Two held for firing in air at Parwanoo hotel

A wanton display of a pistol proved costly for two youths who were arrested last evening for brandishing a firearm and firing into the air during a dinner at a hotel near Parwanoo a few days ago.

Trouble began when one of them uploaded a video to his Instagram account, showing himself brandishing a pistol. The post raised concerns about public safety and soon went viral, prompting swift action by the police. During the investigation, Parwanoo police analysed technical evidence from the scene.

The accused were identified as Ankit Sonkar (27) of Kalka and Chirag Chauhan (22) of Parwanoo. Upon interrogation, the duo admitted to the act and the pistol used in the incident — registered in Chirag Chauhan’s name — was seized.

It was found that Sonkar had gone to Hotel Mogli for dinner with friends, where Chirag Chauhan was also present. While sitting on the rooftop, Sonkar took Chirag’s pistol and fired into the air, a reckless display of bravado. Three days later, Sonkar uploaded the video of the act to Instagram, further compounding the offence.

The police are now examining the criminal backgrounds of the two and a further probe is underway. A case has been registered under Section 25(1B)(a) of the Arms Act and Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for acts endangering human life.