Nihang Sikhs attack, chop-off ASI's hand during coronavirus COVID-19 curfew in Patiala; took shelter in gurudwara

New Delhi: A group of Nihang Sikhs, who got into a scuffle with policemen at Patiala vegetable market chopped off a hand of an assiatant sub-inspector and injured other cop, a station house officer. The incident took place at around 6:15 am on Sunday (April 12) morning outside a wholesale vegetable market in Sanaur town in Punjab.

According to reports, the Nihang Sikhs, who were travelling in a vehicle, attacked assistant sub-inspector Harjeet Singh and another cop with swords, after they were asked to show curfew passes. 

Singh was immediately rushed to Rajindra hospital in the town from where he was referred to PGIMER in Chandigarh, where he is undergoing a surgery. The Station House Officer of Sadar Patiala and another official were also injured in the attack, said a report.

Hours after the incident, police arrested seven men, including five of the attackers, from a gurudwara in nearby Balbera village.

An official said that the Nihang Sikhs were asked to show curfew passes but they banged their vehicle against the gate and the barricades and then attacked the police personnel on the duty with swords. After commiting the crime, they fled the scene, and took shelter at a gurudwara managed by them in Balbera. 

With a lockdown in place to contain the spread of COVID-19, barricades were put up outside the market and entry restricted to those with curfew passes.

Nihangs is a sect of Sikhism whose members are armed with traditional weapons and dressed in loose blue robes. 
 
Punjab Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta described the incident as unfortunate. "In an unfortunate incident today morning, a group of Nihangs injured a few Police officers and a Mandi Board official at Sabzi Mandi, Patiala. ASI Harjeet Singh whose hand got cut-off has reached PGI Chandigarh," Gupta tweeted.

"I have spoken to Director PGI who has deputed top Plastic surgeons of PGI for surgery, which just started," he added. In another tweet, Gupta added that he was grateful to PGI for its full support. "All of us praying to Waheguru for his full recovery!"