RAWALPINDI: Two people were shot and killed in separate incidents on New Year’s Eve, including one by celebratory gunfire in the garrison city.

A teenager was killed in celebratory firing in the Khayaban-i-Sir Syed Area, while another man was shot and killed allegedly by a 14-year-old who accidentally fired a gun in Sadiqabad.

Mohammad Hayat, a mason, was at home when he was hit by a bullet allegedly fired by a 14-year-old boy, killing him on the spot.

City Police Officer Mohammad Ahsan Younas said the boy was carrying his father’s gun when it accidentally went off. He said the boy was taken into police custody and an investigation has begun.

Separately, Abdullah, 19, was killed by celebratory firing by a group of people. He was shot in the eye while he was on the roof of a nearby building.

The police’s investigating officer said Abdullah, a resident of Attock, had a job interview and was staying in the building.

Shortly after the shooting, CPO Younas and the senior superintendent of police (investigation) cordoned off the area to arrest the shooters.

A police spokesperson said the police search operation lasted until dawn and 20 people were arrested with assistance from CCTV footage. The police claimed that six suspects confessed to firing into the air.

They said two of the six people owned a car rental business and organised a party on New Year’s Eve as well. A murder case was registered against the suspects on the complaint of the victim’s father.

The Punjab home department had told divisional police chiefs in a directive that the ban on displaying firearms should be enforced strictly and there should be a strict check on firing into the air and fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

The police had devised a security plan that included deploying 2,000 personnel in different places in order to prevent celebratory firing, wheelies and the use of fireworks. Elite Force, Dolphin Force and Muhafiz Force personnel were also deployed to implement the provincial government’s directives.

Separately, the City Traffic Police impounded 305 vehicles in Rawalpindi on New Year’s Eve as part of a crack down on wheelies and modified motorcycles. However, people did do wheelies on Jhelum Road and in some parts of the Rawal Division.

A traffic police spokesperson said special squads were constituted to check

wheelies and 305 motorcycles were impounded; most had been modified for wheelies.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2020