JOIN USLife is gradually limping back to normalcy in Panchkula after a day of bloody violence. Neighbouring Punjab, however, managed the crisis well on Friday.
No incident of violence has been reported since Friday night in Panchkula and Sirsa.
Doctors at the civil hospital told DH that the mobile phones of dead Dera followers in the mortuary kept ringing throughout the night.
Most of the Dera followers have now been moved out. Though curfew has been relaxed in Sirsa and Panchkula, the army is patrolling the streets to prevent further damage.
“The law-and-order situation is being maintained and constantly monitored. As many as 101 companies of paramilitary and 10 columns of the army have been deployed in Panchkula and Sirsa,” Haryana DGP B S Sandhu said.
As many as 524 people have been arrested under eight different FIRs registered against the Dera followers. Two cases of sedition were also registered against the followers. The police have recovered one AK-47 rifle, one Mauser, two rifles, five pistols and 10 petrol bombs. Despite the chaos, the Haryana government is patting its back.
“But for the effective and efficient action taken by the security forces, the situation could have been more horrific,” the state government said.
While the chief secretary maintained that the convict was not being given VIP treatment, a deputy advocate general, who was seen lifting Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s bag in a video clip, has been removed.
Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the state government to make necessary arrangements for the special CBI judge to be flown to Rohtak jail, where the Dera chief is lodged, for hearing on the quantum of sentence on Monday.
Centre review’s situation
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reviewed the security situation in Haryana and other states, including Delhi. Singh instructed officials to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.
Another challenge is staring at the state and security forces on Monday when the court will pronounce the quantum of sentence in the case. A source said all measures are being taken to ensure that there is no repeat of Friday’s violence.
There were reports of re-grouping of Dera members but forces are not leaving any stone unturned to ensure law and order.
“Haryana, Punjab and Delhi have not seen many incidents today (Saturday). Panchkula and Sirsa had a situation yesterday (Friday) but now the situation has normalised,” Mehrishi told reporters.
To a question on whether the Haryana government had failed to control the situation, he said, “In an ongoing situation, we cannot blame anyone.”
At the meeting, Mehrishi and Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Jain gave detailed presentations about the situation in Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and chiefs of paramilitary personnel were also present.
Singh was told that Panchkula and Sirsa were “very tense”, the situation in the rest of Haryana was “tense but under control”.