At least six police personnel, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), were injured after a protest by Sikh organisations on the Amritsar-Delhi National Highway (NH-44) in Ambala turned violent on Thursday and the highway remained blocked for several hours before police removed protesters using tear gas and mild force, allowing traffic to resume later in the evening.
The incident unfolded near Jaggi City Center, where hundreds of protesters staged a dharna while demanding action against Gursimran Singh Mand, national president of the International Anti-Khalistani Terrorist Front. The demonstrators were also seeking the release of two Sikh youths arrested in connection with an assault case registered last week and the cancellation of the FIR filed against them.
The protest began at Gurdwara Panjokhara Sahib, where members of several Sikh organisations and farmer groups gathered before marching toward NH-44 and what started as a demonstration over police action soon escalated into a major law-and-order situation that disrupted traffic on one of northern India's busiest highways.
The immediate trigger was an incident that took place on August 7 outside Panjokhara Sahib Gurdwara in Ambala, according to police, Gursimran Singh Mand was allegedly attacked by a group of men outside the gurdwara. Mand's son and two police personnel were also injured, while his vehicle was damaged during the incident.
Following Mand's complaint, police registered a case against unidentified persons and two men were later arrested on Tuesday, leading to protests outside the Panjokhara police station demanding their release, however, members of the Sikh community presented a different version of events. They alleged that Mand provoked members of the sangat and even struck some people with his vehicle.
These competing claims further increased tensions and eventually led to Thursday's highway protest.
The demonstration was led by the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), headed by president Jagdish Singh Jhinda. The Haryana unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), led by Harkesh Singh Mohri, members of BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh and several Sikh groups from Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh also joined the protest.
A large number of people gathered at Gurdwara Panjokhara Sahib, where Jhinda addressed the gathering and after discussions, the protesters decided to move toward the national highway and block traffic until their demands were addressed.
At around 3 pm, protesters marched toward NH-44.
Police had already deployed a heavy force in the area and installed barricades to stop the march from reaching the highway and according to reports, protesters broke through the barricades and used different routes to reach the highway. After reaching the road, they staged a dharna and blocked traffic movement.
Police also fired tear gas shells in an attempt to disperse the crowd, but the protest continued.
The blockade created major traffic disruptions on the Amritsar-Delhi highway, an important route connecting Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
As the protest continued, senior police officials reached the site and held several rounds of discussions with protest leaders. Ambala Superintendent of Police Ajit Singh Shekhawat said police repeatedly requested protesters to allow traffic movement and permit authorities to clear stranded vehicles and according to the police, the situation became more serious when some protesters allegedly prevented the movement of a truck carrying gas cylinders.
Shekhawat alleged that protesters took away the keys of several trucks, including a gas-loaded vehicle, to extend the blockade and he said police officials requested protesters to allow the gas truck to be moved because it could pose a safety risk, but their request was rejected.
Police also alleged that some people carrying swords and other weapons attacked police personnel after darkness fell and during the clash, DSP (Crime) Virender Sharma suffered a severe injury to his thumb. Five other police personnel were also injured and taken for medical treatment.
Police then used tear gas and what officials described as mild force to remove protesters from the highway. Traffic movement resumed at around 9.15 pm, nearly six hours after the blockade began.
Haryana Director General of Police Ajay Singhal later visited injured police personnel at the Military Hospital and the civil hospital and said police had acted with restraint while trying to restore traffic and maintain law and order, according to the DGP, four police personnel suffered head injuries, while several others were also hurt during the incident.
He said police were identifying those responsible for the attack and that a case would be registered against the accused.
One of the key developments during the protest was the registration of an FIR against Gursimran Singh Mand and his son and according to Jagdish Singh Jhinda, police provided protest leaders with a copy of the FIR, which included charges such as attempt to murder.
Jhinda described the development as a result of Sikh unity, however, protesters continued to press for other demands, including the release of the two arrested youths and the cancellation of the FIR against them.
Police maintained that they had accepted the demand to register a case against Mand, however, officials said additional demands continued to emerge and the protest leaders appeared determined to extend the dharna.
The events in Ambala have highlighted the deep tensions surrounding the August 7 incident and the conflicting accounts presented by police and members of the Sikh community. While traffic has been restored, the dispute remains unresolved. Police have announced further legal action against those accused of attacking officers, while Sikh organisations continue to demand the release of the arrested youths and the withdrawal of the FIR against them and with cases now registered on both sides, the focus is likely to shift toward the ongoing police investigation and future legal proceedings.