Warnings go unheeded season after season in Taj city
AGRA : Despite senior officials warning of strict action against the guilty and holding police station incharge responsible, deaths in celebratory firing incidents occur during marriage season every year.
Marriage hall owners claim that they issue warning on receipts issued for booking amount and paint similar warning on the premises while lawyers hold that there are laws against celebratory firing but the need is for better awareness and implementation.
With the marriage season beginning, the focus is yet again on avoiding loss of lives because of the celebratory firing. Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Agra, Amit Pathak has reiterated the warning of strict action against those indulging in celebratory firing.
However, experience of marriage season in summer earlier this year had many reminders in store for law enforcing agencies all across the region particularly in rural areas. In May, DIG, Agra, Mahesh Kumar Mishra had to remind them of the restriction after two deaths in Kasganj and Firozabad district near Agra in celebratory firing.
The senior cop asserted that concerned police station incharges would be held responsible if celebratory firing took place in their areas and concerned circle officers would be responsible for ensuring cancellation of arms licence of those violating orders.
Police officials had warned that case under section 304 of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) would be registered if death occurred due to celebratory firing and action would follow for misuse of gun licence. The licence would be cancelled as they are issued for self defence and not for any show of strength.
Ajay Anand, additional director general of police, Agra zone comprising eight districts from Agra and Aligarh range, said directions for prohibiting celebratory firing had been issued. “Those found violating the norms and indulging in celebratory firing are to face cases and their arms licenses are to be cancelled,” he stated.
“Clear instructions have been issued by ADG Agra zone and IG Agra range for ensuring prohibition on celebratory firing. In compliance of these instructions, the marriage home owners are being asked to install CCTV cameras on premises including parking area so that those violating the norms can be identified and penalised,” stated SP (city), Agra, Kunwar Anupam Singh while talking to HT.
“There are orders by different high courts all over nation banning the celebratory firing and the Allahabad high court too had expressed similar views but what lacks is fear among violators because of shabby implementation. Celebratory firing takes place in open but police overlook it and act only in cases of complaints arising after some tragic incident and thus the ban is flouted time and again,” said Amir Ahmed, a senior criminal lawyer who favours pro active approach by police.
Vikrant Barua, owner of a prominent marriage home in Dayalbagh area, observes that strictness on the issue has led to improvement in urban area and most of the cases are reported from rural area.
Barua says that provision of returning the used cartridges while purchasing the new one by licensed arms holders has helped in bringing down the frequency of such incident in city area.
“We mention restriction on celebratory firing on receipts issued for booking amount and mention the same on walls of marriage home. Yet the itch to show strength and prosperity and many times liquor consumption as part of celebration leads to celebratory firing and needs to be dealt with strictly,” he says.
On Oct 31, 2017, four people, including the bride’s uncle, were injured in a celebratory firing during a marriage function at Dharampur village under Fariha police station of Firozabad.
On May 9, 2017, two uncles of a bride were injured after being struck by gunshot from gun owned by grandfather of bridegroom during a marriage function in Sureer town of Mathura.