Residents bear brunt of kanwariya procession in Delhi, allege police inaction

A senior police officer said that they received around 250 complaints in the six days - Friday to Wednesday - and have attended to all

No first information report (FIR) was registered against kanwariyas by Delhi Police since Friday with respect to violating noise pollution norms or traffic rules.

Residents also said that they felt unsafe and took measures themselves to avoid any untoward incidents. (ANI photo)

According to residents, Delhi Police didn’t take any action against kanwariyas even as complaints of boombox being played at loud volume post 10pm and all throughout the day were reported across the national Capital when the lawlessness peaked on Tuesday.

“We have been asked by the top bosses to not take any strict action against kanwars. There is nothing we can do except politely ask them to adhere to the laws. Mostly, they don’t but our hands are tied,” said an assistant sub-inspector tank officer posted in south Delhi.

Only handful of cases were registered against kanwar pilgrims before the procession began on Friday in which people were seriously injured.

For instance, a case was registered against four kanwar pilgrims in east Delhi on charges of attempt to murder when a 29-year-old nearly died after he was attacked by them over a parking issue.

Residents also said that they felt unsafe and took measures themselves to avoid any untoward incidents.

“I didn’t wear shorts in my locality while walking because some groups of kanwars were entering our locality to sit in our park. I felt extremely uncomfortable. Most of them were smoking,” said a 28-year-old resident of a locality near Apsara Border in Shahdara.

All the residents HT spoke to complained of inaction by local police despite complaints.

“My shift in the Gurugram office ends at 9:30pm. I usually reach home by 11:30pm and mine is the last stop. The last few days, I felt so uneasy and uncomfortable even when the driver and security guard were with me because these people are huge in numbers. I was worried something untoward wouldn’t happen,” said Shweta Arora, 39, resident of West Delhi’s Kirti Nagar.

A few others also reported sporadic incidents of violence involving kanwars.

Pritam Pal Singh, a 55-year-old auto rickshaw driver said that on Tuesday, the front mirror of a cab driver was broken down by a group of kanwariyas near Shivaji College in west Delhi as his car accidentally touched one of them walking on the road.

“The kanwariya who was touched by the vehicle wasn’t even carrying the holy water. He was only walking but still they all got together and broke the cab’s front view mirror. Three-four of us saved the cab driver from being beaten up. Police was called but they didn’t take any action,” he said.

Another senior police officer said that they received around 250 complaints in the six days - Friday to Wednesday - and have attended to all.

“No case has been registered but we have taken measures to ensure residents don’t face any problems,” the officer said.