Why Nihang Sikhs have gathered at Uttarakhand border and what's behind the row

Hundreds of Nihang Sikhs gathered at the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border after talks with the state administration failed over the Karnaprayag clash and Nagrasu Gurdwara standoff, prompting heavy security deployment and heightened vigil.

In Short

• Police deployed heavily with barricades and drones to maintain law and order
• Karnaprayag clash and Nagrasu Gurdwara standoff sparked current tensions
• Authorities ordered probe changes and cross FIR after Sikh protests

Hundreds of Nihang Sikhs gathered at the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border on Thursday after their call to march into Uttarakhand over the Karnaprayag clash and the Nagrasu Gurdwara standoff remained unchanged despite hours of talks with the state administration.

The failed negotiations prompted authorities to place the border on high alert, deploy heavy police forces and erect barricades to prevent any escalation.

The first batch of Nihang Sikhs reached the Kulhal check post near Vikasnagar after spending the day at Gurdwara Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh, where officials had been trying to persuade them to postpone the June 25 march. As negotiations ended without a breakthrough, the group moved towards the Uttarakhand border while administrative teams continued efforts to convince them to defer the procession.

Police personnel from several districts, along with security agencies, were deployed across the border area. Drones were also pressed into service to monitor the situation and ensure that law and order was maintained.

TWO INCIDENTS THAT SPARKED THE STANDOFF

The current mobilisation has its roots in two separate incidents that unfolded during the ongoing Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage, although Uttarakhand Police have repeatedly stressed that they are unrelated.

The first took place on June 16 in Karnaprayag, Chamoli district, where an argument over vehicle parking allegedly escalated into a violent clash between Nihang pilgrims and local residents. Several people from both sides were injured, following which police arrested four Nihang Sikhs and sent them to judicial custody.

The arrests triggered strong protests from Sikh organisations across the country. Community leaders alleged that the Nihangs were produced before a court without their turbans, calling it a violation of Sikh religious traditions. They also questioned why no cross FIR had initially been registered against local residents.

Following representations by Sikh organisations, including the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, the Uttarakhand government ordered that the investigation be supervised by the Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police instead of Chamoli Police. It also directed the registration of a cross FIR and ordered a DIG-level inquiry into allegations regarding the treatment of the arrested Nihangs.

A few days later, another controversy erupted at Nagrasu Gurdwara Langar Sahib in Rudraprayag district. According to the gurdwara management committee, a dispute over food arrangements and administrative issues escalated after police arrived at the premises. The management alleged that a group of Nihang Sikhs damaged property before barricading themselves on the upper floors of the gurdwara.

The standoff lasted nearly three days, with Uttarakhand Police and Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel securing the area. Authorities chose negotiations instead of force, given the ongoing Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib pilgrimages. The impasse finally ended after senior Nihang leaders from Punjab persuaded the group to come down peacefully.

POLICE REJECT SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIMS

Although the Karnaprayag clash and the Nagrasu gurdwara standoff occurred under different circumstances, the two incidents became intertwined on social media, with several posts portraying them as part of a coordinated conflict involving Sikh pilgrims in Uttarakhand.

Garhwal Range Inspector General Rajiv Swaroop has dismissed those claims, saying the two incidents are entirely separate and there is no evidence linking them. Police have appealed to the public not to circulate rumours or inflammatory content and warned of legal action against anyone attempting to disturb communal harmony.

The developments have come at a sensitive time, with lakhs of devotees travelling through Uttarakhand for both the Char Dham Yatra and the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage. Security remains heightened across the region as authorities continue to engage with Sikh leaders while keeping a close watch on the situation at the state border.

- Ends