Kali Sena chief Anand Swaroop vows to remove non‑Hindu shops from Haridwar Kanwar Yatra
Kali Sena National President Swami Anand Swaroop Maharaj warned that any shop run by a non‑Hindu in Haridwar’s Kanwar Mela will be "forcibly removed" and that strict action will be taken against such vendors. He alleged that non‑Hindus intend to "pollute" and "desecrate" the Kanwar Yatra and urged devotees not to purchase Kanwar‑related items from them. He also said shops without name‑plates would face the same action.
Uttarakhand police have deployed roughly 6,000 personnel for crowd management and law enforcement ahead of the pilgrimage. The state administration has enhanced surveillance with extensive CCTV coverage and watch towers along the main routes. Existing prohibitions on meat and alcohol outlets along the designated Kanwar paths remain in force. The annual Kanwar Yatra 2026 begins on July 30, coinciding with the first day of the holy month of Sawan, and concludes on August 11 with a Sawan Shivratri Jal Abhishek, drawing millions of Shiva devotees from across India.
Entities: Haridwar · Kali Sena · Kanwar Yatra · Kanwar Yatra · Swami Anand Swaroop Maharaj · Uttarakhand Police
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Uttarakhand Police have deployed about 6,000 personnel for crowd management and security for the Kanwar Yatra. (Uttarakhand Police)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Kanwar Yatra 2026 will start on July 30 and end on August 11 with a Sawan Shivratri Jal Abhishek. (Event schedule)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Swami Anand Swaroop urged Hindus not to purchase Kanwar items from non‑Hindu vendors. (Swami Anand Swaroop Maharaj)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Kali Sena National President Swami Anand Swaroop said non‑Hindu shops will be forcibly removed from the Kanwar Mela in Haridwar. (Swami Anand Swaroop Maharaj)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Meat and liquor shops are prohibited along the designated Kanwar routes. (Uttarakhand administration)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The administration has installed CCTV networks and watch towers along major pilgrimage routes for the Kanwar Yatra. (Uttarakhand administration)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Shops without nameplates will also face action, according to Swami Anand Swaroop. (Swami Anand Swaroop Maharaj)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Swami Anand Swaroop claimed non‑Hindus aim to pollute and desecrate the Kanwar Yatra. (Swami Anand Swaroop Maharaj)