken soon to establish the nursing colleges announced in the Assembly,” he added.

Responding to a question about Kolathur MLA VS Babus health condition, Arunraj said that the legislator was doing well and continuing to receive treatment in hospital.

According to police, the deceased, Bosik, was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Government Hospital in Tirunelveli but died shortly afterwards as treatment failed.

The injured are Sennilavan (29) of Pudhu Nagar, Virudhachalam, Cuddalore district, his wife Deepa (32); and relatives Gunasundari, Pappa (86) and Mallika. All of them are receiving intensive treatment in the hospital. Bosik was the son of Sennilavan's brother Silambarasan, a police source said.

The six had set out for Tiruchendur by car at midnight on Sunday. On Monday morning, while travelling near Gangaikondan, Sennilavan, who was driving, unexpectedly rammed into the rear of a lorry parked by the roadside.

Based on the information, Gangaikondan police rushed to the spot, rescued the six trapped in the wreckage and sent them to the hospital. Police have registered a case and are questioning the lorry driver, Umalraj of Indira Colony, Virudhunagar district.

The poll panel has sent a letter to all Chief Electoral Officers, stating that it will not entertain claims and objections submitted by post or in bulk by individuals.

Following the SIR process, the Election Commission of India is mulling to organise the SSR across the state. In a month, along with special camps at designated polling booths, the Election Commission will carry out name inclusion, correction, and deletion in the voters' list. Once the process is over, a fresh voter list will be issued in January 2027.

In instructions to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), the ECI said that every objection to the proposed inclusion or deletion of a name in a constituency's electoral roll should be filed in Form 7.

"Disposal of Form 7 applications will be made only after verification by the EROs. The number of applications an individual elector can file online has been fixed at six at a time. Electors should not submit physical forms in bulk, the ECI said.

Reiterating instructions to EROs on deleting names from electoral rolls, the Commission said that if an ERO notices an objection, the officer should issue a notice to the objector. The officer should conduct a personal hearing and record the objector's statement separately for each Form 7 application.

This is the highest rate to be paid by the State-run utility, which is battling a serious crisis due to delayed monsoon rains and persistent hot weather that is keeping electricity demand unusually elevated.

On October 6, TNPDCL had invited bids to procure 1,500 MW between midnight and 2 am, and 3,000 MW between 6 pm and midnight from October 12 to 31. It accepted bids ranging from Rs 31.99 to Rs 34.49 per unit for the early-morning slot.

Though the evening peak-hour rates went up to Rs 37 per unit, it still received bids for only 2,001 MW - 100 MW at Rs 33.37 per unit, 1,380 MW at Rs 35.92, 340 MW at Rs 35.93, and 181 MW at Rs 37.

A senior official said the State had been witnessing an unprecedented rise in demand, driven by the impact of El Niño. "Though the peak summer period has ended, power demand has gone up by 15% compared to last year. For instance, the State's peak demand stood at 17,887 MW last October, whereas the demand touched 20,060 MW on Saturday (October 10)," the official said.

The official attributed the increase in procurement costs to the end of the wind power season and poor reservoir storage that affected hydel generation.

"All suppliers who participated in the bidding were gas-based generators, hence the high cost of power. On the other hand, unlike coal-based thermal power plants, which have high fixed costs, gas-based generators have minimal fixed costs of less than Rs 2. If demand falls, they can stop procurement and only pay the fixed cost to the generators. In case of a sudden surge in demand, these companies will be able to supply power at short notice," an official said.

While some states have shunned high-cost purchases and are resorting to load shedding, the State government wanted to ensure uninterrupted power supply and was therefore willing to procure electricity at higher rates, he said.

A retired official wondered why the utility waited so long to float bids on such short notice. “If they had floated the bids earlier, they would have got much cheaper power. There is no point in procuring power at such high costs,” the official said.

Sources said that the investigators gave a questionnaire regarding the actions the two officers took after they received the complaint against Veeramani and recorded their responses. The questioning lasted for about three hours, added sources.

Arun, an Additional Director General of Police-rank officer, and Kannan, an Inspector General of Police-rank officer, were transferred and put on compulsory wait last month after media reports emerged that allegations against the granite baron were brought to the notice of the top brass of the city police as early as in November 2024.

The police had eventually registered a FIR in October 2025, but filed a closure report before the special court in February, which was rejected by the court. The police arrested Veeramani and two of his associates in the last week of August.

Meanwhile, the SIT has booked another case against ‘Gem’ Veeramani, raising the number of cases against the businessman to seven.

Questioning the DMK's claims that voter deletions under SIR contributed to its electoral defeat, Tagore said the party had maintained before the election that the revision exercise had been completed successfully without any major issues.

Alleging irregularities in West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra and Haryana, Tagore claimed that Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry had not reported SIR-related complaints.

Tagore further criticised the DMK for not participating in the Delhi protest demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, even as leaders of the Left parties, VCK and MDMK from Tamil Nadu took part in the agitation and were arrested.

He alleged that the DMK's absence from the protest stemmed from its reluctance to antagonise the BJP. If the party was genuinely concerned about Tamil Nadu's interests, democracy and secularism, it should join the agitation, he said.

In a statement, the DMK alleged that Congress leaders Manickam Tagore, Girish Chodankar and Praveen Chakravarty, who were part of the DMK-led alliance, had made adverse remarks about the alliance and acted as "sleeper cells" during the Assembly elections.

