Nihangs reach Himachal, demand release of arrested members
What's the story
Over 150 members of the Nihang sect are currently camping at the Paonta Sahib Gurdwara in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh. The sect is demanding the release of four of its members who were arrested in Uttarakhand after a clash with locals earlier this month. The incident took place on June 16 when violence erupted between local residents and a group of Nihangs in Karnaprayag market, Chamoli district.
Border clash
Clash with police at Uttarakhand-HP border
On Thursday, a Nihang jatha tried to enter Uttarakhand through Dehradun but clashed with police and pushed through security barricades at the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border, with some members crossing before agreeing to return after talks. This led to a clash between the sect members and security personnel. The situation was defused on Friday after talks with administration officials, who requested two days to address their demands.
Protest suspension
Nihang jatha leader warns of resuming protest
Jagdeep Singh Akali, the leader of the Nihang jatha, announced that they would suspend their protest march for two days. He warned that if the four arrested members are not released within this time frame, they would resume their agitation. The clash in Karnaprayag left several locals and one Nihang injured, leading to police action and arrests.
Hostage situation
Six Nihangs took a man hostage in a gurdwara
In a related incident on June 20, six Nihangs climbed onto the roof of Nagarasu Gurdwara on the Badrinath Highway and took an elderly man hostage. They demanded the release of those arrested in the Karnaprayag clash. The hostage situation was resolved on June 23 after talks between the local administration, the gurdwara management, and visiting sect members from Punjab.