Haridwar: 114 people booked for stone pelting on Hanuman Jayanti Shobha yatra

Police said the situation was brought under control in a short time. A case of rioting has been lodged against 14 known and 100 odd unknown people at Bhagwanpur police station.

HARIDWAR: The Haridwar police on Sunday booked 114 people at Bhagwanpur police station after stones were pelted on religious procession (Shoba Yatra) being carried out on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti at Danda Jalalpur village in the district on Saturday late evening, police said.

Stone pelting was reported from Uttarakhand's Haridwar district on Saturday during a Hanuman Jayanti procession (Credit: @ANINewsUP)(@ANINewsUP)

Communal tension prevailed in Bhagwanpur block of Haridwar district as members of a particular community pelted stones on a religious procession at Danda Jalalpur village. The incident occurred Saturday late evening when the religious procession was passing through a minority community-dominated area at Danda Jamalpur village.

Stone pelting from a certain house was reported on the devotees taking part in the procession. Sudden stone-pelting resulted in chaos as devotees ran for cover. In retaliation, the participating devotees also pelted stones and burned a parked car and a two-wheeler.

According to the police, the situation was brought under control in a short time and on Sunday it was normal in the Danda Jamalpur village.

Provincial Armed Constabulary along with state police personnel have been deployed in and around the village.

“We have lodged a case against 14 people and 100 odd unknown accused. Probe and search are on to nab the accused,” said Station house officer Bhagwanpur, PD Bhatt.

Soon after the violence erupted, district police chief Yogendra Singh Rawat and superintendent of rural police Pramendra Dobhal arrived with the police force. Owing to the sensitivity of the incident, district magistrate Vinay Shankar Pandey also arrived at Danda Jamalpur village and took stock of the situation.

A case of rioting has been lodged against 14 known and 100 odd unknown people at Bhagwanpur police station in this regard.

Deputy inspector general of Garhwal division Karan Singh Nangiyal also arrived on Sunday at the village and enquired about the whole incident.

DIG-Garhwal enquired from district officials about legal action against the offenders, their arrest and the maintenance of peace in the area.

Police are also urging eminent residents, clerics, priests and influential people in the area to ensure no such incident recurs and peace is maintained.

Shiv Sena district secretary Shiv Tyagi warned that if culprits are not nabbed in a day or two, they will start agitation.