Srinagar (PTI): Night temperatures in Kashmir dropped several degrees below the freezing point, even as a thick layer of fog engulfed parts of the valley, with Srinagar recording a low of minus 4.1 degrees Celsius, officials said on Saturday.

Shopian was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir as the mercury there settled at a low of minus 6.4 degrees Celsius, they said.

The mercury had on Thursday night settled above the freezing point at most places in the valley, providing huge relief to the residents from the biting cold conditions.

However, temperatures dropped across Kashmir on Friday night, bringing back the freezing cold, the officials said.

On the Friday night, the minimum temperature in Srinagar -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- settled at minus 4.1 degrees Celsius, a sharp drop from 0.4 degrees Celsius the previous night, the officials said.

The gateway town to the valley, Qazigund, recorded a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, while the mercury settled at minus 3.5 degrees Celsius in north Kashmir's Kupwara, and minus 0.2 degrees Celsius in south Kashmir's Kokernag, the officials said.

Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, while Gulmarg lodged minus 2.6 degrees Celsius and Konibal town in Pulwama district recorded minus 5.2 degrees Celsius, they said.

The meteorological department said the weather would remain generally cloudy but dry on December 6-7, and a brief spell of light snowfall at isolated places in the higher reaches of north and central Kashmir is likely on December 8.

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New Delhi (PTI): Eternal on Wednesday said Deepinder Goyal will step down as Group CEO and Managing Director with Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa set to succeed him as Group CEO from February 1.

In a letter to shareholders, Goyal said he is stepping down from his current position to pursue new ideas and transition to the role of Vice Chairman.

Eternal informed exchanges that the appointment of Goyal as Vice Chairman & Director on the board will be effective upon shareholders' approval for a five-year term.

In the letter, Goyal explained the reason behind him stepping down as the Group CEO and MD.

"Of late, I have found myself drawn to a set of new ideas that involve significantly higher-risk exploration and experimentation. These are the kinds of ideas that are better pursued outside a public company like Eternal. If these ideas belonged inside Eternal's strategic scope, I would have pursued them within the company. They do not. Eternal deserves to remain focused, and disciplined, while exploring new areas of growth that are relevant to its current line of business," Goyal stated.

He further said the transition allows Eternal to remain sharply focused, while giving him the space to explore ideas that do not fit Eternal's risk profile.

"The centre of gravity for operating decisions moves to Albi. As Group CEO, he will own day-to-day execution, operating priorities, and business decisions. Blinkit's journey from acquisition to break-even happened under his leadership," Goyal said.