Chamoli (Uttarakhand) [India], June 28 : In a significant development following the June 16 clash in Karnaprayag, the District and Sessions Court in Gopeshwar on Saturday granted bail to the four Nihang Sikhs who were in judicial custody.
The legal breakthrough comes alongside a high-level peace initiative, with Tarun Bhandari, Political Advisor to the Haryana Chief Minister, asserting that the Hemkund Sahib Yatra will continue smoothly with full cooperation between the government and religious groups.
District and Sessions Judge Bindhyachal Singh allowed the bail applications of the four individuals, who had been booked under multiple sections, including attempt to murder, for allegedly attacking local residents in Chamoli district.
Confirming the status of one of the injured, Sandeep Kumar, PRO at AIIMS Rishikesh, stated that a 23-year-old Nihang named Manpreet, who was shifted to the Trauma Centre from Karnaprayag, is now stable.
"At present, the patient's condition is stable, and there are no complications," Kumar said, adding that a few Nihangs, accompanied by the police, visited the hospital to meet the patient, where they enquired about his health, met him at the Trauma Centre, and left the premises peacefully after being briefed about his condition.
Meanwhile, in Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, Tarun Bhandari, Political Advisor to Haryana CM, met with All India Jathedar Baba Major Singh Sodhi to ensure communal harmony.
Speaking to ANI, Bhandari said, "There are no demands from any side; the government is cooperating, and our 'Jathebandi' (religious groups in the context of Punjab and the Sikh community) are extending full cooperation as well. Regarding the four individuals who were detained (following a violent clash on June 16 in Karnaprayag in Uttarakhand), one was in the hospital, and three have now been granted bail. They will arrive here by this evening, and everyone will take them back to their respective homes from here. The Yatra (annual Hemkund Sahib Yatra) will continue. People from Uttarakhand will extend their support, and our 'Jathebandi' will also cooperate with them."
Bhandari also announced a mutual grievance redressal mechanism to prevent future friction.
"If any of our Nihang brothers engage in wrongdoing, we will provide a number where complaints can be lodged; we will personally handle the matter and decide on the appropriate course of action. local residents will not intervene. Similarly, the government will also provide a number; if locals cause any trouble for them, the government will take action against such individuals," he explained.
Addressing rumours regarding the "takeover" of Gurudwaras and political interference, Bhandari slammed those trying to incite trouble.
"There are always political figures who look for opportunities to prolong such situations, hoping that protests and sit-ins continue indefinitely... Some claim a Gurudwara has been taken over, others say another one has been seized, but there is no such takeover. People are simply sitting here as a Sangat (congregation) and paying their respects... The government will deal effectively with those spreading negativity, and they will face punishment, because there are many who seek to incite trouble," he added.
The development follows tensions in Karnaprayag in Chamoli district, where a dispute between Nihang Sikhs and local residents had prompted heightened security measures across parts of Uttarakhand.