On 25 August, enraged followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect went on a rampage following the rape conviction of their leader and self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. As many as 29 people, including Dera followers, have been reported dead in the mob violence, and 250 have been injured.
The violence, triggered in Panchkula where the verdict was delivered, has spread even to the national capital. Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 in 11 districts of the capital, including New Delhi.
For all the updates in the Ram Rahim rape case, read: Ram Rahim Rape Case Live
A bus was torched in northeast Delhi’s Loni Chowk. Two more were torched in Nand Nagri.
Two coaches of Reva Express were set ablaze at the Anand Vihar Railway Station.
Media Vans Attacked in Panchkula
ABP News released shocking images of violence at the site. The LIC building and several vehicles have reportedly been gutted.
An OB engineer from NDTV was left bleeding after Dera supporters attacked him near the Panchkula court. The NDTV OB van was also set ablaze.
ANI released footage of a media van being toppled outside the Court. Several such media vans met a similar fate.
The police fired in the air and lobbed tear gas shells on sections of the crowds, many of whom have been camping in Panchkula since a night before. The police used water cannons and batons on the protesters to bring the situation under control.
India Today Convoy Attacked in Sirsa
The India Today TV showed horrifying images of its correspondent and cameraman being attacked, while they were travelling in a van in Sirsa, the Dera’s headquarters.
Violence in Ram Rahim’s Hometown in Rajasthan
Dera supporters set a power sub-station office on fire in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan. Vehicles at the sub-station premises have also been torched.
Section 144 has been imposed at Sriganganagar, Ram Rahim’s hometown, as well as at the Hanumangarh district.
Section 144 has also been imposed in parts of Noida and Ghaziabad. Shamli, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat are other towns where the orders have been imposed.
CBI judge Jagdeep Singh, while holding the 50-year-old Dera chief guilty of rape, said the quantum of sentence would be pronounced on 28 August, CBI counsel HPS Verma told reporters outside the court.
Army personnel and central paramilitary forces took positions around the CBI court complex in Panchkula, as the area close to the complex was sealed.
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