A fire broke out in a multi-storied building in Information Technology hub Madhapur in Hyderabad on Saturday.

The fire started around 6 A.M. in a bar-and-restaurant on the fifth floor of a Sattva Elixir building in Salarpuria Sattva Knowledge City under Raidurgam Police Station of Cyberabad Commissionerate.

No casualties or injuries were reported in the city.

The fire was suspected to have been triggered by a cylinder blast and the flames spread to the fourth floor.

The cylinder explosion was so forceful that it partially damaged an adjoining building.

The explosion and fire sent panic among employees of a software company operating from the adjoining building.

Two separate police encounters in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur and Mathura resulted in the arrest of cow smugglers, including one wanted criminal with a reward on his head.

In Jaunpur, the Machhli Shahr and Sujanganj police conducted a joint operation late on Friday night to apprehend the cow smugglers.

In the wee hours of Saturday, an encounter occurred in which one smuggler was shot in the leg and captured while his accomplice managed to flee.

CO Vivek Kumar stated that the police had been conducting checks when two individuals on a bike tried to evade them.

The toll in the horrific accident and fire in Jaipur rose to 14 by Saturday as more people succumbed to their burn injuries.

The tragic accident on Friday morning at the Ajmer Highway in Jaipur claimed the lives of eight people immediately and left over 35 injured, when an LPG gas tanker collided with a truck. The death toll continued to rise through the day after that.

The collision triggered a massive explosion and fire, engulfing the area in flames, leaving over 35 people injured.

The toll is expected to go up further due to the horrific nature of the burns.

The accident took place when the LPG tanker, traveling from Ajmer toward Jaipur, was making a U-turn back toward Ajmer and collided with a truck coming from Jaipur.

The toll in the horrific accident and fire in Jaipur rose to 13 by Saturday as more people succumbed to their burn injuries.

The tragic accident on Friday morning at the Ajmer Highway in Jaipur claimed the lives of eight people and left over 35 injured, when an LPG gas tanker collided with a truck.

The collision triggered a massive explosion and fire, engulfing the area in flames, leaving over 35 people injured.

The accident took place when the LPG tanker, traveling from Ajmer toward Jaipur, was making a U-turn back toward Ajmer and collided with a truck coming from Jaipur.

The impact caused the gas to leak, spreading over a 200-metre radius before igniting into a massive fireball.

The explosion led to catastrophic destruction, with more than 40 vehicles catching fire after that.

Many victims were unable to escape, including the workers at a pipe factory nearby.

Haryana Chief Secretary Dr. Vivek Joshi today said that a special campaign will be launched under the Swachh Haryana Mission to promote cleanliness across rural areas, urban local bodies, panchayati raj institutions, public spaces, and all government offices until January 31.

Dr. Joshi shared these details after a virtual meeting with Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India. He said that the campaign will be conducted in two phases. Under this initiative, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) will create activity calendars to ensure continuous cleanliness, waste management, and sustainability initiatives.

Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh  Saini has expressed deep sorrow and grief over the sad demise of former Chief Minister and senior INLD leader, Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala. He remarked that with Chautala's passing, a significant chapter in Haryana's political history has come to a close, and it is hard to fill the void left by his departure. His immense contribution to Haryana's political landscape will always be remembered.

Haryana Governor Sh. Bandaru Dattatraya has expressed profound sorrow and grief over the demise of former Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Om Prakash Chautala. In his condolence message, Sh. Dattatraya described Sh. Chautala as a seasoned politician and a visionary leader who dedicated his life to the service of the people of Haryana.

“Sh. Om Prakash Chautala ji’s contributions to the development of Haryana and his commitment to the welfare of its people particularly "Kisan" will always be remembered. His demise is a great loss to the state and its people,” said Sh. Dattatraya. Recalling his personal experience with Sh. Chautala ji, Sh. Dattatraya said: “When I was Union Urban Development Minister, Sh. Chautala ji was the CM of Haryana. He met me regarding the development of NCR.” “During the meeting of NCR Development Board, Sh. Chautala ji, who was also a member, used to share his valuable insights and vision about the region’s all-round development.”

Haryana Government has decided to observe three days of state mourning  on the demise of  former Chief Minister, Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala,  who breathed his last on Friday.

