NEW DELHI: An e-rickshaw driver has been detained after glass panels being transported on his vehicle shattered and scattered along a stretch of the Kanwar Yatra route in Delhi’s Shahdara, police said on Sunday.
The e-rickshaw was carrying 19 glass panels from Shalimar Garden in Uttar Pradesh to Seelampur in Delhi when it was allegedly hit from behind, leading to the panels breaking and falling on the road between Chintamani Chowk and Jhilmil Metro Station, they said.
The driver, Kusum Pal, from Ghaziabad, has been detained for questioning. His route is being verified and CCTV footage is being examined, police said.
According to an official statement, the matter first came to light on July 12 when the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Seemapuri shared a video that showed the broken glass on the route.
The video, however, had been recorded earlier on June 10 and was uploaded by a local, Piyush, who was informed about it by his friend Montu.
After the incident came to light Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Seemapuri, inspected the stretch and found only a few shards remaining.
Sanitation workers from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) told police that the area had already been cleaned earlier that morning.
Later that night, the Public Works Department (PWD) also alerted police through a PCR call made by a junior engineer.
Based on his statement, an FIR was registered on Sunday at Seemapuri police station under sections 125 (act of endangering human life or personal safety due to rash or negligent conduct) and 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Further investigation is underway, police said.
Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra has also posted on X, raising concerns over glass on the Kanwar route and had assured of action.
Glass pieces were scattered on the Kanwar yatra route in Shahdara, prompting clean-up efforts and police patrols. BJP alleged a conspiracy, but yatris reported smooth arrangements and no major disruptions during their journey.