A Mahindra Bolero with a siren and 'Police' written on it was vandalised in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad after the car allegedly touched a 'kanwariya'.
The Ghaziabad Police however claimed the car, with 'Police' written, was a private vehicle and belonged to the Power Corporation Vigilance. The driver, Avnish Tyagi, drove the Bolero in the reserved lane, the police added.
The incident occurred near the Duhai metro station around 10 in the morning. Visuals showed the Bolero being surrounded by people holding sticks and baseball bats and smashing the car. The vehicle's headlights and windshields were smashed and then pushed to its right side. No one was inside the car, visuals showed.
The police said the matter has been resolved and a probe is underway. The driver, Avnish, has been taken into custody and the car has been seized.
The Kanwar Yatra procession witnesses Kanwariyas collecting water from a river and carrying it hundreds of kilometres to offer it to the Lord Shiva shrines. According to Hindu beliefs, Parshuram, a devotee of Shiva and Lord Vishnu's avatar participated in the initial procession.
This sacred month, typically falling between July and August, is a period of worship, fasting and pilgrimage dedicated to the Lord Shiva.