Garhwal Post Bureau
Haridwar, 22 May: A commotion erupted in Jwalapur (Haridwar) after a video surfaced showing two young men allegedly dumping leftover non-vegetarian biryani into the Ganga Canal in Jwalapur. The footage, which circulated widely on social media, reportedly shows the two running a non-veg food stall near Lalpul in Jwalapur and discarding the remaining or stale food into the canal. The locals who witnessed the act reportedly restrained them and as a result an altercation between the men and a youth filming the incident, including verbal abuse, is visible in the clip. Following the complaints from sadhus and various Hindu organisations, the police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.
After the video went viral, Jwalapur police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against two unidentified persons and began inquiries. An office-bearer of the Hindu Kranti Dal has lodged the complaint at Jwalapur Kotwali, alleging that the duo had hurt religious sentiments and disturbed public order. The complainant also supplied the video as evidence.
In a written complaint to Jwalapur Kotwali, Charanjit Pahwa of the Hindu Kranti Dal stated that, on the night of 18 May, two youths arrived near Durga Vihar on a motorcycle carrying a blue drum, into which they put the non-vegetarian biryani and then dumped it into the Ganga Canal. He alleged that when the locals attempted to stop them, the two abandoned the drum and fled the scene. The complainant further alleged that the accused regularly engage in such acts, which amounts to an insult to the river Ganga.
Local sages in district Haridwar have condemned the incident after the video went viral. Mahamandaleshwar Swami Roopendra Prakash Maharaj described the act as a conspiracy to defile the Ganga and demanded stringent action against those responsible.
Jwalapur Kotwali in-charge Chandrabhan Singh confirmed that a case has been registered against two unidentified persons and that investigations are underway, adding that action will be taken soon. CO Jwalapur Sanjay Chauhan said that on receipt of the complaint about non-veg being dumped into the Ganganahar, a case was registered against unidentified accused and that the motorcycle visible in the viral video has also been identified. He said legal action will follow shortly.
