Sirmaur: More than 150 Nihang Sikhs have set up camp at the Paonta Sahib Gurdwara in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh, declaring their refusal to return to Punjab until the Uttarakhand administration releases four jailed members of their sect. The group has entered a temporary standstill with local authorities following days of heightened regional tension across the state border. Leaders of the gathering clarified that their scheduled protest march into Uttarakhand remains suspended for a brief window while they await a definitive resolution from the investigating administration.
The interstate friction intensified when a Nihang jatha attempted to cross the border checkpoint at Dehradun, encountering a heavy deployment of security personnel positioned to block their entry. The encounter led to a brief confrontation at the border barricades, during which a small segment of the procession pushed into Uttarakhand territory before being redirected by administrative officials. Following lengthy negotiations through the night, the group agreed to return toward the border under a police escort, ultimately seeking accommodation at the historic Himachal shrine while dialogue continues.
The standoff originates from a mid-June dispute over local vehicle parking in the Karnaprayag market area of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand. The initial altercation between local residents and visiting pilgrims escalated into physical violence, resulting in injuries to several townspeople and one sect member. Following the confrontation, the local police registered a formal case and placed four Nihangs under arrest, a move that sparked immediate protests from religious organizations alleging one-sided law enforcement and a violation of traditional protocols.
The situation grew more complex following secondary protests, including an incident where a separate group occupied the roof of the Nagarasu Gurdwara on the Badrinath Highway for multiple days before administrative negotiations cleared the shrine. Currently, senior police and district magistrates from Haridwar and Dehradun remain in close contact with the Nihang leadership at Paonta Sahib, assuring them that a fair inquiry by a newly formed Special Investigation Team is underway. While the immediate border roads have been cleared for traffic, security remains on high alert as the jatha waits to meet with the detained members before finalizing their return trip to Punjab.