The party said it had no reason to participate in protests organised by the INDIA bloc as it was no longer part of the tie-up. It also said that the bloc had no right to compel the DMK to join its protests.

Questioning Tagore, the DMK said that if he had self-respect, he should ask Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay why he was not participating in protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The DMK has described the Congress as a "rotting corpse" and argued that its vote share had declined because it had carried the latter party along with it. The DMK claimed that its support among the people had since increased, referring to the bypoll performance.

Explaining its decision to quit the INDIA bloc, the DMK alleged that Congress leaders had betrayed the alliance and acted against alliance dharma to pursue ministerial posts.

Speaking to reporters after submitting the petition at the grievance day meeting, the drivers said women had stopped boarding autos since the scheme was extended to outstation buses, with a 40 km distance restriction.

If they spot a bus, they immediately give up the idea of taking an auto and board the bus instead, the drivers lamented.

They said nearly 16,000 auto drivers and their families depend on their meagre income of Rs 500 per day to manage household expenses and pay their children’s school fees.

The government should therefore review the scheme in a way that does not affect auto-driver families, they said.

The Report Card on the Performance of Information Commissions in India, 2025-26, published by Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS) (Society for Citizens Vigilance Initiatives (SCVI)) in October 2026, found that 27 Information Commissions registered 2,61,669 cases, while 28 disposed of 2,41,627 during the year. The national backlog stood at 3,85,716 cases across 28 commissions.

TN's commission registered 22,946 appeals and complaints and disposed of 23,808 between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Tamil Nadu had the fifth-highest pendency among the commissions assessed.

Though disposals exceeded registrations by 862, the figures do not establish whether its overall backlog increased or decreased during the period.

Maharashtra had the highest backlog at 77,397 cases, followed by Chhattisgarh with 52,559 and Bihar with 42,243. The Central Information Commission (CIC) had 39,121 pending cases, a 62 per cent increase.

Tamil Nadu ranked third in disposals, behind Maharashtra with 54,985 and Karnataka with 38,656.

The estimated waiting time for a fresh appeal was two years and three months at the CIC, compared with one year and seven months in Tamil Nadu.

The projected delay was six years and seven months in Bihar, 18 years in Chhattisgarh, and 19 years and two months in Madhya Pradesh. Fourteen commissions were estimated to take at least a year to dispose of an appeal filed on July 1, 2026.

SNS attributed the delays largely to vacancies in commissions and the slow rate of disposal by commissioners.

The report also identified serious institutional failures in Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh. Jharkhand's and Himachal Pradesh's commissions had been defunct since July 2025.

The assessment also questioned the practice of returning appeals and complaints without passing orders. Nine commissions returned 37,701 cases during the year, including 14,603 by the CIC and 14,140 by Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu reported no cases returned under this category.

The RTI Act does not prescribe a format for filing appeals or complaints. However, the Central Government and some State governments have prescribed formats and accompanying-document requirements through their rules.

SNS argued that deficiencies such as the absence of an index or page numbering should not become grounds for summarily returning cases, and called on commissions to help applicants correct such shortcomings.

Based primarily on 146 RTI applications filed with 29 Information Commissions, along with commission websites, annual reports and court filings, the assessment argued that prolonged delays undermine the RTI Act's objective.

It said the consequences were particularly serious for people dependent on government services who need information to secure basic entitlements.

The Chennai Division transported 24,910 cars manufactured by Hyundai and Toyota during the financial year, earning Rs 39.74 crore. The shipments involved 204 rakes and 5,083 wagons.

The division also transported 494 Daimler (BharatBenz) trucks from Singaperumal Koil to Farrukh Nagar in Haryana covering 2,291 km, involved eight rakes and 255 wagons and generated Rs 1.88 crore. Between April and September 2026, the goods shed handled 4,300 cars: 4,024 Hyundai and 276 Toyota vehicles  generating Rs 7.04 crore in revenue.

During the same six-month period, the division transported 384 BharatBenz trucks to Farrukh Nagar, earning Rs 1.51 crore. This was about 80.3% of the Rs 1.88 crore earned from truck transportation during the whole of 2025–26.

Justice Vijay Kumar also directed the police to provide protection to the victim, Sasikala.

Sasikala (37), a sanitation worker in Kambur panchayat, alleged in her petition that the panchayat secretary, Roopa, of Kambur panchayat in Kottampatti panchayat union, humiliated and threatened her by referring to her caste.

She alleged that Roopa, who belongs to a dominant caste, forced her and a few other sanitation workers to clean the Scheduled Caste streets on July 21 with the intention of ill-treating and humiliating them.

She further claimed that on July 24 the secretary forced her to carry her footwear in her hand, and that a two-tumbler system was followed in the panchayat.

Sasikala filed a complaint with the Block Development Officer and the police on August 31.

She later attempted to end her life, allegedly because some persons had threatened her to withdraw the complaint. She was rescued and is undergoing treatment at the Melur Government Hospital.

In her petition, she asked the court to direct the police to conduct an impartial inquiry and to collect CCTV footage and attendance register records for the investigation.

Based on her complaint, Melur police registered a case against Roopa under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A Deputy Superintendent of Police is investigating the case. The district administration has suspended Roopa from service.

Working women have urged the state government to extend the free travel scheme to mofussil express buses to avoid the inconvenience of changing buses during their daily commute.

