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Updated: Apr 12, 2020 13:18 IST

A group of Nihangs chopped off the hand of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Punjab police with a sword and injured two other personnel when they were not allowed to enter a vegetable market in Patiala district on Sunday morning during a curfew over the coronavirus pandemic.

ASI Harjeet Singh, whose left hand was chopped off from the wrist, was rushed from Balbera village to the Government Medical College in Patiala and then referred to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh.

He is being operated upon at PGIMER, senior officials said.

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Station house officer (SHO) of Sadar police station Bikar Singh and ASI Raj Singh received injuries in their legs. Yadwinder Singh, an official of the Punjab Mandi Board, was also injured in the assault.

Senior superintendent of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu along with other officials reached the spot after which a police team cordoned off the gurdwara at Balbera, where the Nihangs were hiding after attacking the personnel.

Karan Bir Singh Sidhu, Punjab’s special secretary, tweeted that all the seven Nihangs had been arrested and that one of them was injured in police firing and hospitalised. He said the operation was supervised by Jatinder Singh Aulakh, the inspector general of police of Patiala zone.

Punjab Police chief Dinkar Gupta also tweeted about the incident.

I have spoken to Director PGI who has deputed top Plastic surgeons of PGI for surgery, which just started. The Nihang group will be arrested and further action taken soon. — DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) April 12, 2020

“I have spoken to the PGI director, who has deputed top plastic surgeons for the surgery that has started. The nihang group has been arrested and further action will be taken soon (sic),” Gupta wrote.

“Grateful to PGI for full support. Two senior surgeons are doing their best. All of us are praying to Waheguru for his full recovery!” he added.