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In a third act of violence since the pilgrimage season began on July 22, dozens of furious Kanwariyas on Monday damaged a Bolero SUV with a 'police' tag on it at Delhi Meerut Road. As per reports, the incident was triggered as the driver allegedly brushed past pilgrims near Duhai in Ghaziabad, said police.
In a video making rounds on social media, Kanwariyas could be heard chanting and vandalising the Bolero with a 'police' tag using sticks, bricks,, and baseball bats before overturning the vehicle.
According to police, the incident took place near Duhai on Delhi Meerut Road on Monday morning when a Bolero car bearing a ‘police’ sticker and fitted with sirens, allegedly brushed passed past several Kanwariyas walking towards Ghaziabad city. It has also been told that the vehicle accidentally entered the lane reserved for Kanwariyas from Muradnagar to Ghaziabad. According to police, the SUV on Monday was driven by Muradnagar resident Avnish Tyagi.
Commenting on the incident, Abhishek Srivastava, assistant commissioner of police, Kavinagar, said, “The SUV was driven by Tyagi, who is a driver for the power corporation’s vigilance department. We have come to know that the SUV entered the lane reserved for Kanwariyas from Muradnagar and brushed past Kanwariyas near Duhai. After that, angry Kanwariyas damaged the vehicle. Police teams rushed to the spot and pacified the pilgrims.”
Deputy commissioner of police (city) Rajesh Kumar said the Bolero just brushed past the Kanwariyas and none suffered any injury.
“The Kanwairyas got angry upon this. The police made efforts to stop him… but the driver seemed to be in an inebriated state. He was arrested later. He was booked for rash and negligent driving,” the DCP said.
Previously, on July 25, a group of furious Kanwariyas allegedly beat up Pravesh Kumar, a contractual worker, at Muradnagar canal area when he asked them not to sit on a fence he was erecting alongside the canal.
A similar incident of violence was reported on July 27 as well when dozens of angry Kanwariyas beat up a Honda City car driver in Muradnagar. The police maintained that the car entered the lane reserved for Kanwariyas from Modinagar and drove to Muradnagar where the incident took place.
