Violence over Ram Rahim verdict: Sec 144 in 11 Delhi districts, Ghaziabad, Noida

Prohibitory orders were imposed in 11 districts of Delhi on Friday after violence broke out in neighbouring Haryana and Punjab following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape trial.

Deputy commissioner of police Madhur Verma said Section 144 CrPc, which prohibits the assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in areas including New Delhi.

The areas excluded are: Central and North police districts.

Authorities in Ghaziabad and Noida also enforced prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC.

Ghaziabad district magistrate Ministhy S Nair, while proclaiming the enforcement of preventive measures in the district, said initially the prohibitory measures would be in place for two weeks and the situation would be reviewed later.

Television reports said the Ghaziabad DM had ordered all schools to remain shut on Friday in view of the violence.

Prohibitory orders have also been enforced in Gautam Budh Nagar district comprising Noida and Greater Noida. District magistrate BN Singh said Section 144 was already in place and in view of the developments in the adjoining state, it has been extended.

Mobs rampaged across Haryana and Punjab, leaving 29 people



dead and more than 250 others injured, after the court declared Singh guilty of raping two of his followers, authorities said.

Mobs set fire to government buildings and attacked police and TV journalists in the town of Panchkula in Haryana state, smashing the windshields of news vans and breaking broadcast equipment.

Police initially used tear gas and water cannons and then fired bullets in the air in an attempt to control the surging mobs as they vandalised bus stations and government vehicles.

Two train coaches were set on fire and a few buses were torched in east Delhi allegedly by supporters of the Dera chief after his conviction.

Miscreants set on fire two coaches of the Rewa Express in the yard of Anand Vihar terminal while a few buses were torched in parts of west and east Delhi, Verma said.

He said additional forces have been deployed across Delhi and police were patrolling areas.

Saying that the law and order situation was under control, Verma said so far there has not been any gathering of supporters of the Dera chief in Delhi.

"Miscreants set on fire two coaches of the Rewa Express in the yard of the Anand Vihar terminal. The coaches were partially burnt," Verma said.