CHANDIGARH, India: At least five women and an 18-month-old child were killed while more than 100 people including police officers were injured in riots in the Indian northern state of Haryana.
The riots took place when police stormed the ashram of controversial Rampal Maharaj Guru in a bid to arrest him in connection with a murder case.
Meanwhile, Rampal and several of his followers have been charged with sedition and rioting by police.
The reports said that as police reached Rampal’s satlok ashram in Haryana’s Hisar district on Tuesday, thousands of his supporters clashed with the police to prevent his arrest.
Police fired tears gas and water cannon at guru’s supporters who in response threw stones and fired at the police.
In a press conference on Wednesday, the DGP Haryana said that as per their information, accused Rampal is still inside the ashram.
“Over 10,000 people have left the ashram. About 5,000 are still being held hosted inside the ashram,” the DGP was quoted as saying by the Indian media.
The 63-year-old Rampal, who was sacked as a junior engineer with the Haryana irrigation department, is out on bail in the 2006 killing of a villager in firing by his supporters.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered his arrest after he repeatedly failed to show up for questioning in the case.