Haryana Police is setting new benchmarks in its ongoing campaign against drugs in the state. Under the campaign being run by the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau and district police to break the nexus of drug peddlers in the state, every possible effort is being made. In this series, Haryana Police has registered 3051 cases against drug peddlers from January 1, 2024 to November 30, 2024, and sent 4652 accused behind bars. Along with this, taking strict action against habitual offenders, preventive detention action was taken against 63 drug peddlers under the PIT NDPS Act in the year 2024 to ensure that these criminals do not get involved in drug trafficking again.

Haryana Public Health Engineering and Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Minister, Mr. Ranbir Gangwa said that the people of Haryana have given the BJP government a strong mandate for the third consecutive term. He assured that there will be no compromise on development initiatives, stating that the government's top priority is public welfare. He urged officers and officials to promptly address and resolve legitimate public complaints at the earliest.

Mr. Gangwa said this while presiding over a meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee in Karnal today.

 Development and Panchayat Minister, Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar said that the state government has passed a bill during its first assembly session. This bill aims to grant ownership rights to individuals who have constructed houses between 100 and 500 square yards on land situated outside the 'Lal Dora' and separate from pond or 'firni'  land for over 20 years. The land will be valued at the collector rate.

Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar was presiding over the monthly meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee in Rohtak. Out of the 16 complaints in the agenda, nine were resolved on the spot, while officers were directed to submit reports on the remaining ones.

A major fire broke out at a slum located at Topsia in eastern Kolkata on Friday, leaving several shanties totally gutted and the families residing there homeless.

No casualty has been reported so far. However, the fire officers, who were at the spot with nine fire tenders to deal with the situation, were facing a tough time in bringing the raging blaze under control because of the high wind speed and dingy lanes, leading to the slum.

“Our prime task is to ensure that the fire does not spread to the adjacent localities. However, we are facing problems in the exercise because of the narrow and dingy lanes leading to the slum, which is making our task even more difficult. At the same time, we are also trying to ensure that no one is trapped within the slum where the fire has broken out,” said a fire officer.

A tragic fire incident claimed the lives of a mother and her 12-year-old son in Jilimtand village, Dumri block, Giridih district, Jharkhand, the police said.

The incident occurred late on Thursday night, engulfing their makeshift straw hut in flames. Police recovered their charred bodies and sent them for post-mortem examination.

The victims, identified as Nuniya Devi and her son Babuchand Murmu, were sleeping in a temporary hut within a paddy barn. To ward off the cold, they lit a wood fire nearby. Unfortunately, the flames spread to the straw hut late at night.

Trapped inside, the mother and son were unable to escape, and their cries for help went unheard by the villagers.

Somra Murmu, the husband of Nuniya Devi, reported the fire incident to the villagers and alerted the police.

After an explosion in the warehouse of a plastic recycling company in Kadipur industrial area in Gurugram, Haryana, a terrible fire incident has come to light. On receiving the information, the fire brigade team reached the spot and started trying to control the fire.

Officials said there were no reports of casualties or injuries. He said that the exact cause of the fire is not clear yet. Further details are awaited.

A woman in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district was shocked on receiving a parcel containing the body of an unidentified person.

The horrific incident was reported from Yendagandi village in Undi mandal of West Godavari district.

A woman, identified as Naga Tulsi, had submitted an application to the Kshatriya Seva Samithi for financial help to construct the house. The Samithi had sent tiles to the woman.

She again petitioned the Kshatriya Seva Samithi for further help in construction. The Samithi had reportedly promised to provide electricity appliances. The applicant had received a message on WhatsApp that she would be provided items like lights, fans, and switches.

A person delivered a box to the woman at her doorstep on Thursday night and left after informing her that it contained electrical appliances.

As mercury dropped to minus 6.2 degrees Celsius on Friday, J&K's Srinagar city recorded the season's lowest minimum temperature.

MET Department officials said that at minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, Srinagar city recorded the lowest minimum temperature of this season so far.

Gulmarg had minus 6 degrees Celsius while Pahalgam recorded minus 8.2 degrees Celsius as the night's lowest temperature.

Jammu city registered a minimum temperature of 6.9 degrees Celsius, Katra 6 degrees Celsius, Batote 1 degree, Banihal minus 3.8 degrees, and Bhaderwah minus 1.6 degrees.

On 20th December, Friday, Chandigarh traffic police released an advisory regarding AP Dhillon’s concert at Rally Ground, Sector 25 in Chandigarh on 21st December.

