The issue of Uttarakhand Police not keeping records of the seers from various religious groups and communities has come to surface after a person from Bihar, who claimed himself to be a saint, was arrested in Badrinath recently. He is a wanted criminal, featuring in the Central Bureau of Investigation list. He is alleged to have indulged in financial irregularities in West Bengal.Police do not verify the antecedents of such persons — something that is supposed to be emboldening the hardened criminals, wanted in other States, to take shelter here, masquerading as religious persons.
It is believed that many of them are already present in Uttarakhand, taking it as a safe refuge for them to elude police of their respective States.Observers opined that ironically, Uttarakhand is turning into a haven for such criminals with the State being Devbhoomi. “No one, not even the cops, take notice of lakhs of people streaming in and out of the State on religious errands. Seers of various religious groups also swarm in. Nobody is bothered to have their identities checked. With Ardh Kumbh approaching, such apathy might prove dear for the State and the people with terrorist threat dangling overhead,” said one of the observers.This aside, another matter has also come to light.
During the June 2013 deluge, many seers are supposed to have perished. However, due to lack of records, the State Government is unaware of the figure of casualties.Things are grim, the observers said, with the State set to host Kanwar Mela, beginning from August and Ardha Kumbha beginning from January next year.The State is under the lens of the terrorists as per the inputs provided by the Central security agencies. “The State police should not leave the State and its people to the grace of God. The possibility of terrorists going for the strike under the guise of sadhus is high.
Police must keep this in mind,” said Defence Colony resident Ramesh Semwal.“Things are such that we now look upon a seer as a terrorist or criminal. Police must step in to have the antecedents of the religious persons verified. It would also save us from regarding them with suspicion,” he added.Uttarakhand DIG Pushpak Jyoti said, “We admit that verification of seers from various groups, especially those coming from other States, have not been done so far by the police. We would soon launch such verification drive in the district.”