Diwali 2024 live updates: Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora meets police personnel on duty and distributes sweets among them.

Diwali 2024 live updates: A massive fire breaks out at Kamaraj Nagar area of Ennore, North Chennai due to firecrackers. Firefighters from Ennore Fire Station have rushed to the spot and are trying to douse the fire.

Diwali 2024 live updates: Two passengers injured and taken to a hospital after firecrackers, being carried by another passenger, caught fire in a DTC bus in Delhi’s Chhawla on Thursday evening.

Diwali 2024 live updates: “We need to take all measures to curb pollution. So, my appeal to the citizens of Delhi is that Diwali is a festival of lights and not a festival of smoke, pollution, and toxic pollution. We have to be careful for the sake of our elderly, children, and pregnant women, we need to be careful. Because if we do not, then the situation tonight might get extremely, extremely worse,” he said.

Diwali 2024 live updates: “The situation in Delhi is already worse. The air quality index in Anand Vihar this morning was 407 which is under the severe category and the same situation is in various other parts of Delhi. Given the wind direction shift, which is now northwestern, there’s a chance that more smoke will come from the farm fires in Haryana and Punjab. Given that a situation is already bad, we should not worsen it by bursting firecrackers,” said environment expert Vimlendu Jha.

Diwali 2024 live updates: People burst firecrackers at Beach Road Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

Diwali 2024 live updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to extend greetings on Diwali.

Diwali 2024 live updates: Rashtrapati Bhavan Parliament illuminated on Festival of Lights.

Diwali 2024 live updates: Celebrations underway at the iconic Lal Chowk in Srinagar. Organised by Paschimamnaya Sharada Peetham, the celebration is witnessing the participation of both locals and tourists.

Diwali 2024 live updates: Devotees offer prayers at Sree Vinayaka temple in Sarojini Nagar on Diwali.

Diwali 2024 live updates: Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami celebrates with the soldiers of Garhwal Rifles and their families in Lansdowne, Pauri.

Praising the jawans, he said, “Our soldiers have always shown unparalleled courage and sacrifice to protect the country. Our government is committed to the welfare of the soldiers and their families.”

Diwali 2024 live updates: A man died after the firecrackers he was carrying on a two-wheeler exploded in Eluru town on Thursday, police said.

The incident occurred when two persons were transporting a bag of firecrackers bought for Diwali celebrations.

The bag containing “onion bombs” and other crackers exploded after falling on the road, resulting in the death of the rider on the spot, a senior police official told PTI based on preliminary investigation.

The pillion rider and two others standing on the roadside suffered injuries and were admitted to a hospital. (PTI)

Diwali 2024 live updates: No Diwali celebrations are held in Sammoo village in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district, a custom they have been following since time immemorial, PTI reported on Thursday.

The villages distance themselves from Diwali celebration out of fear of the curse of a distraught woman who committed Sati on this festival generations ago. Dig deeper

Diwali 2024 live updates: Devotees gather to offer prayers at Pracheen Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place on Diwali.

Diwali 2024 live updates: “Getting an opportunity to celebrate the festival of Diwali with the jawans is the biggest happiness,” PM Modi said.

Diwali 2024 live updates: Continuing his Diwali tradition of visiting soldiers in forward areas, prime minister Narendra Modi arrived to meet jawans from the BSF, Army, Navy, and Air Force at Lakki Nala in the Sir Creek area of Gujarat’s Kachchh.

Diwali 2024 live updates: In a conversation with ANI, Kartik Aaryan wished his admirers with a special message, “Wish you a very happy Diwali”. Viday Balan, too, shared Diwali greetings and asked her fans to “stay safe”.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa, starring the two actors alongside Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri, will release on Friday.

Diwali 2024 live updates: According to Prem Chand Bairwa, devotees of Lord Ram are experiencing ‘excitement’ and ‘happiness’ as this is the fist Diwali after the opening of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir in January.

Diwali 2024 live updates: “Since childhood, we have always come to Baramati for Diwali celebration. The entire Pawar family is together on Diwali,” said NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule.

Diwali 2024 live updates: “On the security arrangements at the Delhi railway station, DG, RPF Manoj Yadava says, “A large number of people travel on Diwali and Chhath. For this, we have made all the necessary arrangements. We have made arrangements for information. We have assured everyone that if this train gets full, then another special train is ready. I would like to tell you that this year Indian Railways is running more than 7,250 additional trains from Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Surat, Bombay, Secunderabad, Chennai, Coimbatore and all these places. Usually, 47 trains depart from here daily. At this time 25 extra trains are going. We have informed people on social media about the number of extra trains running. There is no need to get tensed. Whoever wants to go home will be taken by Indian Railways. No one will be left behind,” said Manoj Yadava, DG, Railway Protection Force

Diwali 2024 live updates: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, in a statement, extended his greetings on the occasion of Diwali.

“Today is the auspicious festival of Deepawali. I extend my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to the people of the state on this auspicious festival. I pray to God that it brings happiness, prosperity and wealth to all of you,” Saini said. (ANI)

Diwali 2024 live updates: Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde called this year’s Diwali celebrations “special” as the Mahayuti government in the state had announced several welfare schemes for various sections of the society.

“We are celebrating Diwali today…This year’s Diwali is very special. The daughters, youth and farmers have got several schemes this year,” Shinde said.

Diwali 2024 live updates: The Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple administration has issued a safety advisory ahead of Diwali celebrations, requesting the public to refrain from setting off fireworks and hazardous materials near the temple premises.

This precautionary measure is due to the temple’s ongoing consecration ceremony (Kumbabishekam), a significant event occurring once every 12 years, and extensive renovation works, including painting of the iconic towers. To protect the temple and ensure public safety, protective covers have been placed around the structure. Therefore, devotees and residents in nearby areas are urged to cooperate by avoiding firecrackers and flammable materials near the temple during Deepavali, maintaining a safe and sacred environment.

Meenakshi Temple, also referred to as Meenakshi Amman or Meenakshi Sundareshwara Temple, is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Diwali 2024 live updates: Delhi’s air quality remained “very poor” Thursday morning, the day of Diwali. The Air Quality Index (AQI) registered 330 at 9 a.m. and is expected to worsen as evening festivities begin.

Delhiites awoke to skies veiled in thick smog, with Anand Vihar showing AQI in the “severe” category. Data from 38 monitoring stations indicated “very poor” air across the city.

On Wednesday, the 24-hour average AQI stood at 307, already within hazardous levels, foreshadowing concerns for further deterioration as Diwali celebrations continue.