WHEN GODMEN TURN LAWBREAKERS

Violence broke out in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi-NCR after a special CBI court held Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh guilty of raping his female followers. Singh is one of the several self-styled godmen and cult leaders in the country to be embroiled in scandals in recent years

RAM RAHIM SINGH

In May 2007, violence erupted after Ram Rahim allegedly mimicked the 10th Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh. After the case of alleged blasphemy, Punjab and Haryana witnessed bloody clashes. Three people were killed in Punjab and hundreds were injured. More than 50 policemen were injured during the clashes with dera followers in Bathinda. Some dera followers burnt buses in Bathinda and Mansa and even a broadcast van of a news channel. Residents said an undeclared curfew prevailed in the district for nearly 10 days.

RAMPAL

Supporters of Rampal went on a rampage when the self-styled godman was presented at the Panchkula court in a murder case in July 2014. He was eventually arrested on November 19, 2014 — two weeks after his followers prevented police from arresting him from his Satlok Ashram in Hisar. Five women and an infant were killed in the violence. More than 200 people, including 70 journalists and 105 policemen, were also injured.

ASARAM

Protesting Asaram’s arrest on September 1, 2013, several of his followers clashed with police and journalists outside his Jodhpur ashram. Bapu was charged with the rape of a 16-year-old girl in his ashram after she lodged a complaint with Jodhpur police on August 20, 2013.

RAM VRIKSHA YADAV

In April 2014, Ram Vriksha Yadav took over a park in Mathura in the state of Uttar Pradesh with around 500 armed followers for a two-day protest. But members of the Swadhin Bharat Vidhik Satyagrah — and its armed wing Subhash Sena — never left, occupying the public space to turn it into what appeared to be the headquarters of a self-styled revolutionary group. The violence left 24 people dead, including the Mathura superintendent of police.