‘Attacked with swords, kirpans’: 5 injured in clash between Sikh pilgrims and locals in Uttarakhand | Dehradun News

CHAMOLI: At least five people, including a pilgrim, were injured in a clash between Sikh pilgrims and locals over a parking dispute near Panch Puliya in Uttarakhand’s Karnprayag, police said on Tuesday.The incident led angry locals to block the Badrinath National Highway (NH-07) for four hours, before senior police and administrative officials intervened to restore order.According to eyewitnesses quoted by PTI, the dispute began in the morning when a group of pilgrims travelling to Hemkund Sahib parked their vehicle in front of a local hotel. The argument escalated, and the pilgrims allegedly attacked residents with swords and kirpans.Police said the injured were taken to a government hospital in Karnprayag, adding that one of them was in critical condition and referred to another hospital for further treatment.The injured have been identified as Prakash Rawat (26), Sudarshan Kandari (55), Gajpal Singh (50) and Harendra Singh (42), all residents of Karnprayag, and Manpreet Singh (21), a resident of Punjab’s Mohali.Following the incident, locals gathered near the Karnprayag police post and blocked the national highway, leading to a massive traffic jam and leaving hundreds of vehicles carrying pilgrims to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, as well as local commuters, stranded.To manage the situation, police temporarily halted traffic at a designated holding area in Gauchar.The protest was called off after Chamoli district magistrate Gaurav Kumar and Superintendent of Police Surjit Singh Panwar reached the spot and held talks with the protesters, assuring strict action against those responsible for the violence.During the discussion, locals demanded a ban on sharp-edged weapons during religious pilgrimages.Kumar said the safety of both pilgrims and locals remains the top priority of the administration. He added that no form of lawlessness would be tolerated and strict action would be taken against those found guilty.(With agency inputs)