Panchkula: Maverick self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was on Friday convicted of rape by a court here, triggering widespread violence and arson in Haryana where more than 30 people were killed and over 250 injured after which curfew was imposed here and several other places.
Arson by the frenzied followers of the head of Dera Sacha Sauda was also witnessed in Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan within a few hours of the pronouncement of the judgement by the CBI court here in the 2002 case.
CBI judge Jagdeep Singh held Ram Rahim, the 50-year-old flamboyant chief of the dera, guilty of rape in a case that was registered on the basis of an anonymous written complaint in 2002 that he had sexually exploited two female followers.
On the basis of the report, a case was registered against him in December 2002 by the CBI on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The quantum of sentence against Ram Rahim, who enjoys ‘Z’ category security, will be pronounced on August 28, CBI counsel HPS Verma told reporters outside the court.
The punishment can be a jail term not less than seven years but may even extend to life imprisonment.
Ram Rahim travelled to the court from Sirsa, about 260 kms from Chandigarh, in a huge convoy of vehicles which had his security guards and several followers.
As the news spread and his thousands of followers gathered near the Panchkula court went on the rampage, Ram Rahim was taken by a helicopter to a jail in Rohtak.
His followers, ironically called ‘premis’ (who believe in love), unleashed violence and set afire a large number of vehicles, buildings and railway stations in Panchkula, otherwise a peaceful city on the outskirts of Chandigarh, as well as in Sirsa, where the dera is based, and in Punjab.
Media persons and assets were among the main targets of the mobs.
Police and paramilitary used force, including firing and lobbing teargas shells, to control the volatile situation created by the dera followers who had gathered in thousands defying the prohibitory orders like Section 144 of the CrPC,
which bars assembly of more than four people at one place.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the violence, terming it as “deeply distressing” and urged everyone to maintain peace.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, under attack for alleged inaction, said that some perpetrators of violence, including those “who opened fire”, have been identified and will be arrested.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said curfew has been imposed in 10 districts of Malwa region as a precautionary measure and appealed to the people to maintain peace.
