Braving biting cold, hundreds of devotees thronged the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, Punjab and other shrines in the region early on Thursday to usher in the New Year.

At the Golden Temple complex, around 250 km from here, the devotees queued up since midnight to offer prayers. Long queues could be seen on Thursday morning with people waiting for their turn to offer prayers inside the 'Harmandir Sahib', the sanctum sanctorum.

Delhi woke up to yet another grim morning under a thick blanket of pollution and biting cold, with air quality continuing to remain in the "very poor" category as fog and low temperatures tightened their grip on the national capital on the New Year.

According to the latest data released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi stood at 372, reflecting sustained high pollution levels across the city.

A man was charred to death in a collision between two vehicles in Andhra Pradesh’s Prakasam district on Wednesday.

Police said a Bolero vehicle caught fire after colliding with an unidentified vehicle on the Nandyal-Amaravati highway. The driver was trapped in the fire and was charred to death. Another person travelling in the same vehicle was injured.

The accident occurred near Rangareddypalle village in Racharla mandal around 5.45 a.m.

All higher reaches of Kashmir received snowfall in the last 12 hours as the minimum temperature rose above the freezing point on Wednesday, everywhere except Gulmarg ski resort.

Tourists presently in the Valley to celebrate New Year's Eve were thrilled to witness snowfall in Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam tourist resorts. Snowfall on New Year's Eve gave the perfect setting to this year’s celebrations as a pristine blanket of white covered the ground in Gulmarg and other places of tourist interest.

The death toll in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, where a large number of people fell ill over the last few days, allegedly after drinking contaminated water in the Bhagirathpura area of the city, has risen to eight.

Taking cognisance of the incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered the suspension of two municipal officials, and one public health engineer has been removed from service.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light rain or drizzle in some areas of Bikaner, Jaipur and Bharatpur divisions of Rajasthan on Wednesday.

A weather alert has been issued for several parts of the state due to the influence of an active Western Disturbance.

The department has also forecast light rainfall in some areas of the Bikaner, Jaipur and Bharatpur divisions on Thursday.

The year 2025’s final morning began on a grim note for residents of Delhi-NCR as dense fog, severe cold, and hazardous air quality combined to disrupt daily life across large parts of North India.

A sharp drop in temperature, extremely low visibility and poor pollution levels significantly impacted road, rail and air travel, causing delays and inconvenience for thousands of commuters and passengers.

At least four people were killed and 12 others were severely injured in a road accident on National Highway-30 in Maihar district, said officials on Tuesday.

The incident on Monday evening occurred near Tiloura village under the Nadan police station area when a speeding passenger vehicle, carrying members of the Patel family from Padariya village in neighbouring Katni district, crashed into a container truck.

The collision was not head-on but from behind, yet the impact was severe enough to cause widespread chaos at the scene. According to police, the vehicle carrying the passengers rammed into the rear of the truck with tremendous force, mangling the front portion of the passenger vehicle.

At least six people were killed after a bus carrying around 18 passengers lost control and plunged into a deep ravine on the Bhikiyasain-Vinayak road in Uttarakhand's Almora district on Tuesday morning, officials said.

According to official sources, the accident took place near Shilapani on the Bhikiyasain-Vinayak-Jalali motor road. The bus was travelling from Bhikiyasain to Ramnagar and had departed from Dwarahat at around 6 a.m.

Around 200 shops in Birati's Jadu Babu's market in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district were gutted in a fire that broke out in the early hours of Tuesday.

The shops were reduced to ashes, and the goods and assets inside perished, leaving the owners and workers in shock. Preliminary reports said there were no reports of casualties.

The famous market is located adjacent to Birati railway station and frequented by locals and passengers.

Sources said the devastating fire broke out around 1.30 a.m., which spread rapidly within moments due to strong winds blowing from the north.

 All roads in the higher reaches of Kashmir were closed on Tuesday as the Meteorological (MeT) Department forecast rain and snow in J&K during the next two days beginning Tuesday afternoon.

The MeT Department has forecast snow in the higher reaches and rain in the plains during the next two days. Travellers and transporters have been advised to follow the advisory by the traffic department and the various administrative departments.

A combination of winter chill, severe air pollution, and dense fog on Tuesday created a dire situation across the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). Authorities have issued an alert for extremely dense fog for two consecutive days, while the Air Quality Index (AQI) has exceeded 450 in several areas, raising serious health concerns.

The situation worsened significantly, with visibility dropping to zero in many locations on Monday night. This severely disrupted road, rail, and air traffic, causing delays and safety risks for commuters.

The New Year in Rajasthan is likely to begin with cold winds and winter showers, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a forecast for light rain in parts of the state.

