Police in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, detained four people after raiding two shops allegedly selling non-vegetarian food along designated Kanwar pilgrimage routes, officials said on Sunday. The action was taken amid heightened surveillance and enforcement measures along Kanwar routes during the ongoing Sawan month. Authorities have directed traders operating along designated pilgrimage routes not to sell meat, chicken, fish and other non-vegetarian food during the period. In the first incident, police received information on Saturday evening that chicken biryani was being sold at a shop near the old Roadways bus stand in Bahedi.

Officials said the shopkeeper had previously been warned against selling non-vegetarian food along the designated route. During the subsequent raid, police found the shop operating and detained two people identified as Salman, a resident of Lodhipur, and Raees. Following the action, a JCB machine was brought to the location and the shop's tin shed and counter were removed, Bahedi Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh said. The removal was carried out as part of the local administration's enforcement action, amid instructions issued to businesses operating along the pilgrimage route.

Police also conducted a raid at another shop along a designated Kanwar route after receiving information that non-vegetarian food was being sold there. Two more people were detained in connection with the second incident, taking the total number of detainees in the two raids to four. Authorities are examining the circumstances of both cases and determining whether the shops violated the directions issued for the pilgrimage period. The enforcement comes as large numbers of Kanwar pilgrims travel through parts of Uttar Pradesh during the Sawan month.

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Police and district administrations have increased monitoring along routes used by pilgrims, with officials focusing on maintaining arrangements and preventing activities that could lead to disputes or disturbances. Traders operating along the designated routes have been instructed to comply with the restrictions announced by local authorities. Officials have warned that traders who violate the directions could face legal action. The restrictions apply to the sale of meat, chicken, fish and other non-vegetarian food at specified locations along the pilgrimage routes.

Police have been conducting inspections and responding to complaints from residents and pilgrims as part of the heightened monitoring during the Kanwar pilgrimage. The latest detentions are part of the broader enforcement effort in Bareilly during the ongoing pilgrimage season. Police said action would continue against establishments found violating the directions issued for designated Kanwar routes. Further proceedings in the two cases will depend on the findings of the investigation and the applicable local regulations.

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