A relative of a Dera follower who died in the violence outside the Civil Hospital in Panchkula on Saturday. (Express Photo by Sahil Walia)
Many of them arrived at the congregation of Dera followers in Panchkula because they had been told there was going to be a satsang, some went for “fun” while several did not know Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had been put on trial for a rape case and the verdict was going to be read out at Panchkula. A follower told his friends before leaving that it would be his body that would return if Singh got convicted. That is exactly what happened. Thirty-six people were killed in the violence, 30 of them in Panchkula and the rest in Sirsa. Police and the hospital in Panchkula had identified only 19 of them and the rest are yet to be identified.
As Punjab and Haryana count their dead, The Sunday Express visited their families or spoke to them on the phone to find out what or who motivated them to go to Panchkula. They were mostly from poor, scheduled caste families.
Village: Fakkarau Kheri (Malot, Punjab)
Name: Love Preet, 15
Family: Father Kaka Singh, mother and a brother and sister
Employment: Left studies two years back
Lovepreet, a resident of Mukstar, had gone to Ganganagar to his aunt’s place a few days back. Father Kaka Singh said, “Nobody in my family is a follower of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Locals said there was a satsang at Panchkula. He joined them but wasn’t told about any court date.”
Lovepreet
Village: Kumbhpara (Karnal in Haryana)
Name: Manish, 21
Family: Father Surinder Kumar, mother and brother
Employment: College student
Father Surinder claimed Manish was told by his friends that there was a function at Panchkula and it would be a fun outing. “I kept trying his phone at night but nobody picked up. In the morning, his phone was switched off… He told us that his friends were going for Ram Rahim’s function. We don’t even follow this guru,” Surinder said.
The family first arrived at Panchkula hospital but could not find him. They also went to hospitals in Chandigarh in the morning. It was only when they returned to Panchkula that they got to know Manish had been killed.
Village: Malkani Patti (Barnala in Punjab)
Name: Jagroop Singh, 48
Family: Wife, son, daughter
Employment: Farmer
Jagroop had been Singh’s follower for the last many years. “He was a staunch follower. He was told that guruji would give darshan at Panchkula. All villagers went and he too accompanied them,” said his son Gurpreet.
Gurpeet said that his father could never become violent. “I am sure he has been made a victim,” he said. Jagroop was identified through his Aadhaar card.
Village: Ghaggar (Patiala, Punjab)
Name: Gurpal Singh , 24
Family: Father Bhola Singh, mother and a brother
Employment: None
Bhola Singh arrived at the general hospital Saturday afternoon to claim Gurpal’s body. “He was misled. He was told there was a satsang and everybody in his locality was going. I wasn’t at home and had left for work. He could never have indulged in violence,” said the father.
Hari Singh
Village: Bangi Nihal Singh Wala (Bathinda, Punjab)
Name: Hari Singh, 55
Family: Wife Amrit Kaur; sons Gurmeet Singh, Ram Singh, both work in banks; brother Balkaran Singh.
Hari and his family had long been associated with the Dera. He was part of the Dera’s Green Welfare Force. He ran a general store in his village.
The family was informed of his death around 1.30 am Saturday. His wife, who is also part of Dera Green Welfare Force, went with their two sons to Panchkula to collect the body. Hari Singh had gone to Panchkula on August 23 while his elder brother Jaskaran Singh went the next day. However, the two did not met each other there, his brother-in-law Balkaran said. Hari was so attached to his the Dera chief that he named his two sons Gurmeet Singh and Ram Singh. Both work in banks.
Village: Abul Khurana (Muktsar, Punjab)
Name: Gurpiar Singh, 35
Family: Sandip Kaur, and two minor children, four brothers and their families
Employment: Farmer
Gurpiar had gone to Panchkula on August 23 along with his four brothers and uncle Kheta Singh, who is a member of the village panchayat. Satinder Singh Brar, Gurpiar’s brother-in-law, who is not a Dera follower, said, “I don’t know for how long he was associated with Dera. All I know is we have lost a family member and we are upset about it.”
Village: Joula (Jind)
Name: Jai Bhagwan, 34
Family: Father Surta Ram
Employment: Not known
With ‘JB Insan’ engraved on his arm, Jai Bhagwan was a staunch Dera follower.
Village: Badhana (Jind, Haryana)
Name: Ramesh, 56
Family: Wife, two children
Employment: farmer
Ramesh’s brother Jassi said he had informed everyone at home that guruji would address a gathering in Panchkula. “Nothing was said about the court verdict. Everybody was taken for a ride,” Jassi said.
Village: Dudiya, (Mansa, Punjab)
Name: Ugarsen, 50
Family: Wife, two children
Employment: Farmer
Sister-in-law Simlo said Ugarsen had been a staunch Dera follower for over a decade now.
Village: Paru Majra ( Kaithal, Haryana)
Name: Vikram Singh, 26
Family: Father Hawa Singh, mother and three sisters
Employment: Not working
Village: Tahilian Bodla (Fazilka, Punjab)
Name: Aman Kumar, 22
Family: daily-wager father, mother Usha Rani, brother and sister
Employment: self-employed, owned a mobile repair shop
Tehsil: Lehergaga (Sangrur, Punjab)
Name: Ranjit Singh, 28
Family: Father, mother, brother
Employment: daily wager
Village: Faqhasar (Muktsar, Punjab)
Name: Boghi Das
Family: details not known
Village: Dasso Kalan (Jind, Haryana)
Name: Sube Singh
Family: Father Chotu Ram, rest details unknown
Village: Jandli (Ambala, Haryana)
Name: Vineet
Family, employment: Unknown
