Bride injured in celebratory firing in Ferozepur; CM Mann calls for restraint

Ferozpur (The Uttam Hindu): A wedding celebration in Ferozepur turned tragic when 23-year-old bride Baljinder Kaur was critically injured by a stray bullet during celebratory firing. The incident took place at Uppal Banquet Hall, near Khai Pheme Ki village, where family members were firing guns into the air—a practice that is illegal at such events.

The bullet struck Kaur in the head, and she was swiftly taken to a private hospital in Ferozepur. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was later transferred to DMC Ludhiana for further treatment. The groom's family, who had come from Tarn Taran district to attend the celebration, witnessed the joyous occasion quickly transform into a scene of panic and sorrow.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann expressed his shock over the incident, condemning the reckless celebratory firing on his official social media account, ‘X’. He called on the public to celebrate weddings responsibly and follow the ban on firearms at such events, highlighting the tragic outcomes that can result from neglecting safety. “What should have been a joyous occasion turned into tragedy. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to the injured bride and her family,” he wrote.

Following the incident, the police have filed charges against Gurpreet Singh, a relative of the bride, and Ashok Kumar Malik, the owner of the banquet hall, under several sections of the Arms Act. Inspector Jaswant Singh has been assigned as the Investigating Officer. No arrests have been made yet as the investigation is still ongoing.