The Army on Saturday clarified that it has no plan to enter the headquarters of the Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa yet. Earlier in the day, reports said the Army, the Rapid Action Force and the police had entered self-styled godman Ram Rahim Singh’s organisation headquarters in Haryana.
The announcement comes a day after Singh was convicted on Friday for raping a devotee, triggering widespread acts violence by his supporters. Meanwhile, the toll in the violence that followed the verdict reached 31, reported ANI.
“We are focusing on the maintenance of law and order presently,’ General Officer Commanding, 33 Armoured Division, Rajpal Punia said in a press briefing. The Army has set up barricades at entry points of the Dera premises.
The Army, along with the Rapid Action Force and police personnel, had approached the headquarters where over one lakh people have gathered to protest the court’s verdict. The district administration and the police on Saturday also sealed two ashrams of Dera Sacha Sauda in Kurukshetra district of Haryana.
The Army had carried out a flag march in Sirsa on Friday night asking supporters to come out of the headquarters. “We will not spare those who have taken the law into their hands,” Inspector General of police (Hisar) A S Dillo said in Sirsa.
Meanwhile, a high-level meeting is underway at the residence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and the intelligence bureau chief are repotedly present there.
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