Verdict in journalist murder case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh likely today, security beefed up in Haryana, Punjab

Chandigarh: Security has been beefed up in Haryana and parts of Punjab in the wake of special CBI court in Panchkula’s likely verdict on Friday in the journalist murder case in which jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is an accused. Elaborate security arrangements have been made in Haryana especially in Panchkula, Sirsa (headquarter of Dera) and Rohtak districts with several companies of the state armed police, anti-riot police and commando force being deployed to deal with any law and order situation. “Security has been enhanced in Haryana,” said Haryana ADGP (Law and Order) Muhammad Akil. Directions have been issued to police in all the districts not to allow any unnecessary gathering and maintain extra vigil, said police official adding that police nakas have also been laid at several places. [caption id=“attachment_4031263” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Additional police force has also been deployed near the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa in Haryana, police said. Violence had erupted in Panchkula and Sirsa in Haryana in August 2017 following the conviction of Dera sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, leaving over 40 persons dead and scores of people injured. The 51-year-old sect head is currently serving a 20-year prison term in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail for raping two of his women followers. In Punjab, where there are sizeable numbers of Dera followers, elaborate security arrangements have been made in Bathinda and Ferozepur ranges. “We have made elaborate security arrangements in Bathinda range,” said Punjab Inspector General (Bathinda Range) MF Farooqui said. Around 2,000 security personnel have been deployed in Bathinda range, he further said. In Ferozepur range as well, security has been tightened by Punjab Police, police said. Police have been keeping a close watch in sensitive areas like Faridkot, Moga, Baghapurana, Jaitu, Kotkapura, police said. “10 companies of Punjab Police have been deployed in Ferozepur range,” said Punjab IG MS Chhina. The verdict in 2002 murder of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati is likely to come on 11 January. On Tuesday, the special CBI court in Panchkula had accepted the state’s plea and allowed presence of Ram Rahim through video conferencing for a 11 January hearing in the murder case of a journalist. Ram Rahim has been named as the main conspirator in the case. Chhatrapati was shot at in October 2002 after his newspaper, ‘Poora Sach’, published an anonymous letter narrating how women were being sexually exploited by Gurmeet Ram Rahim at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa. The journalist later succumbed to injuries and a case was registered in 2003. The case was handed over to the CBI in 2006.