Times News Network
Ludhiana: Even as confusion over dates loomed large over Diwali celebrations, people did not go easy on crackers. The split opinion on dates enabled them to burst crackers on both Oct 31 and Nov 1. In essence, it was a double Diwali.
The sound of crackers resounded in the city till at least 2am on Thursday. Lanterns floated by amid fireworks bursting into myriad shapes and colours in the sky. Still, police did not lodge any FIR, very much like 2023, when no case was filed. Cases were registered prior to 2023 but against unidentified people.
Every year, a time window is specified for residents to burst crackers. This year, the cracker bursting deadline issued by police commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal was from 8pm to 10pm.
Ideally, police should file an FIR under Section 223 (disobedience of order duly promulgated by public servant) of BNS (previously Section 188 of IPC) for violation of such orders. Under this section, a violator may get imprisonment for up to six months or fine of up to Rs 2,500 or both.
From 2018 to 2022, city police registered cases under Section 188(disobedience to orders duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC. As per data, in 2022, Ludhiana police commissionerate lodged 12 FIRs under Section 188 (disobedience to orders duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC, against unknown people for violating orders. Eight FIRs were lodged in 2020, 14 were registered in 2019 and 12 were filed in 2018.
Although orders issued by the police allowed bursting of crackers only on Oct 31 and not on Nov 1, a number of city residents are celebrating Diwali on Friday, for which crackers will be burst. Confusion over Diwali dates this time has stumped cracker sellers, residents, traders in markets etc. For residents though, it comes as an opportunity to celebrate on two days. Crackers were burst with fervour on Friday night too, when residents started celebrating in the evening and continued till late at night.