Nanded: Nanded police have registered a case under IPC sections 307, 324, 188, 269 against 400 accused of attempting to take out a Hola Mohalla procession outside the Sachkhand Gurdwara, without permission.
The police have arrested 18 accused so far. Efforts to nab the rest are ongoing.
It is a tradition to take out the 'Hola Mohalla' procession every year on the occasion of Holi from Sachkhand Gurudwara of Nanded. This time too, police permission was sought for the procession, but due to the Coronavirus pandemic, restrictions were placed on gatherings from March 25 to April 4.
In the meeting held with the police on behalf of the gurdwara management, it was assured that all religious programs would be done peacefully and no procession would be carried out inside the gurdwara.
But as soon as Nishan Saheb was brought out at 4 pm in the afternoon on Monday, some people started arguing with the police and broke the barricading of the police outside the gurdwara.
The mob took to the streets carrying swords, spears, stones and other deadly weapons in their hands.
Seeing such a huge crowd and a deadly weapon in their hands, the police retreated a bit. But the miscreants did not settle and started throwing stones on police vehicles.
SP Pramod Kumar Shaiwale was attacked with a sword. His bodyguard Dinesh Pandey was injured in the incident. He has undergone surgery in a hospital.
A total of eight policemen have been injured in the attack, who are being treated at a local government hospital.
The situation around the gurudwara in Nanded is tense but under control at present.
What Happens Hola Mohalla Procession?
Just as Hindus play with colours on the second day of Holi, there is a tradition of carrying out the Hola Mohalla procession in Sikhism. Sikh youth perform their martial arts in the procession.
Nanded Gurudwara Sachkhand is considered as one of the five 'takhts' of Sikhs. The tenth and last Guru of Sikhs Guru Gobind Singh is said to have spent some time here.
