Haryana DGP on Friday evening said that situation in Panchkula was under control and rioters have been pushed out of town. DGP said 550 Gurmeet Ram Rahim supporters and members of the Dera sect have been arrested. 65 vehicles were also seized in the process. Three rifles and three pistols were also confiscated from rioters. According to DGP , over 60 policemen got injured during the clashes.
Atmosphere in Panchkula became tense after CBI court convicted Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim of rape charges and scheduled the sentencing on 28th August. Approximately over 2 Lakh supporters of gurmeet Ram Rahim were present in Panchkula town. Despite of heavy security arrangements, situation spiraled out of control after the court verdict.
More then 28 people have been reported dead due to the rioting. Various cities including Sirsa, Moga, Panchkula, Bhatinda, Delhi, Ghaziabad saw spurts of small and big violent incidents. Panchkula was severely hit due to the massive death toll in the region. The Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters is located in Sirsa, around 250 km from Panchkula, where a court held the sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh guilty of rape and sexual exploitation.
