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Amid Kanwar Yatra 2026 as Kanwariyas continue to travel on foot to places like Haridwar to fetch holy water (Gangajal), reports of hooliganism, vandalism have come to surface yet again.
Two days ago, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed Kanwar pilgrims in Haridwar by showering flower petals and performing Charan Prakshalan (washing their feet). Flower petals were also showered from a helicopter along the route from Har Ki Pedi to the Kanwar Yatra corridor.
On the other hand, Kanwariyas have been seen vandalising cars, school bus, breaking law and order, disrupting traffic and harassing locals. In 2024, The Quint had met some Kanwariays on the ground to understand as to why the Kanwar Yatra was marred by violence every year. Our report still holds the ground.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on 4 August sought the Centre's response on a petition seeking the formulation of a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of the annual Kanwar Yatra.
In this piece, we take stock of some of the recent incidents of violence, however, this is not an exhaustive list.
Pickup Truck Vandalised In Muzaffarnagar
On 16 July, on the Delhi-Haridwar National Highway near Khadar Chowk in Purkazi town, a commercial pickup truck accidentally brushed against a kanwar carried by a pilgrim on foot.
The contact infuriated nearby devotees, who immediately surrounded the pickup truck. Enraged over the “compromise of the holy water”, the crowd allegedly attacked the vehicle, smashing its windshield and bodywork. Police officials stationed along the route rushed to the spot, seized the damaged pickup truck, and cleared the highway to allow traffic and pilgrims to move ahead and resume their yatra. An inquiry into the incident was subsequently initiated.
Police Stands As Spectator When Car Vandalised
A major clash broke out on the flyover near Golden Dhaba in Manglaur town, Uttarakhand on 1 August when an Alto car collided with a pilgrim walking on foot, breaking his kanwar.
A large crowd of Kanwariyas quickly gathered at the scene, pulled the driver out of his vehicle, and thrashed him severely before turning on the car itself. The driver was subjected to physical assault while the vehicle suffered heavy damage. Police personnel arrived at the scene later to defuse the situation.
Preliminary police investigation revealed that the car driver was also a fellow Kanwariya returning home with Gangajal.
Police registered an FIR based on the driver's complaint and detained one suspect from Roorkee.
In another instance, also in Haridwar, a Kanwariya accused a policeman of breaking his Kanwar while allegedly being intoxicated.
When the Kanwariyas started creating a ruckus, the policeman fled to save his life.
Medical examination did not confirm that the policeman was under the influence of intoxicants.
School Van Attacked At Lucknow Crossing
In Lucknow on 3 August, a group of Kanwariyas riding motorcycles attacked and vandalised a school van carrying young students at Charak chowk crossing.
The incident occurred on a rainy morning when the school van driver applied the brakes, causing one of the trailing motorcycles to hit the vehicle’s rear-end.
Following an argument, six Kanwairya men carrying kanwars struck the van, breaking its rear windshield and side mirrors while threatening the driver.
Though none of the children inside were physically injured, the attack left the young passengers traumatised. Lucknow Police registered an FIR and identified the attackers using CCTV footage.
“At Charak Crossing under Chowk police station today morning, three unidentified people vandalised a school van. On getting information, the police reached the spot but they had fled by then. A case has been registered and strict action will be taken against the guilty,” said Kamlesh Kumar Dixit Deputy Commissioner of Police (West).
Inter-Group Clash Gets Violent In Meerut
On 3 August, in another case, a violent altercation erupted between two groups of Kanwariyas after a motorcycle carrying two pilgrims collided with a resting group's holy kanwars.
The incident occurred when a group of Kanwariyas had stopped along the highway with their kanwars. According to police, the confrontation began after a bike struck one of the kanwars, leading to an argument between the two groups that soon turned violent.
As local police intervened to defuse the mounting tension, officers placed Sonu and his companion inside a police jeep to take them into custody. A mob of Kanwariyas then allegedly attacked the police vehicle, forcibly pulled two men out of the jeep, and began physically assaulting them.
As a video showing the mob assaulting the rider in front of the police vehicle circulated widely on social media, initial viral posts claimed that the victim was a police officer.
Kanwariyas Beat Muslim Man In Ghaziabad
In Ghaziabad, a group of Kanwariyas thrashed and humiliated a Muslim reportedly named Imran for allegedly desecrating their Kanwar. One of them.
"They say Hindu-Muslim bhai-bhai, ye kaha ka bhai hai?" the Kanwariya shouted.
The Kanwariya, who severely beat Imran, alleged, "I left on the morning of 21 July and made a stop only thrice in between. I wanted to reach my home by 10 August but this man damaged my Kanwar."
The Kanwariyas severely beat Imran. They reportedly held him hostage for about 20 minutes. This also caused a traffic jam for one kilometer on both sides of the road.
Another Muslim Beaten in Haryana's Rewari
A group of Kanwairyas were seen beating a Muslim man in Haryana's Rewari, after they accused him of breaking a Kanwar. The incident took place in the presence of police. The police could be seen holding the Muslim but not stopping the Kanwariyas.
Kanwariyas Vandalize Auto-Rickshaw In Aligarh
An auto-rickshaw reportedly collided with a Kanwar pilgrim in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Kanwariyas vandalised the vehicle in the presence of the police. The video of the incident from Atrauli Panth intersection in Aligarh district has gone viral on social media.