Author: TheStateLine

Chennai, Oct 13 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday was carrying out searches at seven locations across Chennai, including the residence of S. Ranganathan, owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, and offices of senior officials from the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Department, as part of a money laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).The searches come days after a major breakthrough in the Madhya Pradesh cough syrup tragedy, in which at least 22 children in Chhindwara district died after consuming the company’s Coldrif cough syrup.The ED’s investigation follows the arrest of Sresan Pharmaceuticals’ owner, G. Ranganathan (75), who was nabbed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) from Madhya Pradesh with the help of Chennai Police on October 9. Ranganathan, wh...

Canberra, Oct 13 (IANS) In a significant boost to defence cooperation between India and Australia, around 120 troops from the Indian Army have arrived in Australia to participate in the 4th edition of Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2025 with the Australian Army, starting Monday at the Irwin Barracks in Perth.The joint drill, which runs until October 26, focuses on fostering camaraderie and reinforcing the spirit of partnership and mutual trust between the two forces.“The High Commission welcomes 120 troops from the Indian Army to Australia for participation in the 4th edition of Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2025 with the Australian Army from 13 - 26 October. Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2025 will further strengthen Defence Cooperation and foster camaraderie between Indian and Australian Army troops, thereby reinforcin...

Kolkata, Oct 13 (IANS) The BJP has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of lying about the timing when a second-year medical student left the private medical college premises in Durgapur, West Burdwan district, and later became a victim of gang-rape.On Sunday, CM Mamata Banerjee, besides advising that girls should not go out at night, also quoted the time when the victim went out of the college premises at 12.30 a.m., which contradicted the exit timing recorded with the private medical college.BJP Information Technology cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, made a social media post on Monday, accusing the Chief Minister of lying about the victim girl going out at 12.30 a.m.The medical college authorities, quoting their records, claimed tha...

Chennai, Oct 13 (IANS) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall across 11 districts of Tamil Nadu on Monday, warning residents to brace for intense showers accompanied by thunder and lightning in several parts of the state.According to the IMD’s latest bulletin, moderate to heavy rainfall is expected at many places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal.The department said that thunderstorms with lightning are likely to occur in isolated areas, especially over hilly and interior regions. The forecast indicates that districts, including Coimbatore and Tiruppur -- particularly the hilly belts -- along with Nilgiris, Erode, Salem, and Namakkal, are expected to experience heavy rainfall during the day.Similarly, Theni, Madurai, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, and Dhar...

Chennai, Oct 13 (IANS) In a heart-wrenching incident, a 55-year-old woman and her young granddaughter were trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants that strayed into a workers’ settlement near Valparai in Coimbatore district during the early hours of Monday. The tragedy occurred around 3.30 a.m. at the Water Falls Estate, a tea plantation region known for frequent elephant movement.According to forest officials, the herd entered the labour quarters in search of food. As the animals rampaged through the area, they attacked a house where the victims -- identified as Asala (55) and her granddaughter Hemasri -- were asleep. Both were fatally trampled before neighbours could raise an alarm. By the time rescue teams arrived, the two had succumbed to their injuries. Their bodies were recover...