Operation Maryada: Uttarakhand Police Arrests Six Unruly Tourists For Disturbing Sanctity Of Religious Places

Within three days of starting Operation Maryada to curb indecent activities at religious places, Uttarakhand police have arrested six people for smoking hukkah at Ganga ghats and fined 16 others for littering.

Three of them were nabbed from Har Ki Pauri ghat in Haridwar on Friday and three from Rishikesh on Saturday, reports The Indian Express.

“We welcome all tourists coming to the state to visit revered religious places and other tourist spots. However, in recent days some videos came up in which some tourists were seen disturbing the sanctity of religious places by drinking alcohol and other indecent activities. Such acts will not be tolerated… the operation has been launched under which strict action would be taken against all such people,” DGP Ashok Kumar said in a video message.

The development comes after a video surfaced on social media, showing an angry mob thrashing a group of men after they were caught smoking hookah at Haridwar’s Har ki Pauri Ghat. The crowd reportedly beat the tourists for hurting their religious sentiments and mocking the sanctity of a holy place. They were later handed over to the local police.