'I am a celebrity. What serious crime did I commit': Surat businessman faces backlash for blocking road to celebrate son’s birthday with fireworks

Traffic came to a standstill in Surat after a local businessman allegedly blocked a busy road to celebrate his son’s 19th birthday by bursting fireworks, an incident that quickly gained attention on social media. The videos, recorded on December 21 in the city’s Dumas area, show 58-year-old builder Izardar along with a few associates occupying the roadway while setting off fireworks and sparklers to mark his son’s 19th birthday. Several vehicles are seen waiting as the celebrations unfold.

In one clip, Izardar stands in the middle of the road holding two sparkler launchers. When occupants of a car honk in protest, he appears to turn towards them and point the lit fireworks in their direction before resuming the display. Another man accompanying him is later seen speaking to the people inside the car. Additional footage shows a chain of firecrackers being ignited directly on the road, while another video captures Izardar lighting fireworks from the roadside as traffic continues to pass nearby.

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Responding to criticism, the businessman defended his actions, arguing that events held at nearby grounds frequently involve fireworks and lead to prolonged traffic congestion without any official intervention. He also claimed that rivals deliberately shared the videos to damage his image. Speaking to Zee Media, he said, “I am a celebrity. What serious offence did I commit by stopping people for just five minutes?”

Police, however, took a different view. According to an official statement, Izardar was found bursting firecrackers and launching fireworks on a public road near the post office close to his residence, causing inconvenience to commuters and violating a notification issued by the Police Commissioner. Authorities have registered a case against him under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to disobedience of lawful orders issued by public servants.