India’s city violent protests vs court rule on guru kill 30

PANCHKULA, INDIA — Hundreds of troops yesterday patrolled a northern Indian city hit by deadly clashes that killed at least 30 people after thousands protested a court's decision to convict a controversial spiritual leader of rape.

The army was deployed in Haryana state's Panchkula city after tens of thousands of followers of guru Ram Rahim Singh went on an angry rampage, attacking television vans and setting fire to dozens of private vehicles.

Security forces were put on high alert to ensure there was no repeat of the violence that erupted Friday afternoon, minutes after a special court pronounced the self-styled guru guilty of raping two of his followers.

Mobile phone services were disrupted in some parts of Haryana and neighbouring Punjab state, where authorities had earlier imposed a curfew following the clashes. Although the curfew was lifted yesterday, restrictions on public assembly remained in place.

Haryana police chief B.S. Sandhu told AFP yesterday at least 30 people had died with the toll likely to rise as some of the wounded were being treated for serious head injuries.

"The toll within the state is at least 30 dead and around 200 injured including about 50 police and security personnel," said Sandhu. "Some of the injured didn't come to the hospitals fearing that they could face police action or arrests for involvement in the violence," he said.

Official sources told AFP earlier that at least 32 people had died, with most of the fatalities caused by gun shots. The 50-year-old Singh is known as the "guru in bling" for his penchant for bejewelled costumes and claims to have 60 million loyal followers worldwide.

The rape case was brought against him after an anonymous letter was sent to then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002 accusing him of repeatedly raping the sender and several other women in the sect.

Singh's sentencing will be announced on Monday.