The police have shared a post of their official X account informing about the traffic rules. The post reads, “The general public is being informed that in view of the Live Concert of AP Dhillon on 21.12.2024 at Rally Ground, Sector 25, Chandigarh, the general public is advised to avoid the roads around Rally Ground, Sector-25.”

The post contains an image of the advisory for the general public. The advisory for audience reads, “The Chandigarh Traffic Police have issued advisory for the Singer A.P. Dhillon concert at the Sector-25 Rally Ground Saturday i.e. 21.12.2024, where traffic is likely to be affected from 04:00 PM onwards.”

As many as four people were burnt alive and 30 were critically injured as a truck hit a tanker full of chemicals in front of the Delhi Public School in Jaipur on Friday morning. The impact of the collision was such that the tanker burst and the chemicals spread all around and caught fire.

More than 20 vehicles caught fire in the accident on the Ajmer Highway. A sleeper bus running behind the tanker also got incinerated.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma reached SMS Hospital and spoke to the doctors regarding the condition of the injured.

The tanker full of chemicals caught fire after being hit by a truck near Pushparaj Petrol Pump near Bhankrota on Ajmer Road in the capital at around 5.30 A.M. on Friday.

The explosion was heard up to 10 kilometers away, terrifying local residents who were left wondering what had taken place.

Sources report that the fire was so intense that several vehicles within a 300-metre radius were engulfed and completely burned and there were repeated explosions as many of the fuel tanks burst.

Haryana Chief Secretary Dr. Vivek Joshi today reviewed the progress of "Samadhan Shivirs," a key initiative driven by Chief Minister Mr. Nayab Singh Saini's vision for resolving public grievances promptly and within set deadlines.

While presiding over virtual meeting with Deputy Commissioners to review the progress of this initiative, Dr. Joshi emphasized that timely and efficient resolution of complaints is vital for fostering trust between the administration and the people. He stated, “These Shivirs must go beyond resolving complaints—they should symbolize the government’s commitment to responsive and inclusive governance.

Demolition of some shops by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) triggered tension and protest at Alkapur Colony in the Manikonda area of the state capital on Thursday.

Teams of HYDRAA carried out the demolition of shops attached to Anuhar Morning Raga Apartments following complaints by residents.

Shopkeepers had heated arguments with the HYDRAA officials and staged a protest at the site. They questioned how their shops could be demolished when they have been paying lakhs of rupees as tax to the Manikonda municipality.

Grocery, fruit, and vegetable shops on the apartment’s ground floor were demolished. The shopkeepers claimed that the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) had given permission to them in 2016. They claimed that there were no deviations in setbacks, floors, or parking provisions.

At minus 6 degrees Celsius on Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Srinagar city recorded the lowest minimum temperature of the season so far as severe cold swept across the Valley.

MET Department officials said that the minimum temperature dropped to minus 6 degrees Celsius on Thursday in Srinagar city, which is the lowest recorded this season so far.

“Srinagar recorded minus 6, Gulmarg minus 5 and Pahalgam minus 6.8 as the minimum temperature today. “Jammu city had 5.1, Katra 6.6, Batote 2.5, Banihal minus 1.9 and Bhaderwah minus 0.6 as the minimum temperature.

“Due to a clear night sky, the temperatures are likely to drop till the evening of December 21 when a feeble Western Disturbance is expected to result in light snowfall in the higher reaches of J&K”, MET officials said.

Five terrorists were killed and 2 Army soldiers injured on Thursday in a fierce gunfight in J&K’s Kulgam district.

Officials said that five terrorists were killed and two soldiers injured in a fierce encounter between the joint forces and holed up terrorists in Kadder village of Behibagh area of Kulgam district today.

This is the largest number of terrorists killed in a single operation by the security forces in J&K in 2024.

“Joint forces including 34 Rashtriya Rifles, police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) started a CASO (Cordon & Search Operation) in Kadder village after receiving information about a group of terrorists hiding inside the village.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality in India's capital, Delhi, has plummeted to hazardous levels, with the average Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 448 at 7 A.M. on Thursday. The situation in the National Capital Region (NCR) cities also remains critical, with Haryana's Faridabad at 289, Gurugram at 370 and Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad at 386, Greater Noida at 351, and Noida at 366.

