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Nearly 600 skeletons buried within Dera premises

Last Updated 20 September 2017, 21:15 IST
A top functionary of the Dera Sacha Sauda has disclosed that nearly 600 remains of human skeletons had been buried within the premises over a period of time.

The disclosure made by senior vice president of the sect, Dr P R Nain, a pediatrician, has stressed further the need to dig up the ‘graves’ of sorts to uncover the truth. The presence of graves inside the Dera has been talked about since long.

Allegations are that the chief of the sect, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, now serving a 20-year jail term, would eliminate those disciples, 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 the skeletons.

Nain, who was questioned by the special investigation team in Sirsa till late in the evening on Tuesday, handed over certain documents to corroborate his assertions. In his disclosure, Nain maintained that the remains of the dead were buried on the premises out of “faith”.

He held that Dera followers would do this on a call by the sect chief, who would advise them not to immerse the 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 due to the presence of phosphorus. The police said they are yet to study all the documents provided by Nain.

During the three-day search operation inside the Dera, which concluded recently, JCB machines were moved in, but authorities preferred to put off the process of digging. The police have 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 the claims by the sect and allegations of the public.

Meanwhile, the jail administration said that Singh has been entrusted with farming work, which will earn him a daily wage of Rs 20.
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(Published 20 September 2017, 09:05 IST)

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