Day after havoc, Sirsa short of essentials
NORMAL LIFE HIT Schools, petrol pumps shut after imposition of curfewlike restrictions in the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda sect For the last two days, I am unable to buy essential items as I have run out of money and banks and ATMs are closed. Authorities should ensure essential facilities are open so that people don’t have to face problem.
Surender Kaur is unable to withdraw money from banks or ATMs for meet her daily household needs for the last two days while Manjeet Singh is not able to get the fuel tank of his motorbike filled at petrol pumps, which have been closed following strict restrictions by the authorities on Friday.
Normal life in Sirsa, which is the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda sect, has come to a standstill after curfew-like restrictions were imposed to prevent any untoward incident after the large scale violence by the followers of sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was convicted by CBI court in a 15-yearold rape case.
Milk supply has also been affected adversely in several areas as the agitated followers set a milk plant near the sect headquarters on fire.
After the CBI court in Panchkula pronounced the Dera Sacha Sauda chief guilty in the sexual exploitation case against him, followers went violent and set a milk plant on fire, police said, adding that flames were doused within a few hours.
Hotels too are running out of essential items and hotel staff are unable to reach their workplace due to the restrictions.
“For the last two days, I am unable to buy essential items for my household as I have run out of money and also banks and ATMs are closed. Authorities should ensure that essential facilities are open so that people won’t have to face any problem,” said Kaur, whose house is about 4km away from the Dera headquarters.
Apart from Kaur, Rajesh Kumar, who runs a hotel in the vicinity of the sect headquarters, said, “There has been huge shortage of vegetables and essential items. We are only providing accommodation to our guests since Thursday night.”
Schools, colleges, cinema halls, petrol pumps were also shut as a precautionary measure.
Authorities imposed curfew in areas near the Dera headquarters on Thursday.
People have been asked to stay indoors in the wake of violent protest by Dera followers.
Two companies of army from Hisar district, ten companies of paramilitary forces — the CRPF and the BSF, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and several companies of Haryana police have been deployed to maintain law and order in Sirsa district.
In the violence on Friday night, 34 Dera followers have been killed so far.
Inspector General (Hisar range) AS Dillion said that police have been monitoring the situation in and around Dera headquarters.
Sirsa SP Ashwin Shenvi said that army has been called to maintain law and order situation in the district.