Ghaziabad: A Muslim youth was assaulted by a group of Kanwariyas in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, after pilgrims accused him of breaking a Kanwar during their religious procession.
The youth, identified as Imran, was accused of touching a Kanwar and causing it to break. Several pilgrims surrounded him on the road near Guldhara railway station in the Madhuban Bapudham police station area and repeatedly slapped and punched him.
The assault reportedly continued for nearly 20 minutes. Panic spread in the area as bystanders gathered and traffic came to a standstill, with a jam stretching nearly one kilometre.
The Kanwariyas were travelling from Haridwar to Bharatpur in Rajasthan, carrying Ganga water as part of the annual Hindu pilgrimage. One of the pilgrims, identified as Sonu Kumar, alleged that his Kanwar broke after Imran came into contact with it. Following this allegation, a group of Kanwariyas attacked and beat the youth.
Police reached the spot after being alerted and intervened to restore order. In keeping with religious practices, police arranged for the Kanwar to be re-consecrated through prescribed rituals before the pilgrims continued their journey.
A video of the incident circulated widely on social media and drew sharp criticism. The video’s authenticity has not been independently verified.
One social media user wrote: “Another day of Kanwar Yatra and innocent Muslims are being targeted and beaten over mere allegations. Imran bhai was assaulted by a mob in Ghaziabad. Where is justice? The police saved him, but this pattern must stop.”
As of now, authorities have not confirmed whether any arrests have been made or whether a First Information Report has been registered in connection with the assault.
