UP: Kanwariyas vandalise dhaba over alleged onion in food

A group of kanwariyas vandalised a dhaba after they were allegedly served onion in their food, police said on Tuesday. Superintendent of police Satyanarayan Prajapat said police rushed to the spot to pacify the kanwariyas. No case has been registered in the matter and the kanwariyas continued their yatra later.

The incident occurred on Monday night on the Delhi-Haridwar national highway near Falauda bypass under the Purkazi police station. Furious over allegedly being served onion in their dinner, around 20 kanwariyas broke some furniture at the dhaba, police said.

Police said they have not received any complaint in the matter and so no case has been lodged. No surprise there, considering the obsequiousness with which the Uttar Pradesh government has been known to treat kanwariyas in the past.

Meanwhile, a senior Uttar Pradesh government official on Tuesday directed authorities to ensure that no outsiders are allowed to enter camps set up for kanwariyas.

Chairing a high-level meeting in Meerut, chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh said the safe and smooth completion of the Kanwar Yatra is the government's top priority. "Ensure that no outsider enters the camps (meant for kanwariyas). Also, a strict ban on single-use plastic should be enforced," Singh said.

Kanwariyas must get access to basic facilities such as drinking water, food, and cleanliness, he said. He also directed the Public Works Department and NHAI officials to repair roads along the Kanwar Yatra route. Directives were also given to the power department to cover electric poles with polythene and place barricades around transformers to prevent accidents.

The food department was asked to inspect the quality of food at eateries and dhabas so that incidents of "food poisoning" do not occur. Examples of food poisoning would also presumably include onions in the food?

He said DJ setups must not exceed the prescribed height limit and "obscene songs" should not be played. Camps for kanwariyas should be set up away from the roads, as per set guidelines.

In the event of a snake bite, the kanwariya should be immediately taken to a hospital and administered anti-venom, the officer said, stressing the importance of health checkups for all kanwariyas.

He said kanwariyas should carry their identity cards with them, while arrangements should be made to prevent them from travelling on the rooftops of trains. Also, crowd management arrangements should be made at the platforms, the officer said.

Uttar Pradesh director-general of police Rajeev Krishna, who was present in the meeting, directed senior police officers to brief all officers and constables on their duties within two days.

He called for strict action to prevent DJ competitions during the yatra and said local residents must be made aware of any route diversions in advance. He stressed the importance of countering any misinformation and asked officials to raise public awareness. He said a close watch should be kept on criminal elements and immediate action should be taken if any untoward activity is noticed.

With PTI inputs