Continuing the practice which was started last year, Kanwar pilgrims were showered with flower petals from a chopper in Ghaziabad on July 29. The practice was performed by top administrative officials.
District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey and Senior Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh took a chopper ride all over the district of Ghaziabad and showered flower petals on Kanwarias, the officials said.
The chopper was provided by the state government and the ride started from the Harsaon police lines ground with the two officials on board and they showered the flower petals on the Kawar pilgrims. "Besides showering rose petals, we also monitored their security thoroughly," Pandey said.
"Today was the last day of the kanwar yatra. The maximum pilgrims carrying the holy Ganga water passed through the district to reach their destinations to offer the water to Lord Shiva on the occasion of Mahashivratri tomorrow,¡± the District Magistrate added.
¡°Stringent security was also provided to the 'kanwarias'," said Pandey, adding that paramilitary forces were also deployed in communally sensitive areas. "Officers were patrolling on foot, so that no unpleasant situation may arise," the DM said.
BJP¡¯s lawmaker in?Baghpat, Satyapal Singh, with Loni MLA Nand Kishore Gurjjar, also showered rose petals on the pilgrims on July 28.
Ghaziabad police also took to Twitter and posted a video which shows?tireless efforts of the police to maintain traffic, safety and security of the kanwar yatris.?
While the officials claim they monitored security from up there, we're not sure if a government chopper should have been used for showering rose petals.
?