Following the Dera Sacha Sauda verdict, police in the city went on a flag march covering Old Gurgaon, Sector 51, CP office, Rajiv Chowk, Subhash Chowk and South City II.
Tension mounted in Panchkula today, where hundreds of followers of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh gathered when CBI court pronounced him guilty in the rape of two women followers. However, Gurgaon Police was alert in the city and the situation was under control.
There was reduced traffic on the roads and government institutions were closed. There were very few people who stepped out of their houses for work. Those who did - whether at home, office or in shops - were glued to TV sets. Many employees were asked to leave before time to avoid violent encounters.
Parents, too, were hesitant to send their children to school. “I did not send my son to school, as I knew the verdict would come around 2.30 pm, the time when school buses drop children. I was scared,” said Nishant Gupta, a resident of South City I.
Gurgaon Police was on the ready with a flag march carrying anti-riot equipment. The march covered areas of Old Gurgaon, Sector 51, CP office, Rajiv Chowk, Subhash Chowk and South City II. The police kept a keen watch on the Dera ashram at Gurgaon. In different parts of the city, as many as 500 police officials were on duty, with multiple barricades to ensure peace.
“We have instructed the police to keep strict vigil in the city, and anyone creating unrest will be dealt with strictly,” said Vinay Pratap Singh, DC of Gurgaon.
