The state BJP office in Assam has been decked up to welcome PM Narendra Modi on Saturday, state party president Dilip Saikia said. Modi is likely to focus on organisational matters during his interaction with party leaders when he visits the Vajpayee Bhawan in Basistha area of the city, Saikia told PTI. "This is the first time that a Prime Minister will be visiting our state party office. We are looking forward to welcoming him", he said. Modi will arrive in Guwahati on a two-day tour of the state on Saturday afternoon. He will be visiting the party office in the evening as part of his first day's programme. The new state party office was inaugurated in October 2022 by BJP national president J P Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. State BJP spokesperson Dewan Dhruba Jyoti Maral said about 280 party leaders will be present in the closed-door meeting. He said the invitees include former state party presidents, former and incumbent MPs, ministers, MLAs. Maral said nearly one lakh people are expected to welcome the PM along the 25-km route from the Guwahati airport to the state party office. Cultural troupes of nearly all communities of the state will be performing along the route, with Modi scheduled to participate in a roadshow on the stretch, he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
20 December,2025 05:18 PM IST | Guwahati | PTIDelhi Police has arrested two brothers with 1.068 charas, along with THC and OG in commercial quantity, an official said on Saturday. While OG refers to a cannabis strain known for its potent effects, THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. The accused, identified as Ritanshu Gund (25) and his younger brother Rhythm Gund (20), both residents of Hari Nagar in west Delhi, were arrested on December 17 from the Tihar Jail Road in Janakpuri while allegedly attempting to supply narcotics in a car, a senior Delhi Police officer said. Based on a tip-off about the movement of drug peddlers in the area, police laid a trap on the Tihar Jail Road. When the suspects were signalled to stop, they allegedly tried to flee but were chased and overpowered by police, the officer said. During a search of their vehicle, police found 1.068 kg of charas, 98 grams of THC and 174 grams of OG, he said. The car used to transport the contraband was also seized. A case under relevant sections of the NDPS Act has been registered, and both accused have been arrested, the officer said. Ritanshu is a graduate who earlier assisted his father in his heavy vehicle spare parts business. He was previously involved in a criminal case registered at the Hari Nagar police station, in which his brother Rhythm, a second-year college student in Haryana's Sohna, was also named, the officer said. Police said the two brothers allegedly turned to drug trafficking after being lured by the prospect of making easy money. They were involved in the supply of narcotic substances in Delhi and adjoining areas. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
20 December,2025 05:17 PM IST | New Delhi [India] | PTIThree men have been arrested in Bijnor district for the illegal sale and non-medical use of codeine-laced cough syrup amid an ongoing statewide crackdown on an alleged codeine syrup racket, police said on Saturday. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Krishna Gopal Singh, said the arrests were made following a complaint filed by drug inspector Umesh Kumar Bharti on November 23 against Arun, Shivanshu and Resab, all residents of Bijnor, for the unauthorised sale and use of codeine-laced syrup. "After investigation, all three accused were arrested on Friday", the ASP said, adding that the drive against illegal narcotics trade would continue. Another case related to the illegal sale of codeine-laced syrup is under investigation, and arrests will be made soon, the officer said. The action follows a wider probe into an alleged illegal network involved in the storage and distribution of highly-regulated codeine-laced cough syrups across Uttar Pradesh. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is examining diversion of medicines, financial transactions and links among the accused, with police citing evidence of "super-stockists" and cross-border trafficking to Nepal and Bangladesh. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
20 December,2025 05:17 PM IST | Bijnor (UP) | PTIIn a tragic accident in West Bengal's Nadia district, four people lost their lives after being hit by a train; two others were injured as they were on their way to Taherpur. The incident happened where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a public meeting on Saturday. The police, while briefing about the incident, said, “The deceased and injured were among a group of people who were on their way to attend the Prime Minister's rally. It is learnt that all the deceased and injured are from Murshidabad district,” as cited by IANS. As soon as the authorities got to know about the incident, senior railway and police officials rushed to the spot. Furthermore, an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident. The incident occurred near Taherpur station As reported by IANS, 40 people had arrived from Murshidabad on Friday night to attend PM Modi's rally. All of them are reportedly from Sabaldah village in the Burwan area. Some of them went to the railway tracks to relieve themselves in the early morning. At that time, they were hit by an approaching train, and four of them were thrown onto the tracks. The injuries were so severe that they died on the spot. Two people were admitted to the local Shaktinagar Hospital in a critical condition. According to hospital sources, one person's condition is serious. As per the reports and prima facie, it appears that the accident occurred due to significantly reduced visibility caused by dense fog this morning. The train was not visible, leading to the accident. However, other aspects are also being investigated. A senior police officer, while briefing about the incident, said, "Four persons who were hit by a train died on the spot, while two others who were near the railway tracks were injured. They are being treated at a hospital. The incident took place early in the morning. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, as per IANS. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already reached Nadia's Taherpur to address a public meeting against the backdrop of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. (With inputs from IANS)
20 December,2025 02:51 PM IST | West Bengal | mid-day online correspondentINS Sindhughosh, the lead submarine of her class in service with the Indian Navy, was formally decommissioned on Thursday after four decades of distinguished service to the nation. The decommissioning ceremony was held at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai in the presence of senior naval officials and veterans. The submarine was decommissioned at sunset on December 19, marking the end of an illustrious operational career. During the decommissioning, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, AVSM, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, presided over the ceremony. Furthermore, the INS Sindhughosh was paid off under the command of Lieutenant Commander Rajat Sharma. INS Sindhughosh was commissioned on April 30, 1986, under the command of the late Commander KC Varghese, INS Sindhughosh upheld her motto of “Vision, Vigour, Values” throughout her service. Over the years, the INS Sindhughosh has earned a formidable operational reputation, undertaking numerous deployments and missions, participating in multinational naval exercises, and successfully conducting multiple weapon firings.