Commuters travelling between Tiruvallur and Kanagamma Chatram said that mofussil ordinary buses had been charging them Rs 20, the prescribed express bus fare, instead of the applicable ordinary fare of Rs 15 for the 23-km journey. According to civic activist Senthil, the state government revised bus fares in 2018, increasing the per-kilometre fare for mofussil ordinary buses from 42 paise to 58 paise and that for express and deluxe buses from 56 paise to 75 paise.

Based on the revised rates, mofussil ordinary buses operating on the Tiruvallur-Kanagamma Chatram route should have charged Rs 15, while express buses were to collect Rs 20. However, he alleged that ordinary buses had continued to collect the higher fare for eight years despite repeated complaints to the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC).

S Anwar, a resident of Kanagamma Chatram, said, “Mofussil ordinary buses, including routes 197 and 105 operating between Tiruvallur and Tiruttani, routinely charge Rs 20 instead of Rs 15. We submitted multiple complaints to TNSTC over the years requesting it to collect the correct fare from the public, but no action was taken until now,” he said.

The fare correction came after the expanded Vettri Payanam scheme was implemented on October 2. Mofussil ordinary buses on the routes have since started collecting the correct fare of Rs 15 from male passengers travelling between Kanagamma Chatram and Tiruvallur. The minimum fare for single-stop journeys has also been reduced from Rs 10 to Rs 7.

Meanwhile, working women have sought the inclusion of mofussil express services in the scheme, citing the additional time and inconvenience involved in changing buses to access free travel.

M Yuvarani, a Tiruvallur resident, said, “Women are eligible for free travel on ordinary town and city buses, express, Limited Stop Service (LSS) and deluxe buses, as well as mofussil ordinary and hill-area ordinary buses, under the existing guidelines.”

However, the exclusion of mofussil express buses has left many daily commuters struggling to access the benefit. “A large number of working women commute daily on route 82C between Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu. To benefit from the scheme, women currently have to board two ordinary buses instead of taking a single direct express bus. Changing buses consumes extra time and causes hardship,” Yuvarani said. “Including mofussil express buses in the scheme would benefit thousands of daily commuters who currently pay Rs 55 for a one-way journey from Tiruvallur bus terminus to Chengalpattu. Authorities should also ensure that digital ticketing devices function without glitches.”

According to TNSTC officials in the Tiruvallur division, 232 buses operate under its jurisdiction, including 75 town ordinary and deluxe buses and 157 mofussil ordinary and express buses. A senior TNSTC official in Tiruvallur confirmed that fares had been corrected in 59 mofussil ordinary buses in line with the state government’s directives aimed at promoting public welfare in rural areas.

“Free travel for women will soon be rolled out across 98 mofussil express buses, including route 82C,” the official said.

Sambath, a resident of Singaperumal Koil, had applied for six new electricity connections in his son's name and submitted the application at the Tamil Nadu Electricity Distribution Corporation office in Singaperumal Koil. Assistant Engineer Jayarani demanded Rs 20,000 from Sambath to issue the connections.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, he approached the Chengalpattu unit of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department and lodged a complaint. Following the complaint, a case was registered, and a trap was organised on Monday.

During the trap operation, Foreman Saravanan demanded and accepted the Rs 20,000 bribe from Sambath on the instructions of Assistant Engineer Jayarani.

The DVAC, who were monitoring the proceedings in plain clothes, caught them red-handed, and both of them were arrested and they were remanded in judicial custody.

A new case has been registered against him based on complaints from a woman who stated that she was abused by the businessman when she was a minor.

On Sunday, police teams also conducted searches at Veeramani's house, which has been identified as a scene of crime in the cases.

Earlier this week, SIT arrested three longtime drivers of the businessman for aiding him by ferrying minor girls to the houses where they were abused.

The arrested persons were identified as Lasar, Parthiban and Babu. Lasar was with Veeramani for 23 years, while the two others were employed with Veeramani for eight years. Police said that survivors are also approaching them through the SIT's WhatsApp helpline, 9345319676.

Earlier, Greater Chennai Police (GCP) Commissioner A Amalraj had issued orders directing that Veeramani and two of his associates, Mahendra Simhan (63) and Shanthi (60), be detained under the Goondas Act.

Veeramani, who ran GEM Granites and Group of companies and his associates have been in prison since August 29.

In a reply to Dhanapal, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the demand for stoppages of the Tirupati Express and four other trains, along with other requests, had been sent for examination.

Further action would be taken after the feasibility report, he said in a letter dated Sept 23, responding to the MP's letter of Aug 29.

Dhanapal has sought one-minute stoppages at Ambattur for the Tirupati Express, Garudadri Express, Chennai-Ashokapuram Express and Chennai-Mumbai Express, besides two fast suburban EMU services.

He had also sought the construction of a 4th platform, saying its absence prevents several express trains and fast suburban services from stopping at the station.

Ambattur currently has 3 platforms, two serving suburban slow lines in both directions and the third catering to express and fast local trains on the Chennai-Tiruvallur section.

The lack of a platform for trains in the return direction has inconvenienced passengers travelling towards Central and Beach stations. They have to get down at Villivakkam or Perambur and continue their journey by road.

The MP has also sought a ticket counter at the northern entrance towards Venkatapuram and the market, arguing that residents on that side have to cross to the southern entrance to purchase tickets.

He has sought bulk reservation facilities and reclassification of the station from the Suburban Group (SG) to the Non-Suburban Group (NSG) category to facilitate infrastructure improvements.

In his letter, Dhanapal said that Ambattur station handled more than 1 crore passengers in 2022-23 and needed better facilities to meet passenger demand.

