LAHORE, Dec 31: Youngsters and families celebrated the New Year Night on roads as well as at hotels and private places amid police deployment across the city on Monday night.

Where youngsters on motorcycles and cars came on roads, danced to loud music and performed stunts, families thronged private places and farmhouses to celebrate the New Year Night.

Text messages circulating on cell phones invited couples to New Year Night parties at farmhouses situated in areas like Bedian Road, Raiwind Road and Saggian just for Rs3,000.

It remained a challenge for the police deployed on major roads to stop youngsters from racing, performing stunts, blocking traffic and teasing women. Youngsters first assembled at Regal Chowk on The Mall and blocked the road at around 11:45pm. Police charged the youth with batons and dispersed them. Later, the youth again turned up on main city roads like The Mall and Gulberg Main Boulevard and caused traffic blockade.

Other roads and markets where people came to mark the occasion were Canal Road, M M Alam Road, Liberty Roundabout, Defence Main Boulevard, Cavalry Ground and Fortress Stadium.

DIG (Operations) Tahir Rai told Dawn that 8,000 policemen had been deployed to maintain law and order in the city.