Baba Rampal arrested from Satlok Ashram

Hisar: Baba Rampal has been finally arrrested by Haryana Police from his Satlok Ashram. He was whisked away in an ambulance for medical check up to Rohtak PG.Rampal will be produced in Hisar court tomorrow, according to Panipat SP.DGP S N Vashisht said that Rampal had been taken into custody following an operation which was “very tough” since the forces had to deal with a hostile army of his commandos.Panipat SP, B Sateesh Balan, who was among the five SPs of neighbouring Hisar who took part in the operation to hunt down the engineer-turned ‘godman', said he did not surrender but was arrested from Satlok ashram where four women died mysteriously and two others in hospital in the midst of the showdown.“Rampal has been arrested from his Satlok Ashram. He is being taken for a medical examination after which tomorrow morning he will be produced before a court at Hisar,” Balan said.The entire operation was carefully calibrated keeping in mind the safety of a large number of people stranded inside. “We are happy that the entire operation went off peacefully,” a senior officer said.The media, present in large numbers, was asked to clear the way for the ambulances to enter the ashram, police said.Haryana Police will produce Rampal in court tomorrow. The arrest was made at around 9.21 p.m.The arrest came after a seige of more than 10 days.The police took Rampal away with his face covered bya cloth. A sense of relief spread in the neighbouring areas of satlok ashram after the arrest of Rampal. People were seen celebrating the arrest of self-styled godmanEarlier,amid warning of more violence by IB, unidentified persons set on fire many vehicles parked outside Satlok ashram where Sant Rampal is hiding.According to information available with India TV, Sant Rampal's ashram has three bunkers and Rampal is presently hiding in one of these bunkers along with his black commandos.Around 500 paramilitary personnel are being rushed to Haryana to deal with law and order situation at Rampal's ashram in Hisar even as the Intelligence Bureau has warned that there could be more violence if police attempt to arrest the ‘godman'.Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today asked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to bring about an early end to the standoff between police and supporters of self-styled godaman Rampal in Hisar, amidst indications of unhappiness at the Centre about the way the issue was handled by the state government. During the telephonic conversation, Khattar briefed the Home Minister about the steps being taken to arrest Rampal and how to avoid casualties.Sources said Singh told the Chief Minister to do the needful to resolve the issue as early as possible and assured all central assistance in its endeavour. Sources said the Home Ministry was said to be unhappy with the face-off between Rampal's supporters and police continuing and wanted a quick end to it. Officials felt that the state government could have handled the situation in a much better manner without taking too much time.Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the situation in Hisar was fully under control and state and central governments were continuously monitoring it. “The state government is acting on the direction of the court. The Home Ministry cannot interfere. I think the state government is handling the situation effectively. No breakdown of law and order as the incident has happened only at a particular place. There is no problem in rest of the state,” he said.Rijiju also expressed regret over the death of six people in Rampal's ashram and attack on some journalists by police yesterday.Responding to an urgent request of the Haryana government, the Home Ministry has dispatched the personnel to assist the state police which is facing violent resistance while trying to arrest Rampal.“We are mobilising the force from nearby areas and they will reach the spot soon,” a Home Ministry official said. Meanwhile, in a report submitted to the Home Ministry, the Intelligence Bureau said the situation at Rampal's ashram continues to be tense and “there is all likelihood of further violence in case police attempt to get the ashram vacated and arrest Rampal”.“In view of apprehension of retaliation by the inmates of the ashram, there is need for police to tread cautiously,” it said.The report said around 12,000 followers are still inside the ashram. Though the police issued ultimatum to the inmates to vacate the ashram, the inmates have not relented and the standoff continues.Police said 70 supporters of the Rampal, most of them his 'private commandos', who indulged in violence yesterday, were arrested and produced before the local court which sent them to judicial custody till December 3.Those arrested, include son of Rampal and chief volunteer Purushottam Dass, a cousin of the 'godman'.Police also arrested Raj Kapoor who is the spokesperson of Satlok Ashram.Police later said over 400 supporters of Rampal, who indulged in violence yesterday, were also arrested and produced before the local court which sent them to judicial custody till December 3.Mounting pressure on godman Rampal to surrender, police has slapped sedition and other serious charges against him and several of his followers while ruling out any negotiations with him, a day after armed clashes took place.Haryana director general of police S N Vashisht on Wednesday asserted that police will continue its "operation" till he is arrested for production before Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday in a contempt case.He said the ashram authorities have handed over bodies of four women and two sick persons, including an infant, who also died in a hospital later. The cause of their death will be investigated."There is no possibility of negotiations... There is not even any plan.. He is accused of serious crimes. My suggestion to him is that he should surrender before the law," Vashisht said while addressing a press conference in Chandigarh.Police registered fresh cases on Tuesday night against Rampal, ashram spokesman Raj Kapoor, another key functionary Purshottam Dass and several other followers under under various Sections of the IPC.The cases have been filed under Sections 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the government of India), 121A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the state) and 122 (collecting arms etc, with the intention of waging war against the government of India).Besides, the cases have also been slapped against the accused under Sections 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war) and other charges that include attempt to murder, assault and under various sections of the Arms Act, police said.The fresh cases were filed after clashes broke out at the ashram between police and Rampal's supporters, who allegedly resorted to firing and threw petrol bombs.Rampal is already an accused in a murder case. Earlier this week, Punjab and Haryana high court gave the government time till Friday to produce Rampal in contempt of court case, after which authorities have been asking the devotees in and around the Satlok Ashram to disperse and help them comply with court order.The DGP said 10,000 followers have come out of the ashram, while nearly 5,000 are still believed to be inside.Nearly 270 of Rampal's supporters, including 20 key functionaries of his ashram, besides 250 members of his private army have been detained after the fresh charges, including that of rioting, were invoked.After investigation, those found involved will be put under arrest, he added."As the investigation progresses, further charges would be added on the basis of evidence that comes to the fore against them," he said.He said the operation had been temporarily halted on Tuesday night to allow more followers to come out of the Satlok ashram."So far, as many as 10,000 followers have come out. We believe nearly 5,000 followers are still inside. These followers include women, children and very old persons as well. Most of them hail from places like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh."We are committed to protecting the lives of innocents. Therefore, we are not setting any deadline for this operation as our over-riding priority is to save the lives of innocents," the DGP, who was flanked by additional chief secretary (home) P K Mahapatra and principal secretary to Chief Minister, Sanjeev Kaushal, said.He said so far the security personnel had not entered the ashram and denied that there had been any delay or laxity on part of the police.He said that this morning the ashram authorites handed over the bodie of four women to them, including that of a 70-year-old.The women whose bodies had been handed over were identified as Savita (31) of Delhi, Santosh (45) of Rohtak, Raj Bala (70) of Bijnore and Malikit Kaur (50) of Sangrur in Punjab.Besides, 20-year-old Rajni, who was in a serious with a heart ailment, was rushed to Hisar hospital from the Ashram at around 4am, but died there four hours later.A one-and-a-half year old infant, whose father's name is Vipin Pratap Singh, also died as he was suffering from congenital jaundice.The infant belonged to Rewa district in Madhya Pradesh, he said.

Baba Rampal arrested from Satlok Ashram

Hisar: Baba Rampal has been finally arrrested by Haryana Police from his Satlok Ashram. He was whisked away in an ambulance for medical check up to Rohtak PG.Rampal will be produced in Hisar court tomorrow,

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