A day after a video clip that showed a sword-wielding mob come out of a gurdwara at Nanded, break the barricades and attack the policemen stationed to prevent them taking out a procession went viral, the local police on Tuesday arrested 14 persons in connection with the attack on the policemen.

Having registered three FIRs against 64 unidentified persons allegedly involved in the attack on policemen that took place at the Sri Hazur Sahib gurdwara on Monday, the Wazirabad police in Nanded district of Marathwada region arrested 14 persons on Tuesday.

The irate mob had attacked the police after it was denied permission to hold a “Hola Mohalla” public procession as part of the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic..

In all, four constables were injured, while six vehicles were also damaged in the violence.

A video clip that surfaced immediately after the incident showed an angry sword-wielding mob barge out of the gurdwara, break the barricades put up by police and attack the policemen.

The local police said that the condition of one of the four injured policemen was “serious”.

“"The gurdwara committee had assured us that they would abide by our directives and hold the event inside the gurdwara premises...We are trying to ascertain if any member of the gurdwara committee had a role in the incident,” a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, the Wazirabad police have booked the 14 arrested persons on charges of attempt to murder, rioting and other sections of IPC  and under provisions of the Arms Act.

“We are looking out for other absconding people named in the three FIRs registered in connection with the incident,” the police officer said.    

The violence broke out when the “Nishan Sahib” -- a triangular saffron-colour flag furling outside a gurdwara on a steel pole covered with a saffron cloth -- was brought at the Gurdwara gate late on Monday afternoon. Some of the participants got into verbal exchanges with the police.