The State government had transferred Prem Anand Sinha, who was serving as the Commissioner, Tambaram City Police, on Friday, to head the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).

DVAC had been without a Director for the last three months after the government shunted out ADGP A Arun from the post after a term of one and a half months.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) C Mageshwari was holding full additional charge as the anti-corruption agency's chief.

Prem Anand Sinha has previously served as Additional Commissioner in Chennai, Inspector General of Police-South Zone and Commissioner of Avadi City Police.

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Trade Unions’ Joint Action Committee, comprising 17 unions, including the DMK-affiliated Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), AIADMK-affiliated Anna Thozhir Sanga Peravai and CITU-affiliated Central Organisation of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees (COTEE), announced a series of protests against the government’s proposals.

The unions alleged that the smart meter project would adversely affect poor households, farmers, and traders, and curtail employment opportunities for young people.

They demanded the withdrawal of the smart meter tender and urged the government to abandon its plan to implement power generation and transmission projects under the PPP model, insisting that these should remain under public ownership.

As part of the agitation, demonstrations will be held in front of executive engineers’ offices across the state on Oct 12, 13 and 14.

Chennai-based union branches will hold a separate demonstration in front of the electricity board headquarters on Anna Salai at 5.20 pm on Oct 13.

Further protests are scheduled in front of superintending engineers’ offices across all electricity circles on Oct 15. The unions will also organise public outreach campaigns across electricity circles from Oct 26 to 31.

The committee warned that all electricity board employees would go on strike after Nov 2 if the government failed to address their demands.

Apart from opposing the smart meter project and the proposed privatisation of power generation and transmission through the PPP model, the unions demanded the withdrawal of the five-year fixed-term employment system and the filling of existing vacancies.

They also sought parity with government employees in retirement gratuity and family welfare benefits.

The unions demanded that the gratuity ceiling be raised from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for electricity board employees, effective from Jan 1, 2024, in line with the benefit extended to government employees.

They further sought an increase in the family welfare fund from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, with retrospective effect from Sept 1, 2021, instead of Dec 20, 2024, the date from which the benefit was made applicable to electricity board employees.

The committee also demanded the withdrawal of Board Proceedings No. 2 dated April 12, 2022, and urged unions across all electricity circles to coordinate the protests and ensure the success of the agitation.

The leaders are preparing to question EPS’s leadership and demand accountability for the party’s successive electoral setbacks, with the recent by-election defeats in Maduranthakam and Dharapuram adding to the discontent. Their earlier attempt to rope in MLAs to function as a separate unit in the Assembly failed.

Sources said the faction is likely to seek to convene the AIADMK general council to review the party’s electoral performance and decisions taken under EPS’s leadership. The leaders are also expected to press for organisational changes, arguing that the party needs a course correction after its repeated electoral reverses.

If EPS refuses to convene the general council, the leaders are said to be exploring ways to push for a meeting to discuss the party’s performance and leadership.

The latest deliberations signal a renewed attempt by the Velumani and Shanmugam camps to mount pressure on EPS from within the party, with the outcome of Monday’s meeting expected to shape their next course of action.

Earlier, the two factions had explored the possibility of functioning as a separate group within the AIADMK in the Assembly. They had sought the support of 32 MLAs for the move, but the effort did not materialise.

The leaders are also preparing to highlight the party’s electoral setbacks since 2019, including the latest by-election defeats, to bolster their case for a review of the party’s leadership and functioning.

Sources said the Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project and the release of Krishna river water are expected to be the key subjects of discussion.

With Chennai and its surrounding areas experiencing continuous heatwaves, the possibility of water scarcity during the summer has become a concern.

Against this backdrop, the Tamil Nadu government is seeking its due share of water from Andhra Pradesh to address the potential shortage.

Krishna river water plays a crucial role in meeting Chennai’s drinking water needs. Under the 'Telugu Ganga' project (also known as Krishna water supply project), Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have an agreement to supply 12 thousand million cubic feet (TMC ft) of water annually to the latter in two installments.

Under this agreement, Andhra Pradesh is required to supply 8 TMC ft of water from the Kandaleru Dam between July and October, and another 4 TMC ft between January and April.

This supply helps meet a portion of Chennai's drinking water requirements.

However, there have been persistent complaints that Tamil Nadu does not receive the stipulated amount of water.

Vijay will leave Chennai on a chartered flight to Gannavaram Airport, and will proceed to meet Chandrababu Naidu.

He will first proceed to the Kanaka Durga Temple for darshan. Later, he is scheduled to meet Chandrababu Naidu at the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister's residence between 6 pm and 7 pm.

This is the second time that Vijay is reaching out directly to a neighbouring chief minister.

Earlier, he was scheduled to meet Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar to discuss and resolve the dispute over Cauvery water.

However, the meeting was postponed on Shivakumar’s request, as protest was raging in his State over water scarcity.

According to the weather department, under the influence of a twin upper-air cyclonic circulation over the south Andaman Sea and its neighbourhood and the Gulf of Mannar and the adjoining south Tamil Nadu coast, light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40–50 kmph, is likely at isolated places on Tuesday (October 13) across Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari districts, and the Karaikal region of Puducherry.

On Wednesday, moderate rain with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds 40–50 kmph at isolated places is expected over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Theni, Virudhunagar, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Nilgiris, Erode, Salem, Karur, Tiruchy, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Dindigul, Madurai, Puducherry, and Karaikal.

Heavy rainfall is forecasted across the state from October 15 to October 18.

