On Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested 6 people from Paragwa, Bareilly for harassing the Kanwariyas amid the ongoing Kanwar Yatra. It is alleged that the villagers led by the Gram Pradhan Shakina and her father-in-law Ishtiaq threw contaminated water on the Kanwariyas while they were passing through the village. The villagers also pelted stones at the pilgrims.
According to the reports, Rajendra the Gram Pradhan of the neighboring Lakhaura village, along with some other Kanwariyas were traveling on a tractor-trolley to a place named Kachla to collect water from the Ganga river. When this group passed through Paragwa village at around 5 in the evening, Ishtiaq, the father-in-law of the village head Shakina, blocked the way for the Kanwariyas. Describing it as an unconventional route, he asked the Kanwariyas to avoid the route and take some other route instead.
अमृत विचार की ख़बरें#AmritVichar #AmritVicharNews #AmritVicharNewspaper #UttarPradesh@InfoDeptUP @BlyInformation @dmbareilly @CommissionerBa1 @nagarayukt @CdoBareilly @bareilly_nn @UmeshGautamBJP @bareillypolice @ssp_bareilly @Uppolice @adgzonebareilly @igrangebareilly pic.twitter.com/RIK1vlocbn
— Amrit Vichar अमृत विचार (@AmritVichar) July 30, 2022
Ishtiaq also pressured the Kanwariyas to stop the DJ system and turned off the generator sound. Further, when Kanwariyas stepped ahead to move forward, some people accompanying Ishtiaq created a ruckus. They launched physical attacks on Kanwariyas and the women villagers to throw dirty water at the pilgrims. The women who were set on the roofs also pelted stones at the Kanwariyas. The pilgrim Kanwariyas also then revolted against the actions led by Shakina and her father-in-law.
थाना कैण्ट क्षेत्रान्तर्गत ग्राम परगवा में हुये विवाद का आवश्यक समाधान करा दिया गया है । प्रकरण में अभियोग पंजीकृत कर 06 लोगों को हिरासत में लेकर की जा रही पूछताछ व अग्रिम कार्यवाही के सम्बन्ध में। #UPPolice pic.twitter.com/hrcctqv4AX
— Bareilly Police (@bareillypolice) July 29, 2022
On receiving information about the incident, the police reached the spot with heavy force. 6 people were taken into custody and interrogated. According to the police, the dispute has been resolved and further legal action is being taken. According to Bareilly’s ADM VK Singh, a police force has been deployed in the village for security and adequate arrangements have been made for the security of the kanwariyas.
The ongoing Kanwar Yatra 2022 is extremely special for the devotees of Lord Shiva as it is happening after a gap of two years. Lakhs of Kanwariyas all over India have been undertaking the arduous journey to collect water from the holy river Ganga and offer it to Lord Mahadev. However, there have been multiple instances where the Yatra has faced hateful attacks. Opindia has reported several such incidents which can be read here.
