The Mayor Manoj Garg was beaten allegedly by the supporters of the State Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj on Thursday morning as he reached the crossing of Chandracharya and Premnagar Ashram with mechanical excavators to demolish encroachments causing water-logging and traffic snarls. He had had as many as six stitches fixed on his head while six BJP activists and a police sub-inspector were injured as the supporters of the Tourism Minister clashed with those who stood in defence of the mayor. However, no complaint was filed over the matter till the time of filing this report. Police said that the mayor had not sought police protection during the anti-encroachment drive.
The area adjacent to the Premnagar Ashram bridge turned into a battleground as elderly inmates along with some youngsters attacked the mayor and his followers. Angered over it, the sanitation workers of the Haridwar municipal corporation threw the city’s waste near the main gate of the ashram owned by the State Minister Satpal Maharaj.
Water- logging proving a perennial problem in the holy city during the monsoons, removing the encroachments put up by the ashrams and some private shop- owners was an imperative, say the locals while lending weight behind the Mayor-led drive.
Things are the worst in the northern part of the city which connects the SIIDCUl area traversed by thousands of commuters daily.
Jwalapur, Ranipur Mod and Haridwar facing flood - like situation, the Mayor reached the exit point of the main drain of the area with mechanical excavators to remove the encroachment put up by the ashram inmates. The mayor ordered the clearing of the drain which opens directly into the upper Ganga canal. When the drive was about to start supporters of Maharaj arrived and a clash ensued. The mayor was attacked with batons and sticks. This was followed by a stone pelting spree from both sides. A heavy contingent of police came and controlled things after facing much resistance. A sub-inspector of Haridwar police was injured along with six BJP activists. Two photographers also received foot and leg injuries. Things could have turned more serious for the mayor unless a local trader Sunil Gulati came to his rescue and snatched the rod from one of the assailants when it was about to hit his head from behind.
“Rain water was not passing from the city as the drain was blocked by the Ashram. I just wanted to spare the people the trouble of facing flood like situation every monsoon. I was ready to hear out the grievances of the ashram inmates. But they pounced on me with sticks and rods. Our workers escaped. It was a pre-meditated attack and strict action should be taken against the inmates of the ashram,” said Manoj Garg.
SP city Mamta Vohra said, “We were not informed of the anti-encroachment drive by the mayor. However, the situation is now under control.”