Nihang Sikhs bail: Chamoli court grants release in Karnaprayag case

A court in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district granted bail to four Nihang Sikhs arrested after the June 16 Karnaprayag incident, officials said. The court set personal bonds of INR 50,000 and two sureties each. Legal aid counsel submitted the bail bond, and the accused were released from Chamoli District Jail and left with companions.

A court in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district granted bail to four Nihang Sikhs. Officials said the order could ease tensions after the Karnaprayag incident on June 16. The accused were arrested after an alleged sword attack injured several people. One Nihang Sikh also suffered injuries during the clash.

Officials said Chamoli District and Sessions Judge Vindhyachal Singh allowed bail for Satwinder Singh, Ajay Singh, Jaspreet Singh and Manpreet Singh. The court set bail at a personal bond of ₹50,000. It also required two sureties for ₹50,000 each. The four men were later freed from custody.

Karnaprayag incident: What the court ordered

Advocate Mohan Chandra Pant appeared for the accused through the Chamoli District Legal Aid Authority. Pant said the bail bond was filed as per the order. Pant said the release warrant was sent to Chamoli District Jail. After release, the four accused left by car. About a dozen companions from Punjab travelled with them.

The dispute began in Karnaprayag on June 16, according to officials. A minor disagreement between local residents and Nihang Sikhs grew into violence. Police recorded an alleged sword attack in the case details. A few people were injured, officials said. A Nihang Sikh was also hurt during the incident.

Nihang Sikhs bail case: Arguments by both sides

The defence said the group was on a religious pilgrimage at the time. The counsel alleged that local residents attacked the group during the incident. The counsel said Manpreet Singh suffered serious injuries. During the hearing, the defence counsel argued that the accused was falsely implicated. The prosecution opposed bail and cited the severity of allegations.

Prosecutors told the court the accused could influence witnesses or affect evidence. The prosecution said the dispute followed a road accident. Police later changed the charges during the investigation, the prosecution said. The case was registered after the incident, and police arrested the four Nihang Sikhs. Officials did not share further details on the revised charges.

Karnaprayag incident: Wider tensions in Uttarakhand

The arrests earlier triggered a standoff at the Nagrasu gurdwara in Rudraprayag district. The standoff continued for three days, officials said. It ended on June 23 after talks. A Sikh delegation intervened to help resolve the deadlock. Officials linked the tension to demands for the men’s release.

Officials also reported an incident on the night of June 25 in Dehradun district. A group of Nihang Sikhs allegedly entered Uttarakhand through the Kulhal border. The border area adjoins Himachal Pradesh. The group demanded the release of the arrested men, officials said. Authorities did not confirm if any fresh case followed that entry.

With bail granted, the four accused left Chamoli District Jail after completing formalities. The order required bonds and sureties for each accused. Officials said the release was expected to lower tension connected to the June 16 Karnaprayag incident. Police said the investigation continued, including the updated charges mentioned in court.

With inputs from PTI