Punjab: Constable killed as Sikh groups clash over gurdwara's control
One Punjab Police personnel was killed, while six others suffered injuries on Thursday in an exchange of gunfire between two Nihang groups vying to take control of a gurdwara in the Kapurthala district of Punjab. Identified as Jaspal Singh, the deceased was posted as a constable at the Sultanpur Lodhi Police Station. Meanwhile, those who sustained "kirpan" (sword) injuries are being treated at Sultanpur Lodhi Civil Hospital.
Know how things allegedly escalated at Gurdwara Akal Bunga
According to reports, two of the Nihang groups have been involved in a conflict over the control of the Gurdwara Akal Bunga opposite the main Gurdwara Ber Sahib for the past three days. However, the situation escalated on Thursday morning after the cops allegedly tried to vacate the gurdwara from the Nihang group manned by Mann Singh.
Details on current situation at gurdwara
Singh's members then started firing indiscriminately at the police team, killing the home guard constable and injuring other police officers. The heavily armed Nihangs have locked the gurdwara from the inside, while the police have barricaded the whole area. Moreover, talks have been initiated with the group to vacate the possession. The tension comes ahead of the November 27 birth anniversary of the first Sikh master, Guru Nanak Dev.
Visuals from Kapurthala's Sultanpur Lodhi
FIR filed, 10 arrested so far
It's worth noting that the gurdwara was in the possession of Patiala-based Baba Budha Dal Balbir Singh. However, his opponent group took illegal possession of the gurdwara on Tuesday by brutally assaulting two employees of the gurdwara. The police registered an FIR under attempt to murder and other Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections and apprehended ten Nihangs from Singh's group on Wednesday.
All you need to know about Nihang Sikhs
Nihang Sikhs are an order of Sikh warriors known for their unique attire and adherence to traditional Sikh martial practices. Members of this Sikh group dress up as medieval warriors in blue robes and decorated turbans and carry weapons like swords and spears. To recall, a group of Nihangs in 2020 chopped off the hand of a police officer in Patiala with a sword when he asked them to show curfew passes during the COVID-19 lockdown.
