Communal tension prevailed in Bareilly after a group of kanwariyas were pelted with stones from the shrine of another community in Mohalla Jogi Nawada of Baradari area of the district.
The agitated mob vandalised two vehicles, including a police jeep, and some vehicles were also damaged in stone pelting. Four people were injured due to stone pelting. The situation was controlled after a heavy police force along with senior officers reached the spot.
Reports said that tension prevailed in Manauna village of Bareilly on Saturday night when the way of kanwariyas going to collect holy water was blocked by some local residents, including Bahujan Samaj Party district panchayat member Shamshad.
He accused the kanwariyas of setting new traditions as earlier they did not pass through the said route to collect holy water. The kanwariyas, however, claimed that they always took the holy water through this route and that this time a controversy was being deliberately created. They warned that if stopped from taking this route, they would not perform jalabhishek. The officials failed to resolve the dispute till late night.
According to sources, every year the kanwariyas from Manauna village go to Kachla ghat in Budaun to collect water. On Saturday, a group was formed under the leadership of Sanjay and Rajju Valmiki. On Saturday night, when they reached the Muslim-dominated area by their vehicles, Shamshad stopped them after which the dispute started.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate Govind Maurya kept trying to find a solution by talking to both sides. The kanwariyas said that they were being pressured to return, which was wrong. They said if the administration forced their return, they would not perform jalabhishek. The agitated kanwariyas also started raising slogans after sitting on the road.
Sources said that records were called from the police station to confirm the route of the kanwariyas, but even then the issue could not be resolved. The police said that the groups of kanwariyas were enrolled but details of the routes taken by them were not recorded.