Ruckus at Ram Tirath temple

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, November 23

Unscrupulous elements on Friday created a ruckus at Ram Tirath temple and dismantled temporary shops set up in the parikrama of the temple.

Following information, Laxmi Kanta Chawla, veteran leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reached the spot and informed the senior police and district administrative officials. While condemning the incident, she said nobody was authorised to demolish these stalls and accused a local political leader for disturbing peaceful atmosphere in the temple. She urged the police officials to reign in such elements.

Former deputy mayor OP Gabbar and Sri Dhuna Sahib Trust Chairman Bhagwan Valmiki while condemning the incident said they had already informed the police not to allow such temporary shops as it created hindrance in the movement of devotees.

SP Harpal Singh reached the spot. Investigation was under way to identify the trouble makers and steps were being taken so that such incidents did not repeat, police officials said.

Mela enters second day

The eight-day Ram Tirath Mela being organised at Valmiki Ashram, believed to be the hermitage of Bhagwan Valmiki, where Luv and Kush, sons of Lord Rama, were born and received education from the sage, entered its second day on Friday.

Sant Malkiat Nath said the mela begun as per the established tradition. He said the number of pilgrims coming to shrine plunged this year. He attributed this fall to train tragedy at Joda Fatak, in which 59 people were killed and 60 others injured. The district administration made elaborate arrangements to hold a trouble-free mela.

A team of safai karamcharis has been deployed to carry out cleanliness drive around the circumambulation of the holy pond in the temple.

The government has deployed buses to provide hassle-free transportation to the Valmiki temple, which is at a distance of about 11 km from the city. Medical teams has also been deployed to provide first aid. Devotees from different parts of Punjab are visiting the shrine to pay obeisance during the mela, which will conclude on November 29.