'I am doing well': CM Eknath Shinde Speaks to Republic Amid Reports of Illness

Two labourers were killed when a speeding dumper allegedly collided with their tractor-trolley in the Ramsanehi Ghat area of this Uttar Pradesh district, police said on Sunday.

One person was critically injured in the accident, which occurred late on Saturday near Dharauli village along the Ayodhya highway. The tractor-trolley fell into a nearby ditch under the impact of the collision, they said.

The police rushed the three labourers to a hospital where Purushottam (38) and Dujai (35) died. Nandlal (38) remains in critical condition, Ramsanehi Ghat SHO OP Tiwari said.

"The District Magistrate has imposed restrictions on visiting Sambhal until December 10 as the situation here is rapidly returning to normal. Once complete normalcy is restored, no one will be stopped from coming. We request everyone to refrain from visiting until December 10. After that, those who wish to visit are welcome," says Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh on UP Congress President Ajay Rai's remarks about visiting Sambhal on December 2.

About five to seven persons were feared trapped after a large boulder fell on their houses located on the lower slopes of the famous Annamalaiyar Hill following heavy rainfall in the district, official sources said on Sunday.

The rescue operations are currently underway by the authorities even as the town witnessed heavy downpour, an official said.

District collector D Baskara Pandian and Superintendent of Police M Sudhakar inspected the spot where the incident had occurred on Sunday evening.

Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda and Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav attended the review meeting of Simhastha 2028.

On the cyclone situation in the Union Territory, Lieutenant Governor Kailashnathan says, "This has been one of the highest rainfalls in Puducherry. In the last 24 hours we have recorded 48.6 cm of rainfall. The infrastructure created in terms of drainage is not capable of draining out such a large quantity of downpours in a day... Electric substations have submerged, we had to close the power supply. A lot of trees have fallen, and most of them have fallen on electric lines, so those lines need to be restored now... By tonight, all substations will be re-energised..."

An alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and his two associates were arrested in Indore in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, a senior police official said.

Bhupendra Singh Rawat, Adesh Chaudhary and Deepak Singh Rawat, all residents of Rajasthan, were held on a tip-off from Lasudia police station limits and three pistols and six bullets were recovered from them, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abhinay Vishwakarma told reporters.

"Bhupendra Singh Rawat is a member of Lawrence Bishnoi's gang. He had met Bishnoi while he was lodged in Faridkot jail in Punjab in an opium case in 2017. He was associated with the Bishnoi gang and was carrying out extortion and other crimes," the DCP said.

We need to reflect. What's done is done, but the path ahead must be right. A 'Viksit Bharat' is built on the foundation of its farmers. The resolution of farmers' issues must happen swiftly. If a farmer is troubled, it tarnishes the pride of the nation. This often happens because we hold back on addressing their concerns. On this auspicious day, I pledge that my doors will remain open 24/7 to resolve farmers' issues. By doing so, I will contribute to giving new dimensions to our freedom and bring peace to the soul of Raja Mahendra Pratap," said Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, while addressing the 138th birth anniversary celebrations of Raja Mahendra Pratap at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi earlier today. 

The name of Devendra Fadnavis has been finalised as the new chief minister of Maharashtra who will be elected as the legislature party leader in a meeting to be held either on December 2 or 3, a senior BJP leader said on Sunday night.

Earlier in the day, outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he would support the BJP's decision to pick the new chief minister.

"The name of Devendra Fadnavis has been finalised as the new chief minister of Maharashtra. The meeting to elect the new BJP legislature party meeting will be held on either December 2 or 3," a senior BJP leader told PTI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed concern over the potential threats generated on account of digital frauds, cybercrimes and AI technology, particularly the potential of deepfake to disrupt social and familial relations.

Addressing the concluding session of the 59th All India Conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police, the prime minister also called for the use of technology to reduce the workload of the police constabulary and suggested that the police station be made the focal point for resource allocation.

