Mumbai: Mumbai began its Friday morning under clear blue skies and cool breezes, offering residents a brief glimpse of winter-like weather. But despite the pleasant start, a faint layer of haze and smog clung to the skyline, signalling yet another day of deteriorating air quality in the city.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted clear skies throughout the day, with daytime temperatures expected to reach around 33°C. Minimum temperatures are likely to dip to about 20°C, adding a light chill to the early mornings. However, visibility during the initial hours remained low due to smog build-up across several parts of Mumbai, dampening the otherwise refreshing weather.

Pollution levels have risen sharply just days after intense rainfall had temporarily washed pollutants out of the atmosphere. The downpour had brought much-needed clarity and improved humidity levels, giving citizens a short-lived break from poor air quality. But with the rain spell ending, particulate matter has accumulated once again, dragging the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) back into unhealthy zones.

According to AQI.in, Mumbai’s overall AQI on Friday morning stood at 226, classified as unhealthy. This marks a notable decline from the moderate readings recorded earlier in the month. Several residents reported noticing a faint burning smell and reduced visibility, common indicators of high PM2.5 concentration in the air.

Among the monitoring locations, Wadala Truck Terminal recorded the worst air quality with a concerning AQI of 396, placing it in the hazardous category. Colaba (302) also slipped into the severe range, while Malad (290) reflected severe to unhealthy conditions. Other central hubs including Bandra-Kurla Complex (283) and Sion (283) remained firmly in the unhealthy range.

The western suburbs performed mildly better, though still falling short of acceptable levels. Kandivali East (123) and Powai (143) fell in the poor range. Mulund West (153), Borivali East (160) and Jogeshwari (163) were slightly worse, hovering in poor range. Despite these variations, most of Mumbai continued to remain covered under a blanket of haze.

As per AQI standards, readings between 0–50 are considered Good, 51–100 Moderate, 101–150 Poor, 151–200 Unhealthy and any value above 200 falls under Severe or Hazardous, a range into which many of Mumbai’s key locations have now slipped.

Mathura, Nov 13: Chief Priest of Bageshwar Dham, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, entered the holy city of Mathura on Thursday as part of his ongoing ‘Sanatan Ekta Padyatra’.

This padyatra is a journey aimed at spreading the message of Hindu unity and underscoring the importance of Sanatan Dharma.

The march, now in its seventh day, received a grand welcome at every stop from the UP-Haryana border to Mathura, with devotees showering flowers and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

Before entering Mathura, Shastri reportedly felt unwell at the UP-Haryana border and had to rest briefly by the roadside. However, showing remarkable determination, he resumed the journey after eating a simple meal of pickles and ‘parathas’.

A salute to ASP Anuj Chaudhary

A heartwarming moment was witnessed in Mathura when Shastri noticed the efficient security arrangements led by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anuj Chaudhary. Shastri was impressed by the alertness and discipline of the police team providing security. As a result, Shastri personally saluted ASP Chaudhary. It was seen as a gesture of mutual respect and harmony between spiritual leaders and law enforcement.

The padyatra is set to cover approximately 55 kilometres in the Mathura region over the next four days. In order to manage the massive crowds of devotees and the entire Yatra, elaborate security measures have been put in place, and police personnel are doing a tremendous job.

Mathura city witnessed scenes of devotion and festivity as devotees dressed as Hanuman, tableaux depicting Lord Rama and Sita were seen on the road, and continuous chants reverberated through the streets.

During his address, Shastri referred to the Delhi blast, strongly condemning violence. He assertively said, “We don’t want riots, we want Ganga – purity and peace.”

He also appealed to religious leaders to inspire children to become visionaries like Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

Dombivli: In a shocking incident, a 38-year-old man was brutally murdered following a minor altercation outside a bar in Dombivli MIDC area. The Manpada Police cracked the case within 24 hours and arrested six accused from Nashik after a dramatic, film-style chase through narrow lanes.

The arrested accused have been identified as Amar Rajesh Mahajan (36), Akshay Kumar Shankar Waghle (26), Atul Balu Kamble (24), Nilesh Madhukar Thosar (42), Prateek Singh Prem Singh Chauhan (26), and Lokesh Nitin Chaudhary (24).

The incident took place around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, November 9, near the entrance of Malvan Kinara Bar and Restaurant in the MIDC Phase 2 area. The victim, Akash Bhanu Singh (38), was stabbed to death following a dispute over an accidental push.

According to the complaint filed by Akash’s younger brother, Badal Singh, who works at a call center in Navi Mumbai, Akash had gone to the bar with his friends for dinner. As they entered, Akshay Waghle accidentally brushed against him. Although Akash apologized and explained it was unintentional, Waghle became aggressive, assaulted him, and threatened to kill him.

Soon after, Waghle called his associates to the spot. The six accused dragged Akash out of the bar, brutally assaulted him on the road, and stabbed him multiple times, killing him on the spot. When Sunil Kagale, a bystander, tried to intervene, the gang attacked him with knives as well leaving him injured.

The case posed a major challenge for police, as there were no immediate clues or CCTV evidence from the crime scene. However, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Jende, Assistant Commissioner of Police Suhas Hemade, and Senior Police Inspector Sandipan Shinde, the Manpada police team launched an intensive investigation.

A team led by Assistant Police Inspectors Sampat Phadol, Mahesh Rale-bhat, and Sagar Chavan used technical surveillance and local informants to trace the accused to Nashik. Acting on a tip-off, police teams coordinated with Nashik City Police and raided multiple locations. On seeing the police, the accused tried to flee, but officers chased them down in a cinematic-style pursuit through the streets and successfully arrested all six.

Thane Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre commended the Manpada Police team for their swift action and exemplary investigation that led to solving the murder case within 24 hours.