By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The Uttarakhand police was on high alert on Friday even as a large number of Nihangs, who have barged into Dehradun after forcibly removing barricades at a check post bordering Himachal Pradesh on Thursday night, have returned to Punjab.
“On the night of June 25, 2026, a group of Nihang devotees reached Dehradun via Paonta Sahib and other routes. Police and administrative officials held discussions with them. Following detailed talks, all of them were persuaded to return towards Poanta Sahib In Himachal Pradesh,” a police statement said.
Earlier, the Nihangs wielding swords and other weapons entered Dehradun after forcibly removing barricades at the Kulhal border in Dehradun district, prompting a massive deployment of police and security personnel. Videos showed the Nihangs jostling with police who were trying to prevent their entry at Kulhal area.
The march was linked to ongoing protests over the arrest of four Nihangs following a violent clash in Karanprayag earlier this month.
According to officials, hundreds of Nihangs travelling from Punjab and neighbouring areas gathered near the border and sought to proceed towards Karnaprayag in Chamoli district. Authorities had already placed the border on high alert after calls for a large mobilisation were circulated in the aftermath of the recent Nagrasu Gurdwara standoff.
Eyewitnesses and viral videos reported heated exchanges between protesters and police personnel as security forces attempted to prevent the Nihangs from entering the state without permission. Barricades were erected and vehicles were subjected to intensive checking. Some reports indicated that armed Nihangs pushed through police barricades, leading to brief scuffles, although officials worked to prevent a major confrontation.
The latest development comes days after a four-day standoff at a gurdwara in Nagrasu, Rudraprayag district, where a group of armed Nihangs demanded the release of their arrested associates. The standoff ended peacefully following negotiations involving Sikh representatives from Punjab and Uttarakhand authorities.
The controversy stems from a June 16 clash in Karnaprayag between a group of Nihangs and locals. Police subsequently arrested four Nihangs, triggering protests and demands for their release.