Security beefed up for Kanwar mela

Hardwar, July 5 (UNI) Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the two-week-long Kanwar mela to be attended by over 50 lakh devotees mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana from July 11.

The ''kanwariyas'' (devotees) walk their way to Hardwar and carry back Ganga water on their shoulders to the respective regions to anoint Lord Shiva on the auspicious occasion of 'Shivaratri' on July 23 rpt July 23.

SP (City) Jagat Ram Joshi said besides the regular civil police team, two companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), nine companies of the PAC, a mobile bomb disposal and one unit of army with motor boat among others would be deployed within the mela area.

Additional police force from other districts of the state will also be called in to assist the district police during the mela days, Mr Joshi said.

SSP Abhinav Kumar, who returned from Meerut after attending a high level meeting of the police officials of Uttaranchal, UP and Haryana, told UNI that the Hardwar-Delhi national highway between Hardwar and Meerut would remain reserved only for the Kanwarias during the peak days from the midnight of July 14 to July 23. All vehicular traffic would be diverted through alternative routes.

''In case of heavy rush of the Kanwarias, the national highway may be closed for traffic even before the fixed date,'' the SSP said.

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