There were no immediate reports of similar violence after Mr. Singh’s sentencing on Monday, which was reported by the Press Trust of India and other news organizations. Soldiers and police officers had been deployed in large numbers, and the sentence was delivered not in a court but at the jail where Mr. Singh was being held, in Rohtak, about 50 miles northwest of New Delhi. A judge was flown to the jail by helicopter.

Image Mr. Singh Credit... European Pressphoto Agency

The authorities had suspended some train and bus services and put several cities in the area under curfew in an attempt to prevent further violence.

Mr. Singh, 50, is the leader of Dera Sacha Sauda, a sect that has many followers in northern India and claims to have 60 million worldwide. Often referred to as the “guru of bling,” Mr. Singh is known for his flashy lifestyle and flamboyant dress.

He was convicted of raping two women at the headquarters of his sect, in a case that dates to 2002. Mr. Singh’s lawyers have said they would appeal his conviction.