Rape convict godman’s bhakts go on rampage; over 30 killed, 300 injured

Agencies
August 25, 2017

Panchkula, Aug 25: At least 31 Dera Sacha Sauda followers were killed and more than 300 injured in an hour of violence after cops and paramilitary forces fired on angry mobs, shortly after the verdict convicting Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of rape at 2.30pm on Friday. While 28 were killed in Panchkula, three Dera supporters were killed in Sirsa, the headquarters of the cult.

Fifteen years after he was accused of raping his sadhvis, Gurmeet was held guilty of the crime by special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh. The quantum of sentence would be pronounced on Monday after hearing the CBI and Dera's counsel. Gurmeet faces a minimum of seven years in jail, the maximum punishment being life term.

Doctors at government hospitals in Panchkula and Chandigarh said the death toll could rise as many of the injured are in serious condition. Sources said the government gave orders to fire at the rioters after Panchkula deputy commissioner Gauri Prashar found herself surrounded by an angry mob in Sector 5. Most of those killed were in the adjoining Sectors 3 and 4, where most of the violence took place.

The moment the verdict came, the followers unleashed a well-planned attack. This was the third major instance of the Manohar Lal Khattar government's failure in controlling law and order in Haryana since 2016.

At least six were killed when police entered preacher Rampal's ashram in Hisar to arrest him and produce him in the HC in a contempt case in 2014, a month after the Khattar government took charge.

Shockingly, while 30 were killed in three days during the Jat protests in Haryana in February 2016, in Panchkula, nearly as many were killed in an hour on Friday.

Curfew was imposed in Patiala, Sangrur, Bathinda, Mansa, Faridkot, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts in Malwa where dera followers went on the rampage. The followers targeted government service centres in Bathinda. A railway station nearby was torched.

Dera followers also threw petrol bombs at the grid sub-station, causing some damage.

But Panchkula bore the brunt. Nearly 1.5 lakh followers had gathered there in three days in an attempt to build pressure on the government and judiciary not to convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Despite the HC telling the government to ensure that there should be no violence, both cops and paramilitary forces seemed unprepared.

Witnesses said some protesters even had countrymade pistols. Although cops said they had disarmed many followers before they reached Panchkula, sources told TOI the initial bunch of followers that reached the city had a large quantity of petrol, diesel and kerosene with them.

The rioters set government offices and business establishments on fire.

After his conviction, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was first taken to a guesthouse meant for senior officers at Sunaria, near Rohtak. The Sunaria jail is within its compound. Jail SP (Rohtak) Sunil Sangwan confirmed that the guesthouse was designated as a jail.

However, in the evening, the government ordered that the dera chief should be shifted to jail.

Comments

ABUMOHAMMED
 - 
Saturday, 26 Aug 2017

What a shame rss leading Bjp government, can't control this internal kinds of rubbish people then how can secure your (Bjp) outside attacks. May tomorrow pakistan or china attack our country how can we defend. And alerady know the decision on this rubbish goons against him, he has a accused military & police force arranged. But what is the use? infornt of police & military, looting, burning, then were these security  wearing bangles in their hand ? and also his supporters giving statement which is anti national. where is now deshbakths ? If any muslim did this what would have happened we can't image. These all are cheating, looting people of Rss.

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News Network
February 8,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 8: The BJP on Saturday drew flak on Twitter for taking a swipe at Muslim women who appear to be standing in a line to vote in Delhi's assembly polls. ""Kaagaz Nahi Dikayenge Hum" ! ! ! Keep the documents safe, you will need to show them again during NPR exercise (sic)," the party's Karnataka Twitter handle posted using the hashtag #DelhiPolls2020. 

The video, which appears to have been taken from one of the polling booths in Delhi on Saturday, shows burqa-clad women flashing their voter ID cards. While the threatening tone of the tweet is unmissable, the tweet contradicts the government's statement that no person needs to submit any documents during the house-to-house survey for updating the National Population Register (NPR) and that information provided by individuals would be accepted and recorded. 

