A local court in Dhule has granted the police four days of custody for eleven individuals arrested in connection with a violent clash at the Guru Nanak Saheb Ji Gurdwara in Nashik. The incident, which occurred on Sunday night, involved an attack on a group attempting to enter the religious premises.
The Violent Clash and Immediate Aftermath
The confrontation erupted at approximately 9:45 PM on Sunday. A group of devotees sought to enter the gurdwara to make preparations for a religious event scheduled for Monday. They were allegedly prevented by another faction, leading to violence. The assailants used fire extinguishers, sticks, and iron rods to attack the group trying to gain entry.
Following the incident, the police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against twelve people. While eleven have been apprehended, the twelfth accused is currently receiving treatment in a hospital. A senior Dhule police officer stated that the situation in the area is now peaceful, and police presence has been scaled back as no further incidents have been reported.
Police Investigation and Underlying Tensions
The police successfully sought custody of the eleven accused to delve deeper into the case. Their primary objectives are to understand the modus operandi and the motive behind the attack and to formally record the statements of those arrested.
The roots of the conflict appear to stem from a leadership dispute within the gurdwara management. The complainant in the case stated that the main accused, Ranvirsingh Khalsa, had declared himself the chief of the gurdwara following the murder of Dheerajsingh Khalsa last month. This self-proclamation was reportedly not accepted by many in the community.
Further allegations suggest that Ranvirsingh Khalsa had previously prevented devotees from entering the gurdwara for prayers and kept its gates shut. Although non-cognisable offences had been registered over these issues in the past, the dispute escalated dramatically on Sunday when the attempt to prepare for the religious event was met with physical assault.
Legal Charges and Next Steps
The accused, including Ranvirsingh Khalsa, face serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Indian Arms Act. The sections invoked include:
- Section 109 (Punishment of attempt to commit murder)
- Section 189(2) (Being member of unlawful assembly)
- Section 126 (Wrongful restraint)
- Section 352 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace)
- Section 54 (Abettor present when offence is committed)
The four-day police custody will be crucial for investigators to piece together the complete sequence of events and establish the roles of each individual involved in the attack at the Nashik gurdwara.
