Police have taken action after a violent clash and stone-pelting incident targeting Kanwariyas in the Nagar Kotwali area, Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, registering an FIR against four named accused and 25 unidentified persons. Three suspects have already been arrested, and additional police forces have been deployed in the locality to prevent further escalation.
As per Jagran reports, the incident took place on Saturday night in Mohalla Chebda, where Kanwariyas had been staying at a Shiva temple and were conducting a bhandara (community feast) with DJ music. According to reports, a group of Islamist youths celebrating a birthday nearby objected to the music, leading to a heated argument that quickly escalated into physical assault and stone pelting.
Despite the presence of a Dial 112 police response team, the situation spiraled into violence, leaving at least four people injured, including a police constable. Authorities intervened later that night and brought the situation under control. Injured individuals were admitted to a government hospital, and security in the neighborhood was tightened immediately.
An FIR was filed based on a complaint by local resident Abhishek Saini, who alleged that the Kanwariyas were attacked after objecting to remarks made by the group that later resorted to violence. Police have named Imran and Muqeem (residents of Batwal locality), Yunis (Darbare Kalan), and Zahid (Basawan Ganj) as accused. Imran and two others have been arrested, while efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the remaining suspects using video evidence.
Police confirmed that law enforcement personnel remain stationed in the area to maintain peace and ensure the safety of devotees, who later completed their Jalabhishek at the temple under police protection. Authorities have assured that further arrests will follow as the investigation progresses.
The late-night stone-pelting incident at Mohalla Chebda near the Shiva temple, just hours before the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri, has once again exposed the vulnerability of peaceful religious gatherings. Devotees who had returned from Haridwar with sacred Ganga jal and were preparing for Jalabhishek found themselves at the center of an unexpected law-and-order disturbance. What should have been a spiritually significant night of devotion and community celebration was instead overshadowed by tension and violence.
The incident reflects a disturbing pattern driven by local radical Islamic elements who display open religious intolerance toward Hindu festivals and gatherings. Such acts appear calculated to intimidate devotees and disrupt Hindu religious observances at moments of peak spiritual significance. If these anti-Hindu forces are not firmly dealt with through strict legal action and preventive policing, similar provocations may continue to threaten the Hindu community.
With Kanwariyas participating in age-old rituals and community service activities like bhandara, ensuring their safety becomes a fundamental responsibility of the administration. Authorities must conduct a fair and transparent investigation, hold those responsible accountable, and implement preventive measures to avoid recurrence.
