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SIALKOT, Feb 8: Light rain on Sunday disrupted Basant celebrations, which began in Sialkot and its outskirts on Saturday night. Daska, Bhopalwala, Sambrial, Uggoki, Pasrur, Chowinda, Badiana and surrounding areas also received light rain.
Industrialists, exporters, politicians and members of local NGOs celebrated Basant night on the rooftops of factories, hotels and shopping centres. Many people in Cantonment, Model Town, Allama Iqbal Town, Pooran Nagar and Rangpura were seen flying kites in the rain which continued throughout Sunday. Cold winds in the evening, however, forced many kite-flyers to go downstairs.
Reports of power supply fluctuations and breakdowns were received from almost every part of the district as people freely used metal wires and chemical strings.
Some enthusiasts also restored to firing in the air and continued playing Pakistani and Indian music on loudspeakers throughout the Basant night. Eight people were injured either by falling down from the roofs or by hitting vehicles while trying to catch stray kites.
The condition of Aslam, Khalid, Bilal, Saleem, Afzal, Usama, Waqar and Hassan was stated to be serious at hospitals.
LOOTED: Dacoits and thieves took away five motorcycles, a car and valuables worth hundreds of thousands of rupees during the last 24 hours.
Thieves took away a new car from the house of Dr Saeed Awan in Nadkia Adda area. Two motorcycles (Nos STL 4676 and STM 6369) were stolen from the house of industrialist Ehsan Elahi in Iqbal Town.
Thieves deprived Muddasar of his motorcycle (No STF 8050) which he had parked at Sialkot district courts. Two motorcycles (Nos STL 9239 and STG 3626) were stolen from the house of trader Irfan Butt in Mianapura.
Thieves took away gold ornaments, cash, electronic goods and other valuables worth of Rs300,000 from the house of industrialist Sheikh Sajjad in Hassanpura. Three dacoits snatched gold ornaments, cash and mobile phone worth of Rs100,000 from armyman Sadiq and his wife near Kotli Jhandu village, Motra.
