Nihang Sikhs Breach Uttarakhand Border Barricades, March Towards Hemkund Sahib

DEHRADUN: A large group of Nihang Sikhs clashed with police and pushed through security barricades at the Kulhal checkpoint on the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border late Thursday, June 25, 2026, proceeding towards Hemkund Sahib. The incident unfolded amid heightened tensions following a recent dispute at gurdwaras in Karnaprayag and Nagrasu.

Visuals from the scene showed the border area heavily fortified, with multiple layers of metal barricades and police personnel in riot gear. The administration had deployed additional forces in anticipation of the march, which the Nihang groups had announced earlier.

The group, reported to have started from Punjab's Mohali, aimed to reach the Hemkund Sahib shrine. To prevent their entry, the Uttarakhand administration turned the Kulhal outpost into a fortified zone. Despite this, a section of the protesters managed to breach the barricades and move forward.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Pankaj Gairola told PTI that a section of the protesters broke through. “We are trying to maintain law and order,” he said. District administration officials, including the SDM and Tahsildar, arrived for talks, but the discussions did not lead to a resolution.

When intercepted at the border, a confrontation broke out. Dozens of Nihangs, dressed in traditional blue attire and carrying swords, rods, and other sharp-edged weapons, used physical force to push aside the barriers and continue their march. The protesters declared they would not return to Punjab until four Nihang members arrested in connection with the Karnaprayag incident were released.

A representative of the group told reporters that they intended to undertake their pilgrimage peacefully while reciting prayers. “We want to resolve the dispute with locals through a compromise rather than conflict,” he said. He added that senior police officers had assured them that bail for the detained individuals would be processed within a few days. The group maintained they would remain in Uttarakhand until their members were released to accompany them back to Punjab.

The underlying dispute dates back to June 16 in Karnaprayag, where a minor altercation between residents and another group of Nihangs escalated into violence. The Nihangs allegedly brandished swords, injuring some locals, while one Nihang Sikh was also hurt. Police registered a case and arrested four Nihangs following the clash. Some members of the Sikh community accused the administration of taking “one-sided” action.