In a bid to check untoward incidents in the area, the Raigad District police have deployed several personnel near an ashram and the farmhouse of jailed Dera chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, near Khalapu
The Dera chief being taken to Rohtak jail on Friday. File pic
In a bid to check untoward incidents in the area, the Raigad District police have deployed several personnel near an ashram and the farmhouse of jailed Dera chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, near Khalapur taluka. According to police source, these precautions were taken soon after the self-styled godman was convicted in two rape cases on Friday.
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Khalapur cops deployed outside the Dera chief's Raigad ashram
The Dera chief's farmhouse is built on a 23acres plot and is located in Kalote, on the Mumbai-Pune highway. The bungalow is made up of eight rooms and it also houses a huge shelter area where at least a 100 of his followers can gather. Speaking to mid-day, a senior officer from Khalapur police station said, "As per our investigations, the Dera chief last visited this bungalow a year ago, for a single day. But every week or at least once every 10 days, his followers from Haryana and Punjab gather at this ashram for "seva" or charity related work. Around 18 of his followers are present in the ashram now."
According to the officer, these followers also tend to the various trees and plantations on the farmland. "None of them are permanent residents at the ashram," he said. Apparently, the Dera chief has another property in the state, located in Phaltan, Satara. Khalapur cops said a person called Banta Singh looks after the Raigad ashram.
"He has been the caretaker since the past six years. August 15 being Ram Rahim Singh's birthday, Banta left for Sirsa a day before that to greet him. But it's believed that he was one of the many followers protesting the court's verdict in Haryana," the senior officer said. ASP (Raigad) Sanjay Patil said, "Immediately after the court verdict order on Friday, we deployed a team of our officials comprising over 20 personnel near the ashram. We are trying to ensure that law and order prevails." Despite repeated attempts, Banta Singh, remained unavailable for comment.
20
No. of cops deployed in Raigad
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