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14 arrested in connection with violence at Nanded gurudwara in which 4 cops were injured
A video of the incident, flashed by various news agencies, showed a sword-wielding mob barging out of the gurudwara, breaking the barricades put up by police and attacking the cops.
The police in Maharashtra's Nanded arrested 14 people in connection with violence outside a gurudwara on Monday, news agency ANI reported. Four policemen were injured after being attacked during vandalism and one of them - a constable - is said to be in a serious condition.
ANI quoted a police official as saying that a case has been registered against 64 accused under charges of rioting and attempt to murder.
The sword-wielding mob attacked policemen after being denied permission to hold a public procession in Nanded due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
A video of the incident, flashed by various news agencies, showed the mob barging out of the gurudwara, breaking the barricades put up by police and attacking the cops.
Several vehicles were also damaged in the violence.
"Permission for the Hola Mohalla public procession was not granted due to the pandemic. The gurudwara committee was informed and they had assured us that they would abide by our directives and hold the event inside the gurudwara premises," Nanded Range DIG Nisar Tamboli told news agency PTI.
"However, when the Nishan Sahib was brought at the gate around 4 pm, several participants started arguing and over 300 youth stormed out of the gate, broke the barricades and began attacking the policeman," he added.
Hola Mohalla is a Sikh festival that comes a day after Holi. It is an occasion for Sikhs to demonstrate their martial arts skills.
Nanded is an important Sikh pilgrimage centre as it is home to a sacred shrine, the Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchal Nagar Sahib. It was here that the 10th and last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), anointed the holy book Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru of Sikhism and spent the last 14 months of his life.
(With inputs from agencies)
