A tense overnight standoff involving Nihang Sikh groups travelling from Punjab towards Uttarakhand ended peacefully late Thursday night after prolonged negotiations between the devotees, police and district administration officials in Dehradun. The situation, which had triggered a high security alert across parts of the city, was eventually resolved through dialogue, with all groups being escorted back towards Himachal Pradesh.

According to police officials, the Nihang groups were initially en route to Sri Hemkund Sahib as part of a pre-announced pilgrimage programme. However, security forces stopped them near Paonta Sahib by setting up barricades, following heightened tensions in the region after a recent clash in Chamoli district’s Karnaprayag. Authorities said the preventive measures were taken to maintain law and order in view of the sensitive situation.

Police reported that some members of the group allegedly removed barricades while carrying kirpans and entered the Dehradun district through alternate routes. This unexpected movement prompted a security alert in the state capital, with Premnagar and nearby areas placed under heavy police deployment. Senior officers, including Dehradun SSP Parmendra Dobhal, closely monitored the situation throughout the night.

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For several hours, police teams remained stationed in anticipation of the group’s arrival at expected entry points. However, officials later learned that the Nihang groups had taken an alternative route via the Paonta Sahib–Dehradun highway and the Gorakhpur–Shimla bypass before reaching the city. The groups eventually gathered at a gurdwara in the Race Course area of Dehradun, where senior administrative officials, including the District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan and SSP Dobhal, engaged in multiple rounds of talks.

Authorities said the discussions focused on preventing escalation and ensuring that no confrontation occurred between the groups and security personnel. Officials emphasised that maintaining peace and law and order remained the top priority throughout the incident. The mobilisation of the Nihang groups was reportedly linked to earlier arrests following a clash in Karnaprayag, where some local residents were injured.

After hours of negotiation, the groups agreed to return to Himachal Pradesh. Police sources said the first batch of 12 to 15 Nihangs left the Race Course gurdwara around 1:15 am in multiple vehicles, followed by another group that departed shortly after 2:40 am. Officials confirmed that the situation remained under control throughout the night and no further incidents of violence were reported in the region.

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