Overview
- The Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court order granting bail to convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar, questioned the High Court’s view on his public servant status under POCSO, and sought responses within four weeks while keeping him in custody.
- In linked Bengaluru–Nagpur deaths, newlywed Ganvi allegedly died by suicide and husband Suraj Shivanna was later found hanged in a Nagpur hotel, with police coordinating across states on dowry harassment and abetment allegations and awaiting post-mortem results.
- Dehradun police arrested five accused, including two minors, in the killing of Tripura student Anjel Chakma and are treating the assault as a racially motivated attack, as the Uttarakhand chief minister pledged strict action.
- Lucknow police formed special teams searching across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi for KGMU resident doctor Rameez Malik, missing since December 23 in a religious-conversion case, with his phone switched off and last location traced to Khatima.
- The India Meteorological Department warned a severe cold wave will persist across Bihar and much of North India until around January 4, disrupting travel and prompting advisories for vulnerable groups.