RAWALPINDI: A bridegroom and three wedding guests landed in a police lockup on charges of terrorism after they shot at a police party attempting to stop them from firing in the air in celebration.

A police team was patrolling the streets after midnight when it heard the sound of gunfire from Mohallah Raja Sultan. When the police reached the scene, they found some guests at a wedding party firing in the air in violation of the government ban against celebratory firing.

When the policemen tried to stop the guests from firing, they began yelling at them and one guest started shooting at the cops, injuring Constable Tauqeer Ahmed.

Some other guests began pelting the policemen with stones and beating them, injuring constables Adeel Ahmed, Mazhar Hassan and Amjad Ali.

Sub-inspector Arshad Ali, who is investigating the case, told Dawn the wedding guests threw stones at the policemen, tore their uniform and snatched their motorcycle.

He said there were 12 people nominated in the FIR and four of them, including the bridegroom, have been arrested and will remain in police custody for seven days.

Sub-inspector Ali alleged that the people in the area were involved in criminal activities including sale of liquor.

He said that one of those arrested, Shahbaz Masih, was an active member of a political party and was very aggressive towards policemen.

“His behaviour was criminal. The police are now making efforts to arrest the rest of the people nominated in the FIR,” he said.

The suspects have been booked by the Banni police on charges of attempted murder, attacking the police and the Anti-terrorism Act.

Constable Tauqeer Ahmed who suffered bullet injuries is receiving treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital, while three other policemen who sustained minor injuries were discharged the same night.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play