Delhi: Kanwariyas protest on GT Road, hold up traffic

The protest held up traffic for nearly an hour, resulting in long tailbacks on both sides of the carriageway.

Scores of Kanwariyas (pilgrims participating in Kanwar Yatra) on Tuesday blocked the Grand Trunk (GT) Road near Muslim-dominated Seelampur in north-east Delhi and staged a protest alleging that a piece of meat was thrown outside a Kanwar camp, set up near the Seelampur Metro station parking, as a result of which the holy Ganga water that they fetched from Haridwar had gone impure. The protest held up traffic for nearly an hour, resulting in long tailbacks on both sides of the carriageway.

Police later clarified that they did not find any meat at the camp and are scanning the CCTV footage to ascertain the veracity of the allegations. (Representative image)

Police later clarified that they did not find any meat at the camp and are scanning the CCTV footage to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.

Agitated Kanwariyas shouted slogans against the authorities and alleged that the meat was thrown near their camp deliberately, with an intent to hurt their religious sentiments. Several senior police officers reached the spot and spoke to the pilgrims to pacify them. Police said they will look into the matter and strict legal action will be taken, if anyone is found to be at fault.

After their assurance, the Kanwariyas dispersed and vehicular movement was restored on the GT Road and other adjoining roads, police said.

A senior police officer said on Tuesday afternoon, a group of Kanwar pilgrims from Alwar in Rajasthan arrived at the camp and put their Kanwars (containers with Ganga water) at the designated spot outside the camp. They went to have food and water and one of them returned to find a piece of meat near his Kanwar. He raised the alarm and informed the other Kanwariyas.

Soon, they gathered on the GT Road and started agitating, blocking the movement of vehicles. They began shouting slogans against police and authorities. The police soon reached the spot to pacify the pilgrims and restore traffic.

“We did not find any meat at the camp. However, CCTV cameras installed around the camp are being scanned to verify the allegations. There is a possibility that a stray dog might have dragged the piece of meat to the camp and later taken it away,” an officer said, asking not to be named.

He added that the police later arranged a vehicle to ferry the Kanwariyas to Haridwar again to fetch back holy water.