RAWALPINDI - The killer twine slashed throats of four people while a man sustained bullet in arm, as residents of the city defied ban on kite-flying and celebrated Basant, besides using automatic weapons freely.
A young boy got injured after he was electrocuted during an effort to catch stray twine on Adyala Road. All the injured were rushed to different hospitals for medical treatment by Rescue 1122 and locals, sources informed The Nation here on Friday. The several localities including Tench Bhatta echoed with sounds of bullets fired by the people flying kites on rooftops. Though district government failed in imposing ban on kite-flying, yet police succeeded in catching hundreds of kite flyers and recovering kites, twines, weapons and sound systems from them.
According to sources, a small boy Rafay was electrocuted and sustained burn injuries when he tried to catch steel twine that entangled in high voltage electricity wires at Khayabn-e-Jinnah on Adyala Road. Rescue 1122 shifted the injured to Benazir Bhutto Hospital but the doctors referred the victim to PIMS because of his serious condition, sources said.
Sources in District Headquarters Hospital also confirmed that emergency department received four injured in kite-flying related incidents. They said that stray bullet hit into arms of a man slightly and he was brought to hospital.
The doctors discharged all the four patients after providing them medical treatment. On the other hand, the youngsters and adults along with their families kept busy flying kites in several areas including Tench Bhatta, Aadra, Dispensary Ground, Iqbal Colony, Purana Mohalla, Westridge, Pirwadhai, Peshawar Road, Dheri Hassanabad, Lal Kurti, Tulsa, Saddar, Boring Road, Saddar, Kashmir Road, Katcheri, Morgah, Adyala Road, Dhama Syedan, Gulshanabad, GT Road, Humak, Model Town, Dhoke Syedan, Bakra Mandi, Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Elahi Bux, Kashmirian Dhoke, Hazara Colony, Sadiqabad, Waris Khan, Committee Chowk, Commercial, Dhoke Kala Khan, Muslim Town, Dhoke Khabba, Chakra, IJP Road and many other areas. The contests of kite-flying were held and the people shouted “Bou Kata” and fired gunshots into air after cutting the kites of opponents.
Reportedly, many small children got injured after hitting with vehicles on roads while catching stray kites. The power supply remained suspended in many areas owing to fluctuation.
On the other hand, police parties conducted raids in many localities and held kite fliers and recovered kites, twines and weapons from their possessions. Cases were registered against all the detainees in all police stations. The CPO, DCO and commissioner could not be approached for their comments on violation of the ban on kite-flying. Meanwhile, a group of traders, allegedly belonging to ruling party, attacked a police party here at Tench Bazaar and obtained forceful release of three kite flyers arrested from a rooftop while resorting to aerial firing on Friday.
The attackers thrashed police party, abused them and torn uniform of cops.
They also shut down the businesses in the area as a protest against police raid on kite flyers. According to details, a police party led by Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Riaz was operating in Tench area to catch those celebrating Basant and resorting to aerial firing on rooftops.
The police team spotted a group of youngsters flying kites and resorting to aerial firing with automatic weapons.
Some cops including SI Ghulam Shabbir entered the house and arrested three accused with weapons.  They were escorting the accused to police mobile van when Javed Malik, son of Sakhi, the owner of the house, resisted and started shouting at the SHO. Within no time, 20 more men appeared and started scuffling with police.
All they abused police and torn uniforms of cops. In retaliation, the cops also beat the attackers. The attackers obtained forceful release of the three arrested accused and fled. They also tried to release the five other accused sitting in police mobile van, who were arrested from Purana Mohalla.
However, the SHO thwarted the attempt. Earlier, the police raided at two houses and recovered hundreds of kites, twines, sound systems and empty shells of bullets.
Later, some local leaders of ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) including Malik Khalid, who introduced himself as cousin of MNA Malik Abrar, came and tried to sooth police party.
The SHO while talking to The Nation said that attack on police by public has become routine and he would not spare the attackers. A large number of local politicians visited the SHO to settle the dispute. Till filing of this report no case was registered against the attackers. SSP (Operations) Karamat Ullah Malik counld not be contacted despite attempts.