The Indian Focus

NDTV

PANCHKULA: Just as feared, large clashes, arson and violence erupted in the town of Panchkula in Haryana on Friday immediately after spiritual guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted of raping two women followers in a case dating back to 2002. Thirty people are dead and 250 injured, officials said, in the violence that quickly spread to other cities. Ram Rahim will be sentenced on Monday and was flown out of Panchkula in a government helicopter to a guesthouse in Rohtak and later moved to a special prison cell.

Later

CHANDIGARH: At least 31 people were killed and over 250 injured on Friday in violence by supporters of self-appointed "godman" Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in Haryana and neighbouring Punjab after a court convicted him of raping two of his followers. Ram Rahim, the chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda, will be sentenced on Monday and was flown out of Panchkula in a government helicopter to Rohtak where he is in a special prison cell. Officials say the situation in riot-hit towns is grim but under control.

Indian Express

The Chandigarh Police on Friday arrested six private commandos of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim while they were entering Chandigarh from Panchkula border near the IT Park in Chandigarh. The police seized one pistol, 25 live cartridges and petrol cans from the commandos who are suspected to have been involved in the violence that broke out in Panchkula on Friday afternoon.
DGP Tajender Singh Luthra said, “The accused who are private commandos of Dera Sacha Sauda were arrested in the evening near the IT park at the Panchkula-Chandigarh border.” He added, “The accused were in two cars, and were carrying petrol cans, a pistol and 25 live cartridges which have been seized. The commandos were unable to produce any licence of the pistol and cartridges.”
The accused were found with burn injuries. It is suspected that they were involved in the violence that broke out in Panchkula. The accused commandos might have set afire the vehicles during the violence as they were also carrying inflammable substance, the DGP added.

Hindustan Times

A day after large scale violence broke out over the conviction of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, authorities in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday relaxed curfew in some towns to enable the residents to buy essential and eatable items.

In Punjab, curfew was relaxed in Patiala, Bathinda and Ferozepur towns for four hours, while in Haryana it was relaxed in Kaithal town.

In Haryana’s Fatehabad town, the Army was deployed to assist the paramilitary and police personnel in maintaining law and order.