On October 15, heavy rain is expected over the ghat areas of Tirunelveli and Coimbatore districts, as well as the Nilgiris, Erode, Salem, Theni, and Kanniyakumari districts.

On October 16, heavy rain is likely to cover the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode, Tirupur, Salem, Dharmapuri, Tiruchy, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Madurai, Dindigul, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Namakkal, Karur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai, and Sivaganga districts, and Karaikal region.

In Chennai, the maximum temperature on Tuesday is expected to hover around 36 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature may be around 26 degrees Celsius, with light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning likely in some areas.

Southwest monsoon concluded 12.6 per cent below the normal average of 868.6 mm, primarily driven by strengthening El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific, said the India Meteorological Department

Meanwhile, India's Southwest monsoon concluded with 759.4 mm of rainfall, 12.6 per cent below the normal average of 868.6 mm, primarily driven by strengthening El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific, according to the India Meteorological Department.

Global weather agencies, including the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), predict this El Niño event could peak in December, potentially becoming the strongest recorded since 1950.

Experts warn that these severe conditions are expected to persist through February 2027, continuing their significant impact on global climate patterns.

The meeting of the CRRC was held in Thanjavur on Monday, in which several resolutions were passed.

While speaking to reporters, the CRRC coordinator Maniarasan said Karnataka has been planning to construct a dam across Mekedatu, which would turn the Cauvery Delta region into a desert, and the state government should initiate all possible steps to stop the project.

Stating that the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay released water from Mettur without consulting the farmers, and the released water has not yet reached the tail-end areas, Maniarasan charged that the storage in Mettur has depleted, and the fate of samba is hanging in the balance, but the State government, instead of taking constructive steps, is involved in mere publicity.

He urged the state government to approach the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee on the issue and put forth a strong fight for the welfare of the farmers.

Maniarasan also said that the farmers from the Delta region have lost kuruvai and the fate of samba and thalady is also unimaginable due to water shortage, and so the government should declare the Delta as a drought-hit region and distribute compensation of Rs 35,000 per acre.

It is said that Tamil Selvan (45), a resident of Melamathur in Kumbakonam, working as a driver in the TNSTC Kumbakonam division, was said to be irregular to his duty, and so the Branch Manager Suresh (58) had transferred Tamil Selvan from Kumbakonam to Karaikudi branch recently.

On Monday, it is said, Tamil Selvan came to the Kumbakonam branch office and had reportedly picked up a quarrel with the branch manager, Suresh. The verbal quarrel had snowballed into an assault, and suddenly, Tamil Selvan, who grabbed a knife in his possession, attacked Suresh, who sustained a cut injury on his hand.

On hearing the screaming of Suresh, the transport employees ran to the spot and rescued Suresh. When the staff attempted to secure Tamil Selvan, he escaped from the spot.

The employees who rescued Suresh rushed him to the Kumbakonam GH, where he has been undergoing treatment.

Kumbakonam West police registered a case and are searching for Tamil Selvan. 

In a petition submitted to the Joint Commissioner of the temple on Monday, Kampur Selvaraj and Meiyappan of the Tamil Protection Federation, representing Tamil movements, people’s movements and Tamil enthusiasts, said the State follows a two-language policy that gives priority to Tamil. 

They pointed out that circulars issued by the Tamil Development Department stress that Tamil must be given due prominence on government orders, institutional name boards and advertisement boards.

The petitioners questioned why Hindi had been added to the board, which is against the state language policy. They also said the Tamil text at the entrance was not clearly visible and could be read only from close quarters.

Stating that the temple is an ancient institution closely tied to Tamil Nadu’s history, culture and spiritual traditions, the petitioners urged that Tamil should be given the foremost place there.

They urged the department to remove the Hindi text within two weeks and ensure that the board carries information only in Tamil and English.

The petitioners warned that if no action was taken within the stipulated period,  they would unite the likeminded people and stage a protest.

According to an official order dated October 12, Monday, issued by the Kancheepuram district cooperative department, saleswoman K Yuvarani was suspended over the alleged sale of onions that did not meet the prescribed quality standards.

The order stated that a separate charge memorandum would be issued to the employee on the alleged lapse.

The government has introduced onion sales through fair price shops to provide relief to consumers as prices rise in the open market. The initiative aims to make the essential kitchen staple available at a more affordable rate.

The bench also directed the hospital Dean to file a report on whether mosquito nets have been fitted on the windows of the hospital, and adjourned the case.

The division bench of Justices Velmurugan and KK Ramakrishnan issued the direction while hearing a petition filed by V Karthi, a law student from Madurai. He sought court intervention over alleged shortages of critical cardiac-care equipment and manpower at GRH, contending that denial or delay of timely medical treatment in government hospitals violates the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The petitioner, a second-year law student at the School of Law, Christ University, Bengaluru, submitted that the Head of the Department of Cardiology, GRH, had sent a letter dated July 2026 to the Director of Medical Education and Research, Chennai. It detailed a requirement of 32 categories of equipment described as necessary for the life-saving, immediate, essential and critical management of patients under the department's care.

For instance, the department has only 24 ICU cots against a documented requirement of 56, and only 16 multiparameter monitors with invasive BP against a requirement of 34. Even when a patient survives an acute cardiac event, the department may lack adequate monitored critical-care bed capacity to safely observe the patient during the following 24 to 72 hours, when cardiogenic complications may recur, he submitted.

