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The investigation has brought to light financial transactions worth hundreds of crores of rupees, with suspected links stretching from Myanmar-based drug suppliers to operators in Mizoram and money handlers in Assam and other parts of the country.

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Devotees worried over conduct of Kandasashti festival at Kandakottam temple

You don’t have any Active Subscription. Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one. Your active subscription(s) Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription Products you've access to Additional Subscription Benefits Need help with your subscription? Updated - November 01, 2026 01:35 am IST - CHENNAI Devotees of the Sri Muthukumaraswamy Temple, popularly known as Kandhakottam in Rattan Bazaar in Park Town, are worried about the conduct of the Kandasashti festival this year. "Usually, tickets for the Laksharcharnai during the annual festival are sold just after Vijayadasami. Till date, the administration has not started selling tickets. Every year around 35,000 tickets each priced at ₹300 are sold to devotees who want to participate in the archanai that is slated to start on November 10. There is no sign of the conduct of the festival so far," said A. B. Srinivasan, a 65-year-old devotee. Saravanan, another devotee, said that this year would be the 99th consecutive year of the Kandasashti festival during which grand concerts would be held. "Participants of the archanai would be given prasadam, including a bucket. Tenders for procuring various items, such as pandals, coconuts, bags, and flowers are yet to be called for. We hear that the executive officer has gone on leave and another person has taken charge," he said. The over 500-year-old shrine, is a scheme temple, meaning it belongs to a particular community — in this case, the Berri Chettis. A five-member team was chosen from the community as trustees last year and they have also been in charge of the daily administration of the temple. Sendilvellan, one of the trustees, said that the executive officer had taken away cheque signatory powers from the trustees and the trustees were unable to pay even salaries. "He has gone to the bank and taken signatory powers without informing us. We seem to have absolutely no powers in the day-to-day running of the temple. The court had directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to interfere only if there was any problem relating to the conduct of the temple. From last year, we have been managing the temple without any problems," he said. Another trustee said that with just a few days left for the festival they have been running from pillar to post trying to get the powers back and conduct it. Sources in the HR&CE Department said they would look into the matter. Published - November 01, 2026 12:57 am IST Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

The Hindu·4 hours ago·2 min read

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November to be slightly warmer than usual, predicts IMD

IMD forecasts warmer-than-usual November across most of India, with below-normal rainfall likely in much of the country and a possible cyclone bringing heavy rain to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu NEW DELHI: Nov is likely to be slightly warmer than usual, recording 'above normal' maximum (day) and minimum (night) temperatures over most parts of the country, IMD said Saturday.The Met department also predicted that the country may get 'below normal' rainfall in most parts except for some areas in central, northwest and northeast India, where normal to 'above normal' rainfall is expected in Nov. 'Below normal' rainfall may be a concern for peninsular India as that part of the country usually gets good rain during Nov on account of the winter (northeast) monsoon.The prediction of normal to 'above normal' rainfall in some areas of central and northeast India assumes significance for Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat, east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as it will help wheat crop in these rain-fed regions during the month.Meanwhile, the existing depression over southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to develop as a cyclonic storm on Sunday and cross south Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu coasts during the Monday evening-Tuesday morning period, bringing heavy rain to the coastal areas of both the states. Once the existing system develops into a cyclonic storm, it will be called 'Murasu'. 'Murasu' is a Tamil word which means a drum, particularly a traditional percussion instrument. Join conversation View All Comments → Share your thoughts in the comments Insightful Agree Disagree Skeptical Concerning Promising Worth Reading Big Development Post Comment Be respectful · TOI community guidelines "Monthly rainfall for Nov over the south Peninsular India, consisting of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikkal, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema region, Kerala, Mahe and south interior Karnataka, is most likely to be 'below normal' (less than 77% of the long period average)," said IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra while releasing the monthly outlook for rainfall and temperature for Nov.The long period average of rainfall over south Peninsular India during Nov, based on data from 1971 to 2020, is 118.7 mm. In Oct, rainfall over the country (51.7 mm) was the sixth lowest since 2001 and 25th lowest since 1901, with a deficit of 31%. Rainfall over south Peninsular India (122.2 mm) was the sixth lowest since 2001.

Times of India·4 hours ago·2 min read

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Uttarakhand helicopter crash reiterates concerns raised by Parliamentary panel

Another Char Dham chopper crash revives concerns over aviation safety lapses flagged by a parliamentary panel NEW DELHI: Yet another crash of a chopper ferrying pilgrims on the Char Dham route has brought into focus safety flags raised by a parliamentary panel overseeing aviation sector that have gone unheeded despite recurring tragedies.From "responsibility vacuum" which dilutes accountability to "pressure culture" that allows commercial considerations to override no-go weather conditions, the committee has in its recent reports, including one in March, highlighted several worrying factors at play in the helicopter services being offered to Char Dham pilgrims."The situation with helicopter operations in Char Dham sector is a symptom of a larger and dangerous structural flaw in India's aviation governance: a fractured and ambiguous regulatory command structure," the parliamentary panel on transport, tourism and culture headed by JDU MP Sanjay Jha had said.It said DGCA has ceded direct oversight of one of the country's most hazardous aviation zones to a state-level body, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, whose capacity and expertise are under the scanner. This two-tiered safety system, with differing levels of scrutiny, is inherently unsafe and unsustainable, it added.A series of chopper crashes on the Char Dham route last year had led the committee to consult a number of experts and stakeholders, including aviation ministry, DGCA and private players, to look into the reasons behind the accidents and offer recommendations which, sources said, are yet to be implemented. The committee also pointed out "a glaring regulatory gap of significant concern", which is the absence of any mandatory, terrain-specific mountain flying training and certification for pilots who operate in the treacherous Himalayan region. "DGCA itself had expressed concern that UCADA lacked adequately trained and competent manpower for such high-density operations, yet a specific training mandate for these unique conditions was not in place. Join conversation View All Comments → Share your thoughts in the comments Insightful Agree Disagree Skeptical Concerning Promising Worth Reading Big Development Post Comment Be respectful · TOI community guidelines "Aviation ministry acknowledged the high-risk operational environment, marked by challenging topography, rapidly changing and often severe climatic conditions, and high-density traffic, and said the inherent risks warranted immediate and serious intervention.

Times of India·4 hours ago·2 min read