Dera search Day 2: Security agencies find tunnel to ‘gufa’

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Sirsa, September 9

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim's residence 'gufa' has a tunnel that leads straight to a hostel of the sadhvis. An official spokesperson informed the media that the security agencies have found this tunnel during a search operation today. 

The security agencies have also found another tunnel on the second floor of the 'gufa' in Dera Sacha Sauda, which was completely filled with earth.

We found a window-like path leading from Dera Awas to Sadhvi Niwas. Team is investigating the same: Dy Dir of Haryana PR Dept Satish Mehra pic.twitter.com/EGfBXGzgSH

— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2017

An illegal crackers factory was earlier found inside the headquarters. 

Read: Entry into dera finally, not much found

Nearly a hundred packs of some explosive material used in make fire crackers was also found. The authorities have sealed the factory. Also, 1,500 pairs of costly designer shoes of the Dera chief and hundreds of designer dresses were recovered.

Hordes of police, paramilitary and civil administration personnel were involved in the mammoth search operation, which started yesterday on the direction of Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Police have arrested three Dera Sacha Sauda followers for hatching a conspiracy of trying to help Ram Rahim escape from Panchkula during an agitation on August 25. 

Dera chief Ram Rahim was convicted in the 1999 rape cases by a CBI special court in Panchkula on August 25. 

He was later sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and is lodged in the District Jail at Sunaria near Rohtak.

His conviction led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa in Haryana, leaving 38 people dead and 264 injured. Isolated incidents of violence were also reported from Delhi and several other places in Punjab.