A midnight birthday celebration on a major Chhattisgarh highway spiraled into a public safety nightmare, with revelers blocking the Ambikapur-Banaras route for fireworks and cake-cutting. The February 16 escapade near Chathirma, under Jaynagar station, created a kilometer-long traffic backup lasting half an hour, trapping an ambulance and stranding motorists on both sides.
The group, originating from a dhaba at the Surguja-Surajpur border checkpoint, commandeered the road by positioning vehicles perpendicularly. Fireworks lit the night sky as they partied on a car bonnet, oblivious to the growing queue of frustrated drivers. Social media videos, including one showing the stalled ambulance, went viral, igniting demands for accountability.
Responding to the uproar, Latori police chowki lodged an FIR against 5-7 Ambikapur youths citing BNS sections 285 (public danger) and 126(2) (unlawful assembly). In-charge Arun Gupta revealed ongoing identification efforts, promising no leniency. The jam disrupted vital travel, highlighting risks to emergency services.
This flagrant disregard for traffic norms has reignited debates on regulating exuberant celebrations away from public spaces. Law enforcement emphasizes zero tolerance, with arrests imminent. As normalcy returns to the highway, the incident serves as a cautionary tale on balancing joy with civic responsibility.