LUCKNOW: Two days after two trigger-happy youths were arrested for firing in the air near the high-security DGP headquarters on Shaheed Path, police have zeroed in on 50 others, who would be nabbed soon. Five police teams have been constituted to track, raid and arrest them, said a senior police officer.
Assistant commissioner of police, Gosaiganj, Swati Chaudhary, said, charges of rioting will be slapped on all those identified in the viral video.
Talking to TOI, Lucknow police commissioner D K Thakur said, rowdyism and blatant use of firearms in public won’t be tolerated. “All five deputy commissioners of police in the city have been directed to launch a crackdown and ensure swift arrests to set a precedent for those indulging in unruly behaviour. Our social media teams must stay vigilant and quickly respond to incidents going viral,” he said.
Earlier, a nine-second video went viral in which at least youths could be seen opening celebratory fire near a prominent mall adjacent to Shaheed Path.
At least 60 revellers had converged on the arterial road and one of them could be seen firing in the air from a pistol. While some parked their cars along the road to record the incident live, those living in the vicinity said, the road was jammed by these youths and few of them were blatantly firing in the air.
Later, two youths Neeraj Singh and Manish Tiwari were arrested. Of the duo, Neeraj was purportedly firing in the air to celebrate Manish’s birthday, said sources.
