The Tamil Nadu Police have deployed 25,000 personnel equipped with drones and CCTV surveillance to ensure law and order during New Year's Eve celebrations in Chennai and its suburbs.

The security arrangements involve police drawn from Greater Chennai Police (GCP), Tambaram, and Avadi city police. Of the total force, 19,000 police personnel, assisted by 1,500 Home Guards, will be stationed under GCP limits. Tambaram and Avadi city police will each deploy 3,000 personnel.

Coastal areas, including Marina, Santhome, Elliots, and Neelankarai beaches within Chennai city limits, as well as Panaiyur and Kovalam in Tambaram city limits, will be closely monitored.

The police have prohibited the bursting of firecrackers in all locations, including public spaces and residential areas. The use of loudspeakers in residential areas and apartments is also restricted, requiring prior permission from the police and relevant departments.

As dense fog engulfed the state of Rajasthan, visibility in different cities has gone down to less than 30 metres.

Cities like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Churu, Sriganganagar, Barmer, Jaipur, Kota, Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dausa, Jhunjhunu, Sawai Madhopur, Sikar witnessed heavy fog and mercury took a dip bringing in a spell of severe cold wave. The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for fog and cold wave in 12 districts on Monday.

The minimum temperature was recorded in Sirohi in eastern Rajasthan at 5.2 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature of 5.5 degrees Celcius was recorded in Jaisalmer in western Rajasthan.

The minimum temperature in many cities was recorded between 5 to 9 degrees Celsius.

Ajmer recorded a minimum temperature of 6.2 degrees Celsius, Bhilwara had 6 degrees, Alwar 9.5, Jaipur recorded 7.2 degrees Celsius, Pilani 8.0, Sikar 6.8, Chittaurgarh 5.3, Dungarpur 9.

A massive fire broke out at two chemical factories in Boisar-Tarapur MIDC in Palghar district of Maharashtra, officials said.

A senior police official of the Maharashtra Police confirmed the incident, saying that the fire erupted at the UK Aromatic and Chemicals located on Navapur Road in the Salwad Shivaji Nagar area of Palghar and quickly spread to the nearby Shree Chemicals.

Several fire tenders were rushed to the spot and efforts were made by the firefighters to control the fire.

Several fire engines and water tankers brought the blaze under control after almost five hours.

A major disaster was averted as workers rushed out of the premises of the fire-ravaged UK Aromatic and Chemicals Factory, officials added.

A major disaster was narrowly averted on Saturday when a tanker carrying methanol overturned on the Jaipur-Delhi highway near Chandwaji in Jaipur.

The accident prompted a swift response, with multiple fire tenders from Jaipur and Jaipur Rural rushing to the scene. Teams from Civil Defence and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were also deployed to manage the toxic gas leak.

The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday reportedly after the tanker driver swerved to avoid hitting a cow that had strayed on to the road. The resulting overturn led to a diversion of traffic on both sides of the highway.

Emergency personnel have rerouted vehicles via the Sundarpur culvert and service roads, while police and Civil Defence teams closely monitor the area to ensure public safety.

As Kashmir valley remained snowbound on Friday with intermittent snow and rain lashing J&K during the day, all flights to and from Srinagar International Airport were cancelled while train service was restored to the valley in the afternoon.

Officials at Srinagar airport said that due to continuous snowfall and very low visibility, all flights to and from the airport have been cancelled.

Train service to the valley resumed in the afternoon after the railway staff restored the tracks.

Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained closed after hundreds of vehicles got stuck between the Pir Panjal tunnel and Srinagar city.

At least four persons including a TV Journalist and a security personnel were injured after suspected militants fired in Sanasabi and Thamnapokpi villages in Imphal East district on Saturday, officials said.

A police official said that the militants fired indiscriminately at Sanasabi and Thamnapokpi villages from the hilltop injuring a local TV Journalist, a security personnel and two civilians.

TV Journalist L. Kabichandra sustained bullet injuries on his left thigh.

All the injured were rushed to the hospital.

“The militants fired in the Sanasabi and Thamnapokpi villages on Friday night and Saturday morning. These villages are situated in Imphal East district adjoining tribal inhabited Kangpokpi district,” the official said.

Rain and hailstorm lashed different parts of Rajasthan since Friday bringing down the mercury and increasing the chill, a met official said on Saturday, issuing an alert for thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds, especially in the western parts of the state.

Around a dozen people were injured in various rain-related incidents across the state since Friday, officials said.

On Saturday, Jaipur recorded a minimum temperature of 13.2 degrees celsius, which was 4.4 degrees celsius above normal. A total of 11 mm rain was recorded from 8.30 am on Friday till 8.30 am on Saturday, the weatherman said.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a warning for dense fog in the Pink City on Saturday. Fog alerts have also been issued for eastern and western parts of Rajasthan.

Another victim of the Jaipur LPG tanker blast and fire succumbed to his burn injuries on Saturday, taking the death toll to 20 in the devastating accident that occurred around eight days ago.

Eight more victims remain in critical condition, battling severe burn injuries.

According to officials, Salim, a resident of Ajmer, passed away during treatment at 6:15 a.m. on Saturday.

Following a postmortem conducted by the medical board, his body will be handed over to his family.

Delhi and its neighbouring regions witnessed moderate to heavy rainfall along with a hailstorm on Saturday, causing temperatures in the region to drop sharply.

The rain, which started early in the morning, is expected to continue throughout the day, sending temperatures plummeting.

This includes areas like Palam, Safdarjung, Lodi Road, IGI Airport, Mehrauli, Chhattarpur, Ayanagar, Deramandi, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Manesar. Noida and Manesar are also likely to witness moderate to heavy rainfall and lightning.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'orange' alert for Delhi, indicating that severe weather conditions are expected to persist.

Heavy rainfall and gusty winds led to the uprooting of trees in several areas of the national capital.

Heavy snowfall disrupted life across the Valley on Saturday as hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway between the Pir Panjal tunnel and Srinagar city.

Defying the forecast of light snowfall at isolated places, heavy snowfall started on Friday afternoon and continued till Saturday morning.

Due to highly slippery road conditions, hundreds of vehicles were stranded between the Pir Panjal tunnel and Srinagar city.

Vehicles remained stranded inside the tunnel for many hours as heavy snowfall coupled with sub-zero temperature froze accumulated snow on the highway.

Authorities were desperately trying to clear the stranded vehicles, but the fury of snow did not allow the vehicles to move even at a snail’s pace.