Liquor Vend Sparks Tension at Kanwar Yatra Route

Ghaziabad: A group of 'kanwariyas' vandalised a liquor vend and misbehaved with the seller for keeping the outlet open along the route dedicated for the pilgrims, a police official said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred a few metres away from Sahibabad police station on Monday night.

According to ACP Sahibabad Rajneesh Upadhayay, the pilgrims ('kanwariyas') were on their way to Delhi after fetching holy water from the river Ganga in Haridwar.

He said the pilgrims were enraged when they saw that a liquor vend was running from behind a tent. They broke the counter and allegedly misbehaved with a salesman and manhandled him.

Upon getting the information, Sahibabad police reached the spot and pacified them.

The protesting pilgrims questioned why shop owner Shyam Lal was permitted to open his outlet when the entire road was closed and only devotees were allowed to move with their 'kanwars' and vehicles.

A purported video of the incident also appeared on social media in which 'kanwariyas' were allegedly seen thrashing a man who was in an inebriated condition.

ACP Sahibabad Rajneesh Upadhayay said that the man was taken into custody. 

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