Car hits Kanwariyas on Delhi-Meerut Road, angry devotees thrash driver and vandalise vehicle – ‘The driver was intoxicated’, say police
A group of Kanwariyas, returning from Haridwar, allegedly attacked a man and damaged his car late on Tuesday night in Ghaziabad’s Modinagar area. The incident took place after the driver’s car allegedly brushed past some of the pilgrims on their return journey, Hindustan Times reported.
According to the police, the driver has been identified as 30-year-old Rajiv Sharma, a resident of Muradnagar who works at the Modinagar Tehsil office. While passing through the Delhi-Meerut Road, Sharma’s Maruti Suzuki Swift allegedly hit two Kanwariyas walking with containers of holy Ganga water.
The Kanwariyas, angered by the incident, chased the vehicle for about a kilometre until it got stuck in traffic. They then surrounded the car, vandalised it, and allegedly beat Sharma.
According to the police, six men, Om, Harkesh, Shagun, Shyam, Anuj and Shivam, residents of Mewat in Haryana had halted near Mahendrapuri Gate to rest while returning from Haridwar with Ganga water, TOI reported.
"As they were resting by the roadside, the Swift hit one of the pilgrims, leaving him with minor injuries. Enraged, the other men chased the car and pulled out the driver from the vehicle and thrashed him badly. The men also damaged his vehicle," TOI quoted a police officer as saying.
However, police did not register any first information report (FIR) against the Kanwariyas. Sharma, however, was arrested under Section 170 (arrest to prevent commission of cognisable offences) of BNSS. His medical examination confirmed he was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
Surendra Nath Tiwary, DCP of rural zone, said that additional sections may be added once investigation progresses.
“It was alleged that the Swift brushed past one of them, triggering outrage among the group. They vandalised the car and beat the driver. Police intervened promptly. Sharma was found to be intoxicated in the medical exam. He is stable now and the Kanwariyas were allowed to proceed on their journey,” HT quoted Gyan Prakash Rai, ACP of the Modinagar circle as saying.
One of the pilgrims, Harkesh Kumar from Mewat, Haryana, said, “We were carrying 81 litres and 11 litres of Ganga Jal in our Kanwars. The car hit two of us and sped away. We chased it for a kilometre and stopped it when it got stuck in traffic. The police then arrived and took the driver away.”
The Kanwar Yatra is an annual religious pilgrimage that takes place during the Hindu month of Shravan. Thousands of Kanwariyas travel to Haridwar in Uttarakhand to collect water from the Ganga and return to their hometowns on foot.
The return journey passes through towns like Roorkee, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, and Delhi. Due to the large number of pilgrims, police enforce strict traffic diversions and maintain a heavy presence along major routes, especially the Delhi-Meerut corridor.
DCP Rural Surendra Nath Tiwary confirmed that diversions for light vehicles on this route will come into effect from July 17. For now, security has been tightened to avoid such clashes, HT reported.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
