Securing seers with guns, bullet-proof vehicles

At first look, it would appear like an outside army of highly trained commandoes in designated attires and free-flowing robes protecting, perhaps, the most on the hit-list. Their robust “intimidating” appearance is aggravated with sophisticated arms they carry. On the move, it's an entire cavalcade with maximised paraphernalia to protect a “saint” from even the unthinkable strike.

 For a commoner, it's arguably an overawed inhibiting visual. The “saints” of the Deras in Punjab are among the most-guarded lot, perhaps, arguably contrary to the philosophy of professed sainthood.

It's hard to determine the exact number of sects in Punjab, but at last count an estimated several hundreds of Deras exist in this border state. The prominent ones have huge following among the people who blindly or otherwise wish to espouse the sect ideology unflinchingly.

Some of these sect heads have Z-security cover provided by the government. Along with this, it's an entire military of private armed men, bullet-proof vehicles, mobile communication jammers and a lot more that form a part of the entourage that moves and stays along 24X7.

The threat perception is largely real, which is why roads in Punjab witness an overload of VVIP and VVIP-alike personalities like sect heads zooming at phenomenal speeds even where traffic flow is restricted for others. Such security set up is now becoming more and more common in Punjab. Deras are increasingly going in for bullet-proof vehicles, state-of-the-art weaponry, see-through protected glass cabinets to deliver sermons and even high- end fast-moving imported luxury sedans.

All this has been propelled by earlier and even recent attacks on sect heads. Such attacks have the high potential to disturb law and order in Punjab which is why the security agencies don't take chances when it comes to providing security to these popular figures of public life. An attack on a sect head also has the potential to rupture the harmonious social fabric of Punjab that once lived through the dark days of militancy of the eighties.

Inter-sect rivalry too has had an effect on the choice and demand for a high-end security apparatus to wean away any possible threat. Only recently, one of the prominent sect heads accused another sect head, owing allegiance to Khalistan ideologue Sant Jarnail Singh Bhinderanwale, of orchestrating an unsuccessful attempt on his life. One follower died in the attack. Political parties were quick to throw their hat in the ring given that Assembly elections in Punjab are scheduled early next year.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, head of Dera Sacha Sauda, a sect with enormous following and espousing an egalitarian philosophy, had escaped an attack by some Sikh radical group in 2008. Bhaniara Dera head Piara Singh has also been the target of attack in the past. Dera Ballan's Niranjan Das was killed allegedly by Sikh radicals in Vienna in Austria in 2009. The crime that took place on foreign land led to widespread protests in Punjab then.

Luxury cars, SUVs have been customised to endure attacks from assault weapons, even grenades. Dera Sacha Sauda chief has an entourage of at least three bullet-proof vehicles. Nirankari sect head Hardev Singh, who died in a car accident in May while he was in Canada, had a fleet of bullet-proof vehicles. Budha Dal Nihang Samparday chief Balbir Singh is guarded by trained followers as well as Punjab Police personnel. Singh moves securely along with a paraphernalia of bullet-proof SUVs.

The demand for high-end bullet-proof vehicles is already up in this part of the country. Punjab, incidentally, is among the top three states with high number of licensed weapons.

Many individuals have more than one gun weapon licence. Ludhiana-based Bhaini Sahib sect head enjoys Z-plus security from the government. Early this year, sect’s matriarch Chand Kaur was murdered on the Dera premises. The cost of providing security is enormous. An advanced bullet-proof vehicle can cost anywhere between Rs 40 lakh and scale up in far excess of Rs one crore.

Some prefer multi-level bullet-proof protection that promises to blunt even a grenade attack. Those with Z-plus security cover don’t have to pay for its expense. There are some sect heads like Damsdami Taksal's Harnam Singh Dhumma, who is well guarded by none else than his own motivated men.