Basant celebration; 163 injured, 450 arrested

RAWALPINDI, Feb 26 (APP):The several city areas echoed here on Friday with sounds of ‘Bo kata’ and aerial firing as people particularly the youngsters celebrated Basant on Friday, ignoring the ban imposed by the Punjab government on kite flying and selling while 163 people got injured in Basant related incidents and 450 violators were sent behind the bars.
According to Rescue-1122 spokesman, Kite flying and celebratory firing caused injuries to 163 people including a number of children after stray bullets and pellets hit them.
He informed that total 95 victims of kite flying related incidents were brought to District Headquarter Hospital, 33 to Holy Family Hospital and 35 to Benazir Bhutto Hospital.
Out of 95 patients, treated in District Headquarter Hospital, 65 were fall cases patients, 20 road accidents, five bullet injuries and five kite strings.
Similarly, out of 33 patients of Holy Family Hospital, seven were injured of fall cases, three road accidents, two of electric shocks, 11 bullet injuries and 10 kite strings. About 35 patients who were received in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, six were fall cases victims, four of road accidents, one electric shock, nine bullet injuries and 15 kite strings.
On the other hand, police claimed to have arrested 450 people on charges of violating the ban on kite flying and firing in the air and recovered thousands of kites, weapons, ammunition, sound systems, fireworks and other items.
Police spokesman informed that 49 violators were booked on Thursday night.
He said, on Friday, Sadiqabad police held 120 ban violators, New Town arrested 81, Waris Khan police apprehended 45, Bani police rounded up 40, Pirwadhai police netted 20, Gungmandi nabbed seven, City police arrested 15, Ratta Amral 15, Saddar Baroni 15, Naseerabad eight, Airport nine, Civil Line police one and Westridge police sent behind the bars three accused.
He informed that on the special directives of City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Ahsan Younas, Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Operations
Shoaib Mehmood, SP Rawal Zia ud Din Ahmed and other officers along with police parties and surveillance teams remained in the field and monitored the entire operation.
He told that those arrested would be charged for firing in the air on the complaints of those who sustained bullet injuries so that they could be brought to justice.
He claimed all available resources were utilized to net the violators and a crackdown was launched against firing in the air, kite flyers and sellers and arrested more than 450 people.
“Though the police do their best to arrest the kite sellers for violating the ban, due to celebration of Basant by a large number of people it was difficult for them to control,” he said and added that the police and traffic police adopted safety measures for motorcyclists and pedestrians.
Though the provincial government imposed the ban on kite flying, most people continued to fly kites on their rooftops.
Children could also be seen running on roads and in the streets while carrying sticks and bamboos to catch stray kites.
In some areas, traffic jams occurred when children started running on roads.
After failing to stop people from celebrating Basant, police deployed its personnel on roads to keep an eye on children.
In order to keep motorcyclists safe from twine cuts, the police and traffic wardens placed barriers on both sides of the flyovers at Chandni Chowk and 6th Road, barring the entry of motorcyclists.