Deliberations were held on emerging security concerns along the border with Bangladesh and Myanmar, trends in urban policing and strategies for countering malicious narratives, according to an official statement.

On anti-conversion law in Rajasthan, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ghanshyam Tiwari says, "Every person has the right to freely adopt their method of worship and propagate it. But taking advantage of this, some people do such things where they make other people convert their religion, by greed, by promising marriage or by promising cure for illness...Laws against this have been made in many states. In Rajasthan also, when the law was made by the BJP government, the Governor did not accept it and sent it to the President. Now the state government is bringing a law, the Prevention of Illegal Conversion Act 2000..."

Light rain lashes parts of the Hyderabad city.

Gross GST collections grew 8.5 per cent to over Rs 1.82 lakh crore in November on account of increased sales spurred by the festive season.

The Central GST collection stood at Rs 34,141 crore, State GST at Rs 43,047 crore, Integrated IGST (Rs 91,828 crore) and cess (Rs 13,253 crore), according to government data released on Sunday.

The total gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue grew 8.5 per cent to over Rs 1.82 lakh crore in November compared to Rs 1.68 lakh crore in the same month a year ago, it said.

In October, the GST collection of Rs 1.87 lakh crore was the second-best GST mop-up with 9 per cent annual growth.

The highest-ever collection was in April 2024 at over Rs 2.10 lakh crore.

During the month under review, GST from domestic transactions grew 9.4 per cent to Rs 1.40 lakh crore, while revenues from tax on imports rose about 6 per cent to Rs 42,591 crore.

Refunds worth Rs 19,259 crore were issued during November, registering an 8.9 per cent decline over the year-ago period.

After adjusting refunds, net GST collection increased by 11 per cent to Rs 1.63 lakh crore.

Upon reaching Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai says, "I'm very happy that I was able to return today to Coimbatore. Our cadets and our leaders have come here to give me a great welcome. I am grateful to our party which permitted me to take a three-month break for my studies abroad. For the 3 months, our senior leaders did tremendous work here... We welcome Vijay as he has entered politics. He is a very famous actor, a person who is at the top of his acting career and he wants to enter politics. Let's see how he works in the next one year and how active he is... If there is any place where we have to comment, we ought to criticise..."

On being issued death threats, independent MP Pappu Yadav says, "I have recently received a video message as a threat... I have registered a complaint in Delhi now..."

Union Minister and state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar says, "The situation in Bangladesh is very bad. Hindu temples and Hindus are being attacked one after the other. It is not that the public is attacking or some communal force. The government is doing it. So, the Hindus of Bangladesh and the Hindus of West Bengal are worried. The Hindus of West Bengal are worried because if this can happen in Bangladesh, then it can happen in West Bengal too in the coming times. Therefore, the Hindus of Bengal will have to unite and work. West Bengal shares its border with Bangladesh and there is an area of ​​more than a thousand kilometres where there is no fencing...The security of India is linked with this, the condition of Hindus there is very bad..."

Additional Director General of BSF's Western Command Satish S Khandare said here on Sunday that this year's drone seizures along the International Border in Punjab have been the highest and added that the force is deploying anti-drone systems to neutralise illicit drones.

Pakistan is trying to "destabilise the security situation in the country" by sending armed militants into J&K, sending weapons and drugs into Punjab and Rajasthan, he said.

"As far as drone recovery is concerned, in the entire Western Command, we were able to recover 250 drones till now this year and this is the highest figure so far," Khandare told a news conference here to mark the 60th Raising Day of the BSF.

A total of 242 were recovered in Punjab, six in Rajasthan and two in Jammu, he said.

From November 2023 to November 2024, BSF was involved in seizing 663 kg of narcotics, and 69 arms, apprehending 275 people -- which include 227 Indians, 43 Pakistani and 5 Bangladeshi nationals -- while six infiltrator/miscreants were killed on the border, the officer said.

