A 14-year-old girl was injured in firing in the air at a wedding in Bhowana on Monday.
Qaim Khan, a witness, told The Express Tribune that the girl, Abida Bibi, was injured when some guests from the groom’s side fired in the air. He said the guests appeared to have been inebriated.
“Abida Bibi had been standing on the roof of a neighbouring house when she was hit.
“She was taken to the tehsil headquarters hospital where her condition was later reported to be critical.”
He said the men who had fired the shots had fled when police arrived.
“Police arrested the groom, Daraz, and eight wedding guests,” he said.
The relatives of the groom staged a protest demonstration on Tuesday against Bhowana police for arresting the groom and his guests.
The Bhowana station house officer (SHO) told The Express Tribune that the protestors had beaten up a police team that tried to disperse them.
“Ten people including two sub-inspectors and four constables were injured… the policemen did succeed in ending the protest later,” he said.
The station house officer said police would not release the groom and the eight other men in lock-up “until those who are responsible for injuring the girl are arrested.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2014.