Over 200, including mediapersons, injured; godman still elusive

Self-styled godman Sant Rampal’s ashram in Hisar turned into a war zone on Tuesday when hundreds of policemen and Rampal’s followers fought a pitched battle, as the police tried to enter the ashram to arrest the godman. The violence left over 200 injured, including some mediapersons.

The police who wanted to execute a warrant against Rampal, used tear gas, water cannon and lathicharged Rampal’s followers, who responded by firing gunshots and throwing Molotov cocktails and acid pouches.

Even as the policemen and followers were engaged in a clash, the police turned their lathis on media personnel standing hundreds of metres away from the scene. Several journalists and TV crew members were injured and cameras and other equipment damaged. Haryana Director-General of Police S.N. Vashisht, who claimed that the godman was “100 per cent” in the ashram, said the day began with the police making announcements over loud speakers in the morning to allow them to enter. Instead, some Rampal supporters doused themselves with diesel and threatened self-immolation.

Mr. Vashisht said the police had to use water cannon to disperse them, triggering a violent reaction from Rampal’s supporters, who threw stones, bricks and petrol bombs from the roof and 25 feet high walls of the ashram.

The police managed to take away 10 busloads of women and children from the spot to safety. They later used earth excavators to break the wall in the rear, but ran into an LPG dump, halting their progress.