Assault by horse handlers on pilgrims in northern India, five suspects arrested
by Surya PrakashLocation Sonprayag village, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand. Date: 2023-06-10
Pilgrims in northern India’s Uttrakhand faced brutal assault by horse and mule handlers.
The incident took place near Bhimbali Bridge on Kedarnath route in Sonprayag village, Rudraprayag district on June 10.
Visuals shown on the way to Kedarnath, as the devotees were progressing, an incident unfolded where a man started beating a couple with a stick, accompanied by a group of mule handlers. Initially, there were only a few people involved, but soon a crowd gathered, and the situation escalated. The scene drew the attention of the nearby pilgrims, who watched this spectacle unfold with disbelief.
According to the police, Tanuka Paudar from Delhi filed a written complaint on June 12, stating that on the morning of June 10, she was undertaking a pilgrimage to Kedarnath with her family and friends from Gaurikund. During the journey, near the Bhimbali Bridge, they came across a horse in a critical condition that had fallen. They stopped and sought help from people around for the horse, but no one offered assistance. Meanwhile, a person was brutally beating other animals in the vicinity. Tanuka mentioned that they only questioned him about his actions. In response, a crowd of horse handlers arrived, and 4-5 individuals started assaulting and misbehaving with them.
Based on her complaint, a case has been registered at Sonprayag Police Station against the accused.
Four suspects involved in the assault incident have been identified as Ankit Singh, son of Prakash Singh, Santosh Kumar, son of Raghuvir Lal, Rohit Kumar, son of Roshan Lal, all residents of Gram Aaso Jaykandi, Thana Augustyamuni, Rudraprayag district, and Gautam, son of Anand Lal, resident of Gram Jakhala Bharadar, Thana and district Rudraprayag. In addition to these, action is also being taken against a minor.
