As many as five people died while one person was seriously injured after a speeding truck ran over Kanwar devotees returning to Gwalior from Haridwar in the early hours of Saturday in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district, police said.
The incident took place near Sadabad Police Station in Hathras.
Rajeev Krishna, Additional Director General of Police in Agra Zone said, "5 persons died, 1 has been seriously injured after seven Kanwar devotees were mowed down by a truck around 2.15 am today, at Sadabad Police Station in Hathras. One other person has been moderately injured. They were en route to Gwalior from Haridwar with their Kanwars."
The police assured the people that the matter is under investigation and the guilty will not be spared.
Further investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, the educational institutions in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, including all the schools will be shut down on July 2022 and July 26, 2022, on account of the Kanwar Yatra that commenced on taking place in Sawan (Shrawan). The officials have said that on both days, that is July 25 and 26, the educational institutions will not be open as pilgrims will be out on the streets to go to the temple to offer prayers and to avoid traffic jams schools are to be closed.
Even schools in Haridwar and Meerut have also been closed due to the Kanwar Yatra. Schools in Haridwar will remain closed till July 26, 2022 and schools in Meerut will be closed till July 27, 2022. The schools have been shut so that students don't face any difficulty travelling and it might create traffic disruptions. Kanwar Yatra, is a yatra which is conducted annually in which Kanwariyas or pilgrims visit holy places like Hardiwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch the holy water of the Ganges, which they then use in the worship of Lord Shiva.
The Yatra has resumed this year after two years due to restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
( With inputs from ANI )
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