TWO brothers in Ahmedabad in the western Indian state of Gujarat left no stone unturned to celebrate the second birthday of their pet dog Abby, an Indian Spitz, with fanfare.
They spent as much as rupees seven lakh (£6,961) for the occasion -- from booking a party plot to roping in a singer to inviting guests and cutting cakes and even playing garba. But it did not end well with the organisers as cops raided the party after receiving a tip off and arrested more than one on charges of violating Covid rules. The incident happened on Friday (7).
The brothers -- Chirag Patel (24) and Urvish Patel (19) -- both residents of the eastern state of West Bengal, were caught besides Divyesh Mehariya (35), who also belongs to Bengal. The raid took place around 11 pm local time and the trio were booked for not wearing masks, flouting social-distancing norms and holding a gathering without seeking permission.
A video of the party celebrating the canine's birthday was also circulated on social media.
"The venue was decorated with flowers, balloons, photos and cutouts of the pet. There was a huge stage for the orchestra and singers. The family cut birthday cakes and guests were seen dancing with great verve," the police said.
Constable Sunilkumar Patani, who registered the complaint against the party organisers, told the Times of India, "The family had hired a Gujarati singer. The party organisers as well as the guests were seen dancing without masks. So a case was registered against them."
Kash Patel 201117-A-PZ314-002 
Some panic-stricken commuters reportedly considered jumping off the trains, but were eventually rescued safely (PTI photo)