Uneasy calm in Sirsa, cops on toes in Rohtak

HIRSA: An uneasy calm prevailed in the Sirsa headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda after the conviction of sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in Ram Chander Chhatarpati murder case on Friday. However, police remained on their toes to avert any law and order problem. The situation was same in Rohtak where Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is serving his 20-year sentence in Sunaria prison since August 2017.



Closed shops in Sirsa town on Friday afternoon


Sirsa superintendent of police Arun Nehara said they had even allocated work to duty magistrate and police officers to ensure law and order.

Deputy superintendent of police Ravinder Tomar said the flag march was held on Wednesday to ensure that all residents feel safe. “The deputy commissioner had already imposed restrictions in the city under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code,” he said.

To ensure law and order, 12 companies, including two of women, were called to Sirsa from other districts, 14 checkpoints set up in the city and 38 duty magistrates deployed on duty.

After the CBI court reserved the verdict, police started checking all vehicles going towards the dera.

Dera Sacha Sauda market remained completely closed and even the sect headquarters on the Sirsa-Bhadra road did not have too many visitors.

Large scale preparedness by district administration and Rohtak police in view of journalist Ram Chander Chhatarpati murder case verdict against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh through video-conferencing, paid off with no incident of violence being reported throughout the tensed day.

The police had laid barriers on the routes leading to Sunaria jail where Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet is lodged in twin rape cases and only limited vehicles were allowed to cross the barriers that too after thorough scanning of documents and reason of travel towards the jail compound.

Even the media was barred from going close to jail premises as as many had assembled to report from Sunaria Kalan. The anti-riot vehicles remained stationed at sensitive spots with Haryana Police jawans ready in combat gear to deal with any eventuality.

Police teams kept patrolling in the nearby villages to keep a vigil on the vehicles entering to thwart the entry of dera followers.

Visitors coming to participate in three-day gala socio-cultural-sports event at the Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, also faced hurdles in reaching the institution as it is located near the jail complex.

The visitors were permitted to enter IIM, Rohtak, only through the rear gate of the institute, amid heavy security in place.

Sources added that the milk delivery van meant for prisoners was also prevented from entering the compound by blanket of security forces.