What goes up comes down to hurt people

Dozens injured after Lahore brings out guns to celebrate cricket win

LAHORE: From the elation of watching the national cricket team win the ICC Champions Trophy to the lows of spending the night at hospital; that was the fate of dozens of Lahorites on Sunday night.

Even before captain Sarfraz took the final catch, many had their guns ready for celebratory gunfire. However, what goes up must come down and the bullets which rained on the city resulted in injuries to as many as 30 people. No fatalities were reported from the aerial firing. Those wounded were mainly rushed to local private hospitals

According to the medico-legal section of three major hospitals, including Jinnah, Mayo and Ganga Raam, 10 people were reportedly injured in the firing. Six cases were reported at Services Hospital, two in the General Hospital and the rest in other medical institutions. “Most incidents, however, went unreported as people did not bother to register cases,” commented Dr Abdul Basit from Mayo Hospital.

Areas where more incidents of aerial firing occurred were Shadbagh, Walled City, Islampura, Nawan Kot, Nawab Town and Johar Town.



Some of the victims who were injured due to aerial firing were identified as Syeda Bibi, a resident of Green Town. She was lying on the roof of her house when she suffered a bullet injury. The women was admitted to Jinnah Hospital. Also, Talal Hussain and Kamal Khan, who lived in a Johar Town house, also sustained injuries in a similar fashion.

Nida Rifaqat, a resident of Kot Kamboh in Nawankot, suffered a bullet injury to the right leg while sleeping on roof.

Irfan suffered a bullet injury to the hip in Hadiara, while Ibrar from Johar Town, Talib Hussain of Bagria Green Town, Zainab Bibi from Sattokatla and Younas in Nawab Town were among the others wounded.

When contacted, a health department spokesperson did not deny the figures.  However, he said the department was yet to compile the data of injured people as the incidents were non-fatal and most patients were discharged after initial treatment.

Police arrested eight people over their involvement in aerial firing on Monday, while a statement issued on Sunday night stated that police arrested 59 suspects who were reportedly doing wheelies or firing in the air. The cops stated 30 cases had been registered against them.

Meanwhile, CCPO Amin Wains conducted a meeting with DIGs, SPs, DSPs and SHOs at Qila Gujjar Singh police lines on Monday to talk about the law and order situation during the last 10 days of last Ramazan.

He ordered police officers to take stern action against wheelies and aerial firing.

At the same time, locals reported that the police stood as silent spectators while people were putting the lives of others in danger through their dangerous celebrations.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2017.