On Tuesday, three Kanwariyas were killed and two more were critically injured on the Delhi-Jaipur highway. The incident happened when a truck hit the Kanwariyas on the highway when they were returning after taking waters of the Ganga River from Haridwar.

The incident lead to protests from hundreds of devotees and locals, who blocked the Delhi-Jaipur highway and set afire seven vehicles, including those belonging to the police.

After the incident, truck driver escaped from the spot and the Kanwariyas blocked the NH8 and started burning the two Haryana Roadways buses and other vehicles on the Highway. Later, the villagers of Manesar joined the Kanwariyas and burnt seven vehicles including the car of DCP Headquarters, Gurgaon. They also burnt the truck that had hit the victims.

The violence and the blockade on NH 8 caused a massive traffic jam on the route and the vehicles lined up for almost 25 kms from the spot to both sides. Later, the violence led the police to open fire in the air and baton-charge the agitators to bring back the situation under control.

In another incident a speeding truck near Oonj killed three other Kanwarias between Allahabad and Varanasi on Tuesday. Later, thousands of pilgrims started pelting stone and burning down several vehicles on the road

Superintendent of Police R K Swarnkar said that the trouble started when three Kanwarias were crushed to death by a truck on the Highway. He later said that at least 50 Kanwarias and 15 policemen were injured in the clash. The security personnel have been rushed from near-by districts to maintain law and order there.

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