Hathras (Uttar Pradesh): Six Kanwar devotees were killed and one suffered serious injuries when they were mowed down by a speeding truck at around 2.15 am on Saturday at Sadabad in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. According to police, they were en route to Gwalior from Haridwar with their Kanwars when the accident took place. This was confirmed by Rajeev Krishna, ADG, Agra zone. All deceased Kanwar devotees hailed from the Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh.
The police said that the probe into the incident is underway and they received information about the truck driver. The ADG said that the culprit will be nabbed soon. Devotees of Lord Shiva walk on foot to Haridwar, Rishikesh, Gaumukh and other places in Uttarakhand to fetch the holy water of the Ganga river in the auspicious Hindu month of 'Shravan' and offer it to God.
Meanwhile, chaos erupted in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut on Saturday, after a group of Kanwar devotees blocked National Highway 58 after a dispute ensued between participants of the procession and those aboard a vehicle. Speaking about the incident, SSP Rohit Singh Sajwan said police had taken stock of the situation and using CCTV cameras, the exact incident would be re-examined. He further noted that those in the procession had been provided a dedicated vehicle to travel back to Rajasthan.
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Earlier this week, seven Kanwariyas were swept away by the strong current of the river Ganga while taking a holy bath in Haridwar. The Kanwariyas were rescued in a joint operation by the army and police after they were spotted floundering about in the river. Naresh Chaudhary, the magistrate, said that the swimmers' team of the army has rescued at least 18 Kanwariyas so far from drowning.
