Army Deployed as Nihang Standoff Enters Third Day in Uttarakhand Gurdwara

Army personnel arrived in Uttarakhand's Nagrasu on Monday as a standoff between the administration and a group of Nihangs armed with spears and swords at a gurdwara in the town entered its third day, officials said.

Police and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel remained deployed at the site as the Nihangs demanded the release of four sect members arrested following a clash with locals in Chamoli on June 16. The crisis began on June 20 when a group of around eight Nihang Sikhs, travelling to Karnaprayag, entered a gurdwara in Nagrasu, about 200 km from the state capital, Dehradun.

Armed with sharp-edged weapons, they took a devotee and a sevadar hostage before barricading themselves on the third floor of the shrine. According to a senior police officer, efforts are underway to resolve the standoff through dialogue with the Nihang Sikhs. "The police, district administration and the gurdwara management committee are in constant talks with the Nihang Sikhs to understand their concerns and find a solution," Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Niharika Tomar told reporters earlier.

"The talks have shown positive progress. One of the Nihangs has come down from the roof to speak with the administration and police, and discussions with the remaining individuals are continuing," SP Tomar added.

Meanwhile, the gurdwara management claimed that the Nihangs had sought "50–60 rooms" to accommodate supporters expected to join a protest against the arrest of four members of their sect in connection with the Chamoli clash. When the gurdwara was unable to meet the demand, the group turned violent and warned authorities against taking any forceful action.

The June 16 clash occurred over a parking dispute near a hotel in Karnaprayag market. The Nihangs, who were returning from Sri Hemkund Sahib Gurdwara, got into an argument with locals that escalated into violence. According to police, the pilgrims attacked the other group with swords, injuring four local residents. One Nihang was also injured in the clash.

Following the incident, four Nihangs, all residents of Mohali in Punjab, were arrested.