The tweet has added to the prevailing confusion regarding the NPR exercise in the country. 

The NPR is a list of "usual residents" of the country. In 2010, the data for NPR was collected along with the house-listing phase of the Census of India 2011. The data was updated in 2015 by conducting a door-to-door survey.

Currently, it has been decided to update the NPR along with the house-listing phase of Census 2021 during April to September 2020 in all the states/union territories except Assam.

Most of the opposition parties see NPR as a prelude to the contentious National Register of Citizens (NRC), which has been opposed by even NDA allies like the JD(U). The NPR questionnaire asked details like the birthplace of parents. In combination with the recently amended citizenship law, protesters fear that the registry might be eventually used for NRC. 

As a result, people, predominantly Muslims, have hit the streets as India witnesses one of the most widespread civilian unrest of recent times.

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News Network
February 5,2020

New Delhi, Feb 5: Taking on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Baisala was identified as an AAP worker by police, BJP chief J P Nadda on Tuesday said it exposed the party and Kejriwal who were playing with the country's security.

The Aam Aadmi Party hit back, questioning the police investigation.

In a series of tweets, Nadda said people of the country and Delhi today have seen the "dirty face" of AAP.

"For political longing, Kejriwal and his people even sold the security of the country. Earlier, Kejriwal used to insult the Army and advocate terrorists, but today relations with those who carry out their terrorist activities came to light," he said.

Nadda said he wanted to make it clear to Kejriwal that this country is bigger than any election, any government, and "this nation will not forgive those who play with its security. Kejriwal and his entire team have been exposed. The people of Delhi will give a befitting reply".

He claimed the entire country has seen "photos of Imam Hussain, the MLA and former minister of the Delhi government, with a radical terrorist organisation, PFI".

Days before Delhi goes to polls, police claimed that Baisala is a member of the Aam Aadmi Party. They said Baisala joined the party in early 2019 along with his father.

Police said it had photos of Baisala purportedly joining AAP along with his father Gaje Singh last year.

AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged that photos which were part of investigation were leaked to the BJP. He also said the party will approach the Election Commission to raise this issue, which has cropped up four days before the polling date.

"On whose instance, the police is giving statement? How did the photos which were part of the investigation reach the BJP? Before the news came out, Manoj Tiwari in the morning stated that the accused was from AAP. How did Manoj Tiwari get this news," Singh questioned in a press conference.

Union minister and BJP's in-charge for the Delhi polls, Prakash Javadekar, in a press conference alleged that "their (AAP's) designs are very clear from the beginning and they are trying every trick".

The whole conspiracy of AAP is to "divide society, cause fear in a community and create a vote bank," he charged.

Javadekar also claimed that photos of Baisala were recovered by police from his mobile phone although they were erased.

He also claimed that Baisala and his father were welcomed by Sanjay Singh at their joining of AAP.

"This proves AAP misleads youth and pushes them on the wrong path. AAP's strategy is to divide two communities, they want to instigate riots in Delhi," Javadekar alleged.

He further alleged that AAP leader Sanjay Singh had said violence would take place in Delhi. Their "conspiracy has been exposed by Delhi Police," he claimed.

"We condemn this politics of AAP," he said.

Javadekar also claimed this was "not an isolated incident" as AAP member Amanatullah Khan made a "very provocative speech" and the party supported Shaheen Bagh and did not give permission for the prosecution of members of the "tukde-tukde gang".

He hinted the BJP could approach the Election Commission against AAP over the issue.

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News Network
June 28,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 28: The Karnataka government on Saturday issued an order, directing private hospitals not to deny treatment to patients with coronavirus and COVID-19 like symptoms.

"Non-compliance of this order will attract punishment under sections of Disaster Management Act 2005," an order read.

Meanwhile, people coming from Maharashtra will be placed in seven-day institutional quarantine followed by seven-day home quarantine in Karnataka, the state government said.

People coming from other states will need to undergo 14-day home quarantine.

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