Nihang Sikhs interact with officials and a delegation from Punjab after ending their standoff at Nagrasu Gurudwara, in Rudraprayag. Five Nihangs, who had remained stationed on the roof of the gurdwara since Saturday, relented after talks with a delegation of Nihangs from Punjab and local authorities. (PTI photo)
NEW DELHI: A standoff between a group of Nihangs and the Uttarakhand administration at the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border ended early Friday after negotiations, with the group returning to Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh under police escort.The development ended hours of tension at the Kulhal checkpoint in Dehradun’s Vikasnagar area, where Nihangs had clashed with police, breached barricades and attempted to march towards Hemkund Sahib. The group also called off its planned protest over the June 16 Karnaprayag clash.According to officials, the Nihangs left the Race Course Gurdwara in Dehradun around 3.30 am in two vehicles after talks with police and district authorities.Dehradun senior superintendent of Police Pramendra Dobal said the administration had maintained heavy deployment at the border throughout the day and thanked members of the Sikh community for cooperating.”A few people had crossed the area (the checkpoint), and one or two vehicles had proceeded along the route. We spoke to them at length, and they, too, agreed to return,” Dobal told PTI.District magistrate Ashish Chauhan said the situation was resolved peacefully. “Our Nihang sahibans returned to Paonta Sahib. Around 150 Nihang Sikhs already present in Paonta Sahib extended their full cooperation, bringing the situation under control,” Chauhan told PTI.The protest stemmed from the arrest of four Nihangs following a June 16 clash with locals in Karnaprayag market. The protesters had demanded their release, alleging one-sided police action. They had also said they wanted to continue their pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib peacefully while seeking a resolution to the dispute.The issue had also led to a separate protest at the Nagarasu Gurdwara in Rudraprayag district earlier this week, which ended after discussions between the administration, gurdwara management and Nihang representatives.(With inputs from PTI)
