An officer's hand was chopped off with a sword and two other Punjab policemen injured Monday when a group of Nihangs attacked them after being asked to show curfew passes at a vegetable market in Patiala district, police said.
Seven people, including five attackers, were arrested hours later after an exchange of fire at a gurdwara where the group fled after the 6.15 am incident in Sanaur town.
One of the arrested men suffered gunshot wound, police said. A 'mandi' official was also hurt earlier.
A video clip on social media appears to show Assistant Sub Inspector Harjeet Singh seeking help. A man picks up the severed hand and gives it to the officer. He is then taken away from the scene on a two-wheeler.
The ASI was rushed to Rajindra hospital nearby and then referred to PGIMER in Chandigarh where he was undergoing surgery, police said. The other injuresd policemen include Sadar Patiala's station house officer.
With a lockdown in place to contain the spread of COVID-19, barricades were put up outside the wholesale market and entry restricted to those with curfew passes.
The Nihangs -- members of a Sikh sect whose adherents carry traditional arms and wear blue robes -- arrived in an SUV and were told to stop by mandi' officials, police said
We requested them through the public address system to surrender but they refused, he said. The Nihangs inside hurled abuses at the policemen
Earlier DGP Gupta tweeted that the injured ASI was undergoing surgery at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh