Ruling out any talks with 'godman' Rampal, authorities on Wednesday mounted pressure on him as sedition and other serious charges were slapped against him and several of his followers while bodies of four women were found in the ashram here in Haryana, a day after clashes.
Haryana Director General of Police S N Vashisht today said Rampal is still inside the ashram and asserted that police will continue its "operation" till he is arrested for production before Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday in a contempt case.
He said the authorities of the ashram in Barwala in Hisar district have handed over bodies of four women and two sick persons, including an infant, who also died in a hospital later. The cause of their death will be investigated.
The vicinity of the ashram looked like a war-zone, a day after clashes between police and 'private army' of Rampal's supporters, who allegedly indulged in firing and throwing petrol bombs at security personnel.
About 15,000 followers of Rampal were holed up in the ashram, out of which 10,000 have been evacuated, the DGP said. Many of those who left the ashram narrated how they were prevented from leaving by the 'godman's 'private army'.
Bodies of four women, including that of a 70-year-old, were handed over to the police by the ashram staff of 'godman' Rampal in Barwala, Hisar, Haryana DGP S N Vashisht told a press conference on Wednesday. Two other sick persons, including an infant, were taken to a hospital where they died.
In the wake of armed resistance by Rampal's supporters on Tuesday, the police has slapped sedition and other charges against the controversial 'godman' and several of his followers that include officials of his Satlok Ashram.
Police said cases were registered last night against Rampal, ashram spokesman Raj Kapoor, another key functionary Purshottam Dass and several other followers under under various Sections of the IPC.
The case has 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 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 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. Rampal is already an accused in a murder case.
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.
Efforts to arrest Rampal, who is holed up in his ashram here, will continue, police said on Wednesday after suspending the operation overnight following clashes between his supporters and security personnel that left over 200 people injured.
Clashes broke out Tuesday leaving over 200 people, including security and media personnel, injured, as efforts to arrest him were met with stiff resistance by his supporters who allegedly fired at the police and lobbed 'petrol bombs'.
Police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse Rampal's supporters.
Tension mounted as supporters of Rampal refused to heed to repeated announcements by the police over loud speakers to allow them to enter the premises to arrest him.
Police alleged that Rampal had kept the followers hostage in the ashram.
The 63-year-old 'godman' was to appear before the High Court but he did not do so, with his counsel saying he was "unwell". The High Court then issued a fresh non-bailable warrant against him and asked the authorities to present him on Friday.
However, the ashram spokesman had said that Rampal was not running away from the law. "We have already said that he will present himself before the court as soon as his health improves. But authorities can't use force to hunt him down." he said. Rampal had cited health reasons for not appearing before the High Court on November 5 and 10.
Some disciples who managed to come out from the ashram claimed that "thousands" of people were inside the premises and a vast majority of them wanted to leave immediately, but were being prevented by lathi-wielding supporters of Rampal.
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