LUCKNOW: Despite clear directives of Supreme Court and High court against the revelry firing and the efforts of the respective governments in this direction, the menace is continuing unabated often claiming innocent lives during weddings.
Such a case came to light in Lakhimpur Kheri wherein the groom himself became a victim of celebratory firing as he received a gunshot on his chest fired by one of the baratis, while a bride's kin was killed in a similar incident in Allahabad on Sunday night.
The incident relates to Rampur village under Neemgaon police station of Lakhimpur Kheri district where the groom sustained the gunshot on his chest while performing the arrival rituals of barat (wedding procession).
A pall of gloom defended on the marquee of celebrations, as the groom Sunil Verma was rushed to the district hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival.
The tragedy was caught on camera in which the person firing from a pistol can be spotted easily. He can be seen firing two shots one of which hit the groom.
As per the video of the incident, the accused, identified as Ramchandra, fired two shots from his “licensed pistol”, with the initial shot missing the groom, Sunil Verma. However, the second shot fired by the accused hit the groom’s chest, who collapsed on the spot.
In the video, family members sitting next to the groom during 'Pooja' performing seemed to be confused flummoxed as he collapsed.
Meanwhile, the district police have booked the person, identified as Ramchandra, who fired the gunshots under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The accused, who is said to be a close friend of the groom, had been absconding since then, said police.
According to ASP Ghanshyam Chaurasia, prima facie it appeared that the groom was killed during the celebratory firing, but police were probing other angles too.
Meanwhile, in another incident in Allahabad, a 20-year-old youth was killed after sustaining bullet injuries during celebratory firing at Dando village in Bara area on late Sunday night.
The deceased, identified as Sarvesh Tiwari, was believed bride’s cousin.
He was hit by bullets on his arm and chest from behind. He was rushed to the local community health centre(CHC) from where he was referred to SRN hospital where doctors declared him brought dead at around 3 am. The accused Ganga Prasad Pandey, a relative of the groom, is absconding since the incident.