NH-44 Cleared in Ambala After Clashes Leave Six Police Personnel Injured

Public Lokpal
August 14, 2026

Ambala: Traffic on the vital Delhi-Amritsar National Highway (NH-44) near Ambala has been completely restored following a tense six-hour standoff, which ended when security forces deployed a lathicharge and tear gas to clear a major protest blocking the route.

The demonstration was organized by local Sikh community members and farmer groups near Gurdwara Panjokhra Sahib. Protesters gathered to demand strict legal action against International Anti-Khalistani Terrorist Front (IAKTF) chief Gursimran Singh Mand and his son. The agitation stemmed from an incident on August 7, where demonstrators alleged that Mand’s vehicle attempted to run over individuals during a confrontation.

Although local authorities swiftly registered an attempt-to-murder FIR against Mand and his son, negotiations quickly hit a standstill. The primary deadlock occurred because the crowd refused to clear the highway unless police also released two local Sikh youths who had been detained in connection with the earlier altercation. Law enforcement officials maintained that the release of the detained individuals could only be handled through proper judicial procedures rather than on-site demands.

As negotiations failed to produce a resolution and the blockade continued to cause severe traffic disruptions along the major transit corridor, tensions escalated after dark. Clashes broke out between the crowd and security personnel, accompanied by stone-pelting. Approximately half-a-dozen police officers sustained injuries during the operation, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) who suffered a severe hand injury from a sharp weapon.

Following the escalation, police used tear gas shells and a cane charge to disperse the demonstrators and clear the highway. Normal traffic movement along NH-44 resumed late in the evening under heavy police deployment, with authorities maintaining a strict vigil to ensure public safety and prevent any further escalation in the area.