Baghpat: Kanwariyas clash with locals from another community, block road

According to police, a group of kanwariyas travelling in a tractor-trolley was on its way to a Shiva temple in Baghpat’s Karta village in Khekada police station area. The pilgrims entered in heated exchange with some locals who were standing on the road and allegedly refused to move aside for the vehicle to move ahead. The heated exchange soon turned into a scuffle as a some of the kanwariyas allegedly manhandled some locals.

“People from nearby village from another community joined the locals and both the groups indulged in a clash with brick-batting and sticks. A car was torched and several other vehicles damaged. A few in the mob also fired in the air,” said SP Baghpat, Poonam.

Senior officials rushed to the place and used force, around 2 am, to control the unruly mob. While no one could be arrested, police filed an FIR against unnamed accused, including the pilgrims, for indulging in the clash. The administration claimed that half a dozen kanwariyas had suffered injuries in the clash.

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On Monday, the kanwariyas sat on dharna at Delhi-Yamunotri Highway demanding immediate arrest of accused from the other group. They said they will neither perform puja at Shiva temple nor drink water until the arrests were made. Administration and police later managed to pacify the pilgrims who issued an ultimatum demanding the arrest of all the accused in four days.

Two kanwariyas electrocuted

Muzaffarnagar: Two kanwar pilgrims were electrocuted and three others severely injured after a high tension wire fell on a tractor trolly in Shamli. The incident occurred when they were returning from Haridwar and were on way to pray at Shiva temple Sunday. Deepak (35) and Rinu (22) died on the spot while the injured were admitted to a local hospital. In an another incident, a 35-year-old farmer was electrocuted after he came in contact with a live wire in a field.