District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Khatri visited Dashashwamedh Ghat and nearby areas near the Sangam to inspect preparations for Shrawan when Kanwariyas reach there in thousands to fill their pitchers with Gangajal. He instructed officials to expedite work as the auspicious month of Shrawan begins from Tuesday.
Devotees throng ghats, particularly Dashashwamedh Ghat, to fill their pitchers with Gangajal, which is offered to Baba Vishwanath at Varanasi. This process continues for the whole month of Shrawan. This year Shrawan is to be observed for 58 days, so the crowd will get distributed a bit the attraction of visiting Vishwanath Corridor will draw a good number Kanwariyas.
Kanwariyas from Prayagraj and nearby districts fill their pitchers at Dashashwamedh Ghat here and march towards Varanasi on foot. Some opt to ride two or fourwheelers to reach Varanasi for offering Gangajal on Baba Vishwanath.
Like previous years the left side of the six lane Prayagraj- Varanasi highway has been reserved for the Kanwariyas, while the up and down traffic load will be shifted to the right side of the highway. Heavy traffic will not be allowed on Prayagraj- Varanasi highway in the month of Shrawan to ensure safety of Kanwariyas. Heavy vehicles will be diverted and they will have to cover an additional distance of over 50 km to reach Varanasi from Prayagraj.
Vehicles from other places will also have to take a round for reaching Varanasi owing to traffic diversions.
ATTACKED: The action of the Shankargarh police here boomeranged on Sunday and the villagers ‘literally’ attacked SO to free two youths detained in a vehicle. The police perhaps were in a private vehicle with no UP Police tag. The Shankargarh SO, however, lodged an FIR at Lalapur police station where the incident took place. On Sunday evening a black Scorpio reached Lalapur sabzi mandi. Some persons came out and pulled two youths of the village in the vehicle. Villagers surrounded the vehicle to foil ‘kidnapping’ attempt. When the youth were not freed, villagers attacked the persons in the fourwheeler and fled with boys who had been detained. On complaint of kidnapping attempt, the Lalapur police reached the spot and found that SO Shankargarh with his team was there in the Scorpio. Villagers kept mum when asked about those who had attacked the police and had fled away with the detained youth. ACP Bara said he had come to know about it and action will be initiated soon against those who had attacked the police force.
The police ducked the question whether the SO Shankargarh had informed the Lalapur police well in advance that he would nab mobile thieves from this area.
The Shankargarh police denied any arrest and said two boys had been detained in the vehicle to ask some questions regarding mobile theft.