A 14-year-old girl was found murdered in Kerala's Malappuram on Friday, sparking widespread shock in the local community.

The body of the Class 9 student was discovered in a bushy area adjoining the railway track between Vaniyambalam and Thodiyapulath.

She had left home for school the previous day but did not return.

With the arrest of one more person by the security forces, the total number of accused apprehended in connection with the bomb explosion at a petrol pump in Manipur’s Bishnupur district has risen to two, officials said on Friday.

A police official said that security forces arrested Pukhrambam Bimol Meitei alias Inaobi (41) from the Lamphel Sana Keithel area under Imphal West district.

Pukhrambam Bimol Meitei, a resident of Kakching district, is an accomplice allegedly involved in causing the explosion at a fuel station at Moirang Thana Leikai in Bishnupur district on January 8.

A 21-year-old man was stabbed to death on Sindhu Farm Road in the Jaitpur police station area of southeast Delhi, said police on Friday.

The deceased has been identified as Krishna Sahu, a resident of Shukra Bazar Road, Hari Nagar Extension.

Officers and staff of Jaitpur Police Station have apprehended two individuals, including one juvenile, in connection with the violent stabbing incident that occurred late on Thursday night (January 15), resulting in the death of one person and injuries to two others.

The minimum temperature showed improvement across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, attributed to a night of continuous cloud cover. The Meteorological (MeT) office indicated that three consecutive Western Disturbances are expected to bring rain and snow to the union territory.

Sonam Lotus, Director of Ladakh MeT Department, told, “Three Western Disturbances are likely to become active over J&K from January 16 to January 24. The first one is a feeble Western Disturbance and is presently active over J&K and Ladakh. This is likely to bring some rain/snow in the higher reaches, with less chance of rain/snow in the plains."

The air quality deteriorated sharply on Friday morning in Delhi-NCR, with several areas recording Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in the “very poor” category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The worsening pollution coincided with cold wave conditions and dense fog across the city, adding to health and travel concerns.

On the sacred occasion of Maghi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann visited Sri Muktsar Sahib, where he paid obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Tuti Gandi Sahib and addressed a large public gathering, reiterating the Punjab Government’s position on the tracing of 169 missing saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. On a day deeply rooted in Sikh history and sacrifice, the Chief Minister said the tracing of the saroops was a matter of duty rather than achievement.

Walking barefoot while reciting prayers, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday bowed before Sri Akal Takht Sahib as humble Sikh, devoting the entire day to the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs. Appearing before the Jathedar Sahib at the Akal Takht Secretariat, the Chief Minister offered a detailed clarification on his earlier statements, reiterating that he stands as a humble Sikh with complete faith in the authority of the Sri Akal Takht Sahib, accepts every decision taken by it, and has no question whatsoever of challenging or undermining its supremacy.

Continuing its decisive push towards modern, citizen-first governance, the Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government has taken another major step to transform public transport by approving the procurement of Digital Electronic Ticketing Machines across state-run bus services. The initiative reflects the government’s clear focus on leveraging technology to make everyday public services more efficient, transparent and convenient for citizens.

A major incident has come to light from Muzaffarpur district, where a woman and her three minor children were found dead under mysterious circumstances near Chandwara Bridge on the banks of the Gandak River on Thursday.

The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Ahiyapur police station and the victims have been identified as Mamta Kumari, wife of Krishmohan Kumar, and her three minor children — Aditya Kumar (6), Ankush Kumar (4), and Kriti Kumari (2).

Six members of a family were burnt alive at their residence in a devastating fire that broke out early Thursday at Talagna village in Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh, said police.

One family member survived the incident that occurred at around 2 a.m. at the residence of Mohan Singh.

The blaze spread speedily, allowing the trapped people little time to move out to safety.

The Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) continues to grapple with an intense winter spell, as bone-chilling cold wave conditions persist, worsening both weather and air quality across the region. The situation in the national capital remains extremely concerning, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing the 350 mark in several areas, placing air quality in the 'very poor' to 'severe' categories.

Unabated cold accompanied by chilly winds blowing into the plains from mountains continued in Kashmir on Thursday and Jammu city also reeled under unprecedented chilly weather.

The maximum temperature was 7.4 degrees Celsius in Jammu on Wednesday, while the minimum was 4.4 degrees Celsius on Thursday.

With just a gap of 3 degrees between the maximum and minimum temperatures, Jammu city is witnessing unprecedented cold weather, made worse by fog that continued throughout the day with varying intensity.

