The violence was a serious escalation in a dispute that began on August 7 during celebrations of birth anniversary of Guru Harkrishan Sahib at the gurdwara.
A confrontation involving anti-Khalistan activist Gursimran Singh Mand at Gurdwara Sri Panjokhra Sahib in Ambala has escalated into a major law-and-order situation, with a Deputy Superintendent of Police losing his thumb, several other policemen injured, tear gas and lathicharge used to disperse protesters and the Delhi-Jalandhar section of NH 44 blocked for nearly six hours. The violence on Thursday night was the most serious escalation in a dispute that began on August 7 during celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Guru Harkrishan Sahib at the historic gurdwara. DSP Crime Virender Sharma was among the police personnel injured when officers moved to clear the highway. His thumb was severed during the confrontation. Ambala SP Ajit Singh Shekhawat said protesters carrying swords and other weapons attacked police personnel under the cover of darkness. Several policemen were injured. The police subsequently used tear gas and lathicharge to clear the highway and restore traffic.
The episode began at Panjokhra Sahib on August 7, when Mand, president of the International AntiKhalistan Terrorist Front, visited the gurdwara during the Gurpurb celebrations. A confrontation broke out near the gurdwara as Mand’s vehicle moved through an area crowded with devotees. His vehicle was surrounded and damaged, while Mand and his son Bhavjot Singh were allegedly assaulted. Two police personnel providing security to Mand were also injured. Mand has alleged that the attack was motivated by his anti-Khalistan position and his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He claimed that those surrounding his vehicle forced him to raise anti-Modi and anti-RSS slogans and demanded pro-Khalistan slogans. Mand also alleged that the attackers demanded the release of jailed Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh and other detainees. These claims have not been independently established by investigators and remain part of Mand’s account of the incident.
Sikh community representatives have given a different account of the incident. They have alleged that Mand violated gurdwara protocol by driving his vehicle through a crowded area and that his vehicle hit devotees. They have claimed that a devotee, Surinder Singh, suffered serious injuries. The allegation subsequently led to a complaint against Mand and his son. Police detained youths in connection with the alleged assault on Mand. Their detention triggered protests by Sikh representatives and farmer groups, who demanded their release and action against Mand. The protesters argued that the youths were being targeted while their complaint against Mand had not received adequate action. The detained youths were subsequently released amid the protests, but the demand for action against Mand continued. Community leaders later announced that a larger mobilisation would be held if the administration failed to register a case against Mand. The mobilisation moved to NH 44 on August 13 A large gathering assembled near Panjokhra Sahib and moved towards the national highway, where protesters blocked traffic near Jaggi City Centre in Ambala Cantonment. They demanded the release of the youths arrested in connection with the Mand assault and registration of an attempt-to-murder case against Mand and his son.
The blockade severely disrupted traffic on the Delhi-Jalandhar route, leaving vehicles and trucks stranded for hours. Police held several rounds of negotiations with the protesters and agreed to their demand for registration of a case against Mand. However, the protesters also demanded immediate release of the detained youths. Police officials told them that the youths were already in judicial custody and could only be released through the legal process. The protesters refused to withdraw the blockade. The standoff continued for around six hours before police moved to clear the highway. Tear gas was fired and lathicharge was used as the situation turned violent. Police said protesters carrying swords and other weapons attacked personnel during the confrontation. Several policemen were injured, including DSP Virender Sharma, whose thumb was severed. Police also alleged that protesters took away the keys of trucks caught in the blockade, including a gas-loaded vehicle, in an attempt to prevent the highway from being cleared. The administration subsequently registered an FIR against Mand and his son Bhavjot Singh on a complaint filed by Surinder Singh. The case includes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to attempt to murder, acts endangering life, rash driving and criminal conspiracy. The complainant alleged that Mand and his son drove their vehicle in a manner that endangered devotees and caused injuries. The case against the youths involved in the alleged assault on Mand remains separate.
The ideological backdrop Mand’s identity as a prominent anti-Khalistan activist has added an ideological dimension to the dispute. He heads the International Anti-Khalistan Terrorist Front and has for years campaigned against Khalistani separatism. His political activities have also made him a target of threats. Mand had reported threats in June this year, including an alleged bomb threat from a person claiming to be gangster Goldy Dhillon. He later reported another death threat from an international number in which the caller allegedly threatened him and his family. The National Investigation Agency had also questioned Mand earlier this year in connection with threats and information concerning Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti and his associates. Mand has linked the Panjokhra assault to this background, saying he was targeted because of his opposition to Khalistan. His allegation that the attackers forced him to raise pro-Khalistan slogans and demanded the release of Amritpal Singh has not yet been established by investigators.
Khalistani MP Amritpal Singh connection The reference to Khalistani Amritpal Singh has particular significance in the current political environment. Amritpal, who heads Akali Dal Waris Punjab De, emerged as a major political figure after the February 2023 Ajnala police station confrontation, when he and his supporters entered the police station complex seeking the release of his associate Lovepreet Singh. Supporters carrying swords and other weapons confronted police during the episode, and several police personnel were injured. Amritpal was subsequently arrested and detained under the National Security Act. Despite being in jail, he contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Khadoor Sahib and won with more than four lakh votes. His electoral success demonstrated that a confrontation with the state could become part of a political narrative capable of translating into electoral support. Mand’s allegation that his attackers demanded Amritpal’s release therefore adds a political layer to the Ambala dispute, although there is no official finding that the attackers were acting on behalf of Waris Punjab De.
The wider political fault line The Ambala confrontation comes amid a wider contest over Sikh political identity. The Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal is attempting to recover from successive electoral setbacks, while Waris Punjab De and other Akali groups are challenging its traditional position in Panthic politics. The recent meeting between SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also revived speculation about a possible BJP-SAD alliance before the 2027 Punjab Assembly election. No formal alliance has been announced, but the possibility has sharpened the political divide between the moderate Akali establishment and groups advocating a harder line on Sikh identity and Khalistan. Mand represents an explicitly anti-Khalistan position within this political landscape. His alleged attackers, according to his account, attempted to force him to publicly endorse the opposite position. The investigation will have to establish whether that ideological confrontation actually triggered the assault. The Ambala episode has also demonstrated how quickly a dispute involving a politically polarising figure can acquire a wider community dimension. Mand’s anti-Khalistan activism, the allegations of pro-Khalistan slogans, references to Amritpal Singh, the mobilisation by Sikh groups and the eventual violence against police have placed the episode within a much larger political debate. What began at Panjokhra Sahib has now become a test of whether a local confrontation can be contained before it develops into another major ideological flashpoint in the region.
