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Hemkund Yatra: Six pilgrims hurt in clash
WSN Network
Dehra Dun: The Uttarakhand government today deployed heavy police
force at Nagrasu in Rudraprayag district as tension prevailed on the
Hemkund yatra route following a clash between a group of pilgrims
from Punjab and locals yesterday. More than 50 vehicles were damaged
and six pilgrims were injured in the incident.
Rudraprayag District Magistrate Sachin Kurve today told The Tribune
that the situation was well under control and the pilgrims were
moving safely between Hemkund Sahib and Rishikesh.
He said a group of pilgrims from Punjab had clashed with the staff
of a ‘dhaba’ and that became a free for all between the locals and
the pilgrims. Sticks, stones and cold drink bottles were used by
both groups to attack each other. Windowpanes of more than 50
vehicles were smashed by the crowd protesting against the behaviour
of the ‘outsiders’.
Sachin Kurve and SP Niru Garg reached the spot in the afternoon and
tried to control the situation. Senior officers appealed to both
groups to show restraint and the locals were asked to remain inside
their houses. The vehicles of the pilgrims were later escorted by
the police force.
Ashok Kumar, IG, Garhwal range, said two platoons of the Provincial
Armed Constabulary (PAC) and some additional police force from other
police stations had been sent to the affected areas.
Tension was brewing in the area following a fight between two
pilgrims and a local shopkeeper on Saturday. This year, this was the
third incident of fight between the locals and the pilgrims in
Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts. Most of the quarrels are on the
payment of dues of food at the local dhabas. The locals perceive the
Hemkund yatra being undertaken for five months in a year as an
opportunity to earn their livelihood while the pilgrims complain
that they were being fleeced at the roadside food stalls. The
holding of ‘langars’ by Sikh philanthropic bodies providing free
food to pilgrims had also led to heartburn among the locals, who
considered these ‘langars’ as a threat to their livelihood.
“We have called a meeting of the Sikh representatives and the locals
on Tuesday to sort out the issue amicably,” Sachin Kurve said.
18
June,
2008
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