Uttarakhand: A dispute over vehicle parking near Panch Pulia in Karnaprayag, Uttarakhand, turned violent, leaving five people injured, including a Sikh pilgrim travelling to Hemkund Sahib. The incident, which has been widely circulated on social media through viral videos, also triggered a four-hour blockade of the Badrinath National Highway (NH-07).
According to eyewitnesses, the altercation began when a group of pilgrims heading to Hemkund Sahib parked their vehicle outside a local hotel. The argument allegedly escalated into a physical confrontation, during which sharp-edged weapons were reportedly used. Police said all injured persons were taken to the government hospital in Karnaprayag, while one seriously injured person was referred to a higher medical centre.
The injured have been identified as Prakash Rawat (26), Sudarshan Kandari (55), Gajpal Singh (50), Harender Singh (42), all residents of Karnaprayag, and Manpreet Singh (21) from Mohali.
Following the incident, local residents gathered near the Karnaprayag police outpost and blocked the national highway, causing long traffic snarls. Hundreds of vehicles carrying pilgrims to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, along with local commuters, remained stranded. Police temporarily diverted and halted traffic at designated holding areas in Gauchar to manage the situation.
The protest ended after Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar and Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh Panwar reached the spot and assured demonstrators that strict action would be taken against those found responsible for the violence.
During discussions with officials, local residents demanded restrictions on carrying sharp-edged weapons during religious pilgrimages. Authorities stated that any form of lawlessness would not be tolerated and that legal action would be taken against those involved after a detailed investigation.
Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Public Relations, Uttarakhand, shared a statement from Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib Management Trust manager Sardar Seva Singh of Govindghat, appealing to all pilgrims visiting Hemkund Sahib to maintain peace, discipline and communal harmony throughout the pilgrimage.
