SIALKOT, March 16: Three people, including a girl, were killed and around two dozens, mostly children, were injured in Basant ‘festivities’ here and in neighbouring Daska city on Sunday despite a ban imposed by the provincial government on celebrating the sport turning bloody in recent years.

A local seminary student, Hafiz Saddam Hussein, was riding on his motorcycle on Khadim Ali Road here when kite string cut his throat. He died on the spot.

A six-year-old girl, Riba Sadiq, was playing in front of her house in Sabzi Mandi area in Haji Pura when a kite string sliced her throat, killing her on the spot.

Tahir Ghouri, 18, was flying kites on his rooftop in Bhudhi Bazaar, Chowk Shaeedan, when a stray bullet hit him. He died instantly.

The injured were taken to the Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital and some private hospitals where five of them were stated to be in critical condition.

Several children received injuries after falling from rooftops of their houses, while vehicles hit others when they were chasing stray kites.

Meanwhile, both the cities witnessed frequent power outages owing to tripping after chemical and metallic kite-strings continued touching high and low tension electricity wires throughout the day. The citizens have protested the administration’s indifference in implementing the ban.

The police also arrested over 100 people from Sialkot and Daska during a crackdown against violators of the ban on kite-flying, selling and purchasing of kites and strings and aerial firing.

SHOT DEAD: Unidentified assailants shot two traders dead in two incidents in Daska and Pasrur tehsils.

Two unidentified bikers shot at Muhammad Younas, a 45-year-old trader, when he was sitting at his outhouse in Gojra village near Daska on Sunday morning.

Younas died on the spot while the assailants fled.

The Bambaanwala police registered a case with no arrest so far.

Similarly, unidentified gunmen shot Malik Rizwan, a 25-year-old trader, dead and fled after throwing his body on Chawinda Road in Pasrur on Saturday night. The city police are investigating but are clueless so far.