Following the ongoing tension in Haryana and Punjab over the conviction of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the state government on Saturday imposed Section 144 (Unlawful Assembly) of the Criminal Procedure Code in west Uttar Pradesh’s nine districts bordering the two states. This is because followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief, belong to many of these districts.
The nine districts are Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Hapur, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur and Shamli. Also, Agra and Mathura, have been alerted.
Prashant Kumar, additional director general (ADG), Meerut Zone, confirmed that Section 144 has been clamped by the district administration in the nine districts falling under Meerut zone. Moreover, heavy police force has been deployed at Dera’s ashram in Barnawa village in Baghpat district.
He also said that there are small ashrams of Dera in other districts as well and police are keeping a strict watch there. The cops are also keeping a vigil on followers of Ram Rahim who live in the state. They have been advised to maintain peace and not indulge in violence, he added.
