Kanwarias indulge in violence in Hardoi, lathi charged

Violence broke out in Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday after a speeding vehicle mowed down a 'Kanwaria', police said.

Following the death of the 'Kanwaria', other members of his group ran amok and attacked passing vehicles, vandalised property and pelted stones at police vehicles, forcing the police to resort to cane charge.

Police had a tough time in dispersing the irate mob and in the melee, the crowd attacked the car of the district police chief and damaged it.

The 'Kanwarias' were returning with holy water from Rajghat in Bilgram and were headed for a Shiva temple when a 35-year-old Kanwaria, Krishna Pal, was run over by a speeding mini bus near Indra Ibrahimpur.

He died on the spot. Following his death, the group accompanying him went berserk and brought traffic to a standstill.

A heavy police force, led by SP (Hardoi) Umesh Singh, tried to disperse the mob but the crowd went on rampage.

Police cane charged them, took over the dead body and sent it for post-mortem.

An official told IANS that the situation was normal now and that extra police force has been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure.

--IANS

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