National News
Delhi-NCR’s air quality ‘very poor’ after Diwali fireworks

New Delhi, Oct 21: The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR remained in the ‘very poor’ category, reaching 400 on Tuesday morning, a day after Diwali festivities, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
While the overall AQI stood at 347, several areas recorded levels in the ‘severe’ category.
As per CPCB classifications, AQI between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 falls under the ‘severe’ category.
Several Delhi localities reported alarming AQI levels: Narela (354), Najafgarh (334), Mundka (357), Mandir Marg (325), Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium (358), Lodhi Road (334), Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (317), Jahangirpuri (404), ITO (345), Dilshad Garden (346), Dwarka Sector 8 (333), Mathura Road (341), Bawana (418), and Anand Vihar (352), according to data from the SAMEER app developed by the CPCB.
In Noida, the air quality also declined sharply, entering the ‘very poor’ range. Sector-wise AQI readings were Sector 125 (326), Sector 62 (307), Sector 1 (322), and Sector 116 (340).
Residents across the Delhi-NCR region woke up to toxic air on Monday morning, with pollution levels worsening following widespread bursting of firecrackers on Diwali eve. On Diwali morning at 8 a.m., Delhi recorded an AQI of 335, indicating a significant decline in air quality.
Gurugram also witnessed poor air quality. AQI levels were reported at 338 overall, with specific areas like Gwal Pahari (347), Sector 51 (346), and Vikas Sadan (320) recording similar trends.
Despite a ban on firecrackers in Delhi since 2020 to combat winter pollution, the Supreme Court this year allowed the use of green crackers from October 18 to 20, within limited time slots — 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. However, these rules were widely flouted, with firecrackers being used well outside the permitted windows.
In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi-NCR activated Stage-II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), aimed at curbing pollution levels and safeguarding public health.
National News
Remembering bravehearts, Haryana DGP pays homage to supreme sacrifices of 191 martyrs

Chandigarh, Oct 21: Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) O.P. Singh, along with other senior officers, on Tuesday paid homage to the supreme sacrifices of 191 martyrs by laying a wreath at the Police Martyrs Memorial in Police Lines in Panchkula to mark the Police Commemoration Day.
Extending condolences, Haryana DGP Singh said that whenever “a police personnel lays down his life, the family faces a mountain of hardships. In a single moment, their life’s direction changes — emotional and financial challenges emerge simultaneously.
In such difficult times, it becomes our foremost duty to stand firmly with the bereaved family. In this spirit, Haryana Police has made provisions to provide government jobs and financial assistance up to Rs 1 crore to dependents of the martyrs so that their livelihood continues with dignity and no child is deprived of education or a better future.”
DGP Singh said “martyrdom is regarded as the highest form of sacrifice”.
He emphasised that through imagination and sensitivity, “we must build a civilisation where the lion and the goat can drink water at the same stream, symbolising a balance between strength and peace”.
He said while “it is natural for a lion to take pride in its strength, a goat should not lament its helplessness. There are some criminal elements in society whose tendencies resemble wolves and foxes, driven by violence and selfish motives. Such people must be dealt with firmly and decisively”.
The DGP said those who “consider violence a means of progress are enemies of civilisation. Our fight with them is not ideological but legal. We are people who walk the path of law, and our policy is crystal clear – tit for tat.”
“If a criminal fires one bullet, the police will not retreat; we will ensure justice and security through all possible action.”
He added the police deeply respect those warriors who stand their ground in the battlefield and sacrifice their lives rather than turning their backs.
“These true sons of the soil keep the system alive through their valour and sacrifice.”
In conclusion, DGP Singh said Haryana Police deeply understands the pain of the families of its martyred colleagues.
“We bow to those brave mothers who gave birth to such valiant sons who laid down their lives for the nation,” he said.
“Together, we will make Haryana stronger, safer, and more sensitive, so that the sacrifices of our martyrs continue to inspire generations.”
On October 21, 1959, ten brave personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force were ambushed and martyred by Chinese soldiers while patrolling the Indo-Tibetan border in the Ladakh region. Since then, October 21 has been observed every year as Police Commemoration Day in their memory.
National News
CM Nitish to launch Bihar campaign today; NDA exudes confidence of returning to power

