LAHORE: Police claimed on Sunday to have arrested four people allegedly involved in celebratory firing in Gowalmandi area.

The occasion for the celebratory firing was said to be granting of bail to a murder suspect Ameer Balaj Tipu, son of Tipu Truckanwala, a gangster, by the court.

According to police sources, to celebrate the granting of bail, Balaj, held a feast at his house on Thursday. During the feast some of his supporters resorted to celebratory firing.

The matter came into the police authorities’ notice when someone circulated the video of indiscriminate fire on social media, prompting the concerned officials to spring into action.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif too took notice of the incident and sought a report from Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Amin Wains. The CM ordered a strict action against the violators, saying no one should be above the law.

Balaj, his wife and several bodyguards were nominated in a murder case for killing his (Balaj’s) cousin Basit over a property dispute. The case was registered at Gawalmandi police station.

In the video clip, the supporters and friends of Balaj could be seen using sophisticated automatic weapons at the second floor of his house in Shah Alam Market.

City Division SP operation Adil Memon said four people, including Balaj, had been arrested for resorting to aerial firing.

He said the case against the suspects had been registered under section 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) and sections 440, 337 H2 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), while the weapons were also recovered.

Tipu Truckanwala was shot dead in the parking area of Allama Iqbal International Airport when he arrived here from Dubai in January 2010. The incident was said to be the result of gang rivalry.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2017