The footage offers a stark contrast to the images of faith and devotion associated with the annual pilgrimage, raising questions about crowd behaviour, law enforcement and accountability.
BY PC Bureau
The Kanwar Yatra is one of India’s largest annual religious pilgrimages, drawing millions of Shiva devotees onto the roads across several states. But alongside the images of faith, discipline and devotion, a very different picture has emerged in a series of widely circulated videos this year. The footage—recorded at different locations and under different circumstances—shows alleged instances of Kanwariyas drinking alcohol, dancing on roads, engaging in fights, assaulting police personnel and, in some cases, allegedly stopping or looting vehicles carrying goods. Some clips have triggered outrage on social media, particularly where uniformed personnel appear to be targeted or public property and private vehicles are damaged.
The videos do not, of course, represent the behaviour of the vast majority of pilgrims taking part in the yatra, and individual clips must be independently verified before their circumstances or locations are treated as established fact. Yet taken together, they raise uncomfortable questions about crowd behaviour, enforcement and accountability during one of India’s biggest religious gatherings.
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The purpose of this collection is not to pass judgment on the faith or on millions of peaceful pilgrims, but to document the other side of the Kanwar Yatra—the incidents captured on camera that have generated controversy and debate over whether religious devotion can ever justify violence, intimidation, vandalism or disregard for the law.
Can you imagine this Country once did a National Outrage over #BesharamRang song…starring Shahrukh Khan.
Today it’s proudly hosting multiple vulgar stage shows to please Kanwariya’s doing Kanwar Yatra with double the Besharam flavour 🤦
Hypocrisy ki Bhi Seema Hoti Hai Kya? pic.twitter.com/L5lZsOqqBX
— D (@Deb_livnletliv) August 6, 2026
🚨SHOCKING | Kanwariyas seen consuming alcohol during their holy yatra; throws it when confronted pic.twitter.com/nDgIjKgDXU
— The Tatva (@thetatvaindia) August 4, 2026
During this Kanwar Yatra, a CRPF jawan was brutally assaulted by a group of Kanwariyas at Mirzapur railway station. They punched and kicked him in broad daylight over a ticket argument while he was trying to board the Brahmaputra Mail.
Seven were arrested after the video went… pic.twitter.com/9ZcUJW2tFK— Arffa Khannum (@ARFAKHANUMS) August 7, 2026
The party has begun at Kanwar camp in Muzaffarnagar, UP https://t.co/fI2CrTzo24 pic.twitter.com/6G5JxQXYgR
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) August 3, 2026
Hundreds of Kanwariyas are brutally beating a boy before the UP police.
This is the worst example of ghatiya Law & Order I have ever seen. pic.twitter.com/KhN8O4bQcE
— Simpu Singh (@Simpu_SinghIND) August 7, 2026
Hundreds of Kanwariyas are brutally beating a boy before the UP police.
This is the worst example of ghatiya Law & Order I have ever seen. pic.twitter.com/KhN8O4bQcE
— Simpu Singh (@Simpu_SinghIND)
This season Kanwariyas are doing totally unexpected.
> They are breaking school vans.
> They are beating police.
> They are dancing to the DJ.
> They are polluting rivers.
> They are attacking truck drivers, auto drivers and vendalising their vehicles.
> They are breaking and… pic.twitter.com/cJucvG4rZ2— Simpu Singh (@Simpu_SinghIND) August 5, 2026
Kanwariya Loot.
Keep throwing flowers at them. pic.twitter.com/VDh79Op4r0
— Dr Ranjan (@DocRGM_) August 2, 2026
अब कांवड़ DJ का चालान कटा। देखिए ये कोई डांस क्लब का डिस्कोथेक नहीं है। बल्कि कांवड़ का DJ उत्तर प्रदेश के मुजफ्फरनगर में चल रहा है। तेज साउंड। कान फाडू। मानक विपरीत बज रहे कांवड़ DJ का पुलिस ने 50 हजार रुपए का चालान काटा है। #upnews #कांवड़ https://t.co/DirdRzRRZk pic.twitter.com/AsuADbg8Sd
— Sunil Maurya (@smaurya_journo) August 4, 2026
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister @myogiadityanath showers petals on ‘kanwariyas’ in Meerut.#KanwarYatra @PrabhuChawla
pic.twitter.com/gnwIoXxZ8b— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) August 8, 2026
