Shimla: A tense situation unfolded near the Uttarakhand border in Shimla district after a dispute broke out between local residents and a wedding party over offering namaz on the roadside. The incident took place at Phediz Bridge in the Nerwa area, leading to a heated face-off that was eventually resolved after the wedding guests raised patriotic slogans.
The trouble began on Friday evening when a baarat (wedding procession) was returning from Uttarakhand. Imran, a resident of Sitrot village in Nerwa, had gone to Plasu village across the border for his wedding earlier that morning. Around 10:00 AM, the party had left in a convoy of vehicles.
On their way back, as the group reached Phediz Bridge, it was time for evening prayers. The guests pulled over their vehicles, washed up at a nearby stream, and began offering namaz by the side of the road.
Slogans and Standoff
The sight of prayers being offered in a public space quickly drew a crowd of locals. An argument broke out as the residents objected to the use of the roadside for religious purposes. As the tempers flared, the locals reportedly asked the wedding party to chant “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”
To prevent the situation from spiralling into a bigger clash, the wedding guests complied and raised the slogans. This move helped de-escalate the tension, allowing the baarat to finally leave the spot and head home.
Police Launch Probe
A video of the confrontation has since gone viral on social media. The footage shows a group of men arguing with the wedding party and, at one point, even engaging in a heated exchange with police personnel who arrived to handle the situation.
While the police have started an investigation and recorded statements from eyewitnesses, no formal written complaint has been filed by either side so far.
“We are looking into the matter. The situation is currently under control and peaceful,” a police official stated.
Local elders in the Nerwa region have stepped in to calm the waters, appealing to everyone to maintain communal harmony and bhaichara (brotherhood) to ensure such incidents do not disturb the peace of the hills.
