Salem railway upgrade gets Rs 2,241 crore sanction as tantric arrested for dark web crimes
The Railway Board formally sanctioned a Rs 2,241.67 crore project to double the Salem-Karur-Dindigul rail line, bringing faster freight and passenger services a step closer to the region, while the Centre also approved a broader Rs 6,000 crore rail expansion package for Tamil Nadu. In a separate development, police in Salem arrested a man running a tantric practice centre near Vazhapadi who allegedly filmed women using hidden cameras and sold the recordings on the dark web.
🗳️ Railway Board sanctions 159 km Salem-Karur-Dindigul line doubling at Rs 2,241 crore
The Railway Board has formally sanctioned the doubling of the 159-kilometre Salem-Karur-Dindigul railway line, approving a total project cost of Rs 2,241.67 crore for the upgrade of a section that currently operates on a single track. The Salem-Karur-Dindigul corridor forms an important link in the broader rail network connecting central and southern Tamil Nadu, and the conversion to double track is expected to significantly increase capacity for both passenger and freight services on the route. Formal sanctioning marks the transition from planning to execution, enabling the railway administration to proceed with detailed engineering work, land acquisition and tendering. The doubling project is part of a larger wave of railway investment in Tamil Nadu, with multiple sections receiving budgetary approvals during this period. Once completed, the upgraded line will allow more frequent train services, reduce congestion at key junctions and accelerate freight movement between Salem, Karur and Dindigul—supporting the commercial and agricultural economies of all three districts. Salem serves as a critical junction in Tamil Nadu’s rail grid, and the doubling of this particular section has been a long-sought development for the city and the districts it connects southward. The sanction confirms committed central funding for the improvement of a legacy single-line route that has historically constrained movement across the region. [4]
🏢 Centre approves Rs 6,000 crore in Tamil Nadu rail projects including Salem corridor
The Centre approved three separate railway projects in Tamil Nadu with a combined value of Rs 6,000 crore, according to The New Indian Express, with the new lines expected to have the capacity to carry 7.21 million tonnes of freight annually. The approvals cover rail infrastructure improvements across the state, including corridors that connect key industrial and urban centres. Salem’s position within the Tamil Nadu rail network means the city stands to benefit from this broader investment wave as multiple sections in the state are upgraded simultaneously to address decades of capacity shortfalls. The additional lines are being sanctioned with freight expansion as a central objective, recognising the critical role rail plays in moving bulk goods for industries such as steel, textiles and agricultural processing—all significant sectors in and around Salem. Central government approvals at this scale typically precede detailed project reports, tendering processes and phased construction, meaning the full realisation of capacity gains is expected over several years. However, the formal sanctions confirm committed federal funding and provide the legal and administrative basis for project execution. The Tamil Nadu rail investment push reflects a national prioritisation of freight corridor upgrades to ease road congestion and reduce logistics costs across major industrial belts in peninsular India. [6]
Salem tantric arrested after hidden-camera recordings of women found on dark web
A 50-year-old man who presented himself as a tantric practitioner was arrested by police in Salem after he allegedly used his occult practice centre near Vazhapadi to film women and minor girls with hidden cameras, then sell the recordings on the dark web. The accused, identified as Vijayaraja, ran a centre he called Shaniswar, where he offered tantric and occult services as a pretext to gain access to vulnerable visitors. The case came to light after Vijayaraja allegedly attempted to molest a schoolgirl who had gone to his centre to collect donations for Vinayaka Chaturthi. The student told her family, and local residents and youths went to confront the accused at his premises. Vijayaraja locked the premises and fled on seeing the crowd but was found hiding nearby, caught by local residents and handed over to Vazhapadi police. A laptop recovered from him allegedly contained more than 50 videos of women and schoolgirls. Police said some women who visited the centre were allegedly given sedatives mixed into water or prasad before being filmed while unconscious. Vijayaraja reportedly told investigators that a website paid him for such videos. He had previously worked at a utensil manufacturing factory and began presenting himself as a tantric after the factory shut down. Police registered a case and are investigating whether others were involved in the distribution or sale of the recordings. [10]
Sources: [4] DT Next · [6] The New Indian Express · [10] Bhaskar English