A group of Nihangs storms a gurdwara in Rudraprayag, holding Sikh devotees hostage on the roof

A group of Nihangs, armed with spears and swords, stormed a gurdwara in Rudraprayag and took a Sikh devotee hostage on the roof of the building to demand the release of four members of the sect who were arrested following an encounter in Chamoli on June 16, police said on Sunday (June 21, 2026).

Heavy police force was deployed at the spot after the standoff that started on Saturday (June 20, 2026) evening and is still ongoing, even as the district administration said on Sunday (June 21, 2026) that the situation is fully under control and calm.

The officer said the police are negotiating with a Nihang member to end the hostage situation.

“The police, district administration and the Gurudwara management committee are in constant dialogue with the Nihang Sikhs and are trying to understand their concerns and find solutions,” Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Niharika Tomar said.

“Interviews have yielded positive results; one of the Nihangs came down from the roof to speak with the administration and the police, and the dialogue with the remaining individuals continues,” she said.

According to a statement issued by District Magistrate Vishal Mishra, the Nihangs locked the third floor leading to the terrace where they held an elderly Sikh man hostage.

The gurdwara management said the Nihangs have requested “50-60 rooms” to accommodate protesters who will come to demonstrate against the arrest of four members of their sect over an encounter at Karnaprayag in Chamoli.

When the gurdwara failed to do so, the Nihangs resorted to violence and warned the authorities against any violent action against them, they said.

According to the police, the Nihangs engaged in vandalism and then took a Sikh man who was at the gurdwara to the roof and started raising slogans. They are armed with spears, swords, axes and kirpans, they said.

Mr. Mishra said, “There was an internal dispute inside the gurudwara. Police and administrative officials are present at the spot to maintain law and order. There is no disturbance. Everything is going on peacefully.” He added that the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage is continuing and activities like ‘ardas’, ‘langar’ are going on as usual in the gurdwara.

Four Nihangs were arrested in connection with the clash that took place on June 16 over parking outside a hotel in Karnaprayag market.

The group was returning from Sri Hemkund Sahib Gurdwara when they got into a verbal altercation with locals in the market.

The pilgrims allegedly attacked the second group with swords, injuring four local residents. Nihang was also injured in the clash.

As a result, four Nihangs, all from Mohali in Punjab, were arrested.

Later, some Nihangs approached the Nagrasu gurdwara managers and appealed to them to support their protest to be held on Sunday against the “unilateral action” in the Karnaprayag incident.

According to the police, Sardar Sukhdev Singh and Sardar Beant Singh built the Nagrasa gurdwara a few years ago and both are responsible for its day-to-day management.

Located between Rudraprayag and Gauchar on the Badrinath Highway, the gurdwara serves Sikh pilgrims traveling to and from Sri Hemkund Sahib.

Beant Singh told reporters that the Nihangs arrived at the gurdwara from Mohali on Saturday (June 20, 2026) around 4:00 pm and demanded that 50-60 rooms be arranged for more of them to come for the protest.

When the request could not be granted, he said, the Nihangs raised a ruckus, rushed to the third floor, blocked his entrance, held the man hostage and took control of the area.

Beant Singh said SP Tomar had assured the Nihangs of safe passage back to Punjab from the gurdwara, but the standoff continued.

The Uttarakhand government has ordered an inquiry into the Karnaprayag clash.

Published – 22 Jun 2026 03:45 IST