There was tension not only in Chandigarh, where security forces spent a sleepless night to prevent supporters of controversial godman Sant Rampal from sneaking into the city, but also in Hisar where the godman is hiding in his ashram.
For the second time, the police failed to arrest Rampal and present him before Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday. Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan told the High Court that the State was taking steps to comply with the court order. He pleaded that since a number of women and children were present at the Satlok Ashram in Barwala, the police and administration had to take every step carefully.
The 63-year-old murder-accused Sant Rampal has been hiding out at his Satlok Ashram in Hisar’s Barwala town for nearly two weeks under protection of a ring of armed followers and scores of women, children and old aged followers.
Sources said the government planned to wait for the surrender. Water and power supply, besides food chain have been cut off to the ashram. Officials believe that in such a situation, it will be difficult for Sant Rampal and his followers to continue in the ashram for long.
The self-styled godman has skipped court hearings 42 times since 2010, and sought exemptions repeatedly. He is out on bail in a 2006 case when his supporters allegedly opened fire on villagers, killing one and injuring several others in Rohtak.
Meanwhile, tension mounted at Barwala in Hisar district as the police and security forces laid a seize near the ashram. Ashram spokesperson Raj Kapoor claimed that Rampal was taken to a hospital at an undisclosed place for medical treatment. “We were left with no option but to shift him to a hospital at an undisclosed place,” he said. But local police officials ruled this out and called it bluff and said he is very much there in the Ashram.
After the court orders in the evening, Ashram supporters also tried to exhibit pressure tactics, with two dozen followers in black commando dress having sticks and head gear exhibited their drill in front of followers and police near Ashram.
These followers also poured kerosene oil and diesel on themselves to issue the threat that they will commit a mass suicide if police used force.
In a bid to ensure a peaceful end to the deadlock, the district authorities asked the followers of Rampal to vacate the Satlok ashram.
“All the followers and devotees of Baba Rampal Satlok Ashram have been asked to vacate the ashram as soon as possible as the Punjab and Haryana High court has issued non-bailable warrant against Baba Rampal,” Hisar Deputy Commissioner Ml Kaushik said. He said the “high court has ordered police to arrest Baba Rampal and produce him in the court at the earliest”.
Warning the followers of Rampal not to create any obstruction in implementing the law, the deputy commissioner said the followers who come out of the ashram peacefully would be provided facilities to reach the railway station and bus stand. The police made repeated announcements from a megaphone to the inmates of the Ashram to vacate the premises and use the government buses to reach their villages. However, till late in the evening there was hardly any response from the ashram inmates.