‘Jail for groom if shots fired at wedding’

BAREILLY: There is even a local term for it – “harsh firing” (joyous firing). But policemen, grappling with a large number of cases of shots fired in celebration in the air hitting human targets, have warned that firing at wedding celebrations could lead to jail not only for the groom but also the owner of the banquet hall.
Superintendent of Police (Bareilly) Rajeev Malhotra issued the order and sought that police stations paste the notice near all banquet halls, so no one can plead ignorance.
The latest instance of such celebratory shots hitting human targets occurred on Monday, when the groom’s inebriated cousin left a 14-year-old boy injured in the leg. The profusely bleeding boy was rushed to hospital, where he is still under treatment. Police booked the groom’s cousin under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and issued show cause notice to the banquet hall owner, SP Rajeev Malhotra said.
Monday’s incident occurred at Sanjay Nagar. Such incidents have been reported several times in the past. In Firozabad, a six-year-old girl watching a wedding from the balcony of her house took a bullet near her eye last month.
Malhotra said police have served notice to all owners of banquet halls, seeking that they inform cops if celebratory firing occurs during wedding celebrations. If they fail in this regard, they would face punishment.
The SP said he would also recommend the cancellation of the arms licence of those found carrying arms during wedding celebrations, for no proper reason.
Malhotra added that accidents occur in a matter of seconds: “The gun, otherwise pointed at 90 degrees to fire in the air, could accidentally turn 45 degrees, firing off a fatal shot,” the SP said. He added that such firing in celebration is also unnecessarily disturbing for peace-loving citizens.