News

 

 Policemen in riot gear used teargas shells, water-cannons, batons and bulldozers Tuesday to enter controversial guru Rampal's sprawling “Satlok Ashram” at Hisar in Haryana as thousands of his supporters fought to prevent his arrest, who reportedly fired shots and hurled petrol-bombs at the police.

 

More than 100 people, including many police persons and journalists were injured during the raid.

 

Haryana police chief SN Vashishth said at least 3000 people, including women and infants, formed a human barricade outside the ashram who tried to stop police from arresting Rampal.

Several devotees were injured as the police used batons to disperse them.

On Wednesday morning, reports emerged that four women have died inside the ashram. A fifth woman, a 20-year-old, reportedly had a heart attack and died at hospital. Death of an 18-month-old infant was also reported, before the godman was arrested in late evening.

The police went to arrest Rampal after the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against him in a contempt case. The court had ordered the government to arrest Rampal by Friday.

Rampal was charged with murder and other offences that took place on July 12, 2006 after one person died and several others were injured following a violent clash between his followers and another group.

He along with 38 others was being tried in a sessions court of Rohtak.

Rampal, an engineer-turned-guru, reportedly skipped court 43 times in four years in the case.

He was granted bail by the High court on April 2, 2008.

 The Punjab and Haryana High Court again summoned Rampal in person after his supporters allegedly attacked a group of lawyers during a hearing on the murder case last month. The controversial guru had managed to avoid arrests despite three warrants since November 5.

Supporters of Rampal had said he is sick and would not be able to travel to the court.

But, the HC rejected the plea, which took strict cognizance of the fact that Rampal’s supporters attacked lawyers and labelled contempt of court charges against him. 

The bench of justice M Jeyapaul rejected Rampal’s counsel’s request for hearing through video-conferencing or more time on account of ill health.