Uttarakhand gurdwara standoff ends as Nihangs leave roof

A tense three-day standoff at a Sikh shrine in Uttarakhand ended peacefully on Tuesday after a group of Nihang Sikhs occupying the building agreed to leave following mediation by community leaders. The incident, which began on the evening of June 20, saw a group of armed Nihangs take control of the rooftop of the Nagarasu Gurdwara in Rudraprayag district, leading to a significant security deployment and high-level negotiations.

According to District Magistrate Vishal Mishra, the matter was resolved after the last of the agitators came down from the gurdwara's roof on Tuesday evening. The resolution followed discussions with a delegation of Nihang leaders from Paonta Sahib and Punjab. Officials stated that the group, which initially numbered around seven men, had occupied the shrine following a dispute with the gurdwara's management.

Police Superintendent Niharika Tomar said the immediate dispute reportedly began over accommodation arrangements at the gurdwara's community kitchen, or langar. The Nihangs had allegedly demanded 50-60 rooms to house protesters, a request the management said it could not fulfill due to limited capacity. The situation escalated into an altercation,...