Three persons were killed after country-made firecrackers exploded in a house and three more were said to be trapped under the debris in Namakkal on Wednesday evening (September 30, 2026).

According to the police, R. Rajasekaran (55), a resident of Pandamangalam near Paramathi Velur in Namakkal district, runs a firecracker shop in the village. He illegally manufactured country-made firecrackers on the first floor of his house and used to store them in a godown at Kabilarmalai.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday around 4.30 p.m., the firecrackers exploded on the first floor of the house and the house was severely damaged. Rajasekaran and the workers were stuck under the debris, and his son R. Sanjay (22), who was on the ground floor, escaped with minor injuries. In the impact, windows and doors of four houses nearby were damaged.

On information, Fire and Rescue Services rushed from Karur district and Namakkal, extinguished the fire and started the rescue operation. After several hours of search, firefighters rescued two bodies, including Rajasekaran’s wife, R. Sathya (45) and worker P. Malar (42) and sent them to Namakkal Government Hospital for post-mortem.

The firefighters are trying to retrieve the body of Rajasekaran that is stuck under the debris. The firefighters have been continuing their rescue operation for more than four hours and is expected to continue till midnight, as the first floor was completely damaged.

Police sources said that it is unknown as to how many workers were engaged in the work on the first floor and it is suspected that three more workers might be stuck under the debris.

The Tiruchengode Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Lenin visited the spot and conducted inquiries.

When contacted, Namakkal District Collector L. Madhubalan was not available for comments.

A total of 5,081 infants born between June 22 and September 27 this year will receive a one-gram gold ring under the ‘Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam’ in Salem and Namakkal districts.

Following Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay launching the ‘Thaimaaman Thanga Mothiram Thittaam’ at Madurai, Salem District Collector K. Elambahavath distributed one-gram gold ring to 25 newborn babies in a function held at the Salem Government Hospital.

Addressing the media, the Collector said under the scheme, children born in government hospitals will receive a one-gram gold ring, for which, a unique serial number and a tamper-proof packaging was provided. To avail themselves of the scheme, pregnant women must register in the Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation (PICME) and receive the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) ID. The gold ring will be distributed to infants during discharge from the hospital, the Collector added.

Stating that around 17,000 children will benefit under the scheme in the Salem district every year, the Collector said a total of 3,502 infants born from June 22 to September 27 will receive the gold ring. These rings will be distributed in the government hospitals concerned on the scheduled date and time. Through village health nurses, invitations will be given to the beneficiaries. For details, contact 73581-29149/73581-45378, the Collector added.

Likewise, in a function held at Namakkal Government Hospital, Minister for Registration and Commercial Taxes Department D. Logesh Tamilselvan distributed gold rings to the newborns. Under this scheme in Namakkal district, 1,579 infants born between June 22 and September 25 will receive gold rings.

Private bus owners in Namakkal have joined the State-wide one-day strike opposing free travel for women in government buses.

In a release, on Monday, the Namakkal District Private Bus Owners Association president, Jothi Kuppusamy, stated that the Tamil Nadu government announced free travel for women in town buses and long-distance buses. Due to this, services of private buses will be severely affected across the State and there is a danger of private buses halting its operation.

In order to take the issue to the public and to attract the attention of the government, the Tamil Nadu Private Bus Owners Federation announced a one-day strike from Tuesday (September 29) night 12 a.m. to Wednesday (September 30) 12 a.m. To extend the support for this protest, all private buses in Namakkal district will not be operated for one day, he added.

Demanding to remove the Minister for Human Resources Management D. Sarathkumar from the cabinet, the DMK cadre staged a protest here on Monday (June 29, 2026).

Recently, an old video went viral on social media in which the Minister is seen crushing a white substance while watching an IPL match. While the DMK claimed it as drugs, but the Minister stated that it was a tablet. Following this, the DMK announced a State-wide protest in order to remove the Minister from the cabinet.

As part of the protest, the cadre of the DMK Students’ Wing gathered at Salem Fort Maiden and raised slogans against the Minister and demanded to remove him from his post. Over 200 cadre tried to stage a road roko, which was stopped by the police and the cadre were arrested. They were lodged in a marriage hall and later released.

As part of the State-wide protest, DMK cadre, led by Namakkal West DMK secretary K.S. Moorthy, gathered at Anna Statue in Tiruchengode in Namakkal. Police who were deployed at the spot explained to the cadre that permission was not obtained from the police for the protest. Based on the explanation, the DMK cadre dispersed without protesting.

The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday announced the launch of the State’s first Dark Sky Park at the Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest in Kolli Hills, Namakkal district.

The initiative was inaugurated by Forests Minister R.S. Rajakannappan in the presence of senior officials, including Environment, Climate Change and Forests Secretary Supriya Sahu, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force Srinivas R. Reddy, PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra.

As per an official release, a Dark Sky Park is a protected landscape with minimal artificial light pollution, enabling clear observation of celestial bodies such as the moon, stars and planets. Officials said Kolli Hills, with its elevated terrain, dense forest cover and low urban light disturbance, offers ideal conditions for night-sky preservation and astronomical observation.

The project, announced in the Legislative Assembly on June 25, 2024, was established at a cost of ₹1 crore after assessing ecological suitability and sky visibility at the Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest.

According to the Forest Department, the park is equipped with three advanced telescopes for structured sky-watching sessions and solar panels to power onsite operations sustainably. The facility will also function during daytime hours to promote scientific literacy and awareness on astronomy among students, researchers and the public.

The release said structured stargazing sessions will be organised regularly, and accommodation will be available at Agaya Gangai eco-huts.

While whole-night stargazing camps are planned two to three times a month during major astronomical events, particularly around the new moon phase for optimal visibility, options without overnight stay will also be offered.

Ms. Sahu said to ensure the safety of participants and the protection of the landscape, only 20 people are allowed at a time. “It is a guided exercise where the Forest Department will provide protection. That area is completely free from any light pollution,” she added.