By Shishir Prashant PrashantNews
The Uttarkahand police on Wednesday resorted to lathicharge to disperse scores of unruly pilgrims who were trying to undertake the Kedarnath yatra which was suspended for three days due to the heavy rains warning.
However, no one was seriously injured in the mild lathicharge, police said. The pilgrims broke barricades and tried to move beyond Sonpryag where a large number of policemen stopped them. But when some adamant pilgrims tried to move ahead, they were dispersed by the police.
In view of the red alert of heavy to very heavy rains as per the weather forecast, the Rudraprayag district administration has suspended the Kedarnath yatra for three days beginning from August 12.
The pilgrims going to Kedarnath Dham are being requested by the district police not to go beyond Jawadi.
However, some pilgrims managed to reach Sonprayag where they were prevented by the police from moving forward toward Kedarnath.
But some pilgrims started pushing the police and tried to go beyond Sonprayag by breaking the barricade. A video of the scuffle between the police and the pilgrims has gone viral.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Rudraprayag Akshay Prahlad Konde said the yatra has been suspended for three days as there are lots of problems on the entire Kedarnath route due to heavy rains.