A mob of sword-wielding Sikhs on Monday attacked policemen, injuring at least four of them, after being denied permission to hold a public procession in Nanded due to the Covid-19 pandemic, an official said.

A viral video showed the sword-wielding mob barging out of the Gurdwara, breaking the barricades put up by police and attacking the policemen. Several vehicles were also damaged in the violence. "Permission for the Hola Mohalla public procession was not granted due to the pandemic. The gurdwara committee was informed and they had assured us that they would abide by our directives and hold the event inside the gurdwara premises," Nanded Range DIG Nisar Tamboli told PTI. "However, when the Nishan Sahib was brought at the gate around 4 pm, several participants started arguing and over 300 youth stormed out of the gate, broke the barricades and began attacking the policeman," he said.