AMN
Paramilitary forces have moved into the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa to clear the Dera followers from the campus, who are housed there in support of the Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
36 Dera Ashrams have been sealed. The Army conducted a flag march in the campus. There are lakhs of followers in the building. Rapid Action Force personnel and the police are accompanying the Army in this operation to evict Dera supporters.
High level security meeting chaired by Union Home Minister has started with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, IB Chief and officials of security agencies attending the meeting.
Meanwhile, law and order situation returning fast to normalcy in Haryana and Punjab. No fresh incident of violence has been reported from any place since last evening. DGP Haryana told media that Dera followers have moved out of Panchkula and curfew in the town has been lifted. However certain restrictions are still in place to maintain peace in the region.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh reviews security situation of Haryana, Punjab
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today chaired a high level security review meeting in the wake of the violence triggered by conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case.
Home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said, situation has been normalised and Punjab, Haryana and Delhi have not seen so many incidents today.
Speaking to media in New Delhi after the high level meeting, Mr Mehrishi said, Haryana Director General of police has assured that matter is under control. He said, no body can be blamed for the ongoing situation in Haryana.
Our correspondent reports that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Intelligence Bureau Chief and Senior officials of security agencies attended the meeting.
Earlier, the Union Home Minister spoke to the Chief Ministers of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, and assured them central assistance to deal with any situation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the law and order situation in Haryana with the National Advisor Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi.
In a series of tweets, Mr Modi said, the law and order situation is being closely monitored. He urged officials to work round the clock to restore normalcy and provide all possible assistance that is required.
President Ram Nath Kovind and the Prime Minister have appealed to all citizens to maintain peace.
Meanwhile, situation is under control in Punjab and Haryana after yesterday’s violence in Panchkula, Sirsa and other sensitive districts of the both states. The army and paramilitary forces are staging flag marches in all the sensitive areas.
Punjab and Haryana High court today slammed the Haryana government over its security arrangements to deal with the situation. The High Court was hearing the plea challenging preparedness by the Haryana government ahead of the Dera chief verdict.
The high Court said that when everything was known to the government then why action was not been taken in time. The three-judge bench called it a political surrender.
Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner of police Ashok Kumar in Panchkula was suspended today by Haryana government.
The quantum of sentence to the Dera Chief will be pronounced on Monday.