Karnaprayag clash:  The Chamoli clash case witnessed a major breakthrough after the District and Sessions Court in Gopeshwar granted bail to four Nihang Sikhs who were arrested following the June 16 clash in Karnaprayag, Uttarakhand. The court's order is expected to ease tensions that had led to a week-long standoff between Nihang groups and the Uttarakhand administration.

The Chamoli clash case had triggered widespread protests after the four Nihang Sikhs were arrested and sent to judicial custody on charges, including attempt to murder. Their arrest prompted more than 150 Nihang Sikhs from Punjab and neighbouring states to gather near the Uttarakhand border, demanding their release and seeking permission to continue their pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib.

With the Chamoli clash case now seeing a bail order from the court, the immediate confrontation has eased. Earlier, after negotiations with the administration, the Nihang group had suspended its planned march into Uttarakhand and returned towards Himachal Pradesh while awaiting the court's decision.

Court grants bail to four Nihang Sikhs

The District and Sessions Judge allowed the bail applications of all four Nihang Sikhs who had been lodged in judicial custody after the Karnaprayag incident. The accused were arrested following a clash between a group of Nihang Sikhs and local residents in Karnaprayag on June 16. The police had registered a case under several sections of the law, including attempt to murder, alleging that local residents were attacked during the altercation.

How the standoff escalated

The arrests quickly sparked protests among Nihang Sikhs. A large group gathered at Nagrasu Gurdwara in Rudraprayag, demanding the immediate release of the four arrested members. As support for the protest grew, more than 150 Nihang Sikhs assembled at Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh with plans to proceed towards Sri Hemkund Sahib. Intelligence inputs prompted the Uttarakhand administration to tighten security along the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border to prevent a large gathering from entering the state while tensions remained high.

The situation escalated further when a Nihang group attempted to cross into Uttarakhand through the Dehradun border, leading to a brief confrontation with the police. The protesters later agreed to return to Paonta Sahib after discussions with senior officials.

In another incident during the protest, a small group of Nihangs climbed onto the roof of Nagrasu Gurdwara on the Badrinath Highway and demanded the release of the arrested men. The situation was peacefully resolved after negotiations involving the administration, gurdwara management and Sikh representatives.

Why the Nihangs were travelling

The Nihang Sikhs said they were travelling to Sri Hemkund Sahib, one of Sikhism's holiest pilgrimage sites in Chamoli district, as part of the annual pilgrimage. They maintained that they should not be stopped from undertaking a religious journey and also sought the release of the four arrested members of their community.

The administration, however, maintained that the temporary restrictions were imposed only to prevent any deterioration in the law and order situation and were not intended to stop the pilgrimage itself.

Throughout the week, Uttarakhand officials held several rounds of discussions with Nihang leaders and Sikh religious representatives.

The administration maintained that while it could not interfere in judicial proceedings, it was committed to resolving the situation peacefully through dialogue. Following these talks, the Nihang group suspended its protest march and returned towards Himachal Pradesh pending the court's decision.

With the court granting bail to the four Nihang Sikhs, the immediate standoff between the protesters and the Uttarakhand administration has largely come to an end.

However, the criminal case registered in connection with the June 16 Karnaprayag clash will continue as the police investigation proceeds. 

- With inputs from agencies

Join Whatsapp Channel