Delhi News Live Updates: AQI spikes to 242; Anand Vihar worst hit at 370

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced that traders across the Capital have begun receiving their GST refunds ahead of Diwali. The government has disbursed a GST refund of Rs 738 crore so far under this initiative, the CM said.

Further, Gupta said that the Department of Trade and Taxes has successfully cleared pending refund cases amounting to Rs 1,002 crore, of which Rs 738 crore has already been paid to business establishments and traders.

“The initiative not only strengthens taxpayers’ confidence but also promotes commercial activity in the Capital. The release of refunds around Diwali will enhance liquidity in the markets and inject fresh energy into the business environment,” said the CM.

Activist Umar Khalid, who is facing charges of criminal conspiracy under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, told a trial court on Friday that the timing of recording of statements against him by the prosecution was extremely suspicious as these were recorded months after his arrest.

“You can catch hold of anyone 11 months after the event, get them to say anything and that is a UAPA case. The case of the prosecution is that I do not need evidence. I need statements. This is a case of no physical evidence… other than the speech,” senior advocate Trideep Pais, who is representing Umar Khalid, told the court.

He made the submissions before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai, who is hearing arguments on charge in the “larger conspiracy” case linked to the 2020 riots in the Capital.

The Delhi Police Thursday said their Crime Branch team had arrested a person for allegedly possessing prohibited Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets worth Rs 32 lakh earlier this month.

The accused, identified as Mohd Abid, 50, a resident of Madanpur Khadar, was intercepted with the prohibited psychotropic substance concealed in a large carton bag. His associate, Mohd Javed Khan, remains absconding despite multiple raids conducted across South-East Delhi.

A team led by Inspector Gaurav Choudhary and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vikram Singh first received the input of a large consignment of the drug in a colony in the Sarita Vihar area.

The Lok Nayak Hospital on Wednesday asked its senior nursing officers to label all ventilators in their respective departments that are currently not in use, and shift them to the basement of the surgical block.

“As per the directions of the Medical Director, all the ANS’s are hereby directed to instruct their senior nursing officers to label all the ventilators which are not in use in their respective departments by 11am today 15-10-2025 and shift the same to the basement of the surgical block,” a circular read.

Sources said at least 15 to 20 ventilators were discarded in the process. The ventilators also included those purchased during Covid under the PM Cares Fund.

Delhi University Friday announced the formation of a six-member inquiry committee to investigate allegations that Deepika Jha, Joint Secretary of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) and a leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), allegedly physically assaulted a faculty member at Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College on Thursday.

The committee, chaired by Professor Neeta Sehgal of the Department of Zoology, has been directed by Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh to submit a report within two weeks.

Other members include Jyoti Trehan Sharma, DU’s Joint Proctor, who will serve as member secretary; Rama Sharma, Principal of Hansraj College; Swati Diwakar (Environmental Studies); Darvinder Kumar, Principal of PGDAV College; and Awadhesh Kumar, Joint Proctor.

Ramjas College on Monday (October 13) informed the Delhi High Court (HC) that its governing body has decided to terminate the services of a professor who was accused of sexually harassing a minor in 2024.

The HC has now directed Delhi University to “urgently consider the matter and take requisite steps” within three weeks, after the college informed it that it has also sent a communication to the varsity on the governing body’s decision.

The submission came before Justice Sachin Datta in a petition by the survivor, seeking the court’s directions to Delhi University and Ramjas College to act on the recommendations of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) dated June 18 under provisions of the University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015.

A 13-year-old boy died after being hit by a speeding Thar in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj, police said on Friday.

A PCR call was received on Wednesday regarding an accident near the Indian Oil petrol pump in Vasant Kunj. A police team reached the spot and found a boy lying unconscious on the road along with a damaged bicycle, a senior police officer said.

He was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead, the officer said, adding that the deceased was identified as Master M, a resident of Vasant Kunj.

Officials said the driver fled along with the SUV.

-PTI

The Delhi Police and officials from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) have formed patrolling teams that are being deployed to designated spots where sales are allowed.

In every district, the teams have been directed to inspect, verify QR codes and NEERI logos on cracker packets and seize any counterfeit products, and illegal products such as those containing banned elements like barium, and “lari” type ‘series’ fireworks.

Green crackers are OK, nothing else is. Therefore, knowing how to identify a genuine green cracker is probably the most important part of Diwali shopping in Delhi-NCR this year.

Each packet of firecrackers that you buy must have a verified QR code that identifies it as ‘green’. Anything without this QR code is illegal.

‘Green’ crackers go on sale on Saturday, two days before Diwali. The Supreme Court has permitted only green crackers to be sold in Delhi-NCR, only from October 18 (Saturday, Dhanteras) to October 20 (Diwali).

Featuring pop sensations such as Akon, AP Dhillon, and Papon, and stand-up comics such as Anubhav Singh Bassi, and Zakir Khan, Delhi is gearing up to host 30 major entertainment and music concerts over the next three months. The events , scheduled from October 18 are expected to generate Rs 3,000 crore in revenue, said officials. This comes after the Sports Authority of India (SAI) last month reduced the booking fees for major stadiums like Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) and Indira Gandhi Stadium.

Delhi government is planning a two-day grand Diwali celebration in the Capital on Saturday and Sunday, during which the Kartavya Path will be lit with two lakh diyas (earthen lamps) and drones shows will be held, said officials. “This will be a two-day celebration. The government’s plan is to illuminate the city with diyas and lights this Diwali … There are also plans of telling the story of Diwali through a drone and laser show…,” said an official. Delhi Tourism Department is actively preparing for the event, officials also said.

The Delhi AQI on Friday, October 17, spiked to 242 at 5:30 am, remaining in the ‘poor’ air quality category. The temperature at the time was 18.2 degrees Celsius. Several areas recorded an AQI above 300, which means the air quality in these localities has turned ‘very poor’. Six more localities in Delhi are now in the ‘poor’ AQI category. The highest AQI was recorded in Anand Vihar (370), followed by Wazirpur (328), and Jahangirpuri (324).

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