One killed, 58 hurt in firing on villagers in Haryana

Rohtak, Jul 12 (UNI) Armed men opened fire, for about two hours, on hostile crowds from inside the Satlok Ashram of Sant Rampal, killing a youth and injuring 58 villagers, near Karontha village in Rohtak district here today.

The deceased has been identified as Sonu, 20, of Baghpur village in Jhajjar district. Nearly 40 people with bullet injuries have been admitted in the PGI here while more than twelve others with pellet injuries were admitted to the civil hospital at Jhajjar. Many others with minor injuries were discharged after treatment in the government hospital at Deeghal village and other private nursing homes.

The district administration has clamped prohibitory orders in the area under section 144 and described the situation as under control.

Six companies of the ITBP besides the local police have been deployed to maintain law and order.

According to reports, hundreds of villagers, who suspected the activities of the Ashram nefarious, marched towards the Ashram from Deeghal village school where a panchayat meeting of adjoining villages and Arya Samaj followers was held.

As the crowds, mainly youth and children, neared the Ashram despite a posse of police, led by Rohtak and Jhajjar superintendents, trying to prevent them, an unspecified number of armed followers of Sant Rampal, started firing from the roof of the ashram. Several villagers sustained bullet and pellet injuries. The villagers retaliated by pelting the Ashram with stones and tried to force entry.

Intermittant firing continued for nearly two hours.

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