A Special Investigation Team of Haryana Police yesterday evening questioned Dera Sacha Sauda Management Committee senior vice president P R Nain for two-and-a-half hours at Sirsa. PTI File Photo
A Special Investigation Team of Haryana Police yesterday evening questioned Dera Sacha Sauda Management Committee senior vice president P R Nain for two-and-a-half hours at Sirsa. PTI File Photo
A top functionary of the Dera Sacha Sauda has disclosed that nearly 600 remains of human skeletons had been buried within the sect over a period of time.
The disclosure made by the senior vice president of the Sect, Dr PR Nain, a pediatrics, has sprouted a further need to dig up the ‘graves’ of sorts to uncover the truth.
The presence of graves inside the Dera have been talked about since long. Allegations are that the sect’s jailed head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, now serving a 20-year jail, would get disciples eliminated who opposed the ignominious acts that they became privy to during their association with the Dera. The Dera has come out with its own version to justify the presence of “human skeletons.”
Dr Nain, who was questioned by the special investigation team in Sirsa till late in the evening yesterday, handed over certain documents to corroborate his assertions. In his disclosure, Dr Nain maintained that the remains of the dead were buried inside the sect out of “faith”.
He held that Dera followers would do this on a call by the sect chief who would advise them not to submerge the last remains in water as it would cause pollution.
The senior functionary of the sect informed the police that the sect, on the basis of a report, believed that the burial of human remains would improve the quality of soil with the presence of phosphorus in it.
The police said they are yet to study the entire set of record provided by Dr Nain. During the three day search operation inside the Dera that concluded recently, JCB machines were moved in, but authorities preferred to put off the process of digging.
The police has a challenging task ahead. Families of the dead whose names have been included in the documents provided by the Dera functionary will have to be contacted to bridge the contradiction between claims by the Sect and allegations that galore.
Meanwhile, the jail administration said Gurmeet Ram Rahim has been entrusted farming work in the jail which will earn him a daily wage of Rs 20.