Dera followers take rest along the side of a flyover on the Panchkula –Zirakpur highway in Sector 20 on Thursday. (Jaipal Singh)
Five police personnel, traders, small shopkeepers, government employees and a few advocates figure on a list prepared by the UT Police of 118 Dera followers residing in Chandigarh. The police contacted these Dera followers and requested them to attend a coordination meeting ahead of the verdict in a rape case against Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on August 25 but most of them did not turn up.
Sources in the intelligence wing of the UT Police said this list was prepared about a month ago. Believed to be having influence over other Dera followers, those named in the list reside at Manimajra, Mauli Jagran, Hallomajra, Kishangarh, Ramdarbar, Makhanmajra, Palsora and in Sector 32.
A senior police officer said, “Six SHOs informed the officials that when they contacted some followers, they picked up the phone but on the day of the scheduled coordination meeting, most of them excused themselves from attending the meeting, citing various reasons. Two oft-repeated reasons were: they were not present in Chandigarh and they came to the house of their relatives.”
However, some of the SHOs got a positive response when Dera followers met them at police stations. Rajender, a Dera follower from Manimajra, said, “I met the area SHO at Manimajra police station and assured him to maintain peace in the coming days. Right now I am in Panchkula and busy making arrangements for the followers.”
Police sources said all the 118 Dera followers were approached by the Chandigarh Police personnel at their houses and workplaces. The intelligence wing has also shortlisted the Dera followers who are very active on social networking sites and sending different messages related to the Dera on WhatsApp groups and other social networking sites.
The Dera head is scheduled to be present in the special court of CBI in Panchkula on Friday when the verdict in a rape case against him will be pronounced at 2.30 pm.
