LAHORE, Feb 6: At least nine people were killed and over 200 suffered injuries in Basant-related incidents in Lahore on Saturday night and Sunday.
"At least two of the deceased were hit by stray bullets, two or three were electrocuted and the rest were killed in other Basant-related incidents," Lahore police chief (operations), SSP Aftab Cheema, told Dawn.
He added that 103 people were arrested and about 100 cases had been registered for various violations, including aerial firing, use of metal wire and disturbing law and order.
"People did try to take law in their own hands, but police acted promptly whenever a complaint was received. We registered cases and arrested violators, despite some resistance."
Meeran Shah, 15, died after he was hit by a stray bullet when he was with his family on the roof of his house in Gowalmandi. A case has been registered and two people have been arrested.
Nauman Ahmad, 19, was killed when a bullet hit him on the Temple Road in the Mozang area. His family declined to lodge a case against neighbours who had carried out the aerial firing.
Arif Hussain, 30, was with members of his family on the roof of his house in Islampura when he was struck by a live electric wire which had been hit by a metal kite string. He suffered burns and died on way to hospital.
Mahmood Ahmad, 23, of Badami Bagh died when a live electric cable fell on him when he was on his way home. An eight-year-old boy, Muhammad Asif, was killed when a car hit him in Sanda. He was running after a stray kite.
Bilal Ibrahim, 20, fell from the roof of his house while trying to get hold of a stray kite at Main Market in Gulberg. He suffered wounds and died in hospital.
Four-year-old Kashaf was in the lap of his father Mubarak Ali in Kot Lakhpat when a string pulled by a kite-flyer slit her throat. She died instantaneously.
Zulfikar Ahmad, 25, was run over by a van when he was trying to get hold of a stray kite in Gujjarpura, while Muhammad Ashraf, 22, was killed after falling from the roof of his house in Nishtar Colony.
Hospital sources said that over 200 people, mainly children, were admitted after having received injuries and burns in Basant- related incidents.