4 jailed Nihangs granted bail amid hopes of standoff easing

Dehradun: In a development that could ease ongoing standoff between Nihang Sikhs and the Uttarakhand govt, the district and sessions court in Chamoli district on Saturday granted bail to four Nihangs jailed in connection with the Karnaprayag assault case.

The court, however, said that the hearing of the case will continue.The four accused -- Jashnpreet Singh, 23; Ajay Singh, 23; Satvinder Singh, 21; and Manpreet Singh, 21; all residents of Mohali -- were arrested on June 17, after police registered an FIR against them under BNS sections 109 (attempt to murder), 125 (endangering life of others), 351 (3) (aggravated threats), 281 (negligent driving), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) following a clash with locals over a parking issue in Karnaprayag town on June 16.Chamoli SP, Surjeet Singh Panwar, told TOI: “We are yet to receive a copy of the bail order. Having said that, police in Karnprayag town are on alert while maintaining a close watch on the developments.”Saturday’s bail hearing came amid tension in Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts amidst locals and a large gathering of Nihangs at Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh over calls from Nihang groups to assemble in Uttarakhand on June 25.

A group of Nihangs had also managed to breach police barricades and enter Dehradun in the early hours of Friday before retreating following negotiations with cops. Nihang groups had given the Uttarakhand govt a two-day deadline to release the four members, threatening to march towards Dehradun and Karnaprayag again on Sunday.Sources said that two senior officers of Uttarakhand Police — Haridwar SSP NS Bhullar and ASP Almora Harbans Singh — who are conversant in Punjabi, are leading the state’s dialogue with Nihang leaders at Paonta Sahib gurdwara.

Among the two, ASP Singh, had also played a key role in ending the stand-off at Nagrasu gurdwara in Rudraprayag district where seven Nihangs had locked themselves up inside while taking two ‘sevadars’ (volunteers) hostage.Meanwhile, heavy police deployment continued at Kulhal border in Dehradun near HP. ITBP personnel were present there as well.Dehradun DM, Ashish Chauhan, said, “The administration is keeping a close eye at the border amid the ongoing negotiations between our delegation and the Nihangs at the Paonta Sahib gurdwara. We are taking all the necessary steps to ensure that law and order is maintained in the area.”