Reiterating the Aam Aadmi Party government’s resolve to make Punjab crime-free, MLA Kulwant Singh Sidhu said that about 325 days ago, a decisive ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign was launched, under which the police carried out historic action by registering FIRs against 32,000 drug smugglers and putting thousands of criminals behind bars.

As the anger and outrage over the tragic death of a Noida techie continues to build up, the police on Tuesday intensified their action and arrested a builder cum developer for alleged criminal negligence.

The arrest was made by the Knowledge Park police station officials, who were on the hunt for a builder named in an FIR lodged after the demise of a Noida-based software engineer, who died after his car plunged into a pit, dug for the construction of a basement in Sector 150, Noida.

Security forces, in separate operations across Assam, Manipur and Mizoram, have seized heroin worth Rs 4.65 crore and arrested four drug peddlers during the past 24 hours, officials said on Tuesday.

 While the capital city of Jaipur witnessed light drizzle on Tuesday, weather conditions across the rest of Rajasthan remained largely dry. However, moderate to dense fog was recorded at several places in the state, affecting visibility during the early morning hours and indicating changing winter conditions.

According to data from the Meteorological Centre, Jaipur, temperatures showed wide variation across the state. The highest maximum temperature in the last 24 hours was recorded at 30.4 degrees Celsius at Jawai Dam in Pali district, while the lowest minimum temperature stood at 4.6 degrees Celsius in Pali (AWS), showing the continued influence of cold nights despite daytime warmth in some regions.

The minimum temperature dropped to minus 5.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s ski resort of Gulmarg as the Meteorological (MeT) Department forecast moderate to heavy rain/snow from January 22 evening.

Srinagar city had a minimum temperature of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam minus 4.4 and Gulmarg minus 5.5.

Delhi-NCR experienced a slight improvement in air quality compared to the previous two days as the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 397, which is categorised as "very poor," according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The AQI decreased from 418 on Monday to 439 on Sunday.

A thin layer of smog still blanketed the National Capital Region, slightly reducing the visibility.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday announced the formal withdrawal of the Northeast Monsoon from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, and adjoining parts of South India, marking the end of the primary rainy season for the region.

According to an official statement issued by the India Meteorological Department, dry weather conditions are likely to prevail across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal from Monday until January 21.

In yet another hit-and-run incident highlighting road safety concerns in Madhya Pradesh, a rashly driven speeding car struck four pedestrians and a motorbike rider near Yashraj Colony under Dhargaon police station area in Maheshwar tehsil, Khargone, claiming one life and leaving others seriously injured.

Deepak Yadav, investigation officer, said the accident occurred around 9 a.m. on Monday when bike rider A.K. Chand alias Munna Karma (55) was heading to purchase chillies. Suddenly, a car coming from the opposite direction at high speed collided with him and another person, Kailash (52), a resident of Karondiya village.

An earthquake, measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale, occurred on Monday with the epicentre in the Leh area of the Ladakh region and the shocks were felt in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir with varying intensity.

Mukhtar Ahmad, Director of the local MET Department, told IANS, "An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale occurred at 11.51 am today with the epicentre in the Leh area of the Ladakh region. “The coordinates of the earthquake were latitude 36.71 north and longitude 74.32 east. It occurred 171 Kms inside the Earth's crust."

The tremors of the earthquake were felt in varying degrees in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.

 A mild earthquake measuring 2.8 on the Richter scale struck New Delhi on Monday morning, causing brief tremors across parts of the national capital.

According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake occurred at around 8:44 a.m., with its epicentre located in North Delhi at a shallow depth of 5 kilometres.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or property damage, and the tremors were described as mild in nature. However, the incident once again highlighted Delhi’s vulnerability to seismic activity due to its geological setting.

Air pollution levels in the National Capital Region (NCR) have shattered previous records over the past few days, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) across the entire NCR, including Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad, slipping into the "severe" category.

The deteriorating air quality has raised serious health concerns as pollution levels continue to remain dangerously high.

While higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir received light snowfall, the plains of the Valley missed the season's first snowfall on Saturday.

Weather officials have forecast moderate to heavy snowfall in the Valley between January 22 and 24.

According to Meteorological Department officials, light to moderate snowfall occurred in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir during the last 12 hours, while the plains did not record any, much to the disappointment of residents waiting for this season's first snowfall.

Delhi Police on Saturday busted an illegal mixing unit of high-end branded liquor and arrested one accused, recovering a huge quantity of illicit liquor along with fake labels and stickers.

According to the West District Police, 14 cartons containing 173 bottles of high-end branded illicit liquor, each with a capacity of 750 ml, were seized. The recovered brands included Gold Label, Glenfiddich, and Glenlivet. In addition, 50 bottle caps, 20 fake labels, and brand stickers of imported liquor were also seized from the spot.

Four people were killed in a horrific road accident in Bihar's Madhepura district on Saturday.

The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. on the National Highway-106, between BN Mandal University and the power grid area, when a speeding truck collided head-on with a car.

According to the police, the car was damaged in the accident. All four occupants of the car lost their lives due to grievous injuries.

 Just days ahead of the anniversary of the devastating 7.6-magnitude 2001 Gujarat earthquake, a 4.1 magnitude tremor struck Khawda in Gujarat's Kutch district early on Saturday, triggering panic among residents in several areas

According to officials, the epicentre of the earthquake was located around 55 km from Khawda, and the tremor was recorded at 1:22 a.m. on Saturday.

While there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage to property, the sudden shaking forced people to rush out of their homes in some localities.

Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) woke up to another harsh winter morning on Saturday, with icy temperatures, dense fog and hazardous air quality combining to intensify discomfort across North India.

The cold wave continued unabated for the sixth consecutive day, while pollution levels breached the “severe” category, prompting authorities to reimpose stringent restrictions under Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

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.