Nihang standoff in Uttarakhand Gurudwara resolved
A three-day-long standoff at the Nagarasu gurdwara in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district came to an end on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) evening after a group of
A three-day-long standoff at the Nagarasu gurdwara in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district came to an end on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) evening after a group of Nihang Sikhs occupying the shrine’s rooftop agreed to leave following discussions with a delegation from Punjab, officials said. Rudraprayag District Magistrate Vishal Mishra said the matter was resolved through coordinated efforts by the gurdwara administration and the district authorities. “The individuals who had occupied the rooftop had vacated the premises and the situation had returned to normal,” he added. The standoff began on June 20, when around six Nihang Sikhs, carrying traditional weapons such as swords and spears, entered the Nagarasu Gurdwara on the Badrinath Highway between Rudraprayag and Gauchar.
The group later moved to the roof of the building and restricted access to the upper levels. The move came following arrests of four Nihang Sikhs in connection with a clash with locals in Karnaprayag on June 16. According to the police, members of the Nihang group allegedly wielded swords during the clash after their bikes allegedly injured a passerby. The violence left several injured. One Nihang Sikh was also reported to have sustained injuries after which an FIR was lodged in the matter. Sikh organisations had criticised the authorities, alleging that the action taken after the Karnaprayag violence was biased and targeted only one side. It was also alleged that police misbehaved with Nihangs.
Following the arrests, a group of Nihangs sought accommodation at the shrine for planned protests. The Gurudwara management reportedly expressed its inability to meet the request in full because of space constraints. The disagreement later developed into a scuffle, after which the group occupied the upper sections of the building. The Nihang Sikhs remained on the roof and top floors of the gurdwara despite repeated appeals from the administration to leave the premises. For three days, heavy police force remained deployed at the Gurudwara. The deadlock was broken on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) when a delegation of Nihang representatives from Punjab held talks with the group, leading to the evacuation of the shrine.
After the standoff was resolved, the district administration had appealed to residents not to be influenced by rumours related to the episode. They also stated that pilgrimages to Hemkund Sahib and Kedarnath were continuing without disruption under heightened police surveillance. State police headquarters said complaints made by various Sikh bodies regarding the conduct of police personnel during and after the Karnaprayag incident had been referred for inquiry to Deputy Inspector General of Police Yashwant Singh. He has been directed to submit a report within a fortnight.
The BriefWire