AGRA: Tension flared on the Delhi-Haridwar National Highway in Muzaffarnagar ahead of the annual kanwar yatra after members of Hindu Raksha Dal allegedly vandalised and burnt signboards at a non-vegetarian eatery. Police said three persons were arrested on Monday night, while a case was registered against 15-20 members of the group for creating a ruckus and damaging property.The incident took place at a dhaba near Sisona village under Chhapar police station limits, where a non-vegetarian outlet named King Chicken Corner was operating within the same premises that also displayed boards reading Shri Badri Vishal Bhojnalaya and Shri Badri Vishal Confectionery.Members of Hindu Raksha Dal, led by youth district president Hemant Sharma, allegedly objected to the use of the religious name alongside a chicken outlet. Property owner Naresh Kumar said he ran a confectionery under the name Shri Badri Vishal and had rented out a separate portion of the premises to Azad Chaudhary for the chicken outlet. “The members of the group removed signboards, set them ablaze and manhandled workers, causing losses of around Rs 20,000. The chicken outlet was already scheduled to shut before the Kanwar yatra as per the rental agreement,” he said.Azad Chaudhary said he was away purchasing supplies when the group allegedly removed and burnt the restaurant’s banners and signboards. He also alleged that he was pushed and manhandled. Chaudhary said he had already planned to shut the outlet before the kanwar yatra and vacate the premises about a month in advance.Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sanjay Verma said, “A case was registered under BNS sections related to rioting, causing damage to property, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt.” Police arrested three members of the organisation — Hemant Sharma, Abhishek Sharma and Ashish Sharma — all in their early 20s.Before his arrest, Hemant Sharma stated that the group had objected to a chicken outlet operating under a signboard bearing the name “Shri Badri Vishal”, which they considered inappropriate and hurtful to their religious sentiments.“After receiving information about the matter, members of the outfit visited the hotel and spoke to the staff present there. The staff consented to the removal of the signboards as they did not have enough workers to do so themselves.” He denied allegations of vandalism and manhandling, claiming the entire interaction was recorded on video. Sharma also alleged that a man present at the site initially identified himself as Sandeep but was later found to be Azad Chaudhary.Last year, UP police had issued notices to supporters of an ashram head for allegedly carrying out an unauthorised drive to verify the identity and religion of dhaba workers along the kanwar yatra route in Muzaffarnagar. The group, which runs a campaign called ‘Pehchan Abhiyan’, claimed that several food outlets on the yatra route used Hindu names despite being operated by people from other communities.
