Act against Kanwariyas who indulge in violence: Supreme Court directs police

A-G KK Venugopal raised the issue of violence and vandalism by the several groups of Kanwariyas in the recent days.

(With inputs from Mahesh Gupta)

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the law enforcement agencies to act strictly against Kanwariyas who indulge in vandalism and take the law into their hands.

The order was passed by a Supreme Court bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud.

The order was passed after Attorney General KK Venugopal raised the issue of violence and vandalism by the several groups of Kanwariyas in the recent days.

Speaking on the issue, the A-G said that the Kanwaryias have often taken law and order into their hands and damaged public property over slightest provocation.

Through their unmindful acts, they have often posed as a big threat to the common public, Venugopal said. 

During his submission, the A-G raised the issue of recent violence by a group of Kanwariyas in Delhi's Moti Nagar locality after one of them was hit by a car. 

Justice DY Chandrachud also agreed how the Kanwariyas had recently blocked the National Highway in Allahabad for over five hours, bringing the movement of traffic to a standstill.

The A-G also urged the Supreme Court to issue guidelines for protests and rallies by social and political outfits.

The matter was raised in the top court days after a group of Kanwariyas went on a rampage after a car brushed against one of them as they were walking on the road in Delhi's Moti Nagar in the evening on August 7.

The protesters vandalised the car with sticks and iron rods and turned it on its side. The occupants, a woman and her husband, managed to step out before they got hurt.

Eyewitnesses said the Kanwariyas blocked the road almost completely and tried to damage the i10 car which hit one of them. 

They even tried to set the car on fire and hurled stones at the couple who had taken shelter at a shop nearby.