Nihang Sikhs breach barricades, enter Uttarakhand amid heavy security

Tension prevailed in Uttarakhand after a group of Nihang Sikhs allegedly breached police barricades at the Kulhal check post on the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border and entered the state late on Thursday night, following a dispute with residents in Karnaprayag in Chamoli district. According to officials, around 200 Nihang Sikhs travelling from Chandigarh towards Uttarakhand via Himachal Pradesh were stopped by the police and district administration at the Kulhal check post after barricades were erected to prevent their entry.A nearly two-hour meeting between the administration, police officials, and representatives of the Nihang Sikhs at the Paonta Sahib Gurdwara failed to resolve. While a section of the group agreed to turn back, around 20 to 30 Nihang Sikhs reportedly crossed the Kulhal bridge and reached the check post, where they were stopped by security personnel.The standoff lasted several hours before the group allegedly broke through the barricades and proceeded towards the Dehradun-Paonta highway.Officials said some members of the group were seen carrying and waving swords while moving towards Dharmwala, prompting the administration to deploy heavy police and security personnel, including ITBP troops, along the route.Following the group's entry into Uttarakhand, additional police forces were rushed from different parts of Dehradun district to strengthen security.The Nihang Sikhs remained firm on their demand to proceed towards Hemkund Sahib. Late on Thursday night, police also erected barricades at Prem Nagar Chowk to prevent the group from entering Dehradun city. District Magistrate Dr Ashish Chauhan and Senior Superintendent of Police Parmendra Dobal reached the spot and monitored the security arrangements.However, by around 1 a.m. on Friday, the group had not reached the Prem Nagar area, and the police were yet to ascertain their exact location. Intelligence agencies were tracing the movements of the Nihang Sikhs and identifying their routes. The incident follows tensions in Karnaprayag in Chamoli district, where a dispute between Nihang Sikhs and residents had prompted heightened security measures across parts of Uttarakhand.