Tension mounted in Barwala town of Hisar district in Haryana ahead of on Monday’s deadline set by the Punjab and Haryana high court to ensure appearance of self-styled godman Rampal in a contempt case, prompting authorities to impose prohibitory orders at several vulnerable places.
As authorities raced against time to meet the deadline set by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the situation remained volatile around Satlok Ashram, which has been surrounded by the police and paramilitary forces and all roads leading to the premises sealed, officials said.
Several disciples of the 63-year-old controversial godman were holed up in his Satlok Ashram to prevent his arrest. A police official said additional force has been deployed
in Barwala town in Hisar district to bring out Rampal, who is being protected by a strong human shield formed by his followers including women, some of whom are believed to be carrying lethal weapons.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali to avert any violent backlash by his supporters opposing his arrest even as authorities were trying to persuade Rampal to surrender on his own as this may help avert any incident of violence once he gives up at his own will.
However, plans to storm the Ashram and use of force to comply with the court orders, have been kept ready, they said. Five Superintendents of Police from Hisar, Bhiwani, Sirsa, Jind and Fatehabad are among the senior police officials present to ensure that the court orders are executed.
The prohibitory orders have been imposed to maintain law and order and restrict the movement of the followers of Rampal who have been thwarting police efforts to arrest him.
A large number of policemen have been deployed at key points including roads leading to Chandigarh from Panchkula (Haryana) and Mohali (Punjab), the police said.
Hisar Range Inspector General of Police, A K Rao, who is camping at the site, has urged Rampal's followers to cooperate with the police and comply with the court orders.
Rejecting the Haryana government's plea that Rampal was unwell and his arrest would create law and order problems, Punjab and Haryana high court had on Monday last issued a fresh non- bailable arrest warrant against him in a contempt case and asked as to why his bail in a 2006 murder case should not be cancelled.
Holding that the state government lacked willingness to arrest the godman and no sincere efforts were made to produce him before it, the HC directed the Haryana director general of police and the home secretary to ensure that Rampal appears in person before it.
Rampal has been charged with interfering in judicial proceedings during the hearing of a case in the Hisar sessions court. On July 15, his supporters had marched inside the district court complex in Hisar and tried to create trouble in the court proceedings.
The HC took cognisance of the case and issued notices to Rampal and the state government. As he failed to appear before it, the court had last week issued non-bailable warrant against Rampal and asked the Haryana government to produce him and his aide Ram Kunwar Dhaka before it.
All eateries along the 7-km stretch on the national highway from Barwala town to Gabipur village have been shut. Hisar district administration has also ordered a
three-day shutdown of schools in the vicinity of the Ashram while hospitals in the area have been put on high alert and about 40 ambulances are ready in case of a showdown between the police and followers of the godman.
Earlier, the authorities had disconnected water and power supply to the Ashram. The police is keeping a close eye to ensure that Rampal's followers do not march towards Chandigarh in view of the court hearing on Monday as it may create a law and order problem.
The disciples of the godman have maintained that they would not allow police to arrest him till he recovers fully. Rampal had shifted his base from Rohtak to Barwala town of Hisar. In July 2006, during a clash with villagers, thousands of his followers had gathered at his ashram and made it tough for police to arrest Rampal in a murder case.
Again in 2013, when they tried to take possession of his ashram at Karontha village in Rohtak district, a large number of followers went inside the ashram during the night and refused to leave which led to a clash in which two persons were killed and many others injured.
Security measures have been strengthened around the Punjab and Haryana high court premises in Chandigarh while additional forces have been deployed around the railway station and the inter-state bus terminals, officials said.
On Saturday, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had appealed to Rampal to present himself in the court ‘in a peaceful manner’ and ‘without any hindrance’, saying, "One must give utmost priority to uphold the dignity of judicial system."
Image: Women supporters outside the Satlok ashram in Hisar. Photograph: Sandeep Pal
