4 injured as sword-wielding Sikhs attack policemen in Maharashtra

Four cops were injured after a mob of sword-wielding Sikh protesters reportedly breached barricades of a Gurudwara in Nanded and attacked policemen after not being allowed to take out a religious procession on Monday evening.

While a case has been filed for the violence and flouting of COVID guidelines enforced in the state due to the rise in cases, police have detained 18 people connected to the attack.

Police say the incident occurred even though the gurudwara authorities were earlier intimated that the annual ‘Hola Mohalla’ procession wouldn’t be allowed this year due to COVID-19 restrictions in the state.

The three-day long procession involves a display of martial skills of the Sikh community as well as cultural events like music and poetry.

“We had spoken to the gurudwara authorities and the priests and explained the situation to them. So they agreed that this year, no procession will be held and a low-key celebration will be held within the complex,” Superintendent of Police Pramod Kumar Shewale told NDTV.

While the event was slated for 4 pm, Shewale says some of the youngsters who came to participate grew impatient due to the wait.

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“When Baba-ji explained the situation to them, they moved to the Gate Number 1 and started moving on the traditional route of the procession,” Shewale told NDTV.

A video of the incident shows a group of Sikhs holding swords exiting a gate of the Gurudwara premises, breaking police barricades on the way and attacking policemen stationed at the spot.

Maharashtra, the worst-affected state in the country by COVID-19 on Monday logged in 31,643 new cases and 102 deaths. With the state accounting for more than 60 per cent of the fresh cases reported in the country, the government has enforced night curfews and has restricted large public gatherings to break the chain of the infection. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray recently also asked officials to prepare a plan for a possible round of lockdown, while noting that people were not following COVID-19 protocols.