Despite seemingly strict restrictions on firecrackers in the capital, the ban was openly flouted by the people. The Delhi Polices data showed on Monday (October 28, 2019) that as many as 210 people were arrested and 371 cases were registered in Delhi on Diwali night.
As per the data, 56 were registered for storing and selling illegal firecrackers and 44 people were arrested. The rest 315 cases were registered for bursting illegal firecrackers and also for bursting any cracker outside the two-hour window; 166 people were arrested for the offences, the data showed.
"A total of 371 cases were registered (for various violations), 210 people were arrested and 3764.75 kg firecrackers was seized on Diwali," the data stated.
On Diwali nigh, the police control room received 940 calls regarding noise and bursting of the non-green crackers, the maximum number of cases were registered in Dwarka district at 75. West district reported 56 cases, northeast 54, Shahdara 34, Rohini 23, Northwest 22, South 21, East 19, Southeast 18, Central 17, North 15, Outer Delhi 13 and southwest district 4.
Out of the total 210 arrests, 52 were made by Northeast district police, 22 by South, 21 by Rohini, 15 by Central, 15 by Northwest, 30 by West, 13 by Southeast, 7 by Outer, 8 by Shahdara, 9 by Dwarka, 5 by Southwest and 13 by North districts.
The violators were held under the Explosives Act, 1884, and under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).
According to the data released, the police have seized 3,500kg banned firecrackers on Diwali night.
Of the firecrackers seized, 1321.9 kg was seized in northeast, 41.8 kg in Central, 118.9 kg in North, 16.2 kg in Northwest, 164.65 kg in South, 38 kg in Dwarka, 118 kg in West, 704.25 kg in Outer, 728 kg in Rohini, 40 kg in Shahdara, 174.85 kg in Southeast, 298.2 kg in Southwest districts.
As much as 3,764 kgs of crackers were also seized on the intervening night of 27 and 28 October, 2019.
On October 28, 2019, a day after Diwali, a blanket of haze hung over Delhi when the air quality index plummeted to very poor, the worst-recorded level this season.
(Source The Quint)
