More than 150 Nihang Sikhs are camping at the historic Gurdwara Paonta Sahib and have refused to leave until four members of their sect, arrested in Uttarakhand, are released. The protesters have declared that they will not return to Punjab until their demands are met.
The ongoing standoff stems from a violent clash in Karnaprayag in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on June 16, when an altercation between local residents and a group of Nihangs escalated, leaving several people injured. Police subsequently arrested four Nihangs in connection with the incident.
Tensions further escalated earlier this week when a Nihang jatha attempted to enter Uttarakhand through Dehradun but was stopped by heavy police deployment near the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border. After discussions with the administration, the group agreed to temporarily suspend its protest march for two days. However, Nihang leader Jagdeep Singh Akali warned that the agitation would resume if the arrested members were not released.
The dispute has also been linked to an earlier standoff at a gurdwara in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, where Nihangs had occupied the premises and demanded the release of the arrested men. That situation was eventually resolved after negotiations involving the local administration, gurdwara management and Sikh representatives from Punjab.
Authorities in both Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are continuing talks with the protesting Nihangs in an effort to prevent further escalation. Security has been tightened in the border areas, and officials are closely monitoring the situation as the deadline set by the protesters approaches.
