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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coastaldigest.com news network
June 30,2020

Udupi, Jun 30: The novel coronavirus has claimed another life in the coastal district. The throat swabs of a 48-year-old man who breathed his last two days ago tested positive today. 

With this, the covid-19 death toll in the district rose to 3.

The man, who was a native of Kalthodu in Byndoor, had returned from Mumbai on June 2. He breathed his last on June 28 at his residence. 

The deceased’s swabs were collected on the same day. The report came today. He was reportedly suffering from some illnesses.

The funeral of the deceased was held as per protocol. The swab samples of primary contacts of the deceased were also taken.

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News Network
June 30,2020

Shivamogga, Jun 30: The organic farmers' market in Shivamogga in Karnataka has seen a rise in the demand for organic fruits and vegetables in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Residents of nearby areas frequently visit the market to get fresh produce.

According to Sridhar, a farmer who sells his produce in the market, the demand for organic fruits and vegetables was very low before the coronavirus outbreak.

"I have been involved in organic farming for the last two decades but there was no real market. Since these days everyone is trying to boost their immunity, we are getting a lot of positive response from the locals," he told news agency.

Sridhar and other farmers come from villages near the city. They are authentic organic farmers under the Vikas Trust and Savayava Krishi Parivar, a federation of organic farmer's families based in Karnataka, and they promote pesticide and fertiliser free agriculture.

Gurumel Singh, who often comes to the local market said, "My family has started eating more organic fruits and vegetable now because of the pandemic. We have been told it is important to take care of our health and organic fruits and vegetables are good immunity boosters. The fruits I buy from the organic market are also much sweeter than the ones I get elsewhere."

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News Network
March 5,2020

Lucknow, Mar 5: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said last night that the role of teachers would come under the scanner when "anti-India" slogans are raised at universities and institutions of higher education.

"When anti-India slogans are raised at institutions of higher education, we should be prepared to ask why this type of distortion occurrs among our students?" he said at a programme organised by the Basic Shiksha Parishad in Lucknow.

"We begin our work with pledge for the country's unity and integrity and today slogans are raised for the division of the nation. In such a situation, questions are raised over the role of teachers who are considered equal to god in society," he said.

"Who all are involved in this sin and chaos? Governments can provide resources, but the one who has given them basic education, who has given them secondary education and who has led them to that place, all of them should evaluate their actions today," the chief minister said.

Speaking about the condition of education in the state when his government came to power three years ago, he said there was an atmosphere of chaos and anarchy in the state and the condition of basic education was very bad.

"The worst problem was that of proxy teachers. Our government started the process of prohibiting proxy teachers in the first phase," he said.

Adityanath said that a teacher is not just a government servant, but the fate of the nation. He said teachers should learn from Chanakya.

Had Chanakya confined himself to Nalanda University, he would not have been able to make India a superpower of the world during that period. Teachers will have to prepare themselves according to the challenges and need of society, he added.

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