Dera-Sikh Row Flares - DABWALI Burns, Gory Incidents Mark the day.

Pictures: Amit Soni and his associates.

Dera-Sikh Row Flares - DABWALI Burns, Gory Incidents Mark the day.

SIRSA NEWS

19 July, 2008

All pictures can be clicked to enlarge or right click to open link in new window. Pictures: Amit Soni and his associates.

• CURFEW IMPOSED IN DABWALI TOWN FOLLOWING VIOLENT CLASHES BETWEEN DERA FOLLOWERS AND SIKHS
• ONE SIKH SUCCUMBED.
• OVER 2 DOZEN SHOPS TORCHED.
• A JOURNALIST ASSAULTED.
• DC V. Umashankar also hurt.
• SGPC President, Avatar Singh Makker visits Dabwali.

IN ORDER TO control the most violent and volatile situation that followed the death of a Sikh as a result of clashes over Naam charcha between the Dera Sacha Sauda followers and the Sikhs today, the district Administration has imposed an indefinite curfew in Dabwali. Immediately after the news of the death of a Sikh identified as Harmander Singh son of Mahender Singh a resident of Dabwali town came, thousands of protesting Sikhs came on the roads demanding the immediate arrest of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh and soon the situation turned violent and over 30 shops were set on fire by the protesters. The office of a scribe Jai Muni Goel was ransacked and damaged. He claimed that he was also attacked upon and as a result he sustained some head injuries. He also alleged that his camera was snatched by the protesters. On getting information Deputy Commissioner V. Umashankar and Superintendent Police K.Venakata Ramana rushed to Dabwali and summoned a large police force. The police fired in the air and also lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the protesters but when it failed then the Administration imposed curfew to control the situation which was getting out of control. The condition was so bad that the protesters even did not allow the Fire tenders to perform their duties to extinguish fire in the shops. The Dabwali town has been turned into a Police Camp with a very heavy police force deployed there. IG. Police also arrived in the town to make an on the spot appraisal of the situation. According to reports the Naam Charcha was held at the residence of one Sunder Das Mehta. On getting information about the naam Charcha, Sikhs in droves arrived there to stop it. As a result there was brick bating on both the sides in which Harmander Singh was injured on his head. He later succumbed to injuries. In Ellenabad town the shopkeepers downed their shutters fearing any fall out of the Dabwali incident. Soon Band like situation was noticed in Sirsa town as most of the shopkeepers downed their shutters. Similar news were received from Kalanwali and Rania towns as well. According to latest information the situation at Dabwali is still tense but under control. Till writing of the news no fresh report of any untoward happening was reported from any where in the district.

RANIA
SIKHS STAGE PROTEST, DEMAND IMMEDIATE ARREST OF DERA SACHA SAUDA CHIEF.
All pictures can be clicked to enlarge or right click to open link in new window. Pictures: Amit Soni and his associates.

HUNDREDS OF Sikhs led by Sukhvinder Singh, the president of the Haryana Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha on Wednesday staged a strident protest against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh at Rania town of the district demanding his immediate arrest for hurting the sentiments of the Sikhs. The protesters after marching through the main streets of the town arrived at the Tehsil office where they handed a memorandum addressed the President of India, the SDM Ellenabad Subhash Sheoran who had expressly arrived at Rania town to receive the memorandum. While addressing the protesters, Sukhvinder Singh alleged that the Dera Chief first of all committed blasphemy by wearing a dress similar to the one adorned by the 10th Guru of the Sikhs and grievously hurt the sentiments of the Sikhs and then at Bombay he abets the shoot out by his body guards in which an innocent Sikh was killed. He claimed that by his action at Bombay he poured salts into the wounds of the Sikhs throughout the country. He demanded that he should be asked to shun his private body guards. He warned that the series of Protest marches throughout Haryana would continue till the Dera chief was arrested. He claimed that now after the criminal cases against the Dera chief his real picture has come before the people and appealed the Haryana and Union Governments to immediately put his behind he bars.

SIKH-DERA FOLLOWERS CLASH AVERTED.

TIMELY INTERVENTION of the police averted an ugly situation that arose near village Ghookanwali of the district on Wednesday when a large number of Sikhs assembled in front of the residence of Jeewan Singh Pandit a Dera Sacha Sauda follwer where Naam Charcha was to be held. Soon an ugly situation emerged between the parties as the Sikhs were determined to stop the Naam Charcha while the Dera followers were adamant to hold their Naam Charcha. Within moments the Police got information and a heavy police force from Odhan police station arrive on the spot and defused the situation. Jasbir Singh Khalsa, the vice president of the Haryana Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha said that till the case pending against the Dera chief was not adjudicated the Sikhs would allow the Dera followers to hold their Naam Charcha.
Report: Dr. O.P. Bansal