More than 150 Nihangs are camping at the Paonta Sahib gurdwara in Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh. They say they will not leave until four members of their sect who were arrested in Uttarakhand are released.
The Nihang groups have held discussions to plan their next steps. According to The Hindu, sources said on Saturday that the group declared they would not return to Punjab until the four arrested members are released.
How the standoff began
The situation started after a clash between Nihangs and locals in Uttarakhand. Police later arrested four Nihangs and registered a case. In response, a Nihang jatha tried to force entry into Uttarakhand through Dehradun on Thursday. They clashed with police who were present in large numbers to stop them.
The standoff between the Nihangs and the Dehradun administration at the Himachal-Uttarakhand border ended on Friday. The Nihangs agreed to postpone their march to Uttarakhand for two days.
Current situation at Paonta Sahib
Over 150 Nihangs have gathered at the Paonta Sahib gurdwara in Sirmaur district. As reported by Moneycontrol, they have refused to leave until the four arrested members are released. The group is camping at the gurdwara and waiting for a resolution.
Our Take: A tense standoff with no easy solution
This is a delicate situation. The Nihangs have made their demand clear, and they are staying put until it is met. The authorities in Uttarakhand have arrested the four members after a clash, which means there is a legal process to follow. In our view, both sides need to find a way to de-escalate. The Nihangs have already shown some willingness by postponing their march. But the core issue — the release of the arrested members — remains unresolved. If the authorities do not address this quickly, the standoff could drag on or escalate again.