The human resources requirement statement also shows that the department has only eight faculty members against a proposed requirement of 18, and lacks adequate numbers of dedicated cath lab, ECG, echo and EP technicians, he pointed out.

The Directorate said that medical reimbursement proposals received from district-level officials were frequently incomplete, delaying claim processing.

It also noted that district officials had forwarded certain cases to the Directorate even when they should have sent them directly to insurance companies or the Treasury Department.

The delays in submitting missing documents and clarifications were preventing beneficiaries from receiving timely relief.

It also noted that such delays had also resulted in petitions under the RTI Act, 2005, representations to the Chief Minister’s Special Cell and court cases.

It has instructed all CEOs and DEOs to forward medical reimbursement proposals relating to teaching and non-teaching staff of government and government-aided high and higher secondary schools only with clear remarks and recommendations from the concerned DEO.

The move is aimed at reducing unnecessary movement of files between offices, avoiding procedural delays and ensuring that eligible employees and their family members receive medical reimbursement without undue hardship.

The trust also provided Rs 13.78 lakh in financial assistance to 25 college students and three organisations working to expand access to education for underprivileged communities.

Jeevanandhan was recognised for his contribution to the arts, continuing the trust’s tradition of honouring veteran illustrators. Previous recipients include Ambuli Mama Shankar, Ramu, Jeyaraj, Maya and Maniam Selvan.

As part of this year’s programme, 25 students who overcame financial difficulties to pursue higher education after completing Class 12 received Rs 10,000 each. The trust also allocated Rs 6.28 lakh towards teachers’ salaries at Thaai Tamil Primary School in Tindivanam, Rs 2 lakh to the SUDAR organisation in Erode for its work with tribal children, and Rs 3 lakh to Vaazhai, which supports education in government schools.

Actor Suriya, who also addressed the gathering, described the annual event as a family celebration that had continued to grow over the years. “Agaram Foundation has reached around 7,000 members of first-generation learner families and continued to identify students in need of support across rural, tribal and coastal communities,” he added.

On the other hand, the Tamil Nadu government said it is only seeking its legitimate pro-rata share in the flows realised during the distress period, together with the backlog due to it, and the entire burden of meteorological and hydrological distress cannot be passed on to the lower riparian state, while Karnataka continues to utilise the available storage and inflows for irrigation and other requirements.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Aapresh Kumar Singh reserved its decision on a fresh application of the Tamil Nadu government, seeking directions to Karnataka to make sure that the backlog of 11 TMC of Cauvery water as on October 7 is cleared immediately and ensure the same at the rate of 1.3 TMC per day in 10 days at Billigundulu, a key water-measuring station on the banks of the river along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing in the court for the Karnataka government, told the bench that this has been a very difficult year and several areas have been declared drought-hit.

"We have to ensure conservation of water so that the drinking water supply in residential areas is not affected," he said.

Divan further said Tamil Nadu has the benefit of the northeast monsoon in November, when its reservoirs will be replenished, while it will not help Karnataka.

"Every distress year, this has been the problem," he said, adding that there has been proper application of mind by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) at its 59th meeting held on October 8, in which it directed Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Billigundulu from October 9 for the next 15 days.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing in the court for the Tamil Nadu government, said Karnataka be directed to release the shortfall on a pro-rata basis, else crops in Tamil Nadu will be affected this year.

The bench asked how can the backlog of water be cleared when there was scarcity of rainfall this year and both the states were affected.

"Had it been a normal year, things would have been different," Justice Nath observed.

Rohatgi said this cannot wait for another year as farmers in Tamil Nadu are facing a tough time and urged the court to at least make some interim arrangement.

In its plea filed through standing counsel B Karunakaran, the Tamil Nadu government said at a meeting held on September 24, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC), based on the percentage of deficit, found that the flow realised at Billigundulu should have been 52.935 TMC and that there is a shortfall in the realisation of flows.

"In spite of noting the said deficit, the CWRC did not take any decision with regard to directing Karnataka to make good the shortfall and proceeded to reduce the flows from 6,000 cusecs to 4,000 cusecs. The CWRC directed Karnataka to ensure releases from its reservoirs so that 4,000 cusecs are received at Billigundulu in the next 15 days (effective September 24)," it said.

Giving the data of water release, the Tamil Nadu government said even then, Karnataka did not adhere to the CWRC's directions and failed to ensure 4,000 cusecs every day.

It pointed out that Tamil Nadu's share in this distress year has to be decided on a pro-rata basis but the CWMA, even after eight years since its constitution, has failed to formulate the distress formula -- a formula to share water during distress years, without any ambiguity or unfair treatment to a particular state.

It said the water directed to be released by the CWMA -- 4,000 cusecs at Billigundulu for 15 days starting September 24 and 3,000 cusecs from October 9 -- is grossly inadequate and does not redress the substantial backlog already accumulated.

The Tamil Nadu government said on October 8, the CWRC did not take any decision with regard to directing Karnataka to make good the shortfall and proceeded to reduce the flows from 4,000 cusecs to 3,000 cusecs effective October 9.

It sought directions to the Karnataka government to ensure and implement the CWMA's decision dated September 24 and make good the shortfall of 0.94 TMC towards the non-supply of water for the period from September 24 to October 7, and further flows as directed by the CWMA in its minutes dated October 8.

On September 24, the court asked the Karnataka government to respond to Tamil Nadu's plea seeking the release of its share of Cauvery water, alleging a shortfall in supply.

