Out on parole, Sirsa dera chief reaches Barnawa ashram in UP

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on Saturday reached the sect's ashram at Barnawa in Uttar Pradesh after spending 11 days at the Dera headquarters here as part of his 30-day parole.

On January 28, Ram Rahim was granted a 30-day parole in connection with his life sentence for the sexual exploitation of female disciples. This was the 12th time he had been granted parole since his arrest in 2017. He first visited Sirsa dera on January 28 and was initially expected to stay until February 6.

Now, Ram Rahim will complete the remaining 19 days of his parole at the Barnawa Ashram. During his time at Sirsa, he continued his online spiritual sessions, which will now be conducted via Zoom from the Barnawa Ashram. LED screens have been installed at Naam Charcha Ghars (community centers) to facilitate the sessions.

During his visit, tight security was put in place, with the police stationed at every gate of the dera and key locations, ensuring that no outsiders could gather. Ram Rahim visited various institutions within the dera campus, such as schools, colleges and hospitals, and assessed their operations.

In addition to his online satsangs, Ram Rahim performed ceremonies, including overseeing 100 weddings and answering questions from his followers. Despite the strict security, the dera remained active with its daily functions, including the religious and social programmes that Ram Rahim had been involved with.