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Hisar: Haryana Police prepares for final push to nab 'godman' Rampal

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A car, allegedly belonging to a supporter of Rampal Maharaj, is seen on fire near the ashram in Hisar.
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After evacuating close to 15,000 of his followers, police tonight was preparing for the final assault to arrest 'godman' Rampal from his ashram where four women died mysteriously and two others in hospital in the midst of a showdown. Mounting pressure on the controversial 63-year-old baba, Haryana Police slapped fresh cases, including the serious charge of sedition, against him and ruled out any negotiation to seek his custody for production in Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday, the deadline set by the court.

Police said 70 supporters of the Rampal, most of them his 'private commandos', who indulged in violence yesterday, were arrested and produced before the local court which sent to judicial custody till December 3. Those arrested, include son of Rampal and chief volunteer Purushottam Dass.

Unlike yesterday, when the vicinity of the ashram in this town of Hisar district looked like a war-zone when police and Rampal's supporters clashed, including small arm firing from inside, the situation was peaceful today. More than 10,000 followers, including aged men and women and children, who had been holed up inside the ashram for days, came out with raised hands, signalling peace. The desertion continued till late in the night.

By late evening, a large posse of CRPF personnel were brought to the periphery of the ashram spread over 12 acres, where Rampal is believed to be hiding with the support of his "private army". The Centre also despatched 500 CRPF personnel to help the operations. "We are going step by step. We will take the final step soon," a senior police officer said, making it clear that authorities are preparing for the final assault. Hisar Range IG AK Rao expressed hope to hunt down Rampal soon. "We will execute the NBW on Friday," he added.

Meanwhile, the Centre appeared to be unhappy over the way the issue was being handled. Union Minister Rajnath Singh is understood to have told Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar to end the standoff quickly. "The state government is proceeding carefully and cautiously to arrest Sant Rampal," Khattar said later.

While the clashes yesterday left over 200 injured, police today announced that bodies of four women were handed over to them by the ashram staff. Another woman and a one-and-a-half year old baby were taken in serious condition to a hospital where they died. It was not clear what caused their death. State police chief SN Vashisht said there were no external injuries and only a post-mortem will reveal the real reason of death.

The followers, hailing from different parts of the country including UP, Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, left left the ashram through the day. Many of them narrated how they were prevented from leaving by the 'godman's 'private army'.

Some of them said they had heard inside the Ashram that Rampal was hiding in some bunker within the premises. "There is no possibility of negotiations... There is not even any plan... He is accused of serious crimes. My suggestion to him is that he should surrender before the law," DGP said.

Police registered fresh cases last night against Rampal, ashram spokesman Raj Kapoor, another key functionary Purshottam Dass and several other followers. More sections would be added after fresh evidence comes up, DGP said.

The cases were 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 Govt of India). Besides, the 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.

The 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 Govt of India), are serious charges, DGP said. Besides, the 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, rioting and under various Sections of the Arms Act, police said.

The fresh cases were filed after clashes broke out at the ashram between police and Rampal's supporters, who allegedly resorted to firing and threw petrol bombs.

Earlier this week, Punjab and Haryana High Court gave the government time till Friday to produce Rampal in contempt of court case, after which authorities have been asking the devotees in and around the Satlok Ashram to disperse and help them comply with court order.

About the deaths, DGP said the women whose bodies had been handed over were identified as Savita (31) of Delhi, Santosh (45) of Rohtak, Raj Bala (70) of Bijnore and Malikit Kaur (50) of Sangrur in Punjab.

Besides this, 20-year-old Rajni, who was in a serious conditon having a heart ailment, was rushed to Hisar hospital at around 4 a.m., but died there four hours later. A one-and-a-half year old infant, whose father's name is Vipin Pratap Singh, was declared as brought dead at the hospital as he was suffering from congenital jaundice. The infant belonged to Rewa district in Madhya Pradesh, he said.

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