Devotees became angry when a car hit a Kanwar during the Kanwar Yatra in Mangalore, Haridwar, damaging it. The driver was assaulted and the car vandalized. Police arrived at the scene and brought the situation under control.
Haridwar: Tensions erupted during the Kanwar Yatra in the Mangalore area of Haridwar after a car collided with a Kanwar and damaged it. Angry Kanwar pilgrims assaulted the driver and vandalized the vehicle. Police arrived at the scene, rescued the driver, and brought the situation under control.
Controversy escalates after car collision
According to reports, a car was traveling from Haridwar to Delhi on Saturday evening. As the vehicle crossed the flyover near Abdul Kalam Chowk in Mangalore, it struck devotees carrying Kanwars on the road. Some Kanwars were damaged in the collision. Upon learning of the broken Kanwars, devotees present at the scene became enraged, and a dispute quickly escalated.
According to eyewitnesses, the car driver was initially surrounded and then pushed and beaten. Within a short time, a large crowd gathered at the scene, disrupting traffic. Long queues of vehicles formed on both sides of the road, and traffic was disrupted for some time.
Angry people vandalized the car
After assaulting the driver, some people also turned their anger on the car. The vehicle’s windows and other parts were damaged. Bystanders also recorded videos of the entire incident on their mobile phones, which quickly went viral on social media.
Locals say that during the Kanwar Yatra, there are huge crowds of devotees, so drivers should exercise extra caution to avoid such incidents. Many also appealed for maintaining law and order.
Police reached the spot and controlled the situation
Upon receiving information about the incident, a police team immediately arrived at the scene. They first safely removed the car driver from the crowd and then calmed the situation by explaining things to the people. After some effort, the situation returned to normal and traffic was restored.
Police officials stated that the entire matter is being investigated. Footage from CCTV cameras installed around the scene and viral videos will also be examined. If it is confirmed that any individual took the law into their own hands or damaged public property, action will be taken as per the law.
Security arrangements tightened during Kanwar Yatra
During the month of Sawan, millions of devotees participate in the Kanwar Yatra in Haridwar and surrounding areas. Therefore, the administration is already vigilant regarding security arrangements. Additional police forces, traffic police, and surveillance teams have been deployed on major routes to ensure any untoward incident is dealt with immediately.
The administration has appealed to drivers to drive cautiously on the Kanwar Yatra routes and give adequate space to devotees. Devotees have also been urged to maintain peace and inform the police in case of any dispute, rather than taking the law into their own hands. Officials say that all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure a safe and peaceful conduct of the Yatra, and sensitive areas are being continuously monitored.