Haryana Police have, according to media reports,confirmed the arrest of self styled god man Sant Rampal from his Barwala Ashram in Hisar.
Media reports quoted police sources, as saying, that Sant Rampal wille produced before the Haryana and Punjab High Court by Friday.
Sant Rampal had been eluding arrest and had held hundreds of hisupporters captive at his Barwala Ashram who worked as his shieldgainst the state's law enforcement authorities.
So far, about 15000 of supporters of the self-styled god man have beenvacuated from the ashram.
Six persons have died in the incident and 450 have been booked forreaking the law.
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Earlier, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said that hisovernment is ready and should be ready to tackle all sorts ofdversaries, including those violating the law of the land.
Referring to the ongoing stand-off in Haryana's Hisar District betweenupporters of self-styled god man Sant Rampal and the state's lawnforcement authorities, Khattar said, "We have been trying to nabSant) Rampal for the past one week. The government is and should beeady to tackle all sorts of adversaries.
He further said he was grateful to the citizens of the state and theedia for all the support and help that they had provided in relationo the incident, as also to his recently-installed government.
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Khattar's Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Jawahar Yadav said the state government will not brook any insult tohe Punjab and Haryana High Court, and added that controversial godman Sant Rampal would and must be taken to task for the same.
"The state government, in order to carry out the orders of the Punjabnd Haryana High Court, took a decision due to which Sant Rampal, who was insulting the Constitution and the courts, would be taken to task and started the operation against him," Yadav told media.
Yadav also expressed grief over the injury sustained by mediaersonnel during the police operation at Rampal's ashram.
"During the operation, some members of the fourth pillar of democracy, that is, the media were injured and for that, the state government iseeply apologetic. We have also set up a committee to enquire as toow the incident took place. The press advisor to the chief minister,mit Arya, is also meeting all the members of the press who werenjured," he said.
Assuring that the godman will be punished, Yadav also questioned Rampal's piety.
"As far as the incident is concerned, the Manohar Lal Khattarovernment will not allow any insult to the high court go unpunished.hile storming the ashram, 105 police personnel have been injured,ith nine sustaining bullet injuries. However, the police has notired a single shot in retaliation as many innocents are still insidehe compound," he said.
"Having said that, he calls himself a 'Sant' but we have recoveredetrol bombs and bullets from his compound and he had a speciallyrained commando unit as guards," he added.
Inspector General of Police for Hisar District Anil Kumar Rao had saidhat the operation to arrest Rampal had gone better than expected, anddded that the operation will soon enter its final phase.
"The operation has gone better than expected. Our forces have done aommendable job. Many phases of operation are complete and we areoing to enter the final phase very soon," Rao had told media then.
"Six deaths have been reported so far: five dead bodies have beenecovered from inside the ashram and one woman died in hospital," hedded.
Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had stated that theentre cannot intervene and help nab Rampal unless the stateovernment asks for assistance.
"If the state government seeks some kind of assistance, only then canhe Central government act. The situation is not out of control, thetate government is monitoring the issue. The state government iscting on the court's direction, so we cannot interfere," Rijiju said
Rijiju also downplayed the allegations of the complete breakdown ofaw and order in Hisar.
"This is a case of the breaking down of law and order. This is relatedo a particular ashram in that area. It is not that the entire stateachinery has broken down," he said.
On Tuesday, the Haryana Police, while attempting to storm theortified ashram of Rampal, used tear gas shells, water cannons andatons to disperse his supporters, who allegedly fired back leaving.everal people, including some media persons injured.
This incident took place after the Punjab and Haryana High Court hadssued a fresh non-bailable warrant against Rampal for contempt ofourt. His supporters fortified his mission campus in Chandigarh,emanding his release.
Sant Rampal faces contempt of court for skipping judicial proceedingsefore a Sessions Court in Haryana 's Hisar district on November 5,iting medical reasons.
The godman has been charged with murder, attempt to murder and other charges under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in 2006 after his followers attacked villagers.
