Broken glass on Kanwar Yatra route: Accident or sabotage? Delhi LG flags incident; e-rickshaw driver held

NEW DELHI: A day after some political leaders raised concerns over glass shards found along the Kanwar Yatra route in Delhi’s Dilshad Garden, the police have traced the source of the broken glass and detained an e-rickshaw driver in connection with the incident.An FIR was registered at Seemapuri police station on July 13 following a complaint from a junior engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), after a video showing broken glass on the road near Chintamani Chowk went viral.According to Delhi Police, the e-rickshaw was transporting 19 glass panes from Shalimar Garden in Uttar Pradesh to Seelampur when it was rear-ended by another vehicle, causing the glass to shatter and scatter along the route.

The driver, identified as Kusum Pal, has been detained for questioning, news agency ANI reported.The initial alert came from a local resident, Piyush of Nand Nagari, who shared the video on July 10. The matter was escalated after it reached the police via SDM Seemapuri on July 12. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Seemapuri visited the location the same day and found only residual fragments, as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had cleared the area earlier in the morning.

Delhi minister Kapil Mishra, one of the first to raise alarm on social media, alleged sabotage by miscreants aiming to disrupt the pilgrimage. He confirmed that PWD workers and local authorities responded promptly.Lieutenant governor VK Saxena also took immediate action, instructing police to reach the scene and directing PWD to clean the road. The road was cleared within two hours.

Delhi Police confirmed the registration of FIR No. 544/2025 under Sections 125 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The Crime Branch is currently investigating the matter to rule out foul play.(With agency inputs)