Jammu city on Wednesday recorded the 4th lowest maximum temperature ever at 7.4 degrees Celsius.

In a devastating incident, five individuals perished in a head-on collision between a loading vehicle and a tractor-trolley in the Berasia police station area, near Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

The accident occurred around 9.30 p.m. on Wednesday in the Narela region of the Berasia constituency, as reported by local authorities. The victims, residents of Vidisha and Sironj districts, were en route to Hoshangabad (Narmadapuram) for a holy dip in the Narmada River the following day, a common pilgrimage during auspicious occasions.

In a landmark decision aimed at strengthening property rights and easing long-pending legal uncertainties, the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has introduced major citizen-centric reforms to benefit residents living in Cooperative Housing Societies. Acting on the directions of the Chief Minister, who also holds the Cooperation Department portfolio, the Government has approved a comprehensive framework to make registration of cooperative housing properties affordable, secure, and legally robust, while ensuring legitimate recovery of stamp duty for the State.

Banned Chinese manja claimed the life of a 35-year-old man in Telangana’s Sangareddy district on Wednesday. The deceased has been identified as Avidesh, a native of Uttar Pradesh. According to police, the incident occurred when Avidesh was travelling on a motorcycle and the manja of a flying kite got entangled around his neck and caused a deep cut. The man died on the spot due to profuse bleeding.

Police have registered a case and taken up an investigation in the case.

In a tragic incident on Wednesday morning that sent shockwaves through Kusua village in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district, four children drowned in a pond under the Puramufti police station limits, officials said.

According to police, the victims -- three minors and a 19-year-old youth -- had gone to bathe in a pond located around a kilometre away from the village.

They are believed to have accidentally ventured into a deeper portion of the water body, leading to the drowning of all four.

Three people, including two children, were killed in a road accident at Bharatipura Cross near Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district of Karnataka on Wednesday.

The deceased were identified as 15-year-old Rihaan, nine-year-old Rahil, and 76-year-old Fathima, all residents of Shringeri in Chikkamagaluru district.

According to police, the tragedy occurred following a head-on collision between a car and a Road Transport Corporation (RTC) bus. All the victims were car occupants.

Three other occupants of the car sustained serious injuries and have been shifted to a nearby hospital.

An extreme dry chill continued in Kashmir on Wednesday, with Srinagar city recording minus 5.2 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.

Almost all water taps, road puddles, ponds and other small water bodies were frozen in the morning, while the Dal Lake was frozen in parts.

Roads have become slippery, especially in the mornings, and pedestrians and motorists avoid venturing out in the morning unless some emergency arises.

The clear night sky has led to further lowering of minimum temperatures in the union territory.

Delhi’s minimum temperature witnessed a marginal rise on Wednesday morning, settling at 3.8 degrees Celsius, even as cold wave conditions continued to grip the national capital, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Alongside the persistent cold, air quality across the city remained a major concern, staying in the ‘very poor’ category, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 360.

More than 10 people were injured after a government-owned passenger bus overturned after losing control near the Topsia intersection in Kolkata.

According to local and police sources, the bus suddenly overturned near the Topsia intersection while travelling from Park Circus towards Science City.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the bus tilted and fell onto the road with a loud crash. The passengers inside the bus started screaming in panic.

People across Delhi-NCR are facing a double whammy of biting cold and severe air pollution on Tuesday. While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange and yellow alerts due to an ongoing cold wave, the Air Quality Index (AQI) remains at dangerously high levels in several areas.

According to the IMD, a cold wave is likely to persist throughout January 13 and 14 across Delhi-NCR. During this period, the maximum temperature will hover around 20 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature can drop to as low as 4 degrees Celsius. The situation has been further aggravated by extremely high humidity levels, which have reached 97 to 98 per cent during the morning hours.

Due to a clear night sky, the minimum temperature again dropped in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, and Srinagar city recorded minus 4.9 degrees Celsius as the night’s lowest thermal reading.

Dense morning fog affected life adversely in Jammu city in the morning, with both surface and air traffic getting halted due to very poor visibility.

In Srinagar city, few people ventured out in the morning as harsh, chilly wind blew into the Valley from the mountain tops.

