FIR against three unidentified men after school van attacked in Lucknow, eyewitnesses blame ‘Kanwariyas’

Police have not officially mentioned if the men involved in the attack on the van were Kanwariyas despite eyewitnesses’ claims

A first information report (FIR) was registered against three unidentified people after a group of men, said to be part of the Kanwar Yatra, allegedly ransacked and pelted a private school van, carrying about seven children, with stones in Lucknow’s Chowk area on Monday morning.

The van which was pelted with stones in Lucknow on Monday morning. (SOURCED)

Eyewitnesses alleged that the men allegedly smashed the van’s windows in front of policemen. According to the police, the incident occurred after an argument over a minor collision between the van and the men on a bike, which later took a violent turn. Police, however, did not officially mention if the men on the bike were Kanwariyas despite eyewitnesses’ claims.

Police, which initially claimed it was a “small matter”, later registered the FIR after several videos of the incident circulated on social media, prompting parents to submit a complaint.

Lucknow’s deputy commissioner of police (West) Kamlesh Dixit said three unidentified persons vandalised a school van. By the time the police reached the spot, the three persons had escaped. An FIR was registered and efforts are being made to trace them, Dixit said.

“Based on a complaint lodged by the van driver, Mohd Aamir (26), police have registered an FIR under Sections 131 (assault or use of criminal force), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and 324(4) (mischief causing damage) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. An investigation is underway,” said DCP West Kamlesh Dixit

In a video, three young men could be seen fleeing the spot on their bike as another person recording the video was seen chasing them away. Another video also showed a smashed van window with children sitting inside.

According to a complaint submitted to the Chowk police by guardians of students of Emma Thompson School, Lalbagh, the incident took place at around 7am when the van carrying children was passing through the Charak crossing under the Chowk police station limits.

“After a minor accident, members of a Kanwariya group stopped the vehicles in front of my van and started hurling stones at the vehicle, damaging it and leaving the children terrified,” said Mohammad Aamir, the van driver.

Satendra Dwivedi, a parent, said no child sustained serious injuries but maintained that the incident could have led to a tragedy.

“We are filing a complaint at Chowk police station to register an FIR,” said Neelima Mishra, another parent.

Zareen Khan, another parent, told the media, “This happened in front of cops. They kept mum and watched it.”

Mohit Kashyap, an eyewitness, said, “These men not only attacked but also abused and fled the spot.”

“When the van driver initially approached Chowk police station, police personnel refused to register the complaint and instead threatened to seize the school van for allegedly operating without proper documents,” Dwivedi said.

When Chowk station house officer Nagesh Upadhyay was asked, he said no one was injured and called it a “small matter”. He further said that the group of men on the bike were behind the van which was in front when the possible minor collision took place. “The van left the spot immediately. We are trying to identify those involved,” he added.

When asked about the parents’ allegation that police initially refused to register the complaint and threatened to seize the vehicle, the SHO did not immediately comment.

“The accused are being identified using CCTV footage and viral videos,” the station house officer said.