Basant was celebrated here on Thursday night and Friday in different city areas despite a ban, while police arrested 187 kite flyers and sellers and recovered over 7400 kites and around 300 kite flying string rolls from their possession.
According to a police spokesman, the police managed to arrest 81 kite flying ban violators on Thursday night and recovered over 4400 kites, 104 string rolls, sound system, weapons and other items.
He informed that 106 accused were sent behind the bars on Friday and police seized over 3000 kites and dozens of kite flying string rolls.
More than 600 accused were arrested and more than 61,000 kites and around 1200 string rolls were recovered during this season.
Rattaamral, Pirwadhai, R.A.Bazar, New Town, Sadiqabad, Airport, Westridge, Naseerabad, City and Waris Khan police conducted raids in their respective jurisdiction and netted kite flyers and sellers, he added.
The police had made it clear that kite flying was banned and strict action would be taken against the violators, but the enthusiasts celebrated the basant .
Basant festivity was seen in different areas, including Dhoke Khabba, Dhoke Chiraghdin, Jhanda Chichi, Tench Bhatta, People’s Colony, Misrial Road, Dhamial, Arya Mohallah, Chah Sultan, Ratta Amral, Pindora, Naya Mohalla, Railway colony, Pirwadhai, Satellite Town, Rattaamral, Pirwadhai, R.A.Bazar, New Town, Sadiqabad, Westridge, Naseerabad, Waris Khan, Committee Chowk and other areas ignoring police crackdown.
In several areas, particularly in congested localities, police faced great difficulty in arresting the kite flyers.
The police, on the directives of City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Mehmood Hamdani, continued a special crackdown against kite sellers and flyers on Friday.
The spokesman said all police stations had been directed to accelerate the ongoing operations against kite-flying ban violators while special teams under the supervision of senior police officers were also conducting raids in different areas.
Superintendent of Police, Rawal said that all available resources were being utilized to deal with kite flying.