150 paramilitary companies sought from Centre: DGP

LEAVE OF ALL POLICE PERSONNEL CANCELLED IN VIEW OF THE VERDICT SCHEDULED TO BE PRONOUNCED ON AUGUST 25

CHANDIGARH/PANCHKULA: Haryana director general of police (DGP) BS Sandhu on Thursday said that while 150 companies of paramilitary forces had been sought from the Centre, the leave of police personnel had been cancelled in view the CBI court verdict scheduled to be pronounced on August 25, in the alleged rape case involving head of Sirsabased Dera Sacha Sauda Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, Sandhu said that adequate arrangements had been made to avoid any untoward situations.

“Security arrangements would be closely monitored in the sensitive areas of Panchkula, Sirsa, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Hisar, Fatehabad and Jind,” he said.

P’KULA POLICE ON TOES

Meanwhile, Panchkula is expected to be converted into a virtual police cantonment as all exit and entry points of the city will be fully guarded when Ram Rahim arrives here on the day of pronouncement of orders.

Even the leave of police personnel have been cancelled in view of the security arrangements, said Panchkula police commissioner A S Chawla.

The major concern for the police, said sources, is to tackle the large number of Dera’s devo- tees who are expected to reach the town a day before the verdict in show of solidarity with Dera chief who enjoys huge following in Punjab, Haryana and other states.

Sources said that police will devise security rings first at the city’s outskirts and then in the internal parts to stop maximum followers from reaching specially near the judicial complex in sector-1 where Ram Rahim will remain present during verdict

The safety of the judicial complex will be the prime concern for the police’s security plans, said officials.

The commissioner told HT that they will put all efforts required to maintain law and order here.

A slew of the security review meetings have already started here where heads of all police stations and posts were sensitised about the issue.

“The DGP held a video conferencing after court’s decision to discuss these issues,” he said

Meanwhile, all holidays of Chandigarh police personnel also stand cancelled.