A two-year-old child and two women got injured by indiscriminate aerial firing during Kite flying on Basant in Rawalpindi on Friday while several children and youngsters got injured during the fireworks and looting the kites. The storm of kites and loud music continued all day on the roofs of Rawalpindi.
On the other hand, Rawalpindi police were giving warnings to people and arrested more than 300 people and recovered thousands of kites, weapons, alcohol, and drugs. However, last day the kite flying and aerial firing have broken all the previous records and overall the police appeared completely helpless against kite vendors and flyers.
Read more: Has Punjab Police Initiated a Crackdown Against Criminals?
According to reports, a lady named Rukhsana in her home in Rata Amral got injured with a blind bullet, in Banni a 25 years old Rimsha and in Sir Syed Chowk a two-year-old Ayesha got injured who were shifted to the nearest hospitals immediately.
Kite flying and celebratory firing caused injuries to 47 people, including five women and a two-year-old girl, after stray bullets and pellets hit them.https://t.co/xTfG7Mhk8T
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) February 22, 2020
According to the locals, despite the complaints during the aerial firing in Hajji Chowk, Sadiqabad and surrounding areas the police did not reach any spot.
During the Basant including Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Dhoke Rata, Dhoke Khaba, Chitti Hattiyan, Naya Mohallah, Bhabhrha Bazaar, Gowalmandi, College Road, Banni, Mohallah Imam Bargah, Eidgah, Akaal Garh, Pirwadai, Khayaban-e-Sirsyed, and several different areas were blowing with sounds of loud music and fireworks.
The locals blamed the police that they were involved with kite vendors because all the kites entered Rawalpindi via Islamabad and IJP road.
According to police spokesperson, 260 people were arrested in Rawal Division while 60 persons were arrested in the Potohar division.
Kite flying is a deadly pastime!!
Constable Safdar of Dolphin force Lahore died after his throat was slit by glass coated kite string that fell on him on his way home back from duty.
انا للہ وانا الیہ راجعون pic.twitter.com/qwY2xtvpGK— Farhan Khan (@Godmade__) February 15, 2020
Meanwhile, National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited had held kite flying responsible for the frequent tripping in Lahore and Faisalabad. As many as 23 incidents were reported at 500 kV and 220 kV transmission lines in these regions.