LUCKNOW: On his way back from Delhi to Lucknow on Monday afternoon, chief minister Yogi Adityanath took an aerial survey of the Kanwar Yatra routes.
On his directions, senior police officials and district magistrates of the areas concerned also showered petals on the ‘Shiv Bhakts’.
The kanwar yatra, which has resumed after two Covid-struck years, has already seen sporadic incidences of violence and protests.
In Hathras, two kanwariyas were mowed down by a truck on Saturday leading to the suspension of the superintendent of police. Reports of agitation were also received from Meerut and Moradabad where kanwariyas alleged that attempts were made to desecrate their kanwars.
“The CM undertook an aerial survey of the kanwar yatra from a helicopter in western UP. The helicopter took off from the Hindon airbase and the CM flew over Ghaziabad, Meerut, Baghpat and Muzaffarnagar,” a government spokesperson said. On Sunday, the CM had held a meeting with senior officials, directing them to ensure that ‘kanwariyas’ should be welcomed by showering of petals.
On Monday, the district administration and police in Meerut and Baghpat welcomed them by showering flower petals on them from helicopters and trucks. Choppers will be flying over three routes, Meerut-Saharanpur-Baghpat, Ayodhya to Basti and Prayagraj to Varanasi routes, to shower petals over the kanwariyas.
“The CM’s helicopter passed over the Aughadnath temple in Meerut, Pura Mahadev in Baghpat, Shiv Chowk in Muzaffarnagar and Dudheshwarnath temple in Ghaziabad. He reviewed the arrangements, the routes and assessed whether there were any road blocks on the way which would hamper the yatra in any way,” the official said. He added that when the CM’s helicopter flew close to the kanwariyas, they started chanting ‘Yogi zindabad’. The CM also greeted the kanwariyas on the highway by waving at them.