Braving the biting cold, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday held a Lok Milni in Jalandhar, directly engaging with people from various Assembly constituencies and patiently listening to their grievances. Emphasising that such direct interaction is central to transparent and responsive governance, the Chief Minister said that sustained pro-people initiatives, ranging from free electricity and large-scale employment to healthcare and education reforms, are steadily easing the burden on common families and firmly placing Punjab on the path to reclaim its position as a frontrunner state in the country.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann inaugurated the state’s first Startup Punjab Conclave at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Kapurthala, placing innovation, hard work, and entrepreneurship at the heart of the government’s economic vision. Organised by the Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Punjab, the Startup Punjab Conclave 2026 emerged as a flagship state-level platform celebrating innovation, entrepreneurship, and the state’s rapidly expanding startup ecosystem.

Solving the murder of former sarpanch Jharmal Singh, Punjab Police on Monday claimed to have arrested seven accused, including two assailants, in a major blow to the Prabh Dasuwal gang.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said investigations have established gangster Prabh Dasuwal as the mastermind behind the murder, committed due to old enmity, underscoring the pre-planned and targeted nature of the crime.

A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper was killed on Monday in a fire incident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

A statement by the fire and emergency services department said, “A fire incident was reported at Madar, Bandipora, at around 2.34 a.m. today. On receipt of the call, fire and emergency services from the District Fire Headquarters Bandipora were immediately rushed to the spot. As the flames were very high, the additional reinforcement was also mobilised promptly."

A seven-year-old child was burned alive, and several, comprising two women and four children, were feared trapped in a massive fire that broke out early Monday in residential buildings located in the old bus stand area of Arki town in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district.

The situation turned worse after several LPG cylinders exploded, causing the fire to spread rapidly and making it difficult for firefighters to control the blaze.

Solan Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaurav Singh told the media that police and fire brigade teams were on the spot for the rescue operation.

In view of the intense cold wave sweeping across Rajasthan, district administrations have extended holidays and altered timings for schools in several parts of the state.

The state continues to witness a significant drop in temperature, with severe cold and dense fog affecting daily life. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red, orange and yellow alerts for cold wave conditions in 11 districts. According to IMD, relief is expected only after January 14–15.

Keeping students' health and safety in mind, authorities have issued fresh directives for January 12 and 13 across various districts.

The minimum temperature improved across Kashmir on Monday, even though it did not rise above the freezing point. Srinagar city recorded minus 2.4 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature, while Gulmarg and Pahalgam both had minus 3.4 degrees.

Jammu had 3.4 degrees Celsius, Katra town 5, Batote 4.3, Banihal 5.1 and Bhaderwah minus 1.2 as the lowest temperature of the night.

The Meteorological (MeT) Department forecast said the weather is likely to be partly cloudy between January 11 and January 15.

Local train services were disrupted for a considerable period at the South Section of the Sealdah division of the East Railways on Monday morning following a major fire at Bagha Jatin Railways station in that section.

However, at the time the report was filed, the local train services had been normalised. There is no report of casualties following the fire that broke out in a temporary shop at the station platform.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall in seven districts of Tamil Nadu on Monday, as an atmospheric low-pressure system continues to prevail over the southern coastal region of the state and the adjoining Gulf of Mannar.

The weather system is expected to trigger intense showers across parts of the Cauvery delta and surrounding regions, prompting authorities to advise caution.

According to the IMD, districts likely to receive heavy rainfall today include Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Pudukkottai.

At least six people, including four passengers and two crew members, sustained injuries on Saturday after a nine-seater aircraft made an emergency crash landing in a field approximately 10 km from the Rourkela airstrip in Odisha, officials confirmed.

The IndiaOne Air aircraft, a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan EX (Registration VT-KSS), was operating a regular regional connectivity flight from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar when it encountered a critical technical malfunction moments before landing.

Madhya Pradesh continues to reel under a biting cold wave, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing "another orange alert" for the Bundelkhand region, including districts like Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Panna, and Datia.

The alert warns of persisting severe cold conditions, dense fog, and cold day/severe cold day scenarios for the next 48 hours, prompting residents to take precautions against the icy winds sweeping in from North India.

The ongoing cold spell in West Bengal intensified on Saturday as temperatures dropped further in Kolkata and several districts, and the chill is expected to continue for the next few days.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata's Alipore, the temperature dropped as cold northerly winds are freely entering the state, resulting in biting cold. There is also a significant presence of fog at several places.

 One pedestrian lost his life, and 14 others sustained injuries after a speeding Audi car rammed into them in Rajasthan's Jaipur, police said on Saturday.

The incident took place on Friday night when the luxury car allegedly went out of control. The vehicle first struck a divider and then crashed into roadside stalls and food carts over a stretch of nearly 30 metres before hitting a tree and coming to a halt, the police officials said.