Death toll in Dera Sacha Sauda violence touches 36; HC notifies Rohtak jail for court sitting

The death toll in the violence following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim has risen to 36, officials of the Haryana government said on Saturday.

Thirty deaths have been reported in Panchkula, while six persons died in Sirsa, the headquarters of the Dera sect.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court also said that the District Jail at Sunaria near Rohtak will be the place for sitting of the CBI special court for the sentencing scheduled for Monday.

The Haryana government has been directed by the High Court to make travel arrangements by air of the CBI court judge, Jagdeep Singh, and his two staff members to Rohtak on Monday. The Haryana Police had said on Saturday said that the jailed godman will not be brought to Panchkula for the sentencing.

Here are the developments of Saturday:

6:30 am IST: Delhi Police PRO has said that Section 144 (Unlawful Assembly) will continue in Delhi.

6: 21am IST: With one more person dead in Sirsa, the death toll has touched 32.

6:10 pm IST: The All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) has demanded that the two original complainants in the rape case against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, be provided security.

5:55 pm IST: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu has condemned the violence in Punjab and Haryana. He has termed its as 'unacceptable'. 

"Some people incite violence in the name of caste, religion, language and region. They provoke people into acts of violence. Such acts are not acceptable in a democracy," Naidu was quoted by News 18.

5:40 pm IST: According to latest report, a CBI judge will be flown to Sunaria jail to announce the quantum of punishment that Singh will receive on August 28.

5:30 pm IST: Meanwhile Vipssana Insan, the Chairperson of Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa has said that the attack on media is condemnable and has apologised for the violence.

5:15 pm IST: The Haryana police is inspecting the people of the Dera Sacha Sauda Ashram in Sirsa's Bajenka village after they Army and police ordered them to vacate the ashram.

5:11 pm IST: Latest reports have confirmed that Singh won't be produced in Panchkula on August 28. Haryana DGP B S Sandhu said that the hearing may be done through a video conderence.

5:10 pm IST: The Deputy Haryana Advocate General has been sacked for carrying the luggage of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

5:02 pm IST: The SSP of Bhatinda in Punjab has said that curfew will be relaxed till 6 pm on Saturday.

4:55 pm IST: The Punjab CM also ctiticised the violence in Panchkula. 

"Fault was in allowing people to gather in Panchkula when the verdict was coming; should have known that there could be a problem," Singh told the media.

4:30 pm IST: Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh told the media that was no firing, lathicharge and deaths in Punjab. He also added that he will not allow violence of any form from any sect in Punjab.

4:20 pm IST: The Chief Medical Officer of Civil Hospital in Panchkula said that 90 people were admitted on Friday night. However, there were no case of bullet injury.

4:10 pm IST: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the law and order situation in the state.

3:40 pm IST: Punjab Police and Army conducted flag march in Punjab's Moga.

3:35 pm IST: The District Commissioner of Kaithal in Haryana said that the police found axes, batons, petrol bombs etc in a Dera. All the weapons have been seized and the Dera has been completely vacated.

3:20 pm IST: A PTI report has said that the Rajasthan police have arrested five people for arson in Sri Ganganagar, which also has a Dera Sacha Sauda ashram. The police have also intensified their vigil in and around the area.

3:15 pm IST: Though the quantum of punishment will be handed out on August 28, Singh will not be brought to Panchkula for the sentencing.

'There will be no hearing in Panchkula, it will be done via video conferencing or the judge will travel to Rohtak," said Haryana DGP BS Sandhu.

2:59 pm IST:  While the Congress is clamouring for President's rule in Haryana, the BJP has maintained their stand that the government did their best to control the violence.

According to a CNN-News18 report, the BJP has said that the party has not asked for a resignation of CM Khattar and that "there is no question of asking for one".

BJP's IT head Amit Malviya is also supporting the Haryana government.

2:40 pm IST: An ANI report has said that the police is trying to establish the identity of the 28 dead people in Panchkula. Dhesi has said that no local resident from Panchkula has come up to claim the bodies.

2:34 pm IST: Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the former CM of Haryana and a member of the Congress has asked the state government to resign.

2:33 pm IST: While addressing the media about the 28 deaths in Panchkula, Dhesi said that 24 men, 3 women and a child were killed in the violence. He also added that none of the injured people were residents of Panchkula.

2:32 pm IST: Dhesi has informed the media that Singh is being treated and given food in the same manner as other prisoners get in the prison near Rohtak town, around 70 km from Delhi

2:30 pm IST: Latest reports say that Singh's Z-plus security has been withdrawn.

2:15 pm IST: Dhesi has yet again made it clear that Singh is not being given any special treatment.

2:10 pm IST: Haryana Chief Secretary Depinder Singh has told the media that two sedition cases have been registered during the entire process and a probe is underway.

1:55 pm IST: Haryana BJP in-charge Anil Jain has also rubbished reports of CM Khattar being summoned to Delhi.

