Security blanket around Panchkula district court complex to stay till arguments end: Police

Police at Panchkula district court during hearing against Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in murder case on Saturday. (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)

With the special CBI court allowing day- to- day hearing of murder cases against Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the security arrangements in and around the district court complex, Sector 1, will be stepped up till final arguments have been completed. On the first day of arguments Saturday, more than 110 personnel from paramilitary forces and police in uniform and plain clothes were deployed around the complex and only those people were allowed to enter the complex who were scheduled to attend court proceedings along with their counsels.

Others who had come to the district court complex for some work, were asked to return back as they were not accompanied by an advocate. In one such case, Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Raipurrani, who had filed an application in a court for release of his motorcycle, which was involved in a road accident, was not allowed to enter the complex as he was not accompanied by an advocate.

Similarly, staff members of the court were also not allowed to enter the complex even after they showed their identity cards to the security personnel. Advocate Sandeep Kumar Lohra, president of District Bar Association, said, “Panchkula police discussed all the security plans with us in this connection. We agreed on the condition that only people accompanying with advocates will be allowed to enter the court complex.”

Apart from them, those who were travelling in two-wheelers and cars were also frisked at all the three entry points of Sector 1, which led to the district court complex. “Security arrangements in and around the district court complex and at all entry points will remain intact.

The deployment of paramilitary forces will continue. But we have decided to review the deployment of security personnel across the city in view that the cases involving the Dera head will be heard on day to day basis,” said AS Chawla, Police Commissioner, Panchkula. A dedicated place was reserved for media persons, who were also not allowed to enter the court complex. The OB vans of different media channels were also not allowed to enter near the vicinity of district court and they were parked at the dividing road of Sector 1 and Sector 2.