Nihangs Refuse to Leave Paonta Sahib Gurdwara Until Arrested Members Are Freed

More than 150 Nihang Sikhs have set up camp at Paonta Sahib Gurdwara in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, saying they will not return to Punjab until four members of their sect arrested in Uttarakhand are released.

The four Nihangs were arrested after a violent clash with local residents in Chamoli district earlier this month. According to sources, members of the Nihang jatha held deliberations on Saturday and decided to continue their stay at the gurdwara until the detainees are freed.

The development comes a day after the group agreed to temporarily suspend its planned march into Uttarakhand following talks with the state administration. Jagdeep Singh Akali, who is leading the Nihang jatha, said Uttarakhand officials had sought two days to respond to the group’s demands.

“We have postponed our protest march for two days after the administration assured us it would address our demands,” he told reporters on Friday. He added that the agitation would resume if the arrested Nihangs were not released within the agreed timeframe.

Border standoff after march towards Uttarakhand

The protest escalated on Thursday when a large group of Nihangs attempted to enter Uttarakhand through the Dehradun border, only to be stopped by a heavy police deployment. A brief confrontation broke out after some protesters pushed through security barricades while trying to march towards Hemkund Sahib, one of Sikhism’s holiest shrines.

Following negotiations with senior police officials, the group agreed to withdraw and was escorted to Paonta Sahib Gurdwara, just inside Himachal Pradesh, where they have remained ever since. Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pramendra Dobal said a few protesters and vehicles had crossed the checkpoint but returned peacefully after discussions with the police.

Arrests linked to Karnaprayag violence

The standoff traces its origins to a clash on June 16 in Karnaprayag market in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. Police said an altercation between local residents and a group of Nihangs turned violent, leaving several locals and one Nihang injured. A case was subsequently registered, and four Nihang members were arrested.

The arrests prompted protests from the community, with members demanding their immediate release.

Earlier gurdwara standoff

The current protest follows another incident linked to the same case. On June 20, around six Nihangs climbed onto the roof of Nagarasu Gurdwara on the Badrinath Highway and allegedly held an elderly man hostage while demanding the release of the arrested members.

The standoff ended three days later after negotiations between the local administration, the gurdwara management and representatives of the Nihang community from Punjab.

With the two-day deadline sought by the Uttarakhand administration nearing its end, authorities remain on alert as the Nihang group has warned that it will resume its march into Uttarakhand if its members are not released.