Premis from Kangra head for Panchkula

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 24

Workers and managers (Premis) of the Baba Ram Rahim Singh Dera at Chachian in Kangra district are off to Panchkula where their guru is scheduled to appear in court in a rape case tomorrow.

A visit to the dera in Kangra district revealed that all workers and managers had left and the premises wore a deserted look. Enquiries from the people residing in adjoining areas revealed that the workers and managers had left for Panchkula.

There are a lot of followers of Baba Ram Rahim in Kangra district also. A large number of them attend his “satsang” when he comes to the dera here occasionally. However, despite the large number of followers, there is peace in Kangra in contrast to the situation in Punjab and Haryana where the security forces are on high alert.

The dera in Chachian in Kangra district is spread over 175 kanals amid tea gardens and snow-covered hills in its background. It has allegedly remained in controversies over illegal land dealings.

In 2007, District Magistrate Bharat Khera had declared the property as benami under Section 118 of the HP Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1968. Later in April 2010, this decision was upheld by the Revenue Court of Divisional Commissioner, Kangra. The case is still pending in the higher Revenue Court.

CP Verma, District Commissioner, said the advisories had been issued to keep a check in the area about the gathering and other suspicious activities. “We are vigilant on this issue,” he said.

Intelligence agencies are giving routine inputs to the police headquarters of the district. Superintendent of Police Ramesh Chajta said no intelligence inputs had come regarding the gatherings. “We are competent enough to take action and are getting intelligence inputs also. No such gathering is there at the centre,” he said.

Ram Rahim was fond of Kangra and had shot some of his movies in the area around this centre and at Dharamsala. He used to come to this centre often. In October 2016 during his visit to this place, Ram Rahim had also addressed a press conference over the release of his movie ‘Messenger of god’. This year in June, a mass gathering was organised by the “Baba” at police ground of the town.

High alert in Baddi

Solan: The Baddi police were in a state of high alert and vehicles leaving and entering this industrial hub are being checked. Since the area shares a border with Haryana the police was in a state of high preparedness.

Baddi SP Rahul Nath said being a border area, additional force had been stationed here as a precautionary measure. Since HRTC buses would move on the Baddi-Nalagarh and Baddi-Siswan route, special emphasis was being laid on managing the traffic influx which the area would face.

In a bid to avoid any untoward incident, the Nalagarh Truck Operators Union on Thursday suspended the movement of trucks to other states. — TNS