Two Kanwariyas killed in separate incidents in Delhi

A kanwariya was killed in a road accident while another died of electrocution in separate incidents early Saturday in the national capital, police said.

The victims were identified as Mohit (24), a resident of Delhi Cantt, and Vijender Karana (36) from Saurabh Vihar.

Kanwariyas are Shiva devotees who undertake the annual yatra from Haridwar during monsoon to collect the holy water of Ganges which they offer to idols of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivratri while walking all the way to their home towns.

The two victims were Dak Kanwar or pilgrims who undertake the yatra on trucks and other vehicles.

Mohit and his three other associates were injured after a truck rammed into their stationary truck near Sagarpur Bus stand in west Delhi, police said.

According to police, they received information at 2:41 am about the accident.

"Preliminary investigation revealed that some persons were going for Dak Kanwar in a truck from Bindapur. They had stopped the truck to cover it with canvas sheet as it had started raining.

"The truck was parked on road side near Sagarpur bus stand when another truck, carrying scrap from Gurgaon, rammed into it. Four people were injured and rushed to the hospital, a senior police officer said.

Mohit succumbed to his injuries at Safdarjung Hospital.

The other injured were identified as Vijay Thakur (40), who was the kanwar truck driver and a resident of Janakpuri, Ankit (27) and Abhishek (27) both residents of Sagarpur, they said.

"We have arrested the other truck driver identified as Ajay Shankar (41) under relevant sections of the IPC," the officer said.

In the second incident, Karana was killed while three other were injured when the giant speakers on their truck came in contact with a high tension wire.

The injured were identified as Shushil Chaudhary (24), Rajan (22) and Jitender (27), police said.

According to a senior police officer, they received the information about the incident at 2.35 am on Saturday.

Karana, along with 20-25 other people, was going to Haridwar for Dak Kanwar when the incident occurred near central bank ATM in Jaitpur area.

He was declared brought dead at Holy Family hospital, police said. The body was sent to AIIMS mortuary where the post mortem was conducted, they said.

Karana was a driver by profession and is survived by wife and two kids, they added.