Sangrur, September 4: The Sangrur police on Monday claimed to have arrested Duni Chand, member of the A team of Dera Sacha Sauda allegedly formed to lead violence in Malwa region in case of an adverse verdict.On Sunday night, the police arrested another accused Ranjit Singh, who was working as a link between Duni Chand and local Dera followers. SSP Mandeep Sidhu said, “Rakesh Kumar, who lives in the Sirsa dera and was in touch with the Dera head, had formed an eight-member A team to lead violence in the Malwa in case of an adverse verdict in the rape case against the Dera head. Duni Chand was member of that team and was getting direct instructions from Rakesh.”
Police arrested Duni Chand on Sunday night from near Gujra village while he was driving a car and seized Rs 1.7 lakh in cash, pepper sprays and Dera literature.The other members of the team who are absconding are Major Singh of Mansa, Balwinder Singh and Gurdev Singh of Bathinda, Prithi Chand of Bagha Purana, Mahinderpal Singh Bittu of Kotkapura, Gurdas Singh of Kot Bhai of Bathinda and Gurjit Singh of Moga.
“These members were given special instructions on the Dera premises during a meeting on the night of August 17. They were told by Rakesh to select more dera followers from their areas and train them in violence,” the SSP said.Duni and Ranjit confessed before the media on Monday that the Dera management had prepared them for violence. “Like me, many others fell in the Dera management’s trap and got ready to burn our own state,” said Duni, who has been a Dera follower since 1994.
Interestingly, on August 23, two days before violence and conviction of the Dera head, Ranjit had attended a meeting by SSP Sidhu at Police Lines to maintain peace in the district.The SSP said, “Some miscreants are spreading false information that we are harassing Dera followers. This is not correct. I challenge them to cite even a single case of harassment. We have registered 14 cases against Dera followers involved in damaging properties in the district. We have arrested 59 accused and impounded 22 motorcycles and three cars.”
News Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com
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