Nihangs attack shopkeeper in Punjab's Bathinda

A shopkeeper in Bathinda was attacked by Nihangs and his hand was injured in the incident. His health condition is said to be stable.

Bathinda: A shopkeeper was injured after he was attacked by Nihangs at Bathinda in Punjab on Thursday.

The shopkeeper who sustained an arm injury was rushed to the Civil hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment. His condition is said to be stable.

Several incidents of Nihang attacks have been reported in the state in recent years. In April 2020, an Assistant Sub Inspector's hand was chopped off and two other police officials were injured when a group of Nihangs attacked them on being asked to show curfew passes at a vegetable market in Patiala district.

In another incident, a person's four fingers were chopped off by Nihangs at Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border in Bilaspur. Later, police arrested the accused with the help of locals.

The Nihangs trace their origin to the founding of Khalsa Panth by the 10th Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, in 1699. It draws its basics from Akaal Sena, a band of soldiers who used to serve the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind. Later, the Akaal Sena transformed itself into the 'Khalsa Fauj' to serve Guru Gobind Singh.

The Nihangs had a pertinent role in protecting the Sikhs from Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Abdali in the mid-18th century and they had prime position in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army. It is worth mentioning that Nihangs, an armed sect, are known as those unaffected by pain or comfort, focused on meditation, penance, charity and are termed as absolute warriors.