A group of Nihangs, armed with traditional weapons, stormed a gurdwara in Rudraprayag, taking a Sikh devotee hostage on the roof to demand the release of four sect members arrested after a clash in Chamoli.
Over 150 Nihangs are camping at Paonta Sahib gurdwara in Himachal Pradesh, refusing to return to Punjab until four members of their sect, arrested in Uttarakhand following a clash with locals, are released. The group had previously attempted to force entry into Uttarakhand and clashed with police, leading to an ongoing standoff.
A nearly 72-hour standoff at the Nagarasu gurdwara in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag ended on Tuesday evening as a group of Nihangs holed up at the shrine vacated the premises after talks with a delegation from Punjab, officials said.
The Nihangs have called off their planned protest march in Uttarakhand related to a recent dispute at the Karnaprayag market in Chamoli and a gurdwara in Nagrasu.
Unidentified men held a jeweller's family hostage at gunpoint in Gurdaspur, Punjab, and stole cash and jewellery worth approximately Rs 3 crore, prompting criticism of the state's law and order situation.
As the fate of Hindu and Sikh hostages held by Taliban remained unknown, a concerned All Pakistan Minorities Alliance has convened a meeting on February 28 to frame a strategy to protect their members.
A meeting was held at the Santkutia gurudwara, with Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists praying for the early release of the truck drivers being held captive in Iraq since early this week
India on Wednesday hit out at Pakistan and the OIC for raising the Kashmir issue at the UN Human Rights Commission and said the grouping has 'helplessly' allowed itself to be held 'hostage' by Islamabad.
A group of four-five 'Nihangs' (Sikhs armed with traditional weapons and dressed in loose blue top) were travelling in a vehicle and they were asked to stop at a vegetable market by the Mandi board officials at around 6.15 am, police said.
"Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad," Obama said as tears streamed down his cheeks in the East Room of the White House in the presence of a large number of victims of mass shootings.
The Iraqi leadership assured full cooperation and support in the matter.
'The world is silent because your rhetoric is dishonest and rings hollow,' says former RAW officer Tilak Devasher.
'In this season of inspired mean-spirited campaigning, it still seemed remarkable that we are more likely to learn civics lessons from school children than our leaders,' says Rahul Jacob.
'We are telling them we have isolated them and their religion as not only unwanted,' says Aakar Patel.
'Whom do I want to marry and what decisions I make for marrying the person I love are totally personal decisions, in which neither the State nor the courts have any right to interfere.'
The chief minister said certain "leads" have been found which are being pursued aggressively and assured that culprits would soon be arrested. The chief minister has also announced a reward of Rs 50 lakh for anyone providing information on those involved in the blast.
Modi said the wave in favour of the BJP was stronger this time than in 2014.
'Criticism that Amnesty is interested in those in favour of independence for Kashmir is unfounded.'
'For so long as the rulers of Pakistan remain committed to confronting and vanquishing India, they will sustain delusions, breed terrorists, and export them.'
