Kanwar Yatra becomes stage for Kanwariyas to engage in violence

Uttar Pradesh: A series of violent incidents have been reported in relation to the recently started Kanwar Yatra, turning the pilgrimage event into a stage for Kanwariyas (the devotees undertaking the Kanwar Yatra) to engage in violence and vandalism.

In a Wednesday incident from a Kanwar camp at Meenakshi Chowk in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, a violent mob of Kanwariyas brutally beat up a mentally ill person. The person was allegedly beaten up for waving a stick at Kanwariyas. Scroll reported that a timely police intervention saved the victim.

A video of the incident surfaced on social media, too.

Muzaffarnagar police said that while being beaten up, the victim ran away, but his attackers chased him. Police rescued the person, gave him first aid, and he is under observation while the situation is under control, police said. They also informed that further action is underway.

Following the appearance of the video from the incident, netizens condemned the conduct of Kanwarias, while some lauded police action to save the man.

A user wrote, "The lawlessness in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh has peaked to an obnoxious order altogether. This video shows a mob of Kanwariyas flogging and assaulting a specially-abled man over the latter allegedly waving a stick. It took a cop with spine to disperse the mob and save the life of victim."

There was an incident on Tuesday, too, from UP's Saharanpur. A group of Kanwariyas created a ruckus, started violence, mercilessly beat up a bike rider and destroyed his bike. This was after the Kanwariyas' sacred kanwar allegedly got broken in an accident.