Many injured in sword fight at Sikhism's holiest shrine
Clashes broke out between sword-wielding Sikhs on Friday at the Golden Temple in northern India.
It comes on the 30th anniversary of a controversial army assault on Sikhism’s holiest shrine.
At least 10 people were wounded in the violence at the temple in the city of Amritsar.
The violence erupted as hundreds of Sikhs had gathered at the shrine to pay their respects to the hundreds killed in the raid on June 6, 1984.
At least 400 people were killed in that attack on the temple by Indian troops which was codenamed Operation Blue Star and was aimed at flushing out armed separatists demanding an independent Sikh homeland.
On Friday, two groups of Sikhs sporting blue and saffron turbans chased each other with swords, spears and sticks on the marbled staircase of the revered shrine in Punjab state, AFP reported.
Police alleged the clashes erupted after members of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) shouted slogans for an independent homeland from the temple rostrum and insisted they be allowed to speak first at the microphone.
Swords and sticks were used as scores of men from temple security and the group chased each other outside the Akal Takht building inside the complex, which is home to the holiest of Sikh shrines - the Harmandar Sahib, Indian newspaper Hindustan Times reported.
Many people were seen running for cover to save themselves.
Even media personnel were manhandled during the incident.
Source: AFP, Hindustan Times
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