Two Dera ashrams sealed in Haryana’s Kurukshetra on Saturday and several cult members detained as authorities cracked down on the controversial sect, a day after widespread violence left at least 31 people dead across Haryana.
Lakhs of followers of the 50-year-old cult leader went on the rampage in Panchkula, where a CBI court convicted him in the 15-year-old case, and other places of Haryana — setting vehicles on fire, damaging residential and business properties and waging pitched battles with security forces.
The quantum of sentence against the self-styled godman, who enjoys z-category security, will be pronounced on August 28.
The home ministry described the situation Panchkula and Sirsa as “very tense but under control”.
Two of the civilian deaths on Friday were reported from Sirsa, where the cult has its sprawling headquarters. Most of the deaths were due to firing by police trying control the rampaging mobs.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh will hold a high-level meeting later in the day to review the security situation in Haryana.
Officials said Singh will meet the national security advisor Ajit Doval, home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Jain and ministry officials at his residence here.
In Sirsa, police detained 15 Dera followers since Friday night even as the authorities appealed to over one lakh supporters still present in the sect headquarters to vacate the premises, superintendent of police Ashwin Shenvi said.
The 15 are among more than 1,000 supporters detained on charges of arson and destruction of public property.
“The law and order situation is under control as there has been no report of violence since last night,” a senior police officer said.
Two companies of army and 10 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in the town and residents asked to stay indoors.
Meanwhile, authorities in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday relaxed curfew in some towns to enable residents to buy essentials.
In Punjab, curfew was relaxed in Patiala, Bathinda and Ferozepur towns for four hours, while in Haryana it was relaxed in Kaithal town.
In Haryana’s Fatehabad town, the army was deployed to assist the paramilitary and police personnel in maintaining law and order.
A spokesman for the sect urged supporters to remain calm.
“I just want to request everyone to maintain peace at the moment,” said Dilawar Insan. “We will explore what legal options are available to us.”
The sect claims to have about 50 million followers and campaigns for vegetarianism and against drug addiction.
After his conviction, Gurmeet Singh was lodged in a make-shift jail at Sunaria in Rohtak amid tight security.
After reports of the Dera chief being given special treatment surfaced, the director general of police (prisons) said Singh is being treated as a normal prisoner.
“The Dera chief has been locked up in the district jail… is being treated like a normal prisoner according to the Haryana jail manual,” KP Singh said.
News Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com
