Kanwarias pelted with stones for playing loud music, 2 hurt

A group of Kanwarias blocked Bisauli road in Badaun district on Monday morning after two of them were injured when another group of people pelted them with stones over playing loud music while passing by the Eidgah, where people were offering prayers.

The road remained blocked for over two hours until the police assured arrest of people involved in stone pelting and registered FIR in the matter, said police officials.

DIG (Bareilly range) Rajesh Pandey said the incident occurred when a group 20 Kanwarias from a Badaun village were returning from Haridwar on a tractor-trolley to perform ‘jalabhishek’ (pouring holy water) at a local Shiva temple on the last Monday of Sawan around 11 am.

A police driver was suspended for negligence during the incident, he said.

The Kanwarias were playing loud music on the tractor-trolley and the police asked them to keep the volume low when their vehicle came close to the Eidgah where Eid-ul-Azha namaz was underway, said Pandey.

However, someone in the group increased the volume when the tractor-trolley was passing from in front of the Eidgah, following which some people from the other community pelted them with stones, added the DIG.

Consequently, more youths joined the people involved in stone pelting. The Kanwarias initially tried to retaliate, but being less n number, they had to run for cover, said police.

Two Kanwarias were injured in the incident, but police alertness averted major trouble, said Pandey.

The Kanwarias blocked a 2-km stretch of the road from Eidgah demanding arrest of people involved in stone pelting. He said ASP (rural) SP Singh along with extra police force was rushed to the spot and soon the situation was controlled.

He said an FIR for rioting and causing hurt voluntarily was registered against unidentified people and further probe was on.

11 injured in Lakhimpur Kheri

As many as 11 Kanwarias were injured when a mini truck ferrying them overturned in Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday morning. Police said the injured were rushed to a district hospital, where eight people were discharged after primary aid while three were still undergoing treatment.

Police said the incident occurred on National Highway 730 under Fardhan police station limits when a group of Kanwarias were returning to Sitapur after visiting Lord Shiva temple in Lakhimpur Kheri around 10 am. They said the mini-truck driver lost control over the vehicle at a sharp turn.