In an uncommon incident on the Kedarnath route, two ambulances had been stopped by police after suspicions arose about their use. The autos, sometimes meant for emergencies, had been discovered carrying pilgrims as an alternative of sufferers, prompting authorities to take motion.
Who wants endurance or guidelines when you may pretend an emergency? In a weird and brazen try and beat the visitors and attain Kedarnath Dham sooner, a gaggle of devotees determined that ambulances had been the proper answer – not for medical assist, however for a shortcut. Their plan? Rent two ambulances, activate the sirens, and cruise via the emergency routes like VIPs on a religious mission.
On June 14, a gaggle of pilgrims travelling from Haridwar to the revered Kedarnath Dham within the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand booked two ambulances and reworked them into makeshift taxis.
Dodging cops however bought busted in spite of everything
Banking on the concept no police officer would dare cease an emergency automobile, they boarded the air-conditioned vans, sirens blaring, assured their shortcut would go unnoticed.
“Pilgrims had been being transported in ambulances on the Sonprayag-Gaurikund route of Shri Kedarnath Yatra. Rudraprayag Police seized two ambulances,” the police stated in a submit on X.
And it labored – virtually. The ambulances zipped previous a number of verify posts with out a hitch. However at Sonprayag, the police grew suspicious. Usually, when an precise emergency arises alongside the Gaurikund-Kedarnath route, each submit is instantly alerted. This time, there had been no such alert. So when two rushing ambulances got here roaring in with none prior info, officers stopped them.
Autos seized, fines slapped
To their astonishment, as an alternative of sufferers, they discovered completely wholesome devotees having fun with a cushty trip to the shrine. The 2 autos—one from Rajasthan (RJ14 PF 2013) and the opposite from Haridwar (UK08 PA 1684) had been promptly seized underneath the Motor Autos Act, and the drivers had been fined.
Regardless of strict checks alongside the route via Haridwar, Rishikesh, Devprayag, and past, the pretend ambulances slipped via – till Sonprayag police put a cease to the charade. The Kedarnath temple, which opened its portals to pilgrims on Could 2, stays open till November. However clearly, for some, the highway to salvation should additionally include air-conditioning and no visitors.
Char Dham pilgrimage in Uttarakhand
The portals of the Himalayan temple Kedarnath opened on Could 2, drawing a crowd of over 12,000 pilgrims for the ceremonial event. In line with the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), the gates of the temple, situated at an altitude of greater than 11,000 ft..
To mark the occasion, the temple was fantastically embellished with 108 quintals of flowers in 54 totally different varieties, together with roses and marigolds, sourced from international locations reminiscent of Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Among the many 4 Char Dham shrines, Kedarnath – devoted to Lord Shiva and likewise recognised because the eleventh Jyotirlinga – attracts the very best variety of devotees every year.
It’s the third temple within the Char Dham circuit to open after the winter break. Gangotri and Yamunotri temples opened on April 30, whereas the Badrinath temple opened for devotees on Could 4.