According to the IMD, a Western Disturbance will become active on December 31 and January 1, bringing light rainfall to northern and western Rajasthan.

Railways have set up helpline numbers to provide assistance and train running information following the fire in the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express at Andhra Pradesh's Yelamanchili early on Monday.

South Central Railway (SCR) set up the following helpline numbers: Yelamanchili – 7815909386, Anakapalli – 7569305669, Tuni – 7815909479, Samalkot – 7382629990, Rajahmundry - 088 – 32420541, 088 – 32420543, Eluru – 7569305268, and Vijayawada - 0866 – 2575167.

Due to heavy nightlong cloud cover, night temperatures rose above the freezing point throughout the Kashmir Valley on Monday except the ski resort of Gulmarg, weather officials said.

Met Department officials said the minimum temperature rose above the freezing point in the Valley, except Gulmarg, where it was minus 2 degrees Celsius.

Srinagar city logged a minimum of 3 and Pahalgam 0.2 degrees Celsius.

Jammu city was at 9.1 degrees Celsius, Katra town at 9.2, Batote at 7.3, Banihal at 4.8 and Bhaderwah at 3.3 degrees.

 Due to dense fog, plummeting temperatures, and rising pollution levels, the district administration of Gautam Buddha Nagar has ordered a four-day closure of all schools in the district.

As per the directive issued late Sunday night by the office of the District Basic Education Officer (DBEO), under the instructions of the District Magistrate, all recognised schools -- whether affiliated with CBSE, ICSE, IB, UP Board, or any other board -- will remain closed from December 29, 2025, to January 1, 2026.

The order covers classes from nursery up to grade 12.

A passenger was killed, and more than 150 had a narrow escape after two AC compartments of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Junction Super-Fast Express caught fire near Visakhapatnam in the wee hours of Monday, police said.

The fire broke out in the train at Yelamanchili in Anakapalli district, about 66 km from Visakhapatnam.

Upon noticing the fire in the running train, a passenger pulled the chain to stop it at Yelamanchili Railway Station and alerted the railway staff, who in turn alerted the fire department.

Delhi woke up to another hazardous winter morning on Monday as a toxic mix of dense fog and severe air pollution engulfed the national capital, pushing the Air Quality Index (AQI) beyond 400and sharply reducing visibility.

The national capital was blanketed in thick smog on Monday morning, with the overall AQI recorded at 402 at 7 a.m., placing it firmly in the ‘severe’ category.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast largely dry weather conditions across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal over the next two days, attributing the change to variations in the easterly wind pattern prevailing over the region.

While widespread rainfall is not expected, the department has cautioned residents about early morning fog, slightly lower night temperatures in select areas, and strong surface winds along the coastal belt.

According to the IMD, light mist or fog may form during the early morning hours in isolated pockets across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.

Tourists have arrived in appreciable numbers in the Kashmir Valley these days to welcome the New Year.

Minimum temperature dropped notches below the freezing point in the Valley on Saturday as the Pahalgam hill station recorded minus 4.8 as the night's lowest temperature.

After many months, hotels in Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam are reporting full occupancy these days.

Altaf Ahmad, general manager of a hotel in Gulmarg, told, "We are completely sold out this time."

Four members of a family, including three infants, died after inhaling toxic fumes from a charcoal brazier in Chhapra city of Bihar, while three others are battling for their lives, police said on Saturday.

Three other family members are battling for their lives and remain in critical condition, the police added.

According to information, the family had lit a charcoal brazier inside their room to protect themselves from the severe cold on Friday night. As the room was closed, carbon monoxide gas accumulated, causing all the occupants to lose consciousness.

Three people were killed in a road accident caused by dense fog in West Bengal's Alipurduar district on Saturday.

According to the police, the incident occurred due to a head-on collision between a small car and a 12-wheeler trailer. After the accident, the trailer fell into a ditch beside the road.

Police said that a small car was travelling towards Siliguri in north Bengal. The trailer was coming from the opposite direction.

The accident took place in the Garam Basati area of National Highway 31 in Alipurduar after an overtaking manoeuvre failed.

The situation remains tense in Chomu town near Jaipur on Saturday following violence triggered by a dispute over the installation of railings outside a religious place.

To prevent the spread of rumours and maintain law and order, the administration has extended the suspension of WhatsApp and social media services for another 24 hours, till 7 a.m. on Sunday.

Divisional Commissioner Poonam issued orders extending the internet shutdown after receiving a report from the Police Commissioner.

Two people were killed when a car fell into a ditch following a collision with an unknown vehicle on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur, police said on Friday.

The accident occurred near pillar number 246 around 11 p.m. on Thursday. Both the men in the car were residents of Gujarat.

After receiving information about the accident, the Baunli Police reached the spot and took the deceased and the injured to the Baunli Community Health Centre (CHC).

