Kulhal checkpoint (Uk-Himachal): Nihangs attack police with swords, rods, break barr

[Amitabh]

Context: On June 16 a group of Nihangs attacked locals with swords over a parking dispute in Karnaprayag, seriously injuring several people. Police later arrested them.

A few days later another group of Nihangs seized a gurudwara in Nagrasu for four days, holding the temple workers hostage and demanding the release of those arrested for the June 16 incident. Even the local Sikh community in Uttarakhand criticised the hijack.

Now dozens of Nihangs are charging at police and security forces, hurling swords, rods and other sharp weapons, using force to break the barriers. They want the four accused from the Karnaprayag attack to be freed.

The police and the government fear that if decisive action is taken the media will portray it as a crackdown on a minority, especially since the state is run by the BJP, which could affect the party's prospects in the Punjab elections, and Pakistan might try to exploit the situation.

NOTE: This is not about Uttarakhand vs Punjab or Hindu vs Sikh. We need to call a spade a spade!

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/nihang-sikhs-breach-barricades-at-himachal-pradesh-uttarakhand-after-stopped-moving-towards-hemkund-sahib-article-154761481

https://x.com/i/status/2070185037484761409

https://www.news18.com/india/tension-at-uttarakhand-border-as-nihang-sikhs-breach-barricades-head-towards-hemkund-sahib-ws-l-10174005.html

[Shruti]

Series of events leading up to this:

June 16 - How they attacked locals with swords: https://x.com/i/status/2066806612610969729

Even a Congress potential chief minister candidate met one of the injured on June 16: https://x.com/i/status/2068344297498505297

Nagrasu - Nihangs hijacked a gurudwara for four days and held the workers hostage: https://x.com/i/status/2069102106095886779

During the hijack they were also throwing stones at locals: https://x.com/i/status

[Jasmin]

Many Sikhs treat Nihangs like god‑sent warriors, while Nihangs act as if no rules apply to them except their own religious code. They are basically testing how far the state will let them go.

[Ananya]

India police...