 "Dera violence, gurmeet ram rahim, ram rahim")
India is deploying thousands of riot police and shutting down internet services in two northern states, as it prepares for the sentencing on Monday of a self-styled ’godman’ whose followers went on the rampage after he was convicted of rape on Friday.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s cult Dera Sacha Sauda has a vast rural following in Punjab and Haryana states, where frenzied mobs burned down gas stations and train stations and torched vehicles after a local court found him guilty of raping two women in a 2002 case.
At least 38 people were killed and more than 200 injured in
Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app.
Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them.'%3E%3Cg id='Artboard-Copy' transform='translate(0 0.012)'%3E%3Cg id='_126115' transform='translate(0 0)'%3E%3Cpath id='Path' d='M17.537 1.487a.473.473 0 0 0-.467.477v12.67A2.4 2.4 0 0 1 14.7 17.06H3.3A2.4 2.4 0 0 1 .933 14.634V.966H14.587v12.29a.467.467 0 0 0 .933 0V.489a.473.473 0 0 0-.467-.477H.467A.473.473 0 0 0 0 .489V14.63a3.346 3.346 0 0 0 3.3 3.382H14.7A3.346 3.346 0 0 0 18 14.63V1.965a.467.467 0 0 0-.462-.478Z' transform='translate(0 -0.012)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-2' d='M12.676 3.955a.478.478 0 1 0 0-.955H2.508a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955Z' transform='translate(0.124 0.166)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-3' d='M12.676 13H2.508a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955H12.672a.478.478 0 1 0 0-.955Z' transform='translate(0.124 0.768)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Shape' d='M2 6v5.371a.484.484 0 0 0 .467.5H7.531a.484.484 0 0 0 .467-.5V6a.484.484 0 0 0-.467-.5H2.467A.484.484 0 0 0 2 6Zm.933.5H7.066v4.375H2.933Z' transform='translate(0.122 0.317)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-4' d='M12.321 5.5H8.967a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955h3.354a.478.478 0 1 0 0-.955Z' transform='translate(0.517 0.317)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-5' d='M12.321 8H8.967a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955h3.354a.478.478 0 1 0 0-.955Z' transform='translate(0.517 0.467)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-6' d='M12.788 10.977a.473.473 0 0 0-.467-.477H8.967a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955h3.354a.471.471 0 0 0 .467-.478Z' transform='translate(0.517 0.617)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006.
Preferential invites to Business Standard events.
Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more.