Two groups defy Gzb police warning, hold birthday parties on Hindon elevated road; 18 arrested

Police said they arrested five persons in connection with the first birthday party held around 8.30pm on Tuesday, and arrested 13 more for holding a second party around 12.30am Wednesday

Police on Wednesday arrested 18 persons for celebrating two birthday parties on the Hindon elevated road on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

Police nabbed the second group when police teams noticed them creating a ruckus on the road. (HT Photo)

Police said they arrested five persons in connection with the first birthday party held around 8.30pm on Tuesday, and arrested 13 more for holding a second party around 12.30am Wednesday. They also registered two FIRs in connection with the incidents which took place for the second and third time within a week. Police on Sunday had arrested two persons who were part of a group celebrating a birthday on the elevated road last Saturday. A hunt is on to trace the remaining members of the group, police added.

“Yet again, two birthday parties were held on the Hindon elevated road. The first one was around 8.30pm while the other came to light early Wednesday. Police caught the first group when a video of their party went viral on social media, and nabbed the second group when police teams noticed them creating a ruckus on the road. Two FIRs have been filed into the incidents under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and four cars have been seized,” Gyanendra Kumar Singh, superintendent of police (city 2), said.

“Not only were the men hosting a party, they were blocking the road, which resulted in a traffic jam, and they were intimidating some commuters while offering cake to other passersby,” the SP added.

Police caught the first group when a video of their party went viral on social media. (HT Photo)

The video of the first party which went viral showed several men gathered around a car. It was shot by a man who stopped his car and tried to ask the men if it was okay to hold such a party on a busy road. The men, instead, offered him cake, but he refused.

Police identified five men in the group as Faheem Ahmad, Saddam Ahmad, Mohammad Azeem, Aman Kumar and Sonu Prakash, all residents of Vijay Nagar, and said they were booked under IPC sections for rioting, disobedience to order promulgated by public servant, acts endangering life and safety of others, voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restrain and intentional insult.

Police identified the 13 persons arrested in connection with the second party as Aman Tomar, Sachin Kumar, Jatin Kumar, Paras Chaudhary, Deepak Sharma, Mayank Sharma, Aniket Verma, Shivam Sharma, Shubham Saxena, Pranjal Sharma, Ashish Kumar, Manan Sharma and Jai Kumar, all residents of Vasundhara and Vaishali localities. They were also booked under similar sections of the IPC as the first group at Sahibabad police station.

Birthday parties on the Hindon elevated road have become a cause of concern for Ghaziabad Police even as they have issued several warnings of stringent action against people partying on the road.

After the Saturday’s birthday party on the elevated road, SSP Muniraj G had issued strict warning to troublemakers. “This is becoming a regular feature. So, we have decided that two police teams will be deployed in the area late at night to check such instances. We are also putting up flex boards with messages for the public to restrain from such acts,” SP Gyanendra Kumar Singh said.

The 10.3km Hindon elevated road connects Raj Nagar Extension to UP-Gate near East Delhi and passes Sahibabad, Vasundhara, Indirapuram and Vaishali areas. It is also a happy hunting ground for bikers who speed and do stunts on the stretch. The road is used by two-wheelers and light vehicles and is devoid of any CCTV coverage or devices to check vehicles flouting traffic norms.