Rampal’s sister, four others arrested

Deepender Deswal

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Tribune News Service

Hisar, December 14

The police yesterday arrested Raj Kala, sister of Satlok Ashram head Rampal, along with two other women. Raj Kala is a native of Karsola village in Jind district.

Barwala Station House Officer (SHO) Anil Kumar said Raj Kala was in the ashram during the police operation to arrest Rampal. “She had confined women and children in the ashram at the instance of Rampal to foil the operation in Barwala, resulting in the death of five women and a child,” he said, adding that Raj Kala managed to sneak out of the ashram when the police was evicting women devotees.

Since her name figured in the statements of some of the arrested accused, the police were keeping tabs on her.

“When the police learnt that she was in the jail to meet Rampal, the police detained her for questioning for her role in the clash with the police outside the ashram on November 18,” Kumar said. She was accompanied with her minor daughter and two other women — Savitri of Jind and Poonam of Hisar.

While the girl was let off after the interrogation, the three women were made accused in FIR number 428 registered against Rampal and his aides. They were later produced in court that sent them to judicial custody.

They were booked under Sections 107 (abetment of a thing), 147, 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against the state), 188 (disobedience), 333 (causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 353 (assault) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage to amount of one hundred or (in case of agricultural produce) ten rupees), among other charges of the IPC. The Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) have also been slapped against them.

Two more aides held

The police arrested two more aides of Rampal —Ramphal of Ahir Majra in Sonepat district and Deshraj of Laharia village in Fatebahad district — yesterday. They were roaming around the central jail detained for questioning.