Nihang-police standoff at Himachal-Uttarakhand border: How a parking dispute has snowballed within days

TEnsions intensified nigh the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand edge after aggroup of sword-wielding Nihang tried to break away the blockade in Dehradun district’s Kulhal area on late Thursday evening. The standoff between the police and the Nihang Sikh group continued for hours and ended in the early hours on Friday after negotiations with authorities.The group was trying to travel to Sri Hemkunt Sahib in Uttarakhand from Himachal Pradesh to demand release of four Nihang Sikhs arrested after a dispute with locals in Chamoli district.The police-Nihang Sikh standoff that lasted for hoursAnticipating flare-up after inputs of a group of Nihang Sikhs — those within Sikhism adhering to the traditional warrior order — entering Himachal Pradesh, security agencies had been placed on high alert on the Uttarakhand border.Also read: ‘Pushed’ him to death, screamed ‘help, help’: Siya’s first words after allegedly murdering KetanThe security arrangements had particularly been strengthened in Dehradun's Vikasnagar.According to police, there were reports that a group of Nihang Sikhs was expected to arrive in Uttarakhand on June 25. The group had plans to demand release of the four Nihang Sikhs arrested over a dispute with locals. They were also to travel to gurdwaras in Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts to assess arrangements and prevailing conditions, HT learnt.According to officials, the Nihangs called off their planned protest march in Uttarakhand after meeting police and district administration authorities, the group, which had gathered at the Race Course Gurdwara in Dehradun, left the premises around 3.30 am in two vehicles under police escort for their safe passage across the state border. The Paonta Sahib Gurdwara in Himachal is only a few kilometres away. What caused the disputeThe dispute started on June 16 on a parking issue outside a hotel near the taxi stand in Karnaprayag in Chamoli district. It spiralled into violence when some Nihang Sikhs allegedly attacked locals with swords. Five people, including a pilgrim, sustained injuries in the incident.Also read: ‘Do not cast an evil eye on Ayodhya’: Yogi to Opposition over Ram Mandir donation rowOne of the injured was airlifted to a private hospital in Dehradun for treatment. The incident angered the residents and hotel owners who then blocked the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway for nearly four hours. Later police arrested four accused Nihang Sikhs in connection with the incident. On June 20, nearly half a dozen Nihangs climbed atop the roof of the Nagarasu Gurdwara on the Badrinath Highway, allegedly blocking access to the roof while demanding the release of those arrested in the Karnaprayag clash.Also read: Honey trap, chats, plans to marry JeM commander in Pakistan: Behind Jaipur woman's arrestThe shrine was vacated peacefully on Tuesday after successful discussions between the local administration, gurdwara management, and visiting members of the sect from Punjab.On Wednesday, a five-member delegation of Nihang Sikhs met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at his official residence and later called on the director general of police (DGP) at the police headquarters here to demand a swift inquiry into the Karnprayag incident.