Dera case: Cops mull using drones

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 20

To keep an eye on Dera followers, who are expected to show up in large numbers on August 25, the Panchkula Police are planning to use drones. 

Panchkula Police Commissioner AS Chawla said they were working out options to maintain the law and order situation ahead of verdict to be pronounced by the CBI court in the alleged rape case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on August 25.

He said an anti-sabotage team, a sniffer dog and a bomb disposal squad inspected the courts complex in Sector 1 today. “Police teams have already been deployed outside the court, while paramilitary forces will reach here tomorrow,” he added.  Police officials have been messaging on WhatsApp, appealing to the public to share information about any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood.

Army to help 

Sources said the district administration was also planning to take the Army’s help to maintain law and order on August 25. The Panchkula Administration is already in touch with the Chandigarh Police. 

No parking at  courts complex 

The public and advocates will not be allowed to park their vehicles in the parking area of the courts complex in Sector 1. The police have put up barricades around the complex.

Focus on national highways 

The focus of the district administration and the police will also be on two national highways (NH-22 and NH-73) passing through Panchkula district. A senior official said on the day of the verdict, they would not allow anyone enter the district through these highways and other connecting roads. 

UT cops to barricade all entry points  

Chandigarh: The UT Police are ensuring that nothing goes wrong on August 25, the day the special CBI court  will pronounce its verdict in the rape case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. DIG Om Parkash Mishra, SSP Eish Singhal, SP Ravi Kumar, SP Roshan Lal and DSPs on Saturday visited the entry points to the city bordering Punjab and Haryana.  Roshan Lal, SP (Law and Order), said police personnel would be deployed at all entry points. Police sources said they had no idea if Dera followers would reach Panchkula through Chandigarh. All entry points, especially from Zirakpur near old the airport light point and from Panchkula at the Housing Board light point, would be barricaded.  The sources said the CID wing of the UT Police had also been asked to gather inputs related to the arrival of the followers. TNS