India's Maharashtra Police have detained 17 people in connection with an assault on officers and causing vandalism outside Nanded Sahib shrine, officials said on Tuesday.
Speaking to Sputnik, a Nanded police officer revealed that permission for the Hola Mohalla (Hola), a Sikh festival that comes a day after the festival of colours Holi, was not granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hola Mohalla is an occasion for Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills.
However, when the Nishan Sahib, the religious flag of Sikhism, was brought to the gate around 4 p.m., several participants started arguing. Following this, over 300 people stormed out of the gate, broke the barricades, and began attacking the policeman, said the officer.
A video of the incident going viral on social media shows a mob armed with swords breaking through barricades put up by the police and attacking policemen standing guard, while rushing out of a gate of the shrine complex.
It is only 'Lawlessness' for which MH is getting infamous these days.
— Sonalika Kumar (@sonalika_kumar) March 29, 2021
Swords out in #Nanded.
Procession of Sikh community in rampant covid spread.
pic.twitter.com/PXdVdhAirW
Police said four policemen were injured in the brawl, including the bodyguard of the Superintendent of Police of Nanded. Several police vehicles were also damaged in the attack.
According to the police, a case under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntary causing hurt with dangerous weapons), 188 (Disobeying the order of public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and for rioting have been registered against at least 200 people.
Over the last week, Maharashtra state witnessed the worst surge of the virus, forcing the state government to implement a series of restrictions to control the infection.
India has recorded 56,211 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, while Maharashtra alone witnessed 31,643 new cases, according to India's federal Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
