FAISALABAD, Feb 19: Hundreds of kite flyers were sent on a three-day judicial remand by magistrates on Saturday. Sixteen of the violators obtained bails, it is learnt.

Various police stations of Faisalabad produced 324 arrested people before the magistrates on the charge of violating the kite-flying ban on Thursday night and Friday and resorting to aerial firing.

The magistrates issued notices to the state for prosecution and sent the accused on a three-day judicial remand. However, 16 people managed to get bails.The police said it had registered 356 cases against ban violators and arrested 463 people. The remaining accused would be produced before the magistrates on Sunday (today).

District Bar Association Secretary Haris Amin told Dawn that only boys below 14 years had been granted bail. The magistrates had used their prerogative to offer relaxation to such lads, he said.

He criticised the police for their inefficiency and starting operation against the violators after 3pm on Friday instead of preempting the violations. The district government had announced cash prize of Rs5,000 for those who would inform the police about violation of ban in any form like kite flying, music and aerial firing.

DCO Nasim Sadiq also asked the union council secretaries to inform the administration about the kite flyers and those involved in aerial firing.

Meanwhile, scores of family members of the detainees protested against the police and asked them to apprehend kite and string manufacturers. They said the police made arrests of young ones by trespassing on houses.