"We are taking certain initiatives, new measures to strengthen our border security on Indo-Pakistan border. Like, I said drone is a major concern, so we are deploying anti-drone systems to neutralise illicit drones," Khandare said, adding that a new design fence is being constructed to strengthen the anti-infiltration grid.

A whopping 1.3 crore digital life certificates were generated during a month-long special campaign by the government to further simplify the process for pensioners across the country.

The Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) successfully concluded the digital life certificate (DLC) campaign 3.0 on November 30, a statement issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

It was launched to simplify digital life certificate submissions, particularly for super senior pensioners, it said.

The campaign is the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the digital empowerment of pensioners and to further increase their ease of living, said V Srinivas, secretary of DoPPW.

"Under the leadership and guidance of Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, the DLC campaign 3.0 was India’s largest campaign held in 800 district headquarters with 1,900 camp locations and 1,100 nodal officers.

"An all-time high 130 lakh pensioners submitted their DLCs, with 39 lakh DLCs submitted through face authentication technology," Srinivas

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the state government successfully facilitated 3.84 lakh marriages under its mass marriage scheme in the last seven years with the number soon expected to exceed four lakh.

Addressing a gathering at a mass marriage ceremony held at the Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Limited premises, Adityanath said the state government’s mass marriage programme, organised by the Social Welfare Department, symbolises both social equality and a strong stand against the dowry system.

He said the programme is inclusive, with no restrictions based on caste, religion, region, or language.

"Hindus, Muslims, and followers of other faiths are unite in marriage according to their respective traditions. The programme also serves as a government-led campaign against dowry, child marriage, and untouchability", he asserted.

"The state government has successfully facilitated 3.84 lakh marriages under its mass marriage programme in the last seven years with the number expected to exceed 4 lakh soon," he said.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said Parliament is meant for the cause of public welfare and stressed that every second of its working should be utilised for the welfare of the people.

The remarks of the vice president, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, came after protests over various issues like the controversy involving the Adani Group and violence in Sambhal and Manipur rocked both houses of Parliament the past week, disrupting routine work.

"We have entered the fourth quarter of the century of adoption of the Indian Constitution. Therefore, we must resolve that every second in the temple of democracy is utilised for the welfare of the people at large," Dhankhar said here.

"The temple of democracy (Parliament) is meant for worship for the cause of public welfare and it should not suffer sacrilege. I am sure all steps will be taken by the concerned elected representatives to ensure that we exemplify our conduct by decorum and discipline and not by disturbance and disruption," he added.

The vice president was speaking at the Golden Jubilee Founder's Day celebration of Seth Anandram Jaipuria School in Kanpur, with Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, state Assembly Speaker Satish Mahan, Uttar Pradesh ministers Rakesh Sachan and Pratibha Shukla, Kanpur MP Ramesh Awasthi in attendance.

Dhankhar noted that in the past, education institutes were established to motivate and their commitment was to serve the public cause and not fiscal gains.

Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav performed Puja and Abhishek at Shri Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in Ujjain.

Dams are overflowing due to continuous rainfall in Kanchipuram district due to Cyclone Fengal. Heavy rainfall has been recorded in several parts of Tamil Nadu since yesterday morning.

Maharashtra caretaker CM Eknath Shinde receives 'Guard of Honour' by Satara Police as he leaves for Mumbai.

Spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur says, "... I pray to the almighty to bless us so that we can get a Sanatan Board formed for the protection of Sanatan Dharm... Sanatanis across the world are opposing the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. If the government of Bangladesh cannot protect Sanatan Dharm and its followers, they should give them a Hindu Rashtra in Bangladesh."

AAP MLA Naresh Balyan taken from Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. He was sent to 2-day police custody.

Devotees gathered at Shri Shri Radha Madhava Sundar mandir ISKCON temple in Siliguri to offer prayers for the safety of minorities in Bangladesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Bhubaneswar airport after concluding his three-day visit to Odisha.

