Panchkula/Chandigarh: Following the arrest of self-professed godman and chief of Dera Sacha Sauda Ram Rahim Singh on August 25, 2017 in a sexual abuse case, violence and rioting erupted in Panchkula in Haryana. Four years later, the scars left behind by the rioting and arson in Panchkula have not healed completely.
Many of the accused in the arson case are absconding and the victims are awaiting for compensation even today.
A 900-page chargesheet was presented in the court by Sirsa police in Panchkula violence case and 69 people including police officers and government employees were made government witnesses in the entire episode.
Honeypreet, a close aide of Ram Rahim, was also arrested by the Panchkula police. Charges of criminal conspiracy and sedition were pressed against Honeypreet and other accused in the case. In about four other FIRs, the section of sedition against more than 100 accused was redacted due to lack of strong evidence in the police investigation which ensued.
The rioters had torched dozens of vehicles and most of these vehicles belonged to media houses. Immediately after the violence, the government gave the assurance of early compensation to the victims of the violence. If reports are to be believed, not many received relief.
Several bottles of petrol bombs were recovered from the spot of violence in Panchkula. Around 35 people died in the violence that broke out in Panchkula. Meanwhile, police also registered cases against people who died, accusing them of attacking the law enforcers and for obstructing government work.
A curfew was also imposed in Sirsa for 19 after incident. A special investigation team was formed to nab the individuals who were accused of rioting and arson.
Sirsa police had registered a case against the miscreants in the violence case under several criminal sections including sedition, murderous attack on the police party, destruction of government property, obstructing government work, disobeying Section 144, conspiracy and other criminal sections.
