DEHRADUN: Two pilgrims from Mumbai were allegedly beaten with sticks by three mule handlers following an argument on the Kedarnath pilgrimage route in Uttarakhand, police said. The incident occurred in the Jangalchatti area on Thursday evening.
According to Rudraprayag police, Manji Vadhji Vaviya and his companion Bhanji Damji Patel were walking towards the Kedarnath shrine when they argued with some mule handlers over the movement of the animals on the trail.
Police said the dispute escalated and three handlers allegedly assaulted the pilgrims, striking them with sticks and injuring them. The nature of their injuries was not immediately disclosed.
The pilgrims subsequently went to Sonprayag police station and filed a complaint. Acting on it, police registered a case against three unidentified mule handlers under Section 115(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with voluntarily causing hurt.
Police are working to identify the accused and gather evidence related to the incident. The inquiry is continuing, police said.
Speaking to TNIE, Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Neeharika Tomar said, "The safety and dignity of every pilgrim visiting Kedarnath were the police’s highest priority. People involved in operating horses and mules on the pilgrimage route have been instructed to behave courteously with pilgrims and cooperate with the travel arrangements."
Tomar warned that misconduct, assault or any activity that disturbed law and order along the route would not be tolerated. “In such cases, legal action will be taken in accordance with the rules and based on the evidence available,” she said.
Police have not yet announced any arrests in the case.