Chandigarh, August 26: Normal life in Sirsa, which is the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda sect, has come to a standstill after curfew-like restrictions were imposed to prevent any untoward incident following the large scale violence by the followers of sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was convicted by CBI court in a 15-year-old rape case.
Milk supply has also been affected adversely in several areas as the agitated followers set a milk plant on fire, located near the sect headquarters.
After the CBI court in Panchkula pronounced the Dera Sacha Sauda chief guilty in the rape case, followers went violent and set a milk plant on fire, police said, adding that flames were doused within a few hours.
Schools, colleges, cinema halls, petrol pumps have been shut as a precautionary measure. Authorities have imposed curfew in areas, which are in the vicinity of the Dera headquarters, on Thursday. People have been asked to stay indoors in the wake of violent protest by Dera followers last evening.
Two companies of Army from Hisar district, ten companies of paramilitary forces – the CRPF and the BSF, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and several companies of Haryana police have been deployed to maintain law and order in Sirsa district.
