Judgement day for Haryana 'Godman' in rape case

A CBI court in Panchkula will pronounce the crucial verdict in the Dera Sacha Sauda chief rape case on Friday.

Army units were geared up late at night on Thursday as authorities anticipated a potentially explosive situation in Haryana and Punjab ahead of Friday's verdict in the 15-year old rape case against chief of prominent Sect Dera Sacha Sauda.

Security forces launched a crackdown late Thursday to evict lakhs of followers of the sect who have been squatting roads and parks for the last few days in Panchkula where the verdict will be announced by the CBI court today. The eviction process was launched after the Punjab and Haryana high court this afternoon slammed the government for allowing this unprecedented build up of sect supporters.

Mobile internet and data services in Punjab Haryana and Chandigarh were suspended for the next 72-hours. Punjab and Haryana are on high alert with over 2 lakh sect followers descending in Panchkula near here.

Nearly 15,000 paramilitary personnel have been deployed in both states to watch the potentially explosive situation. As many as 150 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in the two states.

At least 23 trains in the Northern railways were canceled today. Schools colleges universities markets have been shut. Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh today tweeted saying that ‘despite his back ache, he will appear before the court’ on Friday. Buses of Haryana roadways coming to Chandigarh have already been stopped for two days. Ten senior IPS officers have been deployed to ensure law and order.