Delhi sees coldest January morning since 2024; AQI worsens
New Delhi (PTI): Since 2024, Delhi recorded its coldest January morning on Friday, with a biting chill gripping the city as temperatures dropped to their lowest levels so far this winter, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The maximum temperature in the national capital settled at 19.7 degrees Celsius, which was 0.7 degrees above normal, indicating near-normal daytime conditions despite the sharp overnight cooling and parts of Delhi witnessing light rainfall.
The minimum temperature plunged to 4.6 degrees Celsius, 2.3 degrees below the seasonal normal, marking the coldest morning of the ongoing winter season.
The last comparable lows were recorded on December 4 and 5 last year, when the mercury dipped to 5.6 degrees Celsius, followed by December 1, when it stood at 5.7 degrees.
According to the weather observations recorded, maximum temperatures across Delhi varied across stations, with Safdarjung recording a high of 19.7 degrees, which was 0.7 degrees above normal.
Ayanagar followed closely with a maximum of 19.0 degrees Celsius, 2.1 degrees above normal, while Lodhi Road recorded 18.8 degrees Celsius.
The Ridge station logged a maximum temperature of 17.9 degrees Celsius, whereas Palam recorded the lowest daytime maximum among the listed stations at 17.2 degrees.
Station-wise data showed Safdarjung recording a minimum temperature of 4.6 degrees Celsius, while Palam logged 5 degrees, Lodhi Road 5.2 degrees, and the Ridge 5.4 degrees.
On the rainfall front, Safdarjung and Lodhi Road recorded trace rainfall during the past 24 hours till 8.30 am, while Ayanagar received 0.8 mm of rainfall. Palam and the Ridge station recorded no rain during the same period.
The IMD said dense fog was observed at several places, and a yellow alert for dense fog has been issued. Relative humidity stood at 100 per cent at 8.30 am, dropping to 73 per cent by 5.30 pm, leading to reduced visibility during the morning hours.
Cold wave conditions are likely to persist over parts of north and northwest India, including Delhi-NCR, in the coming days, though no severe cold wave conditions are threatening yet, the weather office said.
Meanwhile, Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category, with the 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) at 345. Up to 26 monitoring stations reported very poor air quality, deteriorating from poor levels recorded a day earlier.
As per the Central Pollution Control Board classification, an AQI between 0–50 is considered 'good', 51–100 'satisfactory', 101–200 'moderate', 201–300 'poor', 301–400 'very poor', and 401–500 'severe'.
According to the Decision Support System (DSS), vehicular emissions remained the biggest contributor to Delhi's pollution load at 16.9 per cent, followed by Delhi and peripheral industries at 13.1 per cent. Other local sources included waste burning (1.6 per cent), construction activities (2.1 per cent) and residential emissions (4.3 per cent).
Among neighbouring NCR districts, pollution contribution was led by Sonipat (13 per cent), followed by Baghpat (8.9 per cent), Jhajjar (5.5 per cent), Ghaziabad (5.4 per cent), Panipat (4.8 per cent) and Gautam Buddh Nagar (1.7 per cent).
According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, the air quality is likely to remain in the 'very poor' category on January 10, while it is expected to improve slightly to the 'poor' category from January 11 to January 12, provided meteorological conditions remain favourable.
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Man chased, brutally stabbed inside public toilet in northwest Delhi; one arrested; juvenile held
New Delhi (PTI): An alleged road rage incident took a fatal turn when a 27-year-old factory worker was chased down by assailants and stabbed multiple times inside a public toilet in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar area, police said on Thursday.
According to police, the incident took place on Wednesday night, when witnesses saw the victim, Santosh Kumar, running into a public toilet in a desperate bid to save his life, with his attackers hot on his heels.
"A PCR call was received at 6:23 pm on April 8 regarding a man being stabbed inside the compound of a Sulabh Sauchalaya located at the fish market in Wazirpur Industrial Area," a senior police officer said.
A police team rushed to the spot and found the victim lying in a pool of blood inside the toilet premises. The victim, originally from Nepal, was residing in Macchi Market area, the official said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the incident stemmed from an altercation between the victim and a motorcycle rider. The verbal spat soon escalated into a physical scuffle, during which the accused, along with an associate, allegedly attacked Santosh with a knife.
Police sources said in a desperate attempt to save himself, the injured victim ran towards the nearby public toilet and tried to latch the door from inside. Eyewitness accounts suggest he tried to take refuge inside the public toilet and shut the door to prevent his attackers from entering. However, he was chased down, overpowered, and stabbed multiple times.
Santosh collapsed on the spot, where he later succumbed to his injuries, police said.
A case under sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (common intentions) was registered at Ashok Vihar police station and an investigation was taken up.
During the probe, police arrested one accused identified as Tanish (19), a resident of CSA Colony in Macchi Market area, and apprehended a juvenile allegedly involved in the incident.
Police said the motorcycle used by the accused, which they had abandoned while fleeing after the attack, was recovered near the crime scene.
Family members and acquaintances of the deceased expressed shock over the killing. Santosh's uncle, who reached the spot after being informed, recounted the scene.
"When I came here, I saw him lying on the floor, dead. I noticed that he had been stabbed twice. I am not aware of what exactly happened. He was just 27 years old and used to work in a steel company with me. I don't know how many people were involved in the attack. We are from Nepal, and I have been working here for 15 years. I think he was stabbed outside and later came inside the toilet to save himself. There was a bike outside which I think belonged to the attackers," he said.
Police said the motive behind the crime appears to be road rage -- a sudden and heated altercation on the road that spiralled into a violent assault resulting in the victim's death.
Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend any other persons involved in the attack. Police teams are analysing CCTV footage from the surrounding area and examining local witnesses to piece together the sequence of events.
