Nihang Sikhs End Border Standoff, Return to Himachal

A tense standoff between a group of Nihang Sikhs and authorities at the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border ended peacefully in the early hours of Friday, June 26, after prolonged negotiations. The incident, which began late Thursday night, triggered a major security alert in Dehradun and surrounding areas before being resolved through dialogue.

The confrontation originated when a group of Nihang devotees, traveling from Punjab towards the Hemkund Sahib pilgrimage site in Uttarakhand, were stopped by police at the Kulhal checkpoint in Vikasnagar. Authorities had erected barricades and deployed heavy security, including personnel from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, following recent tensions in the state. After talks at the border and a nearby gurdwara failed to convince the entire group to turn back, a contingent of approximately 15 to 20 Nihangs reportedly breached the barricades and proceeded into Uttarakhand.

Police officials stated that some members of the group were seen carrying traditional kirpans, or swords, as they moved. Their entry prompted an immediate security response, with forces deployed and barricades set up at key points, including Premnagar in Dehradun, to...