According to the information, the two young men in the car were going to Gujarat.

A severe cold wave accompanied by chilly winds has tightened its grip over Rajasthan, causing a sharp dip in temperatures across the state. The Meteorological Department on Friday forecast intensified cold conditions over the next three to four days and issued a yellow alert for 11 districts in northeastern Rajasthan.

Karauli in eastern Rajasthan recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 3.6 degrees Celsius, while Pali in the western region registered 5.2 degrees C. Other districts also witnessed biting cold, with Churu at 6.4 degrees C, Nagaur at 6.6 degrees C, Jalore at 6.9 degrees C, Dausa at 5.0 degrees C, Anta-Baran at 5.2 degrees C, and Alwar at 6.0 degrees Celsius.

Seven people were killed and five others were injured in two separate road accidents in Andhra Pradesh early Friday morning, police said.

Three people were killed and three others injured when a car in which they were travelling was hit by a private travel bus in Guntur district.

The accident occurred near Ankireddypalem under the limits of Nallapadu Police Station when the car driver stopped the vehicle by the roadside. The private travel bus rammed into the car from behind.

The death toll in the bus tragedy in Karnataka's Chitradurga mounted to seven after the ill-fated bus driver succumbed to injuries in the wee hours on Friday.

At least six people were burnt alive, and 21 others suffered burns after a sleeper coach bus caught fire following a collision with a container truck in Chitradurga district of Karnataka on Thursday.

The bus driver, 42-year-old Mohammad Rafeeq, a resident of Shiggaon in Haveri district, was admitted to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi city.

Tension gripped Chomu town in Rajasthan's Jaipur district early Friday morning after a dispute over the installation of an iron railing outside a mosque escalated into violent clashes between rioters and the police.

The incident, which took place around 3 a.m. near the Chomu bus stand, led to stone-pelting, injuries to several policemen, and the use of tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.

According to police officials, at least six policemen were injured in the violence and have been admitted to a nearby hospital. Most of the injured personnel sustained head injuries, though their condition is reported to be stable. Several police vehicles were also damaged during the stone-pelting.

The minimum temperature in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar city rose above the freezing point, while at Gulmarg ski resort and Pahalgam hill station it remained below the freezing point on Friday.

The Meteorological (MeT) Department officials said, “Seasonal precipitation (October 1- December 25) remained -44 per cent (Kashmir Division) departure from normal, which is a deficit and -9 per cent (Jammu Division), which is normal. A spell of light snow (higher reaches) and light rain at scattered to many places of J&K during December 31 to January 1 and improvement thereafter.”

The national capital witnessed a marginal improvement in air quality on Friday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) falling into the ‘poor’ category and averaging 292, according to official data.

The improvement comes after Delhi recorded ‘severe’ air quality levels earlier this week, with the AQI touching 412 on December 23. Over the past two days, a gradual decline in pollution levels has been observed across several parts of the city.

DAV College once again reaffirmed its cultural eminence and artistic excellence by delivering a stellar performance at the Chandigarh Youth Festival 2025, organised by the Sports Department, Chandigarh Administration, under the aegis of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

Two men, preparing for the Bihar Police recruitment in Rohtas district, were killed in a road accident due to fog on Thursday.

The incident occurred in Samhuta village under the Rohtas police station area, when an out-of-control truck crushed the men to death while they were jogging along the roadside.

According to police, the accident occurred during the early morning hours when poor visibility due to heavy fog prevented the truck driver from noticing the youths. The speeding truck fled the scene after the incident.

Three young labourers lost their lives in a devastating road accident near the Gujra toll plaza in Madhya Pradesh's Maihar district.

A speeding motorcycle carrying the trio collided violently with a tractor-trolley parked on the roadside close to the Indian Gas Agency under the Mukundpur police outpost of the district.

The impact was catastrophic, destroying the motorcycle completely and throwing the riders onto the road, where they succumbed to their injuries instantly.

Four bodies were recovered from the bus, which caught fire after being hit by a container truck in Karnataka's Chitradurga district on Thursday.

The body of the container truck driver has also been recovered.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that three bus passengers are missing, and the police are hopeful that they are alive.

So far, five deaths have been confirmed in the incident.

Kolkata recorded the coldest day of the season on Christmas as the minimum temperature dropped below 14 degrees Celsius.

On Christmas morning, the minimum temperature in Kolkata was 13.7 degrees Celsius.

The Maidan and Alipore areas were shrouded in fog from dawn.

As the day progressed, city dwellers, sporting sweaters and jackets, set off for the Alipore Zoological Garden, Eco Park, Science City, Victoria Memorial, Indian Museum and other amusement parks across the city.