Patna, Oct 21: As Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gears up to begin his Assembly election campaign on Tuesday, leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have expressed confidence that the alliance will once again form the government in the state, while also criticising the Mahagathbandhan for its internal discord.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to address two major election rallies in Muzaffarpur on the same day, beginning his campaign from the Minapur Assembly constituency. The first rally will be held at the playground of Minapur High School, where he will address the public and highlight the achievements of his government.
Speaking to media, JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is the unanimous leader of the NDA and under whose leadership the elections are being held, has continuously inspected various development projects throughout 2025, monitored their progress, and laid foundations for new works. Now, he will appeal directly to the people in open grounds, showcasing how we have brought development to every section of society.”
Taking a swipe at the Mahagathbandhan, he said, “Their leaders are stuck in internal conflicts. Instead of leading, they are entangled in family matters. Some are roaming around taking their grandmother’s name, while others bring along their father and mother. This is not politics; it has become their family affair.”
BJP State President Dilip Kumar Jaiswal also expressed confidence in the NDA’s prospects. Speaking to media, he said, “The first phase of the election campaign begins today, and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is inaugurating it. Following this, on October 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay tribute to the late Karpoori Thakur, honouring him as a people’s leader, which will mark the formal beginning of the NDA’s campaign. While Tejashwi and Rahul Gandhi are busy claiming the title of ‘Janayak’, the public has understood that the return of ‘jungle raj’ must be stopped. The NDA will form the government once again.”
Referring to RJD’s ticket distribution, Jaiswal added, “Our Home Minister Amit Shah rightly said in Saran that the RJD began distributing tickets from Shahabuddin’s family. That itself shows where their focus lies. Their arbitrary ticket distribution proves that the RJD wants to bring back ‘jungle raj’, but the people of Bihar have seen through them. The NDA will form the government with a decisive majority.”
Commenting on the elections, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who is currently in Bihar, also expressed confidence of winning the polls.
Speaking to media, he said, “The Prime Minister is our supreme leader, the leader of the NDA, and wherever elections take place, his programs are underway. Bihar is eagerly awaiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. Preparations are in full swing, and the NDA is moving steadily toward victory.”
Crime
Durgapur gang-rape case: Police find discrepancies in statements of accused

Kolkata, Oct 21: Even after six days of interrogation, the police duirng their investigation have found discrepancies in the statements of the Durgapur gang-rape victim’s male friend and five arrested youths from the local village.
The police are trying to find some missing links in this gang-rape case, said officials.
Police investigation revealed that the medical student was in a relationship with her classmate cum male friend. They had gone out on that fateful night outside the campus of the private medical college and hospital in Durgapur.
First it was said that they had gone out to buy dinner. However, investigation revealed that they were found in a compromising position in a forested area outside the campus by three of the five arrested accused youths.
As the accused demanded money from the two, the male friend was allowed to leave the area to get money. It is at that time that one of the accused raped the medical student while two others watched. Later, two more youths turned up at the scene of crime. The mobile phone of the medical student was snatched. The male friend arrived with money and the two of them were let go, said police sources.
According to investigators, from the first day, the medical student’s male friend Wasif Ali misguided the police. As a result, the police were confused during the course of investigation. The investigators are comparing the statements of the victim, the male friend and five youths from the village. However, there are still several discrepancies in their statements.
All the arrested will be produced in a court on Wednesday as their police custody ends. The police said they will seek an extension of their custody for further interrogation and investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, the medical student was discharged from the hospital last Friday. However, she is not staying in the college hostel, but in a rented house in Durgapur under police surveillance. The student is accompanied by her mother. Policemen have also been posted outside the house for her security.
On October 10, the second-year medical student from Odisha was allegedly gang-raped by five persons in a forested area outside a private medical college and hospital in West Burdwan district’s Durgapur. Based on the complaint lodged by the victim, the police earlier arrested all the five accused persons in the case. The police said that only one person was involved in physical sexual assault to the medical student.
Later, the police arrested the male friend of the victim. The male friend was arrested after investigators found inconsistencies in his response during interrogation. He is also presently in police custody.
The victim’s father, meanwhile, demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident to punish the culprits quickly.
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