With the annual Kanwad pilgrimage slated to begin from July 9, the district administration and police have asked for extra forces from the headquarters in view of the escalating communal tension in many parts of the country, including neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

To buttress their demand for extra forces, they cite the fact of the Kanwadias passing through several areas both in UP and Uttarakhand marked as sensitive in terms of communal distemper. Notably,  the Kanwadias come to Haridwar to fetch holy water from the Ganga to be poured  on Shivalingas in the temples of their respective localities. 

The district administration and police have reasons to be worried with the possibility of  the number of the Kanwadias touching a record this time. Tens of thousands of the  Kanwadias are expected to throng the holy city from several states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and also Bihar.  They are extra alert over several scuffles having broken out involving Kanwadias and the police in the past. 

SSP Krishna Kumar V K said, “This time, we are extra vigilant in view of communal tension simmering in several states. Besides, mob violence resulting in lynching is happening too.  We have asked our cops to be extra cautious. Some plain clothes police personnel would be deputed in the sensitive areas.” Notably, on the occasion of Eid, a group of Muslims had offered prayers while wearing black bands on their arms in Haridwar and western UP in protest against a person from their community being lynched.  Besides, things had been about to flare up in Haridwar in 2010 when some volunteers of  a right- wing outfit  had allegedly damaged a religious place in Shivalik Nagar during Kanwad Yatra.  Police had managed things by diverting the route of the yatra.

SSP further said that they are going to deploy extra forces in the sensitive areas. “Our intelligence unit has been put on high alert and peace committees have been formed in all the sensitive areas. Strict action will be taken against those who try to disturb the atmosphere through spreading rumours.”

UP police are also planning the same.  The additional SP of Muzaffarnagar Manilal Patidar said that they are fully prepared to take on any kind of communal flare-ups. “We are focusing on community policing because this will be very helpful for controlling the mob. Involving the common people in the task of maintaining communal harmony is very important in view of the fragile State of things. Police alone cannot do everything. ”