In Delhi, most areas are grappling with severe air pollution, with AQI levels ranging between 400 and 500 which falls in the 'severe plus' category.

Alarming figures have been reported from Anand Vihar (478), Ashok Vihar (472), Bawana (454), Burari Crossing (473), Mathura Road (467), Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range (451), Dwarka Sector 8 (460), ITO (475), Jahangirpuri (478), and Punjabi Bagh (476). Other notable locations include Nehru Nagar (485), Rohini (470), Vikas Marg (466), and Vivek Vihar (475).

These figures indicate hazardous air quality, which poses severe health risks to residents, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions.

The UT Administration has told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the noise levels exceeded the permissible limits during Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in the city on December 14.

In an affidavit submitted before a Division Bench, the UT said action under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the Noise Pollution Rules had been proposed on December 16.

“During the musical event of performer Diljit Dosanjh, the noise levels were monitored at various locations and it was observed that these exceeded the limits prescribed under The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. The noise levels had ranged between 76.1 and 93.1 decibels against the permitted 75 at three different location. Accordingly, action under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and the 2000 rules has been proposed vide letter dated December 16.”

The affidavit comes less than a week after a court directive imposing strict noise control measures for public events. The High Court had permitted the concert, subject to the condition that noise levels at the venue boundary must not exceed 75 dB(A).

 An encounter has started between security forces and terrorists in the Kadder area of South Kashmir's Kulgam district, the police said on Thursday.

"Encounter has started at Kadder area of Kulgam district. Police and security forces are on the job," police said.

The operation started after a joint team of police and security forces received input about the presence of terrorists in that area.

There have been a series of encounters between terrorists and security forces across Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past in which many terrorists and their commanders have been eliminated. Security forces have also taken casualties.

What is significant is that terrorist activities are now spreading in areas of Jammu and Kashmir that were relatively free from such incidents like Srinagar in Kashmir and areas of Chenab Valley, Udhampur and Kathua in Jammu.

Death Audits in case of fatalities in road transport accidents (RTAs) will be compulsory in West Bengal, as per the latest order from the state Health Department.

The decision was taken at the Chief Medical Officers of Health (CMOH)-level meeting on December 16, following which the Deputy Director of Health Services issued the order.

"As instructed by the Principal Secretary of this department in the CMOH Review Meeting held on 16.12.2024 at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, it has been decided that every death caused by RTA should be audited henceforth at the facility level," read the order, a copy of which is available.

In the order, the directors and principals of all medical colleges and hospitals, all district CMOHs and deputy CMOHs have been asked to ensure "death audits" for all RTA casualties and a compiled report to be sent to the state Health Department headquarters on every Monday by 12 noon.

A devastating fire engulfed a house in the Shiv Nagar area of Kathua city on Wednesday, claiming the lives of six people, including two children.

According to doctors at GMC Hospital, Kathua, the victims succumbed to suffocation caused by smoke inhalation.

The incident occurred around 2:21 A.M. Emergency services were promptly alerted, with the fire department personnel and police rushing to the scene. Despite their efforts, six individuals were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

The tragedy happened in a rented house where the victims resided. Surinder Atri, a Doctor at GMC Hospital stated, “This is an extremely tragic incident. The fire broke out in a rented accommodation. Among the deceased are the husband of a retired Assistant Matron, their unmarried daughter, and two children from her brother’s family. The survivors, including another daughter, a son, and the rest of the brother's family, are currently out of danger.”

Protesting farmers, whose bid to enter Haryana in support of their long-pending demands was foiled thrice, will halt trains in Punjab on Wednesday to lodge their protest and press their demands for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops among other things.

A group of 100 farmers’ representatives who were going to New Delhi to press their demands were recently stopped by the Haryana Police by bursting teargas shells and water cannons and this latest bid to halt trains in Punjab to lodge their protest is bound to lead to more trouble even as passengers are expected to face inconvenience.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher announced that activists of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha would block rail traffic from 12 noon to 3 P.M. on Wednesday.

Taking note of inconvenience faced by local residents and businessmen during the recent concerts in Sector 34, the UT Administration has decided to shift the venue for Punjabi singer AP Dhillon’s show on December 21 to the Rally Ground in Sector 25.

Local traders and residents had complained of traffic chaos, noise pollution and loss of business during the live concerts of Punjabi singers Karan Aujla on December 7 and Diljit Dosanjh on December 14 in Sector 34. Permission for holding Dhillon’s concert at the Exhibition Ground was already granted by the administration.

