A video of Kanwar Yatris assaulting a transgender and tearing her clothes in Ghaziabad has gone viral.
Team Clarion
MUZAFFARNAGAR — Several reports of Kanwariyas engaging in vandalism and hooliganism have been reported on the annual Hindu pilgrimage route since the start of the rituals.
Kanwar Yatris have continued attacks on civilian and police targets often on flimsy grounds and an e-rickshaw driver died on Sunday five days after he was allegedly assaulted by the devotees who claimed that a Kanwar was hit by his vehicle in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district on 23 July.
According to reports, the deceased Mohit hit one of the Kanwar Yatris damaging the Kanwar holding the sacred water. The driver tried to flee after the accident, but a group of Kanwar Yatris overpowered and assaulted him creating a ruckus.
Police personnel reached the spot in time and rescued the driver and took him to a hospital. After initial treatment, Mohit’s family took him home and continued treatment.
Five days after the incident, the victim’s condition deteriorated and he was rushed to a hospital in Khatauli where he died on Sunday. Family members performed funeral rites without following legal procedure.
In a statement, the police said that Mohit got injured after meeting with an accident. “The e-rickshaw met with an accident and Mohit was injured in the leg. Later, Kanwariyas and the general public gathered at the spot. Mohit was in an inebriated state and suffering from ailments. He later died during treatment. The family didn’t agree to the post-mortem and took away the body for last rites.”
In an affidavit at the Katauli police station, the family members said that Mohit died of some ailments and they do not want an autopsy done.
“No one is responsible for his death. And we don’t want any police action in this matter,” reads the affidavit.
The death of Mohit appears to be the first casualty due to Kanwar Yatris’ violence this year. However, incidents of violence continue to be reported.
On Tuesday, a video of Kanwar Yatris assaulting a transgender and tearing her clothes in Ghaziabad has gone viral. According to reports, the crowd kept assaulting her till the police reached and rescued her. She was assaulted over the allegation of theft but the police said that the assault was due to misunderstanding and the victim is not a thief.
There are several reports and videos of violence and vandalism carried out by the Kanwar Yatris.
A viral video a couple of days ago showed Kanwariyas vandalising a car with seemingly Muslim occupants in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut.
The annual Kanwar Yatra began on July 22 and will end on August 6. The Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh governments have made elaborate arrangements to manage the huge rush of pilgrims.
The Kanwar Yatra will pass through Delhi, Meerut, Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, Shamli and Baghpat districts of Uttar Pradesh.
