SIT continues search in Rampal's Satlok Ashram, cops arrest five more people

Hisar (Haryana): The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Haryana Police on Tuesday continued its search on the premises of Satlok Ashram in Barwala town and recovered more articles including burnt JCB machine and a large quantity of material used for manufacturing of “petrol bomb”. During the search, SIT personnel recovered 250 lathis, 15 helmets, 38 black shirts, 45 black trousers, five petrol bombs and material used to manufacture them, a police spokesman said. [caption id=“attachment_1821475” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] Meanwhile, police on Tuesday arrested five followers of Satlok Ashram head Rampal who were under treatment in civil hospital and produced them in a local court. The court sent the five to judicial custody for 14 days. Hailing from Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Nepal and Himachal Pradesh, the followers were arrested on the charge of rioting and under various other sections of IPC, the spokesman said. Earlier, during the search, the SIT has recovered arms, ammunition, bullet proof jackets, some cash and other articles from the 12-acre ashram, from where the “godman” was arrested on 19 November. Rampal was produced before the Punjab and Haryana High Court a day after his arrest in a contempt of court case and later remanded in police custody for five days by a court in Hisar after fresh cases were slapped on him. The police remand of the “godman” was further extended by the Hisar court by six days today. So far, more than 900 followers of Rampal have been arrested. During the stand-off between Rampal’s followers and the police, five women and an infant had died while more than 200 people were left injured. PTI