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
May 25,2020

Ernakulam, May 25: Miscreants belonging to self-proclaimed Hindutva outfits have demolished a church set erected for the shoot of a Malayalam film at Kalady in Kerala’s Ernakulam district.

The set was erected to shoot the climax scene of the super hero film Minnal Murali, directed by Basil Joseph and starring Tovino Thomas and newcomer actor Femina.

The incident took place on Sunday. Members of the Antharashtra Hindu Parishad claimed that with the help of their sister outfit Antarashtra Bajrang Dal, they demolished the church set, erected on an island on the Periyar river in Kalady.

Hari Palode, the General Secretary of AHP, an organisation founded by Praveen Togadia, boasted on Facebook that they were not used to pleading to anyone, and decided to demolish the church set that was constructed near the Adi Sankaracharya mutt. 

“When they built such a structure in front of the Mahadeva shrine in Kalady, we said no. We had also submitted several complaints. We do not have the habit of pleading. We decided to demolish it. Our self respect must be protected at all cost,” AHP’s General Secretary Hari Palode wrote on his Facebook post along with pictures of members demolishing the set. 

The post also credited members of the Anrarashtra Bajrang Dal and its Ernakulam Division President Malayatoor Ratheesh for participating in the ‘service work’ of razing the church set. 

Mini Biju, member of Kalady Town panchayat confirmed that the film unit had indeed secured permission from the department before going ahead with the construction of the set.

“They had submitted a letter seeking permission to raise a temporary set. This was back in February before construction began. The panchayat committee had approved this request,” Mini said.

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News Network
April 21,2020

Apr 21: An 80-year-old COVID-19 patient has died in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district, taking the death toll in the state to 17, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said on Tuesday.

The elderly person was suffering from Parkinson's disease for the last three years and died at a hospital on Monday, the minister said in a tweet.

"The person had developed fever on Sunday and was admitted to the hospital. The patient passed away yesterday at 9 am. Last night at 9 pm the death report came, which confirmed that the person was COVID-19 positive," Sudhakar tweeted.

The total number of COVID-19 infections in the state has crossed the 400-mark, according to last evening's bulletin by the Karnataka health department.

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News Network
June 18,2020

New Delhi, Jun 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he is "deeply grateful" for the overwhelming support shown by the global community for India''s membership of the UN Security Council.

India will work with all member countries to promote global peace, security, resilience and equity, he said.

India garnered 184 votes out of the 192 ballots cast in the General Assembly to win the election for the non-permanent seat in the powerful Security Council.

India''s two year term will begin on January 1, 2021.

This is the eighth time that India will sit at the UN high-table, which comprises five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members.

"Deeply grateful for the overwhelming support shown by the global community for India''s membership of the UN Security Council," the prime minister wrote on Twitter.

India will work with all member countries to promote global peace, security, resilience and equity, he said.

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