TIRUNELVELI
Police have registered 137 cases – 24 in Tirunelveli city and 113 in the district – against 140 persons for allegedly bursting crackers during ‘non-permitted hours’ as part of Deepavali celebrations.
As the State government had notified 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. as ‘permitted slots’ for bursting crackers following a Supreme Court direction, the police had appealed to the public to honour the order. However, the people, who would traditionally start bursting crackers at 4 a.m., followed the tradition by firing crackers since the early hours on Tuesday.
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Youth burst crackers throughout the day in violation of the Supreme Court’s order and it reached the crescendo after 6.30 p.m. The sky was rendered strikingly colourful with aerial shots till 8.45 p.m. The news of registration of cases in connection with bursting of crackers in violation of the court order was flashed on television channels and shared on the social media, and it had an impact after 8.30 p.m.
The police registered cases under Sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 285 (Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 291 (Continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue) of the Indian Penal Code.
In a few cases reported in rural Tirunelveli, children bursting crackers were let off after ‘advice’, but the crackers were confiscated by the police, according to sources.
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Fire and Rescue Services personnel said they attended only two ‘fire calls’ in the entire district against the 13 calls received last year. Liquor sale in 149 Tasmac shops in the district registered a sharp increase of 45% on Monday and Tuesday with the figure standing at ₹ 11.80 crore.
While 31 cases were registered for violation of time slots for bursting crackers in Thoothukudi district, 23 cases were registered in Kanniyakumari district.
In all these cases, parents of the children who violated the order and the youth who burst the crackers have been cited as accused.