Chaos after lathicharge on UP’s Kanwariyas, 10 hours of uproar on Delhi-Haridwar highway

Pandit Divyansh Sharma
Chief Editor
19 June, Haridwar.
There was a dispute over filling Ganga water from UP at Haridwar Ganga Ghat. There was a lot of uproar after lathi charge on Kanwariyas. Angry Kanwariyas remained on Haridwar-Delhi highway the whole night, due to which the police also got nervous. There was a ruckus on Delhi-Haridwar for about 10 hours, but finally the matter calmed down after the government expressed regret. There was a lot of uproar throughout the night when Kankhal police lathicharged Kanwariyas carrying Ganga water to Pura Mahadev temple in western UP on the service lane adjacent to Delhi-Haridwar National Highway. Kanwariyas remained on the highway the whole night demanding action against Kankhal police. There was a jam on the highway after the protest. Haridwar police looked helpless due to Kanwariyas standing on the highway. After the protest that went on till late night under the leadership of SP City Swatantra Kumar Singh, after Kankhal police expressed regret, Kanwariyas reached Har Ki Pauri in police custody, filled Ganga water again and then left. Local police also remained alert along with Kanwariyas till the border of the district. The incident happened late on Monday night. A group of Kanwariyas from UP’s Baghpat district had reached here to collect Gangajal. The group left from Harki Pauri late on Monday evening with Gangajal. As soon as the tractor trolley of Kanwariyas reached the service lane in Kankhal area, Kankhal police reached the spot. Accusing the Kanwariyas of jamming, the police asked them to leave quickly. The Kanwariyas protested against this. It is alleged that the Kankhal police lathicharged the Kanwariyas and chased them away. Angry at the injuries to a Kanwariya, the Kanwariyas reached under the Premnagar Ashram flyover and created a ruckus. The police took their tractor trolley into custody. The Kanwariyas reprimanded the inspector Bhavna Kanthola present on the spot and then blocked the highway and sat down. On getting the information, local Hindu leaders also started gathering. SP City SK Singh, CO City Juhi Manral reached the spot in a hurry. Even after the officers’ persuasion, the Kanwariyas did not relent.

They remained adamant on the demand for action against the police officers who lathi charged them. The ruckus continued throughout the night. Early in the morning, the SP City succeeded in persuading the Kanwariyas. After this, the Kanwariyas were treated. The Kanwariyas again reached Har Ki Pauri to collect Ganga water on a conditional basis. They filled the Ganga water in their urns under police custody, after which they left for their return journey. SP City Swatantra Kumar Singh said that the Kanwariyas were persuaded and sent away. The police officer expressed regret publicly After the ruckus that continued throughout the night, the Kanwariyas agreed early in the morning that from the Inspector in charge to all the policemen would publicly express regret. Finally, the policemen had to agree to their words. From the inspector to all the policemen in plain clothes reached Premnagar Ashram intersection, where the ruckus was going on throughout the night. The Inspector in charge expressed regret with folded hands, after which all those policemen also expressed regret, then the anger of the Kanwariyas subsided. During this time, the saints present with the Kanwariyas kept getting angry at the police.