Hans News Service Chamoli

A clash between a group of Sikh pilgrims and locals over a parking dispute near Panch Puliya in Karnprayag here left five people, including a pilgrim, injured, police said on Tuesday. The incident prompted angry locals to block the Badrinath National Highway (NH-07) for four hours before senior police and administrative officials intervened to restore order.

According to eyewitnesses, the dispute began in the morning when a group of pilgrims on their way to Hemkund Sahib parked their vehicle in front of a local hotel. The argument escalated, and the pilgrims allegedly attacked the residents with swords and kirpans.

The injured people were taken to a government hospital in Karnprayag, the police said, adding that one of the injured was said to be in critical condition and referred to another hospital. The injured have been identified as Prakash Rawat (26), Sudarshan Kandari (55), Gajpal Singh (50), Harendra Singh (42), all residents of Karnprayag, and Manpreet Singh (21), a resident of Punjab’s Mohali.

Following the incident, locals gathered near the Karnprayag police post and blocked the national highway, causing a massive traffic jam and leaving hundreds of vehicles carrying pilgrims to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, as well as local commuters, stranded.

To control the traffic flow, the police temporarily stopped vehicles at a designated holding area in Gauchar.

The protest was called off after Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar and Superintendent of Police Surjit Singh Panwar reached the spot and held discussions with the protesters, assuring them of strict action against those responsible for the violence.