Gurmeet Ram Rahim rape case verdict LIVE updates: Punjab, Haryana come to a standstill; trains cancelled, internet suspended

As the CBI Court pronounces its verdict on the rape case against 50-year-old self-styled godman and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insaan today, the Army has been kept on standby in Panchkula to prevent any untoward incident.  

The verdict, which is expected to come at around 2:30 pm today, will be pronounced in the case that the CBI registered in 2002. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was chargesheeted for only in 2007.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh begun his journey from Sirsa to the CBI court in Panchkula with a convoy of more than 150 cars. 

To deal with security concerns if the verdict doesn't go in favor of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insaan in the 15-year-old rape case, Punjab and Haryana have made high security arrangements. 97 paramilitary companies have been deployed acorss the two states. Two army units are also on standby. Baba Ram Rahim will get seven years in prison if he is found guilty.

There have been media reports that Ram Rahim's supporters have been stockpiling weapons and petrol bombs. 

Normal life in many areas in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh has come to a halt. The Army has also been kept on standby in Sirsa, which is home to Dera Sacha Sauda. A curfew was imposed in the highly sensitive Sirsa town and three neighbouring villages today, officials said.

Around two lakh Dera followers, also called 'premis', are camping in Panchkula near Chandigarh and have made open threats that they will "wipe out India" if their 'Pitaji' is convicted, media reports said.

Ram Rahim enjoys a Z+ security cover provided by the union government. Airport Authority of India has also given Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh the privilege of using reserved lounges at airports in the country.

Here are the Live updates:

02:00 pm: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh arrives in the CBI court complex in Panchkula, enters through the back door.

01:45 pm: According to Indian Railways, over the past five days around 236 trains cancelled causing huge loss to Railways.

01:24 pm: Patiala DC imposes curfew within 1 km radius of Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh's Patiala residence, New Moti Bagh Palace.

01:10 pm: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has said "forces should not hesitate to use weapons, if required," while hearing a PIL on the situation in Panchkula.

01:00 pm: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's convoy reaches Chandigarh.

12:53 pm: Baba Ram Rahim Singh leaves Kurukshetra dera after a stopover, moves into another vehicle as part of the security drill.

12:44 pm: Punjab and Haryana high court directs FIR against any politician instigating people as dera chief heads for Panchkula court. 

12:35 pm: Punjab and Haryana Hhigh court reprimands Haryana government for laxity in dealing with the situation.

12:32 pm: Helicopters deployed for surveillance. Panchkula administration plan to press drone into service for surveillance before court proceedings start.

12:30 pm: Ram Rahim leaves Kaithal after having breakfast. Likely to stop in Kurukshetra next. 

12.25 pm: Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed administration to ensure that situation stays in control and said that government should ensure Ram Rahim appears in court.

11:45 am: The DGP said, 38 additional companies of central forces have arrived in Panchkula while Army columns, which arrived in the town early today, "will conduct flag march in Panchkula along with other security forces".

1126 am: Army personnel have taken position around the CBI court complex in Panchkula, even as area close to the complex had been sealed, DGP said.

11:13 am: In Panchkula, Haryana DGP, B S Sandhu said the Dera chief was on his way to the town under police protection. DGP said the cavalcade's size will be cut along the way. However, he did not specify the number of vehicles in the cavalcade.

11:00 am: Schools, colleges and offices are closed in and Panchkula, bus services have been suspended. Mobile internet and data services have been banned in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh for 72 hours. 

CASE AGAINST RAM RAHIM SINGH

Back in 2002, a sadhvi from Dera wrote an anonymous letter to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee saying she was raped by the Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Soon after it got reported, the Punjab and Haryana high court took suo motu cognizance of the letter and directed the Central Bureau of India to register a case against the Dera chief. Sadhi who wrote the letter was not the only victim. There were other female followers who were, Sadhvi wrote in the letter, raped by Gurmeet Ram Rahim. After Sadhvi's revelation, the CBI questioned other sadhvis as well where two of them confirmed the allegations against Ram Rahim. Those two Sadhvis later recorded their statement in the CBI court where they again reiterated the charges. The CBI slapped Section 376 and Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code on Gurmeet Ram Rahim. 

MOBILE INTERNET DISCONNECTED
The fear of law and order problem has resulted in authorities in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to suspend mobile internet services and SMS facility for the next three days. The only mode of communication services will be voice calls in the region. All internet services (2G, 3G, 4G, CDMA and GPRS) have been blocked. This has been done to ensure that mass gatherings which could lead to violence do not take place.

TRANSPORT

Both bus and train services have been majorly affected as the Ram Rahim supporters have tense situation, with a threat of complete breakdown of law and order. After a request from authorities, Indian railways has decided to cancel as many as 29 trains on their way to Punjab and Haryana for the next four days from today onward. Twenty-two of these were trains to Punjab, while seven were trains to Haryana. "We had received a request from the Haryana government to cancel trains in the state in view of apprehensions on the law and order front," a Northern Railway spokesperson said. These 29 trains would have made a combined total of 74 trips over the next four days. The cancelled trains include -- Jaipur-Chandigarh Intercity Express, Barmer-Kalka Express, Barmer Haridwar Link Express, Firozpur-Chandigarh Express, Kalka Himalyan Queen.

Here's a complete list of the cancelled trains

Jaipur- Chandigarh Express
Chandigarh- Jaipur Express
Barmer-Kalka Express
Kalka-Barmer Express
Barmer-Haridwar-Barmer Express
Firozpur- Chandigarh-Firozpur Express
Kalka- Bhiwani/Delhi Sarai Rohilla  Himalayen Queen/ Ekta Express Express
Sriganga Nagar-Ambala Intercity Express
Ambala-Kalka Passenger
Kalka- Ambala Passenger
Delhi-Kalka Passenger
Kalka- Delhi Passenger
Ambala-Amb Andaura DMU Passenger
AmbAndaura - Ambala DMU Passenger
Ambala-Nangal Dam MEMU Passenger
Nangal Dam -Ambala MEMU Passenger
Bhatinda-Ambala Passenger
Ambala -Dhuri Passenger
Dhuri-Bhatinda Passenger
Ambala-SrigangaNagar Passenger
SrigangaNagar - Ambala Passenger
Bhatinda-Ambala Passenger
Ambala-Patiala-Ambala Passenger
Ambala- Bhatinda Passenger 
Trains going to Jammu, Amritsar, Katra and Udhampur are also affected