Uttar Pradesh Police Arrest Man After Kanwar Desecration Sparks Protests

Police in Purkazi, a town in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district, arrested a man identified as Usman on Monday after he allegedly spat on a kanwar— the decorated bamboo structure used by Shiva devotees to carry holy Ganga water—being carried by a woman pilgrim, Muskan of Delhi. The incident occurred as thousands of pilgrims were returning on foot from Haridwar during the annual Kanwar Yatra. The alleged desecration triggered a road blockade and protests by devotees, prompting a rapid police deployment to prevent the disturbance from spreading along the busy pilgrimage route. Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Satyanarayan Prajapat said a case has been registered against Usman and an investigation is under way. Officers arranged a replacement kanwar so that the affected pilgrim could resume her journey. Usman’s family told officials he is deaf, mute and mentally unstable, a claim police say they are examining as part of the inquiry. Security has been reinforced across the yatra corridor to maintain order during the peak pilgrimage period.