10 petrol bombs found in P’kula: Haryana to HC

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government said it had seized 10 petrol bombs from Dera Sacha Sauda followers in Panchkula on Friday.

In a status report submitted before the Punjab and Haryana high court on Saturday, the Haryana government said it had seized arms and petrol bombs from Panchkula, thus substantiating the allegations that the dera followers were allowed to assemble in Panchkula without any checks.

“Haryana is misleading. They lied through their teeth. They were invited by Haryana as they expected acquittal. Why is the state bending its back to please baba after baba,” asked Anupam Gupta, a senior advocate of the high court.

The status report submitted before the high court by Baldev Raj Mahajan, Advocate General, Haryana, said, “Arrests of as many as 524 persons have been made in Panchkula; 24 vehicles have been seized.” The weapons seized by the state include five pistols with 79 rounds and two rifles with 52 rounds besides iron rods, ‘dandas’, hockey sticks and 10 petrol bombs.

The Haryana government submitted that 32 deaths were reported in Haryana out of which 28 were from Panchkula,

but only one dead body had been identified. The government further said that eight FIRs have also been registered in Panchkula.

51 INCIDENTS REPORTED FROM PUNJAB

Atul Nanda, advocate general, Punjab, submitted that there were 51 incidents in Punjab and 39 FIRs had been registered. Punjab has also arrested 19 miscreants, including one Gurdev Singh, a state-level office-bearer of Dera Sacha Sauda.

Listing the preventive measures, Nanda said train services in Malwa region have been suspended and government offices closed. There has been no casualty although public and private properties have been damaged. An assessment will be carried out to calculate the damage, he added.

Randeep Singh Rai, senior advocate, submitted that Chandigarh hospitals were treating 114 injured and there had been 11 fatalities. All the injured had come from Panchkula.

The high court asked the deputy commissioners to invite claims/applications from people about damage to public and private property in the violence that followed the conviction of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

“The deputy commissioners in Haryana and Punjab shall invite applications/claims regarding damages caused to public and private properties, which shall be verified and forwarded to this court through the offices of advocate generals, Punjab and Haryana,” directed the bench comprising acting chief justice SS Saron, justice Surya Kant and justice Avneesh Jhingan, while hearing a public interest litigation on safety and law and order.

However, the bench said the DCs will not quantify the damage and only invite claim through public notices. The case will now come up for hearing on August 29.

LIST DERA PROPERTIES The HC sought a list the dera’s movable and immovable properties, its assets, income, and bank accounts. It directed the advocate generals of the two states to submit a list for attachment. “