Supporters of Sikh militants plastered posters across buses in Punjab.

Footage shows activists from the radical Sikh group Dal Khalsa placing photos of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale on Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) coaches in Hoshiarpur on March 18.

Authorities said that no formal complaints had been received regarding the incident.

Hoshiarpur Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Sarbjit Singh Bahia added: 'If we receive any complaint, the police will take action against those who try to disturb law and order. Action will be taken against individuals regardless of their affiliation or whether they are locals.'

On March 17, some individuals paraded Khalistan flags featuring Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, leading traffic enforcers to remove the banners from the vehicles.

Authorities later filed a First Information Report (FIR) against two motorcyclists involved in the incident.

On March 15, the owner of the Himalayan Village resort filed another FIR after a group of motorcyclists from another state engaged in an argument with a couple. The owner reported that the bikers, carrying Bhindranwale's flags, attacked a local driver, Ramesh, with swords and sticks during the altercation.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu commented on the escalating tensions, said: 'On Holi, an assassination attempt was made on former Congress MLA Bumber Thakur. The investigation is ongoing, but given the statements he has been making, especially against his political rival, the situation does not look good. I expect the government to take serious note of this.'

The Khalistan movement, a campaign for an independent Sikh nation, led to tens of thousands of deaths in the 1980s and 1990s and has been linked to the assassination of an Indian prime minister and a passenger jet bombing. Though banned in India, the movement remains a diplomatic flashpoint with Western nations, where some Sikh activists accuse New Delhi of orchestrating assassinations of separatist leaders. The Indian government continues to demand stronger action against key figures in the movement who are accused of terrorism.

Bhindranwale was killed along with his armed followers at the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar during Operation Blue Star in 1984, an offensive ordered by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The Indian Army launched the operation to eliminate Bhindranwale, who led the Sikh religious sect Damdami Taksal and had stockpiled weapons inside the Golden Temple.

Sikh-Hindu tensions have historically been shaped by political, religious, and social factors, with key events escalating conflicts between the two communities. While Sikhs and Hindus once coexisted peacefully, the 20th century saw rising tensions over demands for Sikh autonomy and government actions perceived as oppressive.