20 December,2025 12:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the wake of low visibility caused by dense fog, 66 arrival and departure flights got cancelled at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday. Earlier today, Delhi Airport issued a passenger advisory stating that low-visibility procedures are underway. Delhi Airport also noted that all flight operations are functioning normally in the city. In its 7:00 am statement, the airport advised passengers to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight updates. "Low Visibility Procedures are still in progress at Delhi Airport. All flight operations are functioning normally. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight updates," said the statement. Meanwhile, four flights have been cancelled at Srinagar Airport. Among them, three flights to and from Amritsar and Delhi were cancelled due to adverse weather in those cities. Earlier, India's domestic airline IndiGo issued a travel advisory warning of potential flight disruptions to Ranchi, Jammu, and Hindon airports due to low visibility caused by dense fog. In its statement, IndiGo said it is closely monitoring the weather and advised passengers to stay up to date on the latest flight information. "Low visibility and fog over #Ranchi, #Jammu and #Hindon (Airport) may impact flight schedules. We are closely monitoring the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly. We request that you stay updated on your flight status bit.ly/3ZWAQXd. Please be assured that our teams are here to assist you at every step and provide full support. We look forward to clearer skies and a swift return to our regular schedule. Thank you for your patience and understanding," said Indigo in its travel advisory. Delhi's air quality deteriorated on Saturday morning, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 384 at 8 am, placing it in the 'very poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The national capital recorded a higher AQI than on Friday, when it stood at 374 at 4 pm. As a result, large parts of the city were covered in a dense layer of toxic smog, significantly reducing visibility and causing discomfort to residents. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
20 December,2025 12:29 PM IST | New Delhi | ANIFive people have been arrested for allegedly beating to death a Chhattisgarh native on suspicion of theft near here, police said on Friday. The accused have been booked for the offence of murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, an officer of Walayar police station said. They were produced before a court here and remanded to judicial custody on Friday, the officer said. Police have identified the victim as Ramnarayan Bhayar, 31, a native of Chhattisgarh. His relative told reporters here that, Ramnarayan died due to the injuries suffered in the mob lynching. According to police, Bhayar was attacked by a group of men on Wednesday evening, alleging that he was involved in a theft. As per the FIR, the incident occurred before 7.40 pm, and the injured Bhayar was rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Police said a detailed investigation was underway to ascertain the sequence of events leading to the incident. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2025 11:39 AM IST | Palakkad | AgenciesThe Transport Department denied fuel to nearly 2800 vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates on the first day of ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ enforcement drive in the national capital, officials said on Friday. Three enforcement teams have been deployed by the department and are conducting checks at petrol pumps along with police personnel at key locations to ensure strict compliance with emission norms, they said. Between 6 am on Thursday and 6 am on Friday, around 2800 vehicles were identified without valid PUC certificates, a senior Transport Department official said. On the first day of the drive on Thursday, stringent action was taken against vehicles operating without valid PUC certificates, with a total of 3746 challans issued against violators. The Delhi government said monitoring and strict enforcement will continue in the coming days to reduce vehicular emissions and provide immediate relief to public health. Earlier this week, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced that vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control certificate would not be provided fuel at petrol pumps in the city from Thursday. Delhi’s air quality was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category on Friday, with the 2 pm AQI reading at 377 according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). 377AQI recorded in Delhi till 2 pm on Friday This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2025 11:38 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesDelhi-NCR woke up to a thick blanket of fog on Saturday, with the India Meteorological Department issuing an orange alert for dense fog conditions expected to persist through the day. "Partly cloudy sky. Dense to very dense fog during morning hours. Mist/shallow fog during night/early hours," the IMD said in its forecast for the national capital. The weather department explained that "very dense fog" is recorded when visibility drops to between 0 and 50 metres, while visibility of 51 to 200 metres is categorised as "dense". Visibility between 201 and 500 metres falls under the category of "moderate" fog, and visibility between 501 and 1,000 metres is termed "shallow" fog. Delhi continues to grapple with severe air pollution Alongside the poor visibility, Delhi continued to grapple with severe air pollution. The Air Quality Index remained in the "very poor" category at 376 as of 6:00 am, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. The Air Quality Early Warning System has forecast that pollution levels are likely to worsen further, with the AQI expected to enter the 400-plus "severe" category over the weekend. Several areas across the city recorded alarmingly high pollution levels. According to the CPCB, the AQI at Sarai Kale Khan stood at 428, while Akshardham registered 420. Rao Tularam Marg recorded an AQI of 403, and the Barapullah flyover area logged a reading of 380. Other major pollution hotspots included Anand Vihar with an AQI of 428, Ashok Vihar at 407, and the ITO area at 429, placing large parts of the national capital firmly in the 'severe' air quality category. Amid the worsening situation, the Commission for Air Quality Management has invoked all measures under Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi-NCR. GRAP Stage IV restrictions include a ban on non-essential construction activities, restrictions on the entry of certain diesel vehicles, and intensified enforcement to curb pollution sources. As per AQI standards, air quality is classified as 'good' between 0 and 50, 'satisfactory' from 51 to 100, 'moderate' between 101 and 200, 'poor' from 201 to 300, 'very poor' between 301 and 400, and 'severe' when it reaches 401 to 500. (With inputs from Agencies)
20 December,2025 11:18 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentBoth Air India and IndiGo, in an attempt to mitigate fog-related disruptions, such as reduced visibility that affects flight operations, issued travel advisories for passengers during the holiday season. The advisories requested passengers' patience as services returned to normal. Air India, in its advisory on Friday, said it would remain vigilant and make every effort to mitigate fog-related disruptions. They said that they understand the importance of their passengers' travel plans, especially during this holiday season, and promised to work around the clock to minimise any inconvenience. The airline said that as the weather department has forecasted dense fog conditions in Delhi and parts of northern and eastern India, flight operations would likely be affected at Delhi, Amritsar (ATQ), Chandigarh (IXC), Lucknow (LKO), Varanasi (VNS), and Patna (PAT), with a ripple effect across the network. Air India claimed that it has taken proactive measures to minimise disruptions and provided a link for reference (learn more at bit.ly/4agYVyF). In the event of delays or cancellations, the airline said that its ground teams would remain available round the clock to assist guests and make alternative arrangements. The advisory said that passengers booked on select flights during the fog window would continue to receive advance alerts under the 'FogCare initiative', with the option to change flights without additional payment or to seek a full refund without penalty. They requested that thier guests check their flight status on thier official website before proceeding to the airport. The airline thanked the passengers for their patience and understanding, and claimed that the safety and well-being of their passengers and crew remain its top priority. Similarly, IndiGo, in its Friday travel advisory, informed passengers that dense fog across Chandigarh and Amritsar continued to significantly reduce visibility, affecting flights to and from these cities. Through its official X handle, it posted, "Travel Advisory Dense fog across #Chandigarh #Amritsar continues to significantly reduce visibility, impacting flight operations to and from these cities. We recommend checking the latest flight status on our website or app before proceeding to the airport http://bit.ly/3ZWAQXd. Please be assured that our teams are working closely to resume regular services as soon as conditions improve. We appreciate your patience and understanding, and look forward to welcoming you on board once visibility improves." Travel AdvisoryDense fog across #Chandigarh #Amritsar continues to significantly reduce visibility, impacting flight operations to and from these cities.We recommend checking the latest flight status on our website or app before proceeding to the airport… — IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 19, 2025 The airline recommended that passengers check the latest flight status on its website or app before proceeding to the airport. It stated that its teams are working closely to resume regular services as conditions improve. The airline promised to board the passengers once visibility improves. Further details awaited. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2025 09:52 AM IST | New Delhi | ANINet direct tax collection grew 8 per cent to over Rs 17.04 lakh crore this fiscal till December 17 on slower refunds and higher advance taxes from corporates, the income tax department data showed on Friday. Net corporate tax mop up grew 10.54 per cent to over Rs 8.17 lakh crore. Non-corporate tax (which includes taxes paid by individuals, HUFs, firms) grew 6.37 per cent at Rs 8.47 lakh crore. Net revenue from Securities Transaction Tax (STT) rose marginally year-on-year at R40,195 crore till December 17 of the current fiscal. Advance tax paid by corporates showed a growth of 8 per cent to over Rs 6.07 lakh crore. Advance tax collection from non-corporates showed a de-growth of 6.49 per cent at over Rs 1.81 lakh crore. Overall, advance taxes grew 4.27 per cent to over Rs 7.88 lakh crore till December 17. Refunds issuance dropped 14 per cent compared to last year to over Rs 2.97 lakh crore. Gross direct tax collections, before adjusting refunds, recorded 4.16 per cent growth at over Rs 20.01 lakh crore till December 17, as per the income tax department data. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2025 08:49 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
-1766227023235_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "PM Modi is likely to focus on organisational matters during his interaction with party leaders. File Pic")
-1766224813123_d.png "Representational Image")
-1766229123669_d.png "Representational Image")
-1766212417591_d.png "Flights got cancelled at Indira Gandhi International Airport due to dense fog. File Pic")
