Two incidents of firing were reported across Bihar during Holi with injuries to three people, a climbdown from last year's crime figures on the festival of colours.
A youngster and a child were injured in two separate incidents of firing in Begusarai on Monday. Rahul Kumar (22) was injured when a group fired in the air at Hemra Chowk under Town police station in the district, around 130km east of Patna. An 11-year-old boy, Saurav, was injured when criminals opened fire at Mohanpur in Begusarai.
In Bhojpur's Sanhangi village, under Garhani police station, Ravi Kumar was injured in a firing after an altercation between two people during Holika Dahan on Sunday. Police said the firing was the fallout of election rivalry.
While Rahul suffered minor injuries, Saurav and Ravi had to be hospitalised in the Begusarai district hospital and Bhojpur sadar hospital, respectively.
Although the festival of colours did not go off without a skirmish, it was still better from last year where festivities took an ugly turn. Three deaths were reported from Patna in 2016, apart from three from Rohtas, five from Muzaffarpur, one from Bhojpur and one from Motihari.
Residents attributed the relatively peaceful celebrations to prohibition and liquor seizure in the different districts prior to the festival.
Since March 1, around 1,500 litres of countrymade liquor were seized during raids conducted by the Patna police. Another 1,000 litres of Indian-made foreign liquor was also seized during the same time.
The biggest one-time seizure prior to the festival was made from Beur in Patna - 203 litres of country liquor.
As far as cannabis is concerned, more than 1,500kg of it had been seized in the past two months while 3.04 kg charas were also confiscated.
Though the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016 includes bhang in the category of intoxicating drugs, it is being sold in the open market for the "divine sanction and religious elements" associated with it, the police said.
Kotwali police officers said two betel shops at Dakbungalow Chowk that used to sell thandai were shut for the day on Holi.
