In Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, a roadways bus driver ran over a Kanwariya, resulting in the Kanwariya’s death. The incident led to anger among fellow Kanwariyas due to the death of their companion in the road accident. As a result, hundreds of Kanwariyas gathered and protested against the police, causing chaos on the Sitapur-Lakhimpur route.
Witnessing the escalating situation, the Kanwariyas blocked the Sitapur-Lakhimpur route by staging a jam. The large crowd that gathered to witness the commotion prompted the delayed arrival of the police at the scene.
The police made multiple attempts to reason with the agitated Kanwariyas, but they were not willing to listen. The situation worsened when the Sitapur police mentioned the road accident taking place in Lakhimpur Kheri district. This provoked the already agitated Kanwariyas, leading to an outbreak of anger and commotion.
The authorities, including local BJP MLA Yogesh Verma and Sitapur’s District Magistrate Anuj Singh, reached the scene and interacted with the aggrieved families who were demanding financial assistance. The police managed to apprehend the bus driver involved in the accident, who was taken into custody for investigation.
The authorities also assured financial aid to the deceased Kanwariya’s family. After this assurance, the anger among the Kanwariyas subsided, and they cleared the Sitapur-Lakhimpur route.
The incident took place in the Haragavan Thana area. It is important to note that around 200 to 300 Kanwariyas were on their way to perform Jalabhishek (water-pouring ritual) at Baba Bhole Nath Temple in the Oil Kasba area of Lakhimpur Kheri district, having collected water from Kanpur.
The accident occurred when a group of Kanwariyas was passing through the Haragavan Thana area, and the roadways bus driver hit and fatally injured a Kanwariya named Anoop Kumar. The incident immediately sparked anger among his companions, leading to a commotion on the road.
As news of the unfortunate incident spread, the Haragavan Thana police and other nearby police stations rushed to the scene. Despite their efforts, the agitated Kanwariyas were unwilling to calm down and were confrontational towards the police.
Local BJP MLA Yogesh Verma, along with his supporters, also reached the scene and tried to reason with the Kanwariyas, but they were not receptive to any dialogue.
As a precautionary measure, the Lakhimpur Kheri police also reached the scene, and the Kanwariyas’ anger was eventually pacified after the authorities assured them of action against the responsible parties. The bus driver was taken into custody, and the body of the deceased Kanwariya was sent for a post-mortem examination. Legal proceedings are underway regarding the entire incident.
