Shiva8217;s devotees turn destroyers

GURGAON, July 21: An angry mob set ablaze a police Gypsy, a Haryana Roadways bus and a trailer loaded with Maruti cars after a Kanwaria ...

GURGAON, July 21: An angry mob set ablaze a police Gypsy, a Haryana Roadways bus and a trailer loaded with Maruti cars after a Kanwaria a pilgrim who is a worshipers of Shiva and is carrying Ganga Jal from Har Ki Pauri in Hardwar back to his hometown, Mahender Singh, was crushed to death by the trailer on the Jaipur Highway near Rampura village, around 10 km from here. Three other pilgrims were also injured in the accident.

According to the police, the incident took place around 4 am today when the driver of the trailer swerved the vehicle to the left side of the road in an attempt to avoid collision with a Haryana Roadways bus coming from the opposite side. The vehicle hit the pilgrims who were on their way to Manesar.

While Mahender Singh, a resident of Dharuhera, died on the spot, Sunil of Taouru village and Balram of Dharuhera village were admitted to a local hospital with fractures. The third injured was discharged after first-aid.

Immediately after the accident, the mob in a fit of anger,torched the trailer and the Haryana Roadways bus. Soon afterwards villagers from the nearby Rampura village gathered at the spot and along with the Kanwarias blocked traffic for nearly three hours.

When the police reached the spot, they set ablaze their vehicle as well. Says Ram Prasad, head constable of Sadar police station: 8220;It took us nearly three hours to reach the spot as there was a massive traffic jam. When we reached there at around 7 am, there was still a large mob there. They immediately pounced on us and set ablaze the police Gypsy too.8221;

Normalcy on the busy highway was restored after several hours and police had to divert the traffic. The police said that while the bus and the police Gypsy were completely gutted, only the rear portion of the trailer was burnt. However, three Maruti cars loaded in the trailer were burnt.

The police has registered a case against the errant driver as well as the mob, however no arrests have been made so far.

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For the past one week, the Delhi-Mathura highwayhas been witness to various such incidents involving Kanwarias. 8220;It has become a usual feature for the Kanwarias to get involved in brawls with scooterists, motorists and even passers-by at the drop of a hat,8221; said the Deputy Commissioner Faridabad B.K. Panigrahi.