80 booked for setting top court order on fire
28 FIRS registered in Hoshiarpur, 19 in Jalandhar, 25 in Ludhiana for bursting crackers past 10pm
JALANDHAR/LUDHIANA/PATIALA: The Supreme Court’s firecracker ban on Diwali was violated with impunity across Punjab on Wednesday with people bursting crackers till late into the night.
The police have registered 19 first information reports (FIRS) against violators in Jalandhar, 28 in Hoshiarpur, 25 in Ludhiana and eight in Patiala.
The apex court had allowed bursting of firecrackers from 8pm to 10pm on Diwali. It had also allowed manufacturing and sale of only “green crackers”, which have a low light and sound emission and contain less harmful chemicals.
The court had asked the police to ensure that banned firecrackers were not sold and said in case of any violation, the station house officer (SHO) of the police station concerned would be held personally liable. Any violation would amount to committing contempt of court, the apex court had warned.
The Jalandhar city police registered 14 FIRS against unidentified persons for bursting crackers past 10pm, while rural police booked five persons. Besides, the police registered 10 FIRS against people for selling firecrackers.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP investigation) Gurmeet Singh said cases were registered following complaints and the accused would be identified and legal action would be initiated against them.
In Hoshiarpur, some residents alleged that that they rang up police stations to check bursting of crackers past 10pm, but the calls went unattended. Some of them were told that patrolling parties were already on job.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) J Elanchazhian said the police tried their best to enforce SC order.
In Ludhiana, 25 people were booked for violating the SC order as city residents in some areas continued to burst crackers till Thursday morning.
The district administration and police commissionerate failed to stop the residents from bursting firecrackers beyond the deadline and in the absence of green crackers in markets, city resonated with high-decibel crackers on the Diwali night. More than 1,000 cops were deployed in the city to ensure compliance with the SC’S order.
Cases have been registered under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code at eight police stations of Ludhiana. Police commissioner Sukhchain Singh Gill said it was difficult to identify the violators.
In Patiala, eight cases were registered against people for violating the apex court’s orders. The district administration also failed to keep a tab on the illegal sale of firecrackers.
At least 10 fire incidents were also reported in Patiala.