Haryana godman arrested for murder

Poonam Singh / TNN / Jul 14, 2006, 00:05 IST

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Haryana police rescued 4,000 followers trapped in the ashram of godman Rampaldas, who was arrested for alleged murder, along with 16 others.

KARAUNTHA: Haryana police on Thursday rescued 4,000 followers trapped in the ashram of godman Rampaldas, who was arrested for alleged murder, along with 16 others.
Rampaldas' Satlok Ashram was under siege after a youth was killed and over five dozen villagers were injured by the bullets that were fired by the inmates of the ashram on Wednesday evening.
On Thursday, the police, with help from the CRPF, flushed out Rampaldas and his devotees. While most of them were allowed to go home, Rampaldas and 16 others, including a woman disciple, were arrested.
Earlier, police had booked ashram chief Rampal, his son Rajpal, brother Mahinder and about 60 others under sections 302, 148, 149, 120 B and various provisions of the Arms Act.

The rescue operation began after the ashram was attached under section 145 of the CrPC following Wednesday's clash. It speeded up after deputy commissioner R S Doon reportedly asked devotees to leave for their own safety.
The police tried to evacuate devotees in more than 80 vehicles, including police mini-buses and about 50 Haryana Roadways buses. This enraged Karontha and Dighal villagers, who once again started assembling on both sides of the road leading to the ashram, saying that those guilty would not be allowed passage.

It took all the negotiation skills of DGP Kanwar Nirmal Singh and ADGP V N Rai, who had reached the spot, to help clear the Rohtak-Jhajjar road up to the ashram. Police and CRPF then marched to ashram with the buses.
While villagers in Karontha claim force was used to clear the Karontha-Rohtak section of the national highway connecting Rohtak with Rewari, police denied that any such action was taken.
Rampaldas and his associates were first to be evacuated and brought to Rohtak under tight security. They were then arrested and reportedly moved to Panipat.
After he left, his followers followed suit and were taken to Rohtak in more than 40 vehicles. After verification, police detained 17 others brought from Karauntha and made arrangements for the rest to be sent to their homes, as women and children constituted most of the crowd.
CRPF has now taken charge of the ashram premises and has conducted a thorough search. Although the number and make of the arms recovered from the ashram was not officially confirmed, Doon said at least five firearms of objectionable category were confiscated.

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