DEHRADUN, JUN 23 (PTI): A nearly 72-hour standoff at the Nagarasu gurdwara in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag ended on Tuesday evening as a group of Nihangs holed up at the shrine vacated the premises after talks with a delegation from Punjab, officials said.
“The gurdwara management and the police administration worked together to resolve the issue peacefully. All those involved have now left the premises, and normalcy has been restored,” Rudraprayag District Magistrate Vishal Mishra said.
Videos circulating on social media showed the Nihang Sikhs leaving the Nagarasu Gurdwara premises on their motorcycles, with police personnel facilitating their safe and orderly exit.
Around half a dozen Nihangs, armed with swords and spears, had stormed the Nagarasu Gurdwara, situated between Rudraprayag and Gauchar on the Badrinath Highway, on the evening of June 20. They climbed onto the roof and blocked the entrance to the terrace. This came after four Nihang Sikhs were arrested in connection with an incident that took place in Karnaprayag town of Uttarakhand on June 16.
According to officials, the dispute began when a group of Nihangs demanded accommodation for upcoming demonstrations, which the gurdwara management could not fully provide due to limited capacity. The situation escalated into an altercation, following which the group occupied the higher floors. During the confrontation, the Nihangs climbed onto the roof and the topmost floor of the gurdwara. Despite the administration’s appeals, they refused to vacate the premises.
Eyewitnesses said the Nihangs were receiving food and other supplies while remaining on the roof. They also allegedly resorted to occasional stone-pelting to avoid being apprehended. Gurdwara manager Sardar Beant Singh claimed on Sunday that the Nihangs held a person hostage for some time before releasing him.
Authorities claimed the face-off at the gurdwara was an isolated incident stemming from a local accommodation dispute.
Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police (SP) Neeharika Tomar said the police control room received information about a dispute between gurdwara sevadars (volunteers) and arriving Nihang pilgrims at 3.40 pm on June 20.
“The local administration, police, and the gurdwara management committee immediately initiated dialogues. Over the last two days, three Nihangs had come down safely, and today, a visiting delegation from Punjab mediated a final resolution,” SP Tomar said, adding that a thorough investigation is underway and details of all individuals present have been recorded.
“The gurdwara was never locked, nor was there any structural capture. Daily ardas (prayers), langar (community kitchen), and the movement of devotees continued smoothly. The Shri Hemkund Sahib and Char Dham Yatras are proceeding seamlessly,” she added.
On Tuesday, a delegation of Nihangs from Punjab met the group in the gurdwara and the premises were vacated.
Speaking to the media after the breakthrough, Baba Gargaj Singh, a member of the five-member Punjab delegation — which included representatives from Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Jalandhar, and Sri Anandpur Sahib — counselled the group for peace.
“Just like the five fingers on a hand are not identical, people have different mindsets. These youths acted out of an aggressive mindset and showed restlessness, but they are our children. We used dialogue and counsel to resolve the matter, after which they relented, sought blessings, and left,” he said, emphasising that weapons in the Sikh tradition are meant strictly for self-defence and protecting the weak, not for intimidation.
Expressing relief, gurdwara manager Sardar Beant Singh thanked the local administration, police, media, and the local public, noting that the minor structural damage would be repaired.
Singh said the management requested authorities not to press criminal charges or detain the protesting youths.
“Disputes can happen between brothers. We requested the authorities to let them return to Punjab peacefully. The administration accepted our plea, and the youths were fed langar and respectfully sent back in vehicles,” Singh said.
The standoff followed an earlier incident on June 16 in Karnaprayag, where a minor dispute between local residents and another set of Nihangs escalated into violence.
The Nihangs allegedly brandished swords, injuring a few locals, while one Nihang Sikh was also hurt. Following the clash, police registered a case and arrested four Nihangs. A section of the Sikh community accused the administration of “one-sided” action.
While it was initially unclear whether any conditions were met to end the protest, police sources claimed that a key demand of the Nihangs — to file a cross-FIR against the opposite party in the June 16 Karnaprayag clash — was accepted. To ensure an impartial probe, both cases related to the Karnaprayag incident have been transferred to the Haridwar district police.
According to information provided by the state police headquarters, allegations made by various Sikh organisations regarding police conduct and behaviour in connection with the Karnaprayag incident have been assigned for investigation to Deputy Inspector General of Police Yashwant Singh, who has been asked to submit his report within two weeks.
The gurdwara, built a few years ago in Nagarasu, is used by Sikh devotees travelling to and from the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage.
The district authorities urged the public not to pay attention to rumours regarding the incident. They said the Shri Hemkund Sahib and Shri Kedarnath Dham pilgrimages were proceeding smoothly under full police vigil.
Wednesday, June 24, 2026