Nihang Sikhs breach police barricades at Uttarakhand border amid Hemkund Sahib march

Heavy police deployment and heightened tensions marked the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border on Thursday night after a group of Nihang Sikhs broke through security barricades at the Kulhal checkpoint in Uttarakhand's Vikasnagar and continued towards Hemkund Sahib despite attempts to stop them.

The confrontation unfolded after the Uttarakhand administration fortified the Kulhal border in anticipation of the group's arrival from Punjab. Police had stepped up security following announcements by Nihang organisations that they would march into the state amid ongoing tensions linked to a recent dispute at the Karnaprayag and Nagrasu gurdwaras.

Visuals from the site showed several layers of metal barricades and a large contingent of police personnel in riot gear stationed along the border. Despite the security arrangements, a section of the protesters forced their way through the barricades, triggering a brief confrontation with police.

Superintendent of police (rural) Pankaj Gairola said authorities were working to keep the situation under control after some protesters breached the security cordon and advanced towards the state.

Senior district officials, including the local sub-divisional magistrate and Tehsildar, held discussions with representatives of the group in an effort to defuse the situation. However, the talks ended without a breakthrough.

Witnesses said several Nihang Sikhs, dressed in their traditional blue attire and carrying swords, rods and other sharp-edged weapons, pushed aside the barricades and continued their march.

The protesters insisted they would not return to Punjab until four Nihang Sikhs arrested in connection with the Karnaprayag incident were released. Representatives of the group said they intended to undertake their pilgrimage peacefully while reciting prayers and sought a negotiated settlement with local residents rather than further confrontation.

According to the group, senior police officers had assured them that bail for the arrested Nihangs would be processed within the next few days. They maintained that they would remain in Uttarakhand until the four detainees were released and could accompany them back to Punjab.

The present standoff stems from an incident on 16 June in Karnaprayag, where an altercation between local residents and a group of Nihang Sikhs escalated into violence. Police alleged that swords were used during the clash, leaving several local residents injured, while one Nihang Sikh also sustained injuries.

Following the incident, police registered a case and arrested four Nihang Sikhs. Members of the Sikh community have since accused the administration of taking one-sided action in the matter.

With PTI inputs