1 held hostage as 7 Nihang Sikhs take control of Uttarakhand Gurudwara after clash
Seven Nihang Sikhs have occupied the Nagarasu Gurdwara on the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage route in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district for more than 30 hours, with one
Seven Nihang Sikhs have occupied the Nagarasu Gurdwara on the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage route in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district for more than 30 hours, with one elderly sevadar still being held hostage, following tensions linked to a recent clash between Sikh pilgrims and local residents in Karnaprayag. The standoff at the gurdwara has emerged as a major challenge for the administration. According to officials, the Nihang Sikhs climbed onto the roof of the shrine after a dispute with the gurdwara management and allegedly attempted to take control of the premises. Reports also suggest that sevadars were assaulted during the confrontation. Read Full Story The seven Nihang Sikhs allegedly took two sevadars hostage during the incident. A video released from the site showed the release of one sevadar, while an elderly sevadar remains in their custody. Police, district administration officials and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident.
Authorities deployed additional security forces and have been attempting to resolve the situation through negotiations. However, no concrete solution has emerged so far. Given the sensitivity of the matter, the administration suspended internet services in Rudraprayag and Srinagar areas to prevent the spread of rumours and misinformation on social media. The dispute comes in the backdrop of a recent clash in Karnaprayag involving Nihang Sikh pilgrims returning from Hemkund Sahib and local youths. The altercation allegedly turned violent, with swords being used and several people sustaining injuries. Police later arrested Sikh youths in connection with the incident, triggering anger among sections of the Sikh community. Amid the growing resentment, a delegation from Punjab led by MP Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa arrived in Uttarakhand on Sunday. The delegation, which included MLA Manpreet Singh, Tarsem Singh Samrat and several others, was initially heading to Karnaprayag but stopped at Nirmal Virakt Kutiya in Haridwar.
The delegation met Haridwar SSP Navneet Singh Bhullar and sought an opportunity to present its concerns to senior state officials. Following the meeting, Bhullar communicated the request to the Director General of Police (DGP), who agreed to meet the delegation in Dehradun. The delegation subsequently left for Dehradun to discuss the matter. Speaking on the issue, MP Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa demanded a cross-case in the Karnaprayag incident and maintained that the Sikh youths acted in self-defence. He alleged that the youths were attacked and said action should also be taken against those responsible for initiating the violence. Khalsa also objected to the arrested youths being produced before a court without their turbans, describing it as disrespectful to Sikh religious sentiments. He further said that carrying swords or kirpans is a constitutional right of Sikhs and cannot be banned.
The BriefWire