Kanwar Yatra: A group of Kanwariyas went on a rampage and vandalised a car in Ghaziabad after the vehicle reportedly brushed a pilgrim and damaged his Kavad (sacred pot used to carry water from the River Ganga).
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media platforms showing a mob of angry Kanwariyas vandalising a white Honda City car with sticks and stones.
कांवड़ियों के नंग-नाच का नया वीडियो #गाजियाबाद से है. कार कांवड़ियों से छू गई तो लाठियां लेकर गुंडों ने कार को तोड़ डाला
दिल नहीं भरा तो कार पलट दी और कचरा कर दी. कानून व्यवस्था की रक्षक खाकी इस दौरान गुंडों को पहचान नहीं सकी pic.twitter.com/MYthTkd4dj
— Narendra Pratap (@hindipatrakar) July 27, 2024
The irate pilgrims caused heavy damage to the car, ripping out its windows, smashing its tail lights and glasses with wooden sticks. In the later part of the video, some Kanwariyas then overturned the damaged vehicle and dumped it on the side of the road, the clip showed.
As per reports, the car driver also sustained minor injuries in the altercation with Kanwariyas, who were later pacified by some police officers who arrived at the scene.
According to the police, a heated argument erupted between the car driver and a group of Kanwariyas in Ghaziabad after he mistakenly drove his car on a route designated for the Kanwar Yatra and accidentally brushed a pilgrim, damaging his ‘Kavad’.
The incident triggered outrage from Kanwariyas who cornered the car driver and vandalised his vehicle following an altercation, they said.
An official said that no Kavad was severely damaged in the incident and the sacred Gangajal (sacred water from the River Ganga) was not spilled.
In a related incident, a group of Kanwariyas attacked a parking lot employee with swords in New Tehri district of Uttarakhand following a dispute over parking fee.
As per the police, the incident occurred on Saturday last at the Janaki Pul parking lot near the Neelkanth temple. The accused men, who had parked their tractor-trolley at the parking lot, got into a heated argument with the staffers over parking and attacked him with swords, a senior official said, adding that the four Kanwariyas– all residents of Sonipat, Haryana, have been arrested.
(With inputs from agencies)