india

Updated: Aug 27, 2017 23:07 IST

Haryana Police have been booked Dera Sacha Sauda spokespersons Aditya Insan and Dhiman Insaan on sedition charges.

Addressing a press conference, Haryana DGP BS Sandhu said the Punjab and Haryana high court had directed the state police to verify the report carried by a Hindi daily regarding alleged instigation of dera supporters by its five leaders. “A first information report (FIR) has been registered at the Sector-5 police station in Panchkula,” he said.

The development comes after sedition and attempt to murder charges were slapped against seven persons, including five Haryana police personnel, who were part of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief’s security paraphernalia when he had arrived at Panchkula to appear in a CBI court on August 25.

The seven security personnel of the dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had allegedly tried to free him when the self-styled godman was brought outside the Panchkula court complex on Friday, after the special CBI court convicted him in a 15-year-old rape case, police said.

“A case has also been registered against some dera followers for allegedly attacking employees of a private news channel and snatching their car in Sirsa on Sunday. The vehicle has since been recovered,” Sandhu said.

103 ‘NAAM CHARCHA GHARS’ SANITISED IN HARYANA

The police claimed to have sanitised 103 ‘naam charcha ghars’ of Dera Sacha Sauda in different districts. The police recovered 14 motorcycles, one tractor, four other two-wheelers, one car and a large number of sharp-edged weapons.

The DGP said the substance recovered from the fire tender, which formed part of the motorcade of the dera chief, was being examined by a special investigation team constituted for this purpose. He said that prima facie, the substance had neutral pH value and was not inflammable. Apart from this, some luxury cars, which had been seized are also being examined.

Replying to a question, Sandhu said that information about deras was being prepared. Army and paramilitary forces are deployed outside Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa. People are gradually leaving the dera and the premises would be searched after the court hearing on Monday. The district administration Sirsa is holding talks to get the premises cleared, he added.

Sandhu said as many as 52 cases have been registered in connection with the violence and arson and 926 persons have been arrested. In all, 76 vehicles were damaged —53 in Panchkula and 23 in Sirsa.

The DGP said that 38 people were killed in Friday’s violence (32 in Panchkula and six in Sirsa). As many as 264 people were injured out of which only 17 were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Panchkula, including three police personnel.