After two days of high drama by supporters of murder-accused Sant Rampal in Hisar, the elusive self-styled godman was nabbed from his ashram on Wednesday around 9.20 pm. At the time of his arrest, Rampal meekly accompanied the police without offering any resistance.
Sources said the security forces entered the Satlok Ashram a little before 9 pm and soon located Rampal, who was with a dozen odd followers. All of them had realised the futility of resistance by then as most of his 15,000 odd followers had left the ashram by that time.
Three ambulances were brought in at the main gate of the ashram. Sources said they were equipped with all modern medical amenities to ensure that no complications take place. Rampal’s spokesman had repeatedly claimed that Rampal was under weather and needed more time to surrender before the Punjab & Haryana High Court. Keeping this in mind, a well-equipped ambulance along with a medical team was brought in to monitor him soon after arrest. Asked whether it was a surrender or an arrest, a senior police officer merely said, “It doesn’t matter”.
After arrest, the face of Rampal was covered in a white cloth and he was rushed inside the ambulance. Officials said this was done to prevent any emotional outburst of the few supporters left.
There was an impromptu celebration in Barwala after the operation to arrest Rampal was over. People of the area were facing great difficulty ever since police and security personnel from CRPF camped in the area in large numbers to arrest the godman. Rampal would be taken to PGI Chandigarh, where a detailed medical test would be conducted. He will be produced before the High Court only after the medical check-up, police sources added.
On Wednesday, six people were found dead in the ashram even as the Haryana Police charged the sect leader with treason and arrested 450 people, including the key functionaries of the ashram.Unlike Tuesday, no violence took place on Wednesday even as the police arrested Rampal’s brother Purshottam Dass and spokesman Raj Kapoor.
Breaking his silence, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar said that the State Government is committed to upholding the law and ensuring strict compliance with the directions of court. Earlier in the day, the CM said: “Our first priority is to safely take out the innocent children, women and aged persons who are stranded in the ashram, and also make arrangements for their safe passage to their homes. The police are working with great wisdom, restraint and in a planned manner,” he added.
Haryana DGP SN Vashisth said, “Police had registered cases against accused Rampal and some key functionaries of the ashram under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. More sections would be added after fresh evidence comes up”.
Cases have been filed under Sections 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India), 121A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the state) and 122 (Collecting arms, etc, with the intention of waging war against the Government of India). Besides, cases have also been slapped against the accused under Sections 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war) and other charges that include attempt to murder, assault and under various Sections of the Arms Act, police said.
Accompanied by Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Sanjeev Kaushal and Additional Chief Secretary, Home, PK Mahapatra, Vashisth had earlier ruled out any negotiations with Rampal, asking him to surrender immediately.The DGP had reiterated that Rampal was very much in the ashram and he will be arrested and produced before the High Court. “The police are committed to ensuring strict compliance of the law, and anybody trying to create any hurdle will have to face action,” asserted the DGP.
Vashisth confirmed six deaths, including five women and an infant. “The management of the Satlok Ashram handed over five bodies in the morning on Wednesday, including an infant. A young woman who came out of the ashram in serious condition died in the hospital,” he said. There were no bullet or injury marks on the bodies of the dead, initial post-mortem report of three of the deceased revealed.
The deceased have been identified as Savita (31), resident of Roganpur, lakhpat Colony, Mithapur, New Delhi; Santosh (45), resident of Bhagwatipur, District Rohtak; Malkiat Kaur (50), resident of Shekhpura Dhuri, Sangrur, Punjab; and Rajbala (70) of Bijnaur. Two of them apparently died due to natural reasons as they were suffering from diseases and had been brought to the ashram to seek the blessings of the fugitive godman. “The exact cause of death may be known only, after the postmortem,” said Vashisth.
Meanwhile 15,000 followers who were living in the Ashram were evacuated safely in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday and throughout the day on Wednesday. Those taken out of the ashram were taken to the bus stand and the railway station in the buses of Haryana Roadways. Most of the followers hailed from UP, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Followers of Rampal fought pitched battle with the security forces by lobbing petrol bombs, firing and stone pelting to thwart the charge by a 3,000-strong contingent of Haryana police commandos to storm the high-walled complex.
Government sources claimed that general public of Barwala and nearby villages have resentment against Rampal and his activities and they tried to move towards the Ashram. An ugly situation was prevented due to heavy deployment of security forces. Ministry of Home Affairs, has provided 2 additional Companies of CRPF to tackle the situation.
Earlier this week, Punjab and Haryana High Court gave the government time till Friday to produce Rampal in a contempt of court case. Rampal is on bail in another case in connection with the killing of a man in firing from his ashram in Rohtak in 2006.