Over 170 Kanwariyas booked for hooliganism, rioting within five days of yatra commencement
New Delhi: In just five days since the Kanwar Yatra began on July 11, over 170 Kanwariyas have been booked across various parts of northern India on charges ranging from hooliganism and rioting to blocking highways, obstructing police, disturbing public peace, and wrongful restraint, according to data from the Mela Police Force Control Room cited by Hindustan Times.
The rising incidents of violence and lawlessness among a section of Kanwar pilgrims have prompted concern from religious bodies. On Tuesday (July 15), the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP) issued an appeal urging devotees to maintain the spiritual sanctity of the annual pilgrimage.
“This is not just a journey; it’s a deep act of devotion that dates back to the Treta Yug,” said Mahant Ravindra Puri, president of ABAP. “Kanwariyas must remember they are following the footsteps of revered figures like Parshuram and Shravan Kumar. This yatra is about compassion and penance, not aggression and chaos.”
Mahamandaleshwar Swami Harichetnanand Maharaj of Shri Panchayati Naya Bada Udasin Akhada echoed these sentiments, criticising what he described as the “distortion” of the pilgrimage’s core meaning. “We are seeing Kanwariyas pass Ganga Jal pitchers like batons in a relay race. This trivialises a sacred act,” he said.
Amid growing concerns, the Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday sought a response from the state’s Director General of Police and the Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department on how authorities plan to manage both the ongoing yatra and upcoming Panchayat elections, especially in light of the monsoon and heavy pilgrim traffic across the state.
The Kanwar Yatra, a major annual pilgrimage in which devotees of Lord Shiva carry sacred Ganga water from Haridwar and other riverbanks to their hometowns, has increasingly faced criticism in recent years over disruptions and reports of unruly behavior by some participants.
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MP: 12 labourers killed, 20 injured as pick-up van overturns and crashes into SUV
Dhar (MP) (PTI): Twelve labourers were killed and 20 others injured when the pick-up van carrying them overturned and collided with an SUV in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday night, an official said.
The incident occurred at 8:30-9 PM. According to preliminary information, 35 labourers were returning home in a pickup van from Baggad in Dhar district when the driver lost control of the vehicle near Chikliya crossing. The vehicle overturned and collided with an SUV coming from the opposite direction.
"Twelve people died on the spot, while approximately 20 others were injured," said Dhar district's in-charge collector, Abhishek Choudhary.
The seriously injured persons were referred to Indore after initial treatment, he said.
Choudhary, DIG Mayank Awasthi, and police personnel rushed to the spot.
Tirla police have registered a case and are investigating the accident.
