Gurugram: An influential khap has banned celebratory firing at weddings in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri after a teenage girl was killed on 11 December in one such incident. The Sarv Jatiya Athgama Khap Panchayat, which met in Ghasola village Sunday, also decided to report to the police anyone who carries a weapon to a ceremony. The meeting, chaired by its president, Ranbir Ghasola, focused on “eliminating social evils”.
This khap represents people from all castes living in eight villages, namely Ghasola, Santokhpura, Balkara, Gothra, Mehrana, Kheri Sanwal, Patuwas, and Ramnagar Kapoori.
Ranbir Ghasola stressed the dangers of celebratory firing and announced the launch of awareness campaigns to discourage the practice. He warned that a person who fired or even carried a gun to a wedding would be fined, reported to the police and his family socially boycotted.
Talking to ThePrint Monday, Ghasola said celebratory firing was becoming a common practice in the state and posed a grave danger to the safety of those attending weddings. “More often than not, those firing are drunk and have no control over their actions. Innocent people become victims of their acts,” he added.
The teenage girl killed in celebratory firing on 11 December was only 13. She had travelled with her mother, who too was wounded in the incident, from Jhajjar to attend the wedding. The culprits are absconding, but a case has been lodged against them on the father’s statement.
In Safidon’s Anchra Kalan village, a 14-year-old girl was injured in a similar incident earlier this year. The police arrested two young men, Manoj and Gulshan of Ghumar village in Sonipat, and seized a .32 bore pistol and two cartridges from them.
In Panipat’s Pasina Khurd village, two men fired in the air just as the groom was mounting his chariot in November this year. The police later arrested the duo, Gayur Kher and Khurshid, both residents of Dadola village. During interrogation, Khurshid admitted to using his licenced revolver. His cousin, Gayur, reportedly grabbed and fired it to show off.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)