Sanjha Morcha

Army on standby, more para forces arrive

Army on standby, more para forces arrive
Sirsa Deputy Commissioner Prabhjot Singh (extreme right) and SSP Ashwin Shenvi review security arrangements at a police naka on Wednesday. Photo: Manoj Dhaka

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 23

The state has been put on “high alert” with prohibitory orders being clamped in 10 districts, including Panchkula, Sirsa and those bordering neighbouring Punjab, ahead of the verdict in a rape case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.The state government, which is on tenterhooks with regard to the law and order situation, has intimated the Army to be prepared to step in, if and when needed. The possibility of curfew is not ruled out.As many as 2,500 more police personnel have been mobilised by way of rationalisation to keep vigil till the verdict in the case is out.Even as 18 more companies of paramilitary forces arrived in the state taking the total number of companies available to 53, the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government deputed 10 senior IPS officers and 10 HCS officers to monitor the law and order situation in Panchkula.The government has also notified temporary prisons in various districts and two drones have been pressed into service in Panchkula to keep an eye on the dera followers camping in the city.Haryana Roadways buses would ply normally on their regular routes in the state over the next two days but will not enter Ambala and Panchkula as a precautionary measure.While social media is being closely monitored in all 10 “sensitive” districts, sources in the government said it was not averse to the idea of suspending internet services, if needed. “All content on social media is being closely scrutinised at the district level and internet services could be suspended if the situation turns volatile,” sources claimed.Declaring a three-day holiday in educational institutions, including government, private, government-aided and BEd colleges and universities of the state from August 23 to 25, as per a notification of the Higher Education Department, the government cancelled leave of field officers and police personnel while ordering all medical and paramedical staff to remain on duty till August 30. Closure of schools, however, has been left to the respective Deputy Commissioners.Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Ram Niwas, said the situation in the state was dynamic and the government would employ all measures to maintain law and order in view of the changing situation.


Govt weighs options

  • With followers of Dera Sacha Sauda chief streaming into Panchkula and at the dera headquarters in Sirsa as a build-up to the August 25 verdict of the CBI court in the rape case against him, the government is learnt to be weighing various options to deal with the fluid ground situation in the state even as uncertainty surrounds the appearance of the dera chief in the court.
  • Though the government is hopeful that the Dera chief will show up in the court, the top brass spent the day reviewing security arrangements and weighing its options during various rounds of meetings.
  • Sources said there was a possibility that the judgment in the case could be delivered via video-conferencing with the dera chief in Sirsa if there seemed a possibility of the situation turning volatile. Further, the government could move an application in the CBI court seeking deferral of the verdict if there is a threat to the law and order situation.

Dera followers told to hide identity Hisar: Dera Sacha Sauda followers are being guided on ways to hoodwink security forces and reach Panchkula. At Naam Charcha Ghars, ‘premis’ are gathering and being told to reach Panchkula by all means and keep their identities hidden. At the Naam Charcha Ghar in Gangwa village in this district, it was announced through a mike to take Haryana Roadways buses or any private vehicle to reach Panchkula. ‘Premis’ have been told not to take the pendant with a photo of the dera head along. “Instructions are being issued to the followers via Whatsapp groups,” a source said, adding that they were advised not to proceed in groups.—TNS