While the Tamil Nadu government told the court that it has already lost an early Kharif crop due to the lack of water, Karnataka said it is facing a "terrible drought situation".

The Tamil Nadu government approached the apex court on August 3, seeking directions to Karnataka for the immediate release of the water.

In its plea, Tamil Nadu has claimed that the quantum allocated to it by the CWRC as well as that released by its neighbour, Karnataka, is very little.

The incident has left their relatives and residents of the locality in deep sorrow. The Tiruvallur Rural Police have registered a case based on a complaint lodged by the man's father and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Yuvaraj (29), a daily wage labourer, was the son of Bhaskar and lived in the Kakkalur Lake area near Tiruvallur. He fell in love with Manjula (22), who lived in the same locality, and the couple married on February 14, 2025.

According to reports, Yuvaraj's habit of consuming alcohol frequently led to arguments between the couple. Their domestic disputes reportedly intensified over his drinking, causing distress within the family.

Dispute over alcohol consumption

Two nights ago, Yuvaraj allegedly returned home after consuming excessive alcohol. When his father, Bhaskar, and his wife, Manjula, questioned him about his drinking, he reportedly verbally abused and assaulted them.

Distressed by the incident, Manjula allegedly consumed poison kept in the house. Yuvaraj subsequently consumed poison as well. Both collapsed after ingesting the substance, leaving their family members in shock.

Treatment at Chennai government hospital

Bhaskar, with the help of neighbours, rushed the couple to the Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.

After receiving initial treatment, they were referred to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai for advanced medical care.

Despite intensive treatment, both succumbed to their condition one after the other on Monday morning.

Police investigation begins

Following the deaths, the Tiruvallur Rural Police registered a case based on Bhaskar's complaint.

Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the incident, including the events surrounding the domestic dispute and the couple's alleged consumption of poison.

The deaths of the young couple, who had married less than two years ago, have cast a pall of gloom over their family and the neighbourhood.

Nainar questioned whether the issue deserved attention as the state grapples with power shortages, taking a dig at Power Minister Nirmalkumar's handling of the issue. He also defended the shawl he presented to Vijay at the airport, saying it was a gesture of respect for the Chief Minister and should not be ridiculed by comparing it to a saree.

"Is my sitting on the dais the issue the country needs to discuss now? Those invited by VVIPs can sit on the dais," he told reporters here, taking a swipe at Minister Nirmalkumar for raising the issue instead of focusing on electricity shortages.

He said the joint inauguration of the Metro Rail stretch by Modi and Vijay was evidence of cooperation between the Centre and the State.

Defending the BJP's depiction of Tiruvalluvar, which has been a subject of political controversy, Nainar said the party had installed a statue of the Tamil literary icon in a colour of its choice at Kamalalayam, its headquarters here.

"We have placed Tiruvalluvar in the colour we prefer at Kamalalayam. Those criticising us should say whether they have installed a statue of Tiruvalluvar in their own offices," he said.

Targeting the ruling TVK government, Nainar alleged that law and order had deteriorated and sexual offences had increased. He warned that power cuts affected the entire State, including the Secretariat, and urged the Chief Minister and ministers to prioritise the issue.

He accused the TVK of hypocrisy over nurses' protests, alleging that it had supported their agitation while in the Opposition but was now using force to detain protesters.

Responding to Congress criticism over Modi speaking in Hindi and Rahul Gandhi in English, Nainar described Hindi as an Indian language and English as a foreign language. He declined to comment on the Tiruparankundram case, saying it was pending before the court.

The private bus, driven by Saravana Muthu, was travelling from Mettur bus stand to Erode when it stopped near the Navapatti bus stop to pick up passengers.

A Coimbatore-bound government bus then rammed into it from behind, officials said.

The collision injured 26 passengers on the government bus—16 men, eight women and two children. The front portion of the bus was severely damaged in the impact.

The government bus came to a halt in the middle of the Mettur-Erode road, temporarily disrupting traffic.

Mettur police rushed to the spot after receiving information, rescued the injured passengers and shifted them by ambulance to Mettur Government Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.

A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway, police said.

"If the government does not stop the project immediately, the PMK will launch a massive protest under my leadership," the PMK chief said.

After visiting the worksite at Pallikaranai, he told the press that the construction would obstruct the natural flow of rainwater and increase the risk of flooding in nearby residential areas.

Residents had complained to him that water stagnation had increased after the wall's construction, leading to mosquito breeding and problems such as dengue, he said.

He noted that the project was initiated during the previous DMK regime under the Neithal Recovery Mission and was being continued by the present TVK government despite environmental and legal concerns.

He warned of a massive protest led by the PMK if the construction was not stopped and the wall and pathway removed.

Anbumani stated that the project was part of the Neithal Recovery Mission launched in 2024 to improve the livelihoods of coastal communities across 14 districts, covering 1,076 km of coastline.

The State had obtained a World Bank loan of Rs 1,674 crore for the mission, of which Rs 21.5 crore had been allocated for the works in Pallikaranai under the Forest department, he said.

Maragatham Kumaravel, elected from Madurantakam, and P Sathyabama, elected from Dharapuram, took the oath as MLAs in the presence of Speaker JCD Prabhakar. Ministers N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KG Arunraj and KA Sengottaiyan were also present.

After the oath-taking ceremony, Maragatham told reporters that Opposition parties had spread false campaign messages during the by-election, but voters had ignored them. She further alleged that postal votes, a facility provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI), had been purchased by Opposition parties.

