Lucknow: Three kanwariyas have been arrested for allegedly assaulting a CRPF jawan after an argument over the buying of tickets at Mirzapur railway station.
According to a PTI report, the CRPF jawan was headed to board the Brahmaputra Express, and the kanwariyas also wanted to buy tickets for the same train. An argument ensued.
PTI quoted Government Railway Police (GRP) Inspector Raghavendra as saying that the GRP jawans deployed on the spot tried to calm tempers. Additional forces were sent and the CRPF jawan was ultimately rescued.
The GRP registered a case against the kanwariyas under sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the BNS and the Railway Act.
The three were later released on bail.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said all arrangements have been made to prevent any law and order issue, and any inconvenience to the Kanwariyas as well as non-participants.
The CM further said that some anti-social elements are attempting to defame the Kanwar Yatra. He urged the public to identify these elements and alert the authorities.
He also appealed to Kanwariyas to also understand the problems faced by others. He urged them that if anyone attempts to disrupt their pilgrimage, they must alert the police and not take matters into their own hands.
This comes days after the Uttar Pradesh Police banned Kanwar Yatra pilgrims from carrying sticks, tridents, hockey sticks and using motorbikes without silencers in parts of the state following a string of clashes and incidents of vandalism during the pilgrimage.
The restrictions were imposed in Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Hapur and Baghpat as the Kanwar Yatra progresses through several districts in Uttar Pradesh, with thousands of devotees travelling by foot and by vehicle to collect holy water from the Ganga.
Saharanpur Range DIG Abhishek Singh directed officials Thursday to strictly implement all guidelines during a video conference with district officials and representatives of the Kanwar Yatra Sangh, emphasising the importance of enforcing the rules for Kanwariyas.
“No Kanwar pilgrim should carry sticks or tridents, and the use of modified bikes without silencers must stop,” he said in a video statement. He also urged those transporting Kanwars in large vehicles to ensure the size of the Kanwar and DJ setups are within permissible limits, citing road conditions and safety.
Singh told ThePrint they were “advisory measures for the Kanwaryias who are passing through Muzzaffarnagar, Saharanpur and Shamli”.
Another senior UP police officer and ADG of Meerut Zone, Bhanu Bhasker, told ThePrint that authorities are taking all necessary steps to prevent incidents of vandalism during the Kanwar Yatra. “We have implemented strict measures to curb any violence. Action has already been taken against those found involved in such activities. Additionally, the carrying of weapons during the Kanwar Yatra has also been prohibited in the Meerut zone.”
The Kanwar Yatra, an annual event in which devotees travel to collect water from the Ganga in Haridwar and other holy sites to offer at Shiva temples, began on 11 July and will last for about two weeks.
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More than a dozen incidents reported
The measures were put in place after over a dozen incidents of violence were reported in western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the past week.
UP police has not released any data on the cases registered against Kanwariyas, but data from the Mela Police Force Control Room in Uttarakhand showed that more than 170 Kanwariyas were booked under charges such as hooliganism, rioting, blocking highways, obstructing police personnel, breach of peace and wrongful restraint in five days since the Kanwar Yatra began.
In Uttar Pradesh, most cases of vandalism occurred in Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad and Kanpur, while in Uttarakhand, Haridwar has emerged as the focal point of such disturbances.
According to media reports, a group of Kanwariyas threw stones at a mini-truck Thursday and broke its windows after it allegedly hit a Kanwariya crossing a road in the Daurala area of Meerut on the Delhi-Dehradun Highway (NH-58). The situation escalated quickly as more Kanwariyas joined in. Police took the injured Kanwariya to the hospital and brought the situation under control. No FIR has been lodged.
In another incident on 14 July, a group of Kanwariyas allegedly vandalised a dhaba in Meerapur, accusing its Muslim owners of not displaying their identities at their establishment, police said. Earlier, a group of Kanwariyas vandalised a dhaba in Muzaffarnagar after they were allegedly served onion in their food. The Kanwariyas are accused of damaging furniture, the kitchen and the ceiling fans at the dhaba.
Another group of Kanwariyas damaged a car in Ghaziabad on the same day, claiming it had hit a Kanwar. Video clips showed a Kanwariya standing on top of the car, smashing its windshield with a stick. Police were present but did not stop them.
In Meerut, Kanwariyas damaged a school bus Tuesday, alleging it had brushed a Kanwar.
Tension also rose in the Shivrajpur area of Kanpur on 15 July, after a Kanwar pilgrim was injured. Other Kanwariyas blamed the police for the injury and attacked them.
Later, around 80-90 people reached the Shivrajpur police station, created a ruckus and reportedly entered the station. They are accused of misbehaving with the inspector and other policemen.
In Uttarakhand’s Haridwar, four Kanwariyas reportedly vandalised an eyeglass shop on Tuesday after the shopkeeper refused to lower the price. Although the incident was caught on CCTV installed by the police, no action was taken against them.
Politicians raising questions
Azad Samaj Party chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad questioned the UP administration for not being able to control vandalism during the Kanwar Yatra.
“Why is there free rein for hooliganism in the name of religion?’ Every other day, vandalism happens in West UP in the name of faith; this is worrisome,” he told ThePrint.
Badaun Samajwadi Party MP Aditya Yadav raised concern over the recent violent incidents during the Kanwar Yatra.
Referring to an incident where a girl was beaten simply for touching a scooter, he said in Sambhal such actions go against the spirit of devotion and added that God would not accept Gangajal brought through such behaviour.
He emphasised that Kanwariyas who carry Gangajal with true devotion deserve respect, while those engaging in anti-social activities in the name of the Yatra must be strongly condemned.
He also urged the police administration to ensure peace and harmony throughout the pilgrimage.
Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) urged devotees to maintain the spiritual essence of the pilgrimage and avoid actions that tarnish its religious significance.
In a statement, ABAP president Mahant Ravindra Puri expressed concern over the rising violence, emphasising that the Yatra stands for “compassion”, not “aggression”.
Yogi & Dhami have a different stand
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami told the media that security had been tightened, but the number of Kanwariyas is increasing every day. “We have clearly directed the police to ensure that no one takes the law into their own hands, and they are carrying out their duties accordingly,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath strongly condemned attempts to malign the image of Kanwar pilgrims, saying that branding them as miscreants or “terrorists” is an insult to India’s cultural and spiritual heritage.
“During the holy month of Sawan, Kanwariyas undertake their yatra with devotion, chanting ‘Har Har Bam Bam’. Yet, some people from other communities insult them and label them as terrorists. They are subjected to media trials and defamed, which is completely wrong,” the chief minister said at a public event in Varanasi on Friday.
He added that such a mindset not only targets the pilgrims but also disrespects the faith and traditions of the country.
Earlier on Monday, he instructed officials to arrange floral showers from helicopters at key points along the Kanwar Yatra route as a mark of respect and welcome for devotees during the holy month of Sawan.
In a review meeting on Kanwar Yatra on 14 July, Adityanath emphasised the need for officials to remain alert, sensitive and proactive to ensure a safe and peaceful environment for the pilgrims.
He also stressed the importance of comprehensive arrangements along the Yatra route, including cleanliness, medical aid, drinking water, food canteens, rest stops and toilets.
Officials have been directed to pay special attention to the safety and comfort of women Kanwariyas, with instructions for the effective deployment of female police personnel.
This is an updated version of the report.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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