PM Narendra Modi attended the All India Conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police 2024 from 30th November to 1st December and several other events in Odisha.

Caretaker Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde reiterated his full, unconditional support to the chief ministerial candidate in Maharashtra, stating that the people have delivered a historic mandate in favour of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.

Shinde mentioned that he had retreated to his native village in Satara district to take a break following a hectic election schedule. He also confirmed that he had recovered from a fever and was in good health.

Devotees gathered at ISKCON temple in Kolkata to offer prayers for the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.

Union Minister and BJP President Telangana G Kishan Reddy and other BJP leaders release a charge sheet against CM Revanth Reddy's government showing alleged failures of the Telangana government during the last year. in Hyderabad.

On Cyclone Fengal, Tamil Nadu Additional Chief Secretary Revenue and Disaster Management Rajesh Lakhani says, "The cyclone has crossed and now our focus has shifted to restoration of the damage... There has been heavy rainfall until now. In some areas, 56 centimetres of rainfall has taken place... Cyclone was stagnant for some time so the rainfall was very heavy. A lot of trees have fallen, and water stagnation is there. People were evacuated already. 49 relief camps are there in Viluppuram alone. A lot of poles have fallen so disruption of road traffic as well as power supply has taken place which is now being restored..."

 On Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay raut's statement, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya says, "Sanjay Raut's wait will end on 5th December. Maharashtra will get a good Chief Minister once again at 5 pm on 5th December...The people of Maharashtra have expressed unprecedented confidence in the Mahayuti and BJP..."

Here's what Maharashtra caretaker CM Eknath Shinde said when asked about the next CM. The Opposition parties are attacking the Mahayuti alliance over their delay in choosing new CM. 

Delhi Police on Sunday launched a comprehensive month long campaign against drugs, amid ongoing preparations for the New Year celebration in the National capital.

According to Delhi Police, it is working rigorously on a zero-tolerance policy against narcotics and is committed to eradicating narcotic drugs from the root, with the support of all stakeholders and the general public.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held a roadshow in Kerala's Wayanad on Sunday morning.

Huge number of people gathered on both sides of the road as Priyanka Gandhi's motorcade passed through the lanes of Wayanad's Mananthavady. People were seen holding tricolor balloons and waving at their MP.

Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda on Sunday, emphasized the importance of commitment to preventing AIDS and making the lives of those suffering from HIV meaningful.

Addressing the National Event for World AIDS Day, he also stressed understanding the situation of those suffering from HIV, developing sensitivity, and protecting their human rights during the World AIDS Day 2024 event in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Air India Express on Sunday launched daily flights from Kolkata to Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), as a part of  network expansion in the region, the airline said in a statement.The inaugural Kolkata-Sri Vijaya Puram flight took off at 5.40 am, offering travellers a well-timed direct flight to the scenic Andaman Islands.

Ahead of the Karthigai Deepam festival scheduled to be celebrated on December 13, the Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar temple in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvannamalai were decorated and lit with lights.

Karthigai Deepam or Karthika Deepam is one of the most ancient festivals of Tamil Nadu celebrated on the day of the full moon in the Tamil month of Karthigai, according to the Indian calendar.

Many districts in Tamil Nadu are witnessing incessant rainfall after Cyclone Fengal made landfall last on November 30. Residential areas in Cuddalore district were flooded due to heavy rainfall and disaster teams are using boats to rescue people.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team led by District Collector Balaraman is rescuing the affected people with the help of boats.

The BCCI's outgoing secretary Jay Shah on Sunday took charge as the chairman of the International Cricket Council, becoming the fifth Indian to head the global body. The 36-year-old Shah, who has been the BCCI secretary for the last five years, was the unanimous choice of ICC's Board of Directors and replaced New Zealand attorney Greg Barclay, who didn't wish to continue for a third consecutive term.

Amid massive security, three-member judicial committee conducted inspection near the Shahi Masjid area in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal on Sunday where stone-pelting incident took place on November 24.

