Rudraprayag Gurdwara Standoff: Nihang Sikhs Occupy Premises for 3 Days

A group of Nihang Sikhs continue to occupy a Gurdwara in Rudraprayag in protest of earlier arrests. Authorities are negotiating a peaceful resolution, confirming no hostage situation and urging calm amid heavy security deployment.

A tense standoff at the Gurdwara in Nagarasu, Rudraprayag, entered its third day on Monday, with a group of Nihang Sikhs continuing to occupy the upper floors and rooftop of the premises. While local authorities have successfully engaged in preliminary talks with the group, leading to two individuals coming down, a heavy security presence remains deployed to ensure law and order.

The situation, which began on Saturday evening, stems from a dispute following a separate clash in Karnaprayag (Chamoli) on June 16. The Nihang group, which arrived at the Nagarasu Gurdwara from Mohali, Punjab, had demanded arrangements for a large-scale protest against the recent arrest of four of their associates in connection with the earlier incident.

Official Response and Negotiations

Rudraprayag District Magistrate (DM) Vishal Mishra and Superintendent of Police (SP) Niharika Tomar have been stationed at the site since Sunday, monitoring the situation and facilitating negotiations.

"The police, district administration, and the Gurdwara management committee are in constant dialogue with the Nihang Sikhs," said SP Niharika Tomar. "Our efforts have yielded positive results, with some members of the group coming down from the roof to discuss their concerns with the administration. We are working toward a peaceful and amicable resolution."

While initial reports and allegations from the Gurdwara management suggested that an elderly devotee had been held hostage and that the premises had been subjected to vandalism, the district administration has sought to clarify the situation. DM Vishal Mishra urged the public to remain calm and avoid falling for misinformation. "The situation is fully under control. Prayers, Langar services, and the movement of devotees are proceeding normally. There is no hostage situation, and we appeal to everyone not to pay heed to rumours," the District Magistrate stated in an official briefing.

Link to Karnaprayag Incident

The current unrest is linked to a June 16 incident in Karnaprayag, where a verbal spat over a parking dispute escalated into a violent clash involving Nihang pilgrims returning from Hemkund Sahib and residents. Four Nihangs were arrested following the incident, which left four locals injured. The group currently at the Nagarasu Gurdwara is protesting what they term "one-sided action" by the authorities in that case.

To maintain stability, the district administration has deployed additional forces, including local police and ITBP personnel. Prohibitory orders remain in effect, and the administration has closely monitored the area to prevent the spread of rumours. Officials remain hopeful that continued dialogue will resolve the deadlock within the day. (ANI)

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