Another Nihang leaves Uttarakhand gurdwara as standoff with management continues
One more Nihang came down from the roof of a gurdwara in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag on Monday, leaving five members of the group still stationed on
One more Nihang came down from the roof of a gurdwara in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag on Monday, leaving five members of the group still stationed on the terrace as the administration continued talks to end the standoff. The district administration said the situation was under control and expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved soon. Officials also warned against the circulation of misleading information, saying the incident was an internal dispute between the gurdwara's sewadars and the Nihangs. Read Full Story During discussions with the administration, the Nihangs have so far not mentioned the Karnaprayag clash, which had led to the arrest of four members of their sect, officials said. The standoff began on Saturday evening when a group of Nihangs allegedly entered the gurdwara, armed with weapons including swords, spears, axes and kirpans.
According to police, they vandalised parts of the premises and took an elderly Sikh devotee hostage on the rooftop. A large police force was deployed after the incident, with officials from the district administration and the gurdwara management committee holding continuous talks with the group. Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Niharika Tomar said the dialogue had shown positive progress, with one of the Nihangs coming down from the roof to interact with officials and police. Talks with the remaining members are continuing. District Magistrate Vishal Mishra said the Nihangs had locked the third floor leading to the terrace, where the elderly man was allegedly being held. The gurdwara management claimed that the Nihangs had demanded 50-60 rooms to accommodate supporters expected to arrive for a proposed protest against the arrest of four members of their sect following a clash in Chamoli's Karnaprayag area.
When the request could not be fulfilled, the group allegedly resorted to violence and took control of the upper floor of the building. The incident is linked to a June 16 clash in Karnaprayag market, where a group of Nihangs returning from Sri Hemkund Sahib allegedly got into an argument with locals over parking near a hotel. Police said the confrontation escalated, with swords allegedly being used, leaving four locals injured. A Nihang was also injured in the clash. Four Nihangs from Mohali in Punjab were later arrested in connection with the incident. The Uttarakhand government has ordered an inquiry into the Karnaprayag clash. Following the arrests, some Nihangs approached the management of the Nagrasu gurudwara, seeking support for a proposed protest against what they described as "one-sided action" in the case.
The BriefWire