1:42 pm IST: Anil Jain, Haryana BJP Incharge has said that 36 DSS ashrams have been sealed. He also added that the people who died in the riots on Friday were DSS supporters. Jain also added that the ashram is Sirsa is also being vacated.

1:40 pm IST: The Haryana government has ordered a search of all congregation centres belonging to the DSS in the state.

"We have ordered a search of all 'naam charcha ghars' (congregation centres) of the Dera Sacha Sauda wherever located in Haryana, We have asked security personnel to conduct searches at all Dera centres thoroughly and seize any weapons found," state Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Ram Niwas was quoted as saying by News 18.

1:38 pm IST: Chief Secretary of Haryana Government, Depinder Singh Dhesi has rubbished all reports of the Army forcing itself into the DSS headquarters. 

"The reports that the Army has entered Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters is false. The situation is in control. An AK-47, a Mauser gun, 2 rifles and 5 pistols have been confiscated. We have registered cases under sedition charges," said Dhesi while adding that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has not been given any special treatment.

1:35 pm IST: Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi has taken a dig at the Modi government in Haryana and demanded for a President's rule, reported News 18.

"The death toll figures reported seem to be false. It's higher. The Haryana government should be dismissed. There is failure on the part of the Centre as well. Where was the intel report? The Prime Minister is trying to save Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. We demand President's Rule in Haryana. Where is PM Modi's 56-inch chest now?," said Singhvi.

1:33 pm IST: Situation in Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi are reportedly back to normal.

1:30 pm IST: Mehrishi has said that the DG of Haryana has assured that the situation is under control. 

1:25 pm IST: Rajiv Mehrishi, the Home Secretary of India has had a meeting with the Home Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the internal security of India. Mehrishi said that they discussed about the violence post Singh's conviction.

1:20 pm IST: The Punjab and Haryana High Court have also asked the state government for details of  Singh's movable and immovable properties in Punjab and Haryana till next hearing on August 29.

1:10 pm IST: The Punjab and Haryana High Court slammed the Haryana government and said, "You allowed the city to burn for political gains. It seems the government has surrendered to agitators."

1:01 pm IST: BJP President Amit Shah held a meeting with Haryana BJP in-charge Anil Jain at Delhi BJP Headqyarters to discuss the situation in Haryana.

12:30 pm IST: Meanwhile, District Magistrate of Sirsa has said that though the senior officials are reaching the premises of the DSS, they do not have the orders to enter the DSS headquarters.

12:20 pm IST:  Punjab's Director General of police (DGP) Suresh Arora has said that the situation in his state is peaceful. Curfew has been lifted in three districts and relaxed in the other districts. However, the Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has said that the state will be on alert for 48 hours.

12:11 pm IST: Army, police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) have entered the premises of Dera Sacha Sauda in Haryana's Sirsa.

11:55 am IST: This is the armed forces showing their true influence. They conduct a flag march as no one dares indulge in violence. 

11:35 am IST: Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is chairing a high-level meeting, no doubt taking stock of the situation and making sure there is no further violence. 

11:25 am IST: Army personnel are now inside the the Sirsa headquarters of the Dera Sacha Sauda in Haryana. 

11 am IST: There is almost no report of violence so far on Saturday. The Delhi Police confirm as much.

10:30 am IST: The sealing of Dera properties has begun, even as reports indicate that around 1,000 people have been arrested over violence that broke out on Friday. 

10:10 am IST: Facing flak from many quarters for his and his government's inability to handle the situation after singh's conviction, Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar has claimed that anti-social elements had taken the garb of Dera supporters to perpetrate violence. 

"The chief minister said some anti-social elements got mixed up with the followers of Dera Sacha Sauda after the delivery of the verdict by the CBI court in the case involving the Dera chief, resorted to violence and disrupted the peace," a statement from his office said on Friday.

It added: "Strict action is being taken against these persons. No one is above the law and strict action will be taken against anyone who tries to take the law into his hands."

9:55 am IST: Some reports are saying that Singh is getting special treatment, but the authorities have just denied it. 

9:30 am IST: Controversial BJP leader Sakshi Maharaj is facing flak from all round for his statement on Singh, where he has come out in support of the convicted rapist. 

Sakshi Maharaj landed in fresh trouble on Saturday when he said about Sinh's conviction: "One person has complained of rape against Ram Rahim. Crores others believe he is God. Who do you think is right?"

He also claimed that Singh is "is a simple man so he is being harassed," and that this entire thing is a "conspiracy to defame not only Ram Rahim and other saints, but also Indian culture."

8:50 am IST: More trains have been cancelled.

8:15 am IST: The death toll has risen to 31, with the death of one person from Sirsa who was injured in clashes on Friday. 

8 am IST: An uneasy calm is said to be prevailing in Punjab, Haryana and parts of Delhi. There is heavy presence of security forces in all three, but that may not be enough to deter Dera Sacha Sauda members from resorting to violence once again.

Delhi Police PRO