Madurai, Aug 3: Five people from Chennai, including a three-year-old girl, were killed and two others seriously injured in a multiple-vehicle accident after a car lost control, crossed the median and collided head-on with another vehicle near Melur in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district on Monday.

The accident occurred on the Thumbaipatti four-lane road overbridge when a car carrying five members of a group was travelling from Chennai towards Tirunelveli along the National Highway.

According to police, the car first rammed into a two-wheeler travelling ahead of it while passing over the flyover. Following the collision, the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, which veered across the median and entered the opposite carriageway.

Within moments, the out-of-control car crashed head-on into another car coming from the opposite direction.

The second vehicle was travelling from Madurai towards Tiruchy when the collision occurred. The impact of the crash was severe, leaving the Chennai-bound vehicle badly damaged.

Five occupants were killed on the spot before emergency personnel could reach them.

Police identified four of the deceased as Sriman of Madipakkam in Chennai, Rajakumari, Ranja and three-year-old Pranika. They were reported to be members of the same family. The identity of the fifth person, who was travelling along with the family, was yet to be established.

Following information about the accident, personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services Department, Melur police and the 108 ambulance service rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations.

Two persons who sustained grievous injuries were pulled out of the damaged vehicles and taken to the Melur Government Hospital for treatment.

Police said one of the injured was travelling in the car from Chennai, while the other was an occupant of the second car that was heading towards Tiruchy.

The bodies of the five victims were recovered from the wreckage and sent to the government hospital for post-mortem examination.

The accident led to severe traffic disruption on the busy four-lane stretch as damaged vehicles and rescue operations blocked movement for some time.

Police personnel regulated traffic and subsequently cleared the vehicles from the road to restore normal movement. The Melur police have registered a case and initiated an investigation to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the accident.

Srinagar, Aug 3: Joint security forces on Sunday apprehended a suspected individual during a “naka” checking operation near Fruit Mandi in Rajpora area of Pulwama district in south Kashmir, official sources said.

The arrested person has been identified as Tausif Ahmad Dar, a resident of Pulwama.

According to sources in the security establishment, the “naka” (Checkpost) was set up as part of routine area domination and preventive measures in the sensitive zone.

During the search of the suspect, security personnel recovered a hand grenade, one mobile phone and three anti-national posters from his possession, sources confirmed.

The recovery of the explosive device and propaganda material has raised concerns about possible attempts to disrupt peace in the region.

A case has been registered under FIR No. 107/2026 at Rajpora Police Station, police sources said.

The FIR has been lodged under relevant sections of the law dealing with possession of explosives and anti-national activities. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the grenade, the origin of the posters and any possible links of the accused with militant or over-ground worker networks.

Security officials said that such “naka” operations are being intensified across Pulwama and adjoining areas to foil any potential threats and maintain law and order.

The recovery of the hand grenade, in particular, is being treated with seriousness given the potential for its use in targeted attacks or to create panic among civilians.

Sources indicated that the phone seized from the accused is being subjected to forensic examination to check for communication records or digital evidence that could point to larger networks.

Investigators are also examining the content and origin of the anti-national posters recovered from the suspect.

The incident comes amid ongoing efforts by security forces to keep a tight vigil in south Kashmir, which has witnessed sporadic attempts by anti-national elements to revive subversive activities. Officials maintained that continuous area domination, intelligence-based operations and public cooperation remain key to preventing such threats.

Tausif Ahmad Dar remains in custody for detailed questioning as the probe continues, sources added.

Police have urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the nearest security post or police station.

Guwahati, Aug 3: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday announced that nearly Rs 160 crore has been transferred directly to the bank accounts of families affected by the recent floods, providing immediate financial relief to thousands of households across the state.

The Chief Minister said the state government has credited an interim assistance of Rs 15,000 each to nearly 75,000 of the worst-affected families in four flood-hit districts.

The amount has been transferred through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism to ensure prompt financial support reaches beneficiaries without delay.

CM Sarma said the financial assistance is aimed at helping affected families begin rebuilding their lives while the government undertakes a comprehensive assessment of the damage to determine final compensation.

“This morning, I transferred the promised interim assistance of Rs 15,000 each to nearly 75,000 of the worst-hit households across the four districts, along with the state subsidy under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana to those eligible,” the Chief Minister said in a post on social media.

He added that the government’s priority is to place immediate liquidity in the hands of flood-affected families so that they can meet urgent household needs and initiate restoration work.

“Our effort is to place immediate liquidity in the hands of families so they can begin rebuilding without delay, while final compensation is determined through a comprehensive assessment,” CM Sarma said.

The Chief Minister also announced that a further tranche of Rs 10,000 each will be released in the coming days for severely affected families in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts, which were among the worst hit during the recent spell of floods.

“We stand firmly with our family members who had to endure such difficulties,” he said, reiterating the state government’s commitment to supporting people affected by the floods.

The flood situation in Assam has improved in several districts, but the crisis is far from over. The death toll has risen to 85, while over 1.36 lakh people continue to be affected across the state.

More than 160 villages remain inundated, with thousands of families still displaced and many houses either damaged or submerged.

The state government, along with disaster response agencies, is continuing relief, rehabilitation and damage assessment efforts in the affected districts.