‘Basant’ celebrated amid police action

By Khalid Iqbal
February 23, 2019

Rawalpindi: The local management literally failed to stop kite flying as people celebrated ‘Basant’ festival with enthusiasm here on Friday.

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On the other hand Rawalpindi police arrested 44 violators, impounded over 5,000 kites and more than 1,200 spools of glass-coated string from different localities in Waris Khan, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Sarafa Bazaar, Purana Qila, Raja Bazaar, Ganjmandi, City Saddar Road, Liaquat Bagh, Circular Road, Banni and Jamia Masjid Road.

Three people named Muhammad Ikhlaq 22, Azhar Mehmood 17 and Nasir Iqbal 27 received minor injuries during ‘Basant’ and were shifted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) for medical treatment. Not a serious incident was reported during ‘Basant’ in city till the filing of this report.

The officials of City Police Station, Waris Khan Police Station and Sadiqabad Police Station were carried loudspeakers in their hands warning kite flyers to stop their activities of kite flying. They had long stairs in their vehicles to climb on rooftops of houses and buildings to arrest kite flyers. Hide and seek game in between police and kite flyers continued throughout the day.

The City Police Officer (CPO) Abbas Ahsen and Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Chaudhry Muhammad Ali Randhawa were strictly monitoring kite flying. The CPO said that they will never spare violators. “I directed all police stations to immediately arrest kite flyers,” he said.

The Rescue 1122 ambulances and motorcycle service were continuously roaming in all areas in city to provide help to injured people. APP add: Khana Police have arrested three persons for selling kites and impounded around 4,700 kites and spools of glass-coated string from them, the police spokesman said.

A team headed by Station House Officer of Khana Police Station Nur ul Islam raided at a place in Khana area and nabbed three persons for selling kites. They have been identified as Suleman, Abdul Moeed and Abdul Mateen while police team recovered 4700 kites and spools of glass-coated string from them.

Case has been registered against them. SP (Rural) Omer Khan said that no one be allowed to put other lives at risk and strict action would be taken against those involved in selling kites. He said that District administration Islamabad has issued notification regarding ban on flying kits and no one would be allowed to commit violation.

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