Chandigarh, Apr 12 (IANS): In a bloody clash in Punjab, a police official's hand was chopped off and two others got grievous injuries on Sunday when a group of people attacked them in Punjab's Patiala town on being asked about curfew permission, police said.

A group of five armed Nihangs, who were travelling in a vehicle, were asked to stop at a vegetable market in Patiala.

"They were asked to show the curfew pass. They got angered and in retaliation they attacked police personnel and government employees deployed there with sharp-edged weapons," a police official said.

An Assistant Sub-Inspector's hand was chopped off, while two others sustained multiple injuries.

"In an unfortunate incident today morning, a group of Nihangs injured a few police officers and a Mandi Board official at Sabzi Mandi, Patiala. ASI Harjeet Singh whose hand got cut-off has reached PGI Chandigarh," Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta informed in a tweet.

He said he was grateful to the PGI for full support.

"Director PGI tells me that surgery has already started by two senior surgeons who will do their best. All of us praying to Waheguru for his full recovery!," he added.

The police have rounded up the accused from a gurdwara.