Kanwaria yatra on peak, security arrangements tightened

Hardwar, July 15 (UNI) As the ''Kanwar'' pilgrimage, which formally began with the onset of the month of Savan on July 11, moves towards its peak, all the roads to and from the holy city are covered with thousands of saffron-clad Kanwarias.

These safron-clad pilgrims, who usually walk all the way from distant villages and towns, return home after collecting holy ganga water in pots as an offering to lord Shiva.

Taking special precautionary measures after the recent serial bomb blasts in Mumbai and Srinagar, a high alert has been sounded in the entire district.

Apprehending the infiltration of terrorists in the garb of Kanwarias, checking of the pilgrims was being carried out at the entry points of the district. Besides the civil police, PAC and the RAF, the bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs and divers have been deployed at sensitive points and special vigil is being maintained at highly sensitive points such as ''Har-ki Pauri'' and the Mansa Devi and Daksha temples, police sources said.

A large number of policemen, in the garb of Kanwarias, have also been deployed in the entire mela area, they added.

SSP Abhinav Kumar told UNI that previously it was decided to close the Delhi-Hardwar national highway between Hardwar and Meerut for all vehicular traffic from the midnight of July 13/14, but now after holding consultations with the SSPs of Bijnore, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur&Meerut districts, it has been decided to reserve the national highway for the Kanwarias from midnight last night.

''All the vehicular traffic on the highway from midnight to July 24 will be diverted through alternative routes,'' he said.

District Magistrate R K Sudhanshu has ordered that all the educational institutions in the district, from primary schools to the universities, will remain closed till July 24.

UNI XC VD KN1546