Tamil Nadu

In a tragic incident highlighting the dangers of unverified social media content, a 19-year-old college student died in Madurai after allegedly consuming borax as a weight-loss remedy she learned from a YouTube video. The deceased has been identified as Kaliyarsai, a second-year college student residing in Meenambalpuram area of Madurai. According to police, she consumed “Vengaram” (borax) after watching an online video that claimed it could help reduce body weight. Soon after ingesting the substance, Kaliyarsai reportedly experienced severe vomiting and diarrhea. She was initially taken to a private hospital in Munisalai, where she was treated and discharged. However, her condition worsened later in the evening, with complaints of intense abdominal pain and blood in her stool. Sh...

A shocking revelation has emerged from Madurai after a fire at the LIC office last December, which initially appeared to be an accidental blaze but later turned out to be a premeditated murder. The incident claimed the life of Branch Manager A. Kalyani Nambi, while Assistant Manager D. Ram suffered severe burns. Incident Details The fire occurred on the night of December 17 at the LIC building on West Veli Street, specifically on the second floor. Senior Branch Manager Kalyani Nambi (54), a resident of Ponmeni, tragically died in the fire, while Assistant Manager D. Ram (46) was hospitalized for burns but later discharged. Initial reports suggested that a masked intruder had attempted to loot Kalyani’s jewelry, setting the office on fire in the process. However, subsequent investi...

Chennai: In a landmark move, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced an annual literary award to recognize outstanding works in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, and other Indian languages. The award, named “Semmozhi Ilakkiya Virudhu (Classical Language Literary Award),” will be presented by the state government and includes a cash prize of ₹5 lakh for each language. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Chennai International Book Fair, Chief Minister Stalin highlighted the need for such recognition following the cancellation of the Sahitya Akademi Awards, which he said occurred due to alleged political interference by the Union Ministry of Culture. He expressed concern over the uncertainty faced by writers and warned that political intervention in fields such as art and li...

Puducherry: In a shocking incident, a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Puducherry was gang-raped by four individuals, including her boyfriend. All four accused have been taken into police custody, and an investigation is underway. According to police, the ninth-grade student had gone to meet her boyfriend in Bahour. When she failed to return home by evening, her parents began searching for her. After inquiries with friends proved futile, they filed a missing person report at Bahour Police Station. Police launched a search operation and discovered the girl being held hostage in a house in the city. She was rescued and sent for a medical examination. Authorities stated that the victim’s boyfriend and his friends had locked her in a room and sexually assaulted her. The girl was found unconscio...

Chennai/New Delhi, January 12, 2026: Actor-turned-politician and Tamilga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday in connection with the Karur stampede in Tamil Nadu, which claimed 41 lives last year. The CBI questioned him about the circumstances leading up to the tragedy, including his awareness of the expected crowd and the safety arrangements at the event venue. Officials stated that the CBI sought details from Vijay regarding his delayed arrival at the rally and why he left the venue shortly after the stampede occurred. The questioning forms part of the Supreme Court-mandated probe into the incident. Vijay traveled to Delhi from Tamil Nadu early Monday morning aboard a special aircraft. Upon arrival, he was taken to the...

Madurai:The Madras High Court has issued a stern warning to officials over their failure to light the traditional Karthigai Deepam at the Tirupparankundram Hill’s lamp tower. The court stated that if the officials do not provide a valid explanation for their inaction, charges of contempt will be formally framed against them on February 2. During the proceedings, several key officials were present, including Madurai District Collector J. Praveen Kumar, Police Commissioner J. Loganathan, the temple’s Executive Officer Yagna Narayanan, and Madurai South DCP A.G. Inigo Divyan. Court Orders Accountability Justice G.R. Swaminathan emphasized that the officials have yet to justify why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them. The court made it clear that failure to prese...