# Tour Operator Bringing Chardham Pilgrims Caught Stashing Liquor Inside Chamoli Ashram > Police in Uttarakhand raided an ashram room in Chamoli and recovered multiple liquor bottles from tour operator Kewal Ram, who led 145 pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh. **Type:** article · **Category:** Uttarakhand · **Published:** 2026-10-02 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/uttarakhand/uttarakhand-men-chardham-yatriyon-ko-lane-vala-snchalaka-ashrama-men-sharaba-chhipate-pakara-gaya-42080 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Chardham Yatra, Chamoli, Uttarakhand Police, Alirajpur, Sambhavna Ashram, Kewal Ram A tour operator leading a group of approximately 145 pilgrims on the Chardham pilgrimage in Uttarakhand has landed in serious legal trouble after police seized numerous liquor bottles from his ashram accommodation. The group had travelled from Madhya Pradesh for the pilgrimage, only to discover that their coordinator was covertly consuming alcohol and concealing illicit supplies inside the premises where they were accommodated. ## Surprise Search at Sambhavna Ashram in Chamoli The journey was organised by Kewal Ram, a resident of Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh, who brought the 145 pilgrims to Chamoli. The entire contingent was lodged at Sambhavna Ashram, located in the Mayapur area of the town. Following confidential alerts regarding suspicious behaviour inside the facility, local police personnel executed a surprise inspection of Kewal Ram's assigned quarters. The raid uncovered a substantial cache of half and quarter liquor bottles alongside other suspected intoxicating materials. ## Bottles Concealed in Paper Among Personal Belongings Initial inquiries revealed that the operator had been discreetly drinking inside his room throughout the journey. To avoid detection by the pilgrims and ashram authorities, he wrapped the empty glass containers in sheets of paper before stashing them deep inside his bags and folded clothing. A video recording documenting the seizure surfaced on social media platforms, showing multiple paper-wrapped bottles scattered across the floor of the room during the search. ## Outrage Among Devotees and Impending Legal Action Devotees who had entrusted their travel arrangements to the organiser expressed intense shock and anger upon learning about the discovery. The act of bringing and consuming intoxicants within an ashram setting during a sacred religious tour has drawn widespread condemnation. Chamoli police have impounded all the illicit items found at the scene and are proceeding with formal legal action and a detailed inquiry against the accused. ## What this means for you This incident highlights the urgent need for pilgrims to verify the background and credibility of private tour organisers before embarking on religious journeys. - **Across India:** Travellers booking pilgrimages through independent group leaders must verify administrative registrations and references beforehand. Any observation of unlawful or prohibited conduct during tours should be promptly reported to local enforcement authorities. - **In Uttarakhand:** Law enforcement personnel across holy transit corridors are intensifying inspections of accommodations and lodges to curb prohibited substances. Ashram managements and guest houses must strictly enforce adherence to local regulations regarding sanctity. - **In Madhya Pradesh:** Families sending elderly relatives from districts like Alirajpur must maintain detailed records of verified lodging addresses and official contacts. Group members should remain vigilant about the conduct of tour leads throughout the pilgrimage. - **For Ashram Operators:** Facility managers must implement stricter entry screening and routine internal monitoring protocols. Suspicions regarding contraband or illicit consumption require immediate notification to the local jurisdiction. ## Why this happened The incident occurred due to a tour coordinator breaching the sanctity of a pilgrimage lodge by secretly keeping and consuming liquor in his quarters. Prompt intervention by local police following confidential alerts led to the seizure. - **Immediate Trigger:** Police raided the quarters of tour lead Kewal Ram at Sambhavna Ashram in Chamoli after receiving intelligence regarding illicit activities on the premises. - **Concealment Tactics:** The operator avoided early suspicion by wrapping emptied bottles in paper sheets and burying them deep within personal luggage and clothes. - **Local Vigilance:** Observers noticed irregularities in conduct inside the lodging area and alerted law enforcement, prompting a spot inspection. - **Subsequent Action:** Authorities confiscated all prohibited items and initiated formal proceedings to determine violations and complete the inquiry. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. Whose room was raided by the police at the Chamoli ashram? Police conducted a search in the room of tour coordinator Kewal Ram, a resident of Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh. ### 2. How many pilgrims were travelling in this tour contingent? A total of 145 devotees were part of the group travelling from Madhya Pradesh. ### 3. Where were the pilgrims staying in Chamoli? The entire group was accommodated at Sambhavna Ashram, situated in the Mayapur area of Chamoli. ### 4. What items did the police discover during the search? Officers recovered half and quarter liquor bottles along with other suspected intoxicating materials. ### 5. How was the contraband concealed inside the room? The organiser wrapped empty bottles in paper and hid them among his clothes and travel bags to avoid suspicion. ### 6. What legal action is being taken following the seizure? Chamoli police seized all the items and are pursuing formal legal proceedings and a detailed inquiry against the accused. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._