“Opposition parties joined hands and caused mental stress during the election campaign. Voters have given me an opportunity because of the Chief Minister’s image. I will fulfil the aspirations and address the needs of the constituency and its people,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dharapuram MLA P Sathyabama said she would take steps to resolve the water crisis in her constituency.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, rainfall is expected to begin in parts of Tamil Nadu from October 14, with showers likely to spread to the northern coastal districts, including Chennai, and the southern coastal areas later in the day.

Low-pressure area likely to form over Bay of Bengal

According to Hemachander, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the south-central Bay of Bengal within the next 24 hours due to an atmospheric circulation.

The system is likely to move towards the Sri Lankan coast over the following 48 hours. Easterly winds have already started blowing over the Cauvery delta and southern coastal parts of Tamil Nadu, indicating a possible change in weather conditions.

Rainfall may gradually begin in the delta districts from October 14.

Rain likely in Chennai and coastal Tamil Nadu

Rain is likely to spread to northern coastal Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, and the southern coastal districts from the afternoon of October 14, according to the forecast.

The northeast monsoon is expected to set in around October 15 if the favourable conditions continue.

Heat and dry weather may ease

The onset of the northeast monsoon could bring relief from the prolonged heat and summer-like conditions across Tamil Nadu. The state has also been experiencing below-normal rainfall.

These conditions are expected to gradually ease by October 15 as rainfall activity increases, Hemachander said.

However, the expected onset date is a forecast and will depend on how the weather system develops over the Bay of Bengal.

The event was held at the Agaram Foundation office in T. Nagar. Actor Sivakumar established the trust in 1979 with an investment of Rs 25,000 — his entire remuneration for his 100th film, Rosaappo Ravikkai Kaari. The interest generated from the investment was used to support students. Since 2006, the Agaram Foundation has administered the trust and overseen its annual scholarships and awards.

Jeevanandhan was recognised for his contribution to the arts, continuing the trust’s tradition of honouring veteran illustrators. Previous recipients include Ambuli Mama Shankar, Ramu, Jeyaraj, Maya and Maniam Selvan.

As part of this year’s programme, 25 students who overcame financial difficulties to pursue higher education after completing Class 12 received Rs 10,000 each. The trust also allocated Rs 6.28 lakh towards teachers’ salaries at Thaai Tamil Primary School in Tindivanam, Rs 2 lakh to the SUDAR organisation in Erode for its work with tribal children, and Rs 3 lakh to Vaazhai, which supports education in government schools.

Addressing the students, Sivakumar emphasised the importance of education and discipline, drawing on his own childhood experiences. He recalled studying in a makeshift classroom in his village and said his widowed mother had worked hard to support his education. He urged the students not to allow poverty or their circumstances to limit their ambitions.

Actor Suriya, who also addressed the gathering, described the annual event as a family celebration that had continued to grow over the years. Speaking about the Agaram Foundation’s work, he said it had reached around 7,000 members of first-generation learner families and continued to identify students in need of support across rural, tribal and coastal communities.

Drawing on lessons from his nearly three-decade career in cinema, Suriya encouraged the students to approach failure with the mindset of “one more”, stressing that setbacks did not have to mark the end of their efforts. He also underscored the value of regular practice and rehearsal, saying sustained effort was essential to success. He urged the students to remember those who had supported them and to help at least one other person in their own journey. The event was attended by artistes, students, Agaram Foundation volunteers and social activists.

Police said some investors from Kilathari in Sivaganga district, who lost money in the FQL fraud, asked Mookammal of Kottanathampatti near Melur, their agent, to return their investment. She went into hiding after the fraud came to light, police said.

The investors then took Mookammal’s son-in-law, Velmurugan, to Varichiyur in Madurai and threatened him, demanding money on Saturday (October 10).

They also threatened Mookammal and told her to come there, said the police, adding that when Mookammal arrived, eight of the investors together threatened her too, demanding that she return the investment amount of Rs 25 lakh.

On receiving the information, the District Superintendent of Police's special force and a team led by Karuppayurani Inspector Jayanthi rushed to the spot.

Police rescued Mookammal and her son-in-law and arrested the eight persons: Ramesh (30), Mathayanai (28), Ganesan (40), Arun (26), Nondisamy (33), Arunpandi (28), Arunraj (30) and Kalaiprakash (27).

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) police in Madurai had earlier detained Ranjith, 29, and his wife Priyadharshini, 23, of Kattaiyampatti near Melur, who police said were the main accused, under the Goondas Act for their alleged role in the FQL fraud, in which thousands of people in Madurai and neighbouring districts lost money.

State Ministers N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KA Sengottaiyan, and R Nirmalkumar were among the senior party leaders who were present when the two legislators took the oath of office in the Speaker's Chamber at the Secretariat.

Later, speaking to reporters Maragatham Kumaravel described her win from Madurantakam as a "hat-trick victory" and assured to fulfill the demands of her constituency people.

Sathyabama said, "I faced many problems. I thank the people for giving me this massive victory. I will find a solution to the water scarcity and other issues."

Both acknowledged their win to the efforts and good governance of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam founder and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

"This is my hat-trick victory. .. the demands of the people of my constituency will be met as promised by Chief Minister Vijay," Maragatham Kumaravel said.

The Cauvery water dispute case is scheduled for hearing before the Supreme Court on October 12.

During the current irrigation year, 2026–2027, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) has held eight meetings so far. However, as of October 7, Tamil Nadu faced a shortfall of 15 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of Cauvery water.