8 held for celebratory firing

Eight persons,including a State Bank of India branch manager,Nand Kishore Verma,were arrested on Saturday night for firing celebratory shots during a wedding....

Eight persons,including a State Bank of India branch manager,Nand Kishore Verma,were arrested on Saturday night for firing celebratory shots during a wedding. The eight were booked under the Arms Act and their weapons seized,the police sources said,adding that the process of cancelling their licences has been inititated.

The arrests come in the wake of two deaths due to celebratory firings in the past one month. We have decided to keep a vigil on weddings and send cops to identify persons misusing firearms on these occasions, said Lucknow DIG Prem Prakash.

Officers in-charge have been directed to collect advance information about weddings in their area,sources said. A police team,including officials from Local Intelligence Unit,would move with the baraat in plainclothes,identify persons using firearms and inform their seniors who would send a team to catch the culprits,sources added.

An order under Section 144 of the CrPC has been passed by the District Magistrate under which individuals who want to carry firearms in weddings for security reasons would have to take permission from the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate. If a person carries firearms in a ceremony without permission,it will be taken as violation of the Arms Act,the DIG said.