Chandigarh: The Army was called out in Panchkula on Thursday, where a CBI court is set to deliver its verdict in a rape case against Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh tomorrow, even as large parts of Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh remained in a virtual lock-down mode.
In Sirsa also, where Dera Sacha Sauda is based, Army was called out to ensure peace. A curfew was imposed in the highly sensitive Sirsa town and three neighbouring villages today, officials said.
Meanwhile, thousands of 'premis', as Dera followers are known, meanwhile, continued to flock to Panchkula for a glimpse of their 'Pita ji' (father), posing a tough challenge for the security agencies.
The Dera Sacha Sauda followers, estimated to be over 1.5 lakh, camped in parks, on the road in Panchkula to show solidarity with their icon.
The bejewelled head of the Sirsa headquartered sect, who turned 50 this Independence Day, holds sway over millions in Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.
Following are some of his controversies:
- In 2002, Gurmeet's tryst with controversy and criminal charges began. He has since been named in cases dealing with rape, murder and forced castration.
- In 2002, a case of sexual exploitation case was registered against him. This followed anonymous letters alleging that the sect head had sexually exploited two 'sadhvis'.
- Other cases in which his name figures include a journalist murder case dating back to 2002 and the forced castration of some sadhus in 2014.
- In 2007, he earned the ire of Sikhs who accused him of replicating the attire of 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, following which Punjab remained on the boil for several days.
(With PTI inputs)
