Seven Nihang Sikhs have been occupying the Nagarasu Gurdwara on the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage route in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district for over 30 hours, with one elderly sevadar still reportedly being held hostage, following tensions linked to a recent clash between Sikh pilgrims and local residents in Karnaprayag.
According to officials, the group climbed onto the roof of the gurdwara after a dispute with the management and is alleged to have attempted to take control of the premises, during which sevadars were reportedly assaulted. Two sevadars were initially taken hostage, and while one was later released after a video from the site surfaced, an elderly sevadar remains in custody.
Police, district administration teams and ITBP personnel were deployed to the site soon after the incident was reported. Authorities have been attempting to resolve the situation through negotiations, but no final resolution has been reached so far. In response to the tension, internet services were suspended in parts of Rudraprayag and Srinagar to prevent the spread of rumours.
The incident is linked to an earlier clash in Karnaprayag between returning Nihang Sikh pilgrims and local youths, which allegedly escalated into violence involving swords and left several people injured. Police subsequently arrested some Sikh youths, a move that triggered anger within sections of the Sikh community.
In response to the situation, a delegation from Punjab led by MP Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa travelled to Uttarakhand and initially intended to visit Karnaprayag but stopped in Haridwar. The delegation later met senior police officials, including Haridwar SSP Navneet Singh Bhullar, and requested a meeting with top state authorities, which was forwarded to the Director General of Police and later scheduled in Dehradun.
Khalsa has demanded a cross-case in connection with the Karnaprayag violence, claiming that the Sikh youths acted in self-defence and should not be singled out. He also raised objections over the handling of arrested individuals and said that carrying kirpans is a constitutional right of Sikhs. Another member of the delegation, MLA Manpreet Singh, also alleged one-sided action and called for a fair investigation, stating that the Sikh community is deeply concerned over the developments.
Officials confirmed that discussions are ongoing and that the delegation’s concerns have been formally communicated to senior authorities as efforts continue to address both the gurdwara standoff and the earlier clash.