The committee members visited the areas and spoke to the residents as well as officials regarding the incident. The panel was accompanied by security personnel as they visited the violence-hit area.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday greeted the Border Security Force (BSF) on its raising day and said that the soldiers of the Central Armed Police Force stand as a resolute shield, safeguarding the honour and aspirations of India with unwavering determination.

 AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday ruled out the possibility of an alliance between his party and the Congress for the Delhi Assembly polls due in February."There will be no alliance in Delhi," Kejriwal said at a press conference here.AAP and Congress are part of the opposition INDIA bloc and fought the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi together earlier this year. Both parties drew a blank, with the BJP winning all seats.

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Sunday said that Puducherry received 50 centimetres of rainfall overnight that has led to flooding in the city.
Rescue teams are working to evacuate stranded people, he said.

"Puducherry has received 50 cm of rainfall, resulting in severe flooding. I am currently inspecting the flood-affected areas. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to evacuate those stranded in the floodwaters," Chief Minister N Rangasamy told ANI.

A three-member judicial inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the violence that November 24 violence in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said that the committee will visit the place to collect evidence today and all arrangements to ensure smooth probe process has been made.

Normal life was crippled in Puducherry on Sunday due to heavy rains that lashed the union territory in the wake of Cyclone Fengal, which crossed the coast here on November 30 night.According to India Meteorological Department, Puducherry recorded 46 cm rainfall during the last 24 hours ending 9 am today.

The national capital continued to grapple with toxic air as its air quality remained in the  "very poor" category for the eighth consecutive day on Sunday.The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 329 at 9 AM, a slight dip from Saturday's 24-hour average of 346, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

A thick layer of toxic foam was seen floating on the surface of the Yanuma River, raising serious concerns about the potential health risks it poses to the surrounding communities.

The Drone visuals from Kalindi Kunj at around 7:45 AM on Sunday revealed thick toxic foam floating on the Yamuna River, underscoring severe pollution.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday greeted people of Nagaland on their statehood day and wished for the state's continuous progress in the times to come."Greetings to the people of Nagaland on their Statehood Day. Nagaland is widely admired for its rich culture and the wonderful nature of people belonging to the state," Modi said in a post on X.

Cyclone Fengal which crossed north Tamil Nadu coasts and made landfall in Puducherry on November 30 late night, the beaches in Chennai witnessed high tides and rough sea conditions. The weather forecast issued by the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) predicted "isolated heavy to very heavy" rainfall in Chennai for Sunday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Sunday held a meeting for the upcoming assembly election in the national capital.

The meeting was attended by Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva and other leaders were present in the meeting.

The assembly elections in Delhi are likely to be held in early 2025. However, the Election Commission is yet to announce the dates.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ramping up preparations for the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections, expected to be in 2025.
According to the sources, the Delhi BJP would soon hold a press conference to officially announce the details of the Parivartan Yatra which is likely to begin for all seven Lok Sabha seats from December 8.

Indian Army troops from the Chennai Garrison Battalion, operating under the Dakshin Bharat Area, were mobilized in the early hours of Sunday to assist in rescue operations in flood-affected areas of Puducherry.

Requisitioned by the Puducherry District Collector around 1 am, a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) column consisting of one officer, six Junior commissioned officers and 62 other ranks was deployed swiftly. The team left Chennai at 2 am and covered a distance of 160 kilometres overnight, reaching Puducherry around 5:30 am.

Jet fuel, or ATF, price on Sunday was hiked by 1.45 per cent and rates of commercial LPG used in hotels and restaurants increased by Rs 16.5 per 19-kg cylinder in the monthly revision done in line with international oil price trends.The aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price was increased by Rs 1,318.12 per kilolitre, or 1.45 per cent, to Rs 91,856.84 per kl in the national capital - home to one of the busiest airports in the country, according to state-owned fuel retailers.

Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who took ill at his native village in Satara district, is recovering and will return to Mumbai on Sunday evening, an associate said. A team of doctors checked on Shinde as he developed high fever on Saturday.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned businessman Raj Kundra, the husband of actor Shilpa Shetty, for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged illegal distribution of pornographic movies, official sources said on Sunday.They said Kundra has been asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case this week. Some others involved in the case have also been summoned, the sources added.

Seven Maoists were killed in a police encounter in the Eturunagaram forest area of Mulugu district

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday greeted the people of Nagaland on their statehood day and said the strides made by the state in various development parameters are praiseworthy.

The northeastern state of Nagaland was formed on this day in 1963.

"Greetings to the people of Nagaland on the statehood day. Endowed with a rich heritage of flora and fauna, Nagaland is also a land of bravery. Nagaland's strides in various development parameters are praiseworthy. My best wishes to the people of this beautiful state for a peaceful, prosperous and progressive future," Murmu said in a post on X

The Odisha government hiked the allocation for midday meals to school students, an official said on Sunday.State Nodal Officer for PM-Poshan Raghuram R Iyer informed the decision of the government to the district collectors on Saturday.The material cost for primary school students (classes 1 to 5) was increased from Rs 5.90 to Rs 7.64 per meal per student. The cost for upper primary school students (classes 6 to 8) was hiked to Rs 10.94 from Rs 8.82 per meal per student.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is on a two-day visit to Kerala after her maiden electoral win from the Wayanad hill constituency, will address joint public meetings with her brother and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in the district on Sunday.According to the schedule, Priyanka will address gatherings at Mananthavady at 10:30 am, Sulthan Bathery at 12:15 pm, and Kalpetta at 1:30 pm, party leaders said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted extremely heavy rainfall in Puducherry on Sunday as Cyclone Fengal made landfall on the coast on Saturday evening.
According to IMD, Puducherry is likely to receive extremely heavy rainfall today and "moderate" for December 2.

The cyclone made landfall on the Union Territory's coast at 7 in the evening on Saturday.

Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall near Puducherry on November 30, remained stationary near the union territory and would gradually weaken in the next three hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.Meanwhile, operations at the Chennai airport, which had been suspended on Sunday, resumed past midnight but many flights suffered cancellations and delays, officials said.

 Buoyed by the Rashtriya Lok Dal's victory in the bypoll to the Meerapur assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh, party leaders called on workers to strengthen the party and start preparing for state polls slated for 2027.Addressing RLD workers and leaders at a day-long meeting of the working committee of the party's Uttar Pradesh unit, its national general secretary Trilok Tyagi said strengthening the party in Uttar Pradesh should be the goal of every worker and office bearer.

The Counter Intelligence (CI) unit of Punjab Police in Amritsar arrested two individuals on Saturday in a major blow to illegal arms smuggling networks amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state.

 A major fire broke out at a private godown near the Ernakulam Junction Railway Station early Sunday, causing panic among the public. No casualties were reported though, authorities said. According to the Fire and Rescue Services, the blaze erupted around 1 am at a scrap godown near the Ernakulam South Railway Overbridge.  Firefighters battled the flames for nearly five hours before bringing them under control.

Flight operations at the Chennai International Airport resumed early on Sunday morning after Cyclone Fengal crossed the North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts.

Speaking to ANI, Shiva, a passenger travelling to Abu Dhabi via Air Arabia flight, said, "We have been waiting here since 8 PM last night. I am from Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. The airline we booked with is not responding to us, and we haven't even received a water bottle or food from them. 

Cyclone Fengal completed its landfall in Puducherry at 2:00 am and as per IMD, it is likely to weaken into a deep depression within the next six hours.

Chennai International Airport, which was shut till 4:00 am on Dec 1, has resumed operations now but flights remain affected.

Four people in parts of Chennai were electrocuted to death amid the Cyclone Fengal.