Three Kanwariyas (devotees of Lord Shiva) were killed and another sustained serious injuries after a speeding car hit them on a highway in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib district early Sunday.
The incident took place when a group of Kanwariyas were returning to the Faridkot district in Punjab after carrying holy water from Gangotri in Uttarakhand.
People, including other Kanwariyas, staged a sit-in protest at the scene, demanding the immediate arrest of the driver, who fled the spot. The car’s number plate fell while the car was speeding away.
A case has been registered in connection with the matter. The police have recovered the registration plate and are trying to trace the vehicle and the driver.
Those who lost their lives in the incident have been identified as Mahinder Pal alias Gagan (43), Deepak Kumar (42), Jagdish Mittal alias Kalu (40) – all residents of Faridkot.
They were rushed to a hospital, where they were declared dead by the doctors. The Kanwariya who escaped with injuries is also a resident of Faridkot.
The incident came during the peak of this year’s Kanwar Yatra. The annual Hindu pilgrimage, which commenced on July 30 with the beginning of the holy month of Shravan, will culminate on August 11 with Shivratri.
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(Based on inputs from Prem Passi, with additional inputs from PTI)
