Thousands of devotees in U.P. embark on Kanwar Yatra amid tight security

Uttar Pradesh was put on high alert on Friday as the Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Lord Shiva, commenced on the first day of the holy month of Shravan.

Thousands of Kanwariyas travelled through the State to the holy city of Haridwar in Uttarakhand to collect water from the Ganga. This year, the pilgrimage will take place till July 23. To ensure the safe and smooth conduct of the yatra, the Uttar Pradesh police have set up a dedicated control room at the headquarters of the State Director General of Police (DGP) in Lucknow to conduct real-time monitoring of the pilgrimage route.

An eight-member team at the social media centre in the DGP office is working to monitor and respond to any false information that may arise during the pilgrimage. All major intersections along the pilgrimage route have been fitted with electronic signboards to facilitate the smooth movement of devotees, the police said.

According to an official statement, 24×7 patrolling has been initiated at all major routes, with Quick Response Teams activated to respond to any eventualities. “We have made all necessary facilities for devotees,” it stated.

The State police have also deployed multiple companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary, Anti-Terrorist Squad, and the Rapid Action Force along the pilgrimage route.

CM offers prayer

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performed Rudrabhishek on the Gorakhnath Temple premises, “praying for the health, happiness, prosperity, and peace of citizens across the State”.