There is no report of violence since last night in Sirsa, which houses the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters, police said, asserting that the situation is under control in the district.

At least 30 people were killed and 250 injured in widespread violence , arson and police firing in Haryana yesterday, triggered by the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a sexual exploitation case. While 28 people were killed in Panchkula, the epicentre of the violence, two died in Sirsa. “The law and order situation is under control as there has been no report of violence since last night,” said a senior police officer.

Last night, Army carried out a flag march in the area to maintain law and order. The normal life has come to a standstill due to curfew-like restrictions imposed by the authorities to prevent any untoward incident. 2 companies of Army and 10 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed. Police personnel have asked locals to stay indoors.

In Panchkula yesterday, CBI judge Jagdeep Singh held Ram Rahim, the 50-year-old flamboyant chief of the Dera, guilty of rape in a case that was registered on the basis of an anonymous written complaint in 2002 that he had sexually exploited two female followers. On the basis of the report, a case was registered against him in December 2002 by the CBI on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The quantum of sentence against Ram Rahim, who enjoys ‘Z’ category security, will be pronounced on August 28.

Home Ministry report

The toll in the violence that erupted in Haryana after the rape conviction of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief has climbed to 31 and the situation “is tense but under control”, the Union Home Ministry today said. “As per Panchkula Control Room in Haryana, the situation in Panchkula and Sirsa is very tense but under control,” a home ministry spokesperson said.

There were reports that 31 people lost their lives in the violence since yesterday. Among the total fatalities, 29 were in Panchkula and two in Sirsa, he said.

The headquarters of the sect led by the self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh are in Sirsa. Violence erupted in Panchkula yesterday after a CBI court convicted Ram Rahim in a 15-year-old case

The situation in most of the part of Haryana is tense, the official said. Sources said no fresh incident of violence was reported till 6 am today.

Police detains 15 Dera followers from Sirsa compound

Police have detained 15 Dera Sacha Sauda followers since last night here even as the authorities have appealed to over one lakh supporters still present in the sect headquarters to vacate the premises.

The situation in Sirsa remained tense but under control, according to police. “Police have detained 15 anti-social elements since last night,” Sirsa SP Ashwin Shenvi told PTI . Another senior police official said the authorities have appealed the Dera followers to vacate the compound of sect headquarters.

Army has taken control of the area after two people died is Sirsa yesterday following violence triggered by the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a sexual exploitation case.

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