Keeping in view inconvenience caused to residents by such shows, the administration has decided not to hold huge gatherings in Sector 34 in future. Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said, “We have decided to shift the venue of AP Dhillon’s concert from Sector 34 to Sector 25 and also informed the organisers about the change of venue.”

After two major shows in Sector 34, which is located in the centre of the city, the administration had received several complaints about traffic congestion, noise pollution and loss of businesses, stated that DC.

Delhi-NCR woke up to a thick blanket of smog on Wednesday as air quality remained in the ‘severe’ category for the third consecutive day as the cold gripped the region.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 442 at 7:15 A.M., with several areas in the national Capital registering levels between 400 and 500.

Visibility across the region was significantly reduced, with low-visibility procedures implemented at Delhi airport after visibility dropped to 300 meters.

Key areas in Delhi reported alarming AQI levels, including Anand Vihar (481), Ashok Vihar (461), Burari Crossing (483), and Nehru Nagar (480). Other prominent locations like Alipur, Jahangirpuri, and Mundka recorded AQI levels of 443, 469, and 473, respectively.

In a significant move, the Bihar Police used the controversial bulldozer and demolished the houses of over 100 absconding criminals in East Champaran on Tuesday.

An official said that the police teams arrived at the homes of approximately absconding criminals with pending warrants and began demolition actions using JCB machines.

The operation, led by SP Swarn Prabhat, is part of a district-wide campaign aimed at attachment and confiscation of property belonging to absconding criminals. Several accused individuals have surrendered in the state owing to tough police action.

SP Swarn Prabhat supervised the operation in parts of Motihari city. In one notable instance, he directed the attachment of the property belonging to Vishwanath Vishwas, a known criminal in the locality.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths raided three locations in and around Kolkata on Tuesday in connection with three different bank loan forgery cases.

The central agency sleuths conducted a raid at the residence of local businessman Sanjay Surekha at Ballygunge in Kolkata.

Sources said that the raid and search operations by the central agency officials were in connection with a bank loan forgery case registered by the State Bank of India (SBI) in the year 2022.

The total forgery amount involved in the matter is to the tune of Rs 3,280 crore.

Minimum temperature dropped to bone-chilling minus 5.3 in Srinagar city on Tuesday as an intense cold wave swept across Jammu and Kashmir with wind blowing into the mainland from snowclad mountains.

MET department officials said that the minimum temperature dropped to minus 5.3 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, a shade less than minus 5.4 recorded on December 10, which was the coldest this season so far.

“Cold dry weather is likely to continue till the evening of December 21 after that a feeble Western Disturbance is likely to result in snowfall on the higher reaches”, Mukhtar Ahmad, director of the local MET department said.

Western Disturbance is the name given to an extratropical storm in the Mediterranean Sea that causes precipitation in India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Rabi crop is mostly dependent on the Western Disturbance for timely rainfall needed for the crop.

Leading electronics company MSI on Tuesday announced the beginning of its India production with its first manufacturing facility now operational in Chennai.

In line with the objective of the “Make in India” initiative, MSI will introduce Indian-made versions of two of its popular models -- ‘MSI Modern 14’ and ‘MSI Thin 15’ laptops, the company said in a statement.

“India has long been a key focus for MSI, and the country's growing demand for high-performance laptops has been integral to our decision to begin manufacturing locally,” said John Hung, NB General Manager, MSI India.

With its expanding tech ecosystem and rapidly evolving consumer base, India presents immense opportunities for growth.

In the wake of deteriorating air quality in Delhi on Monday night, the Commission for Air Quality (CAQM) was forced to reimpose GRAP 4 restrictions in the entire Delhi-NCR, with immediate effect.

Delhi's average air quality index (AQI) rose to 399 at 9 p.m. on Monday and breached the 400 mark at 10 p.m.

The air quality plummeted to 'Severe+' category and hence, the decision to reintroduce Stage IV of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was taken in an emergency meeting.

Issuing a statement, CAQM said, "In pursuance of the Supreme Court's directives, the Sub-Committee hereby invokes the Stage-IV of the Schedule under the GRAP, as comprehensively revised and issued on December 13, 2024, with immediate effect. The actions under Stage-IV shall be over and above the actions under Stages III, II and I, already in force."