Lockdown in Punjab, Haryana, army called in, curfew in Sirsa
VERDICT TODAY Dera head to appear in CBI court, calls for peace, mobile internet, data, SMS services suspended; 22 trains cancelled; army called in Panchkula, Sirsa; all education institutions shut in 2 states, UT; HC pulls up Hry govt
CHANDIGARH: Punjab, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh went into lockdown on Thursday, shutting mobile Internet services, trains, schools, colleges and buses even as Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh said he will be present in a CBI court during the pronouncement of verdict in an alleged rape case. The dera chief is an accused in the case.
The two states and the UT administration, apprehensive of violence due to intelligence reports of dera supporters storing petrol, diesel and weapons, suspended mobile Internet and data services for the next 72 hours. The northern railways have cancelled 22 Chandigarhbound passenger trains with immediate effect. A joint control room has been set up in Chandigarh to deal with the volatile situation.
Army has been called in Panchkula and Sirsa where build-up of over 2 lakh and 1 lakh dera supporters, respectively, has kept the district authorities on tenterhooks. Later in the night, police started evicting dera followers from Panchkula and Chandigarh.
The Panchkula administration has requisitioned 25 columns of army from Ambala division, whereas two columns have been called in Sirsa where the dera headquarter is located. Curfew has also been imposed in Sirsa city and three nearby villages as a “precautionary measure”.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar spoke to Union home minister Rajnath Singh and defence minister Arun Jaitley requesting for additional forces.
The state government, which had failed to check the influx of dera supporters into Panchkula in the past two days despite prohibitory orders, got into action after being pulled up by the Punjab and Haryana high court for allowing them to reach the city where the special CBI court will deliver its verdict.
The high court said it could take action against the state police chief in case the state failed to ensure security. It also directed the central government to provide additional forces immediately to deal with any law and order situation, while also asking the dera to inform it about the efforts being made to defuse the situation.
The Haryana police have requested the DGPs, Punjab and Chandigarh, for making security arrangements to facilitate movement of Ram Rahim from Sirsa to Panchkula after his tweet that he will put in an appearance in the court. “Though I have pain in my back but I will abide by the law and appear in the court. I have firm belief in the God. Everyone should maintain calm,’’ read his tweet.
Dera spokesperson Aditya Insaan said the travel arrangements are being worked out by the administration and security agencies.
Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh also authorised the DGP to impose curfew, if necessary, to maintain law and order in the state.