Tension gripped the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border on Thursday night after a large group of Nihang Sikhs clashed with police, broke through security barricades at the Kulhal checkpoint in Vikasnagar, and continued towards Hemkund Sahib.
The Kulhal-Vikasnagar border was turned into a high-security zone. A large number of police personnel in riot gear were deployed behind multiple layers of metal barricades to stop the group.
The heavy security was put in place after Nihang groups announced that they would march into Uttarakhand following a recent dispute at the Karnaprayag and Nagrasu gurdwaras.
The group reportedly began its journey from Mohali in Punjab. To prevent their entry, the Uttarakhand administration fortified the entire Kulhal checkpost with a strong police presence.
Superintendent of Police (Rural) Pankaj Gairola said a section of the protesters managed to break through the barricades and move ahead. "We are trying to maintain law and order," he said.
Senior district officials, including the SDM and the Tehsildar, reached the spot and held discussions with the protesters. However, the talks ended without any breakthrough.
The situation turned tense when police tried to stop the group at the border. Several Nihangs, dressed in traditional blue attire and carrying swords, rods and other sharp-edged weapons, forced their way past the barricades.
The protesters said they would not go back to Punjab until the four Nihang Sikhs arrested in connection with the Karnaprayag incident were released.
Talking to mediapersons, a representative of the group said they wanted to embark on the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage peacefully while reciting prayers.
"We want to resolve the dispute with the local people through dialogue, not conflict," he said. He also claimed that senior police officers had assured them that the arrested Nihangs would be granted bail within a few days.
The group said it would remain in Uttarakhand until the four arrested Nihangs were released and could return to Punjab with them.
The current tension stems from a June 16 incident in Karnaprayag, where a minor dispute between local residents and another group of Nihang Sikhs turned violent. The Nihangs allegedly attacked locals with swords, injuring several people, while one Nihang was also injured.
Police later registered a case and arrested four Nihang Sikhs. Some members of the Sikh community alleged that the administration had taken one-sided action in the matter.
Also read: Indian High Commission monitoring Captain Pant's case in UK
Follow us
