Dera Sacha Sauda chief's movie row: Security beefed up in Moga

Moga (Punjab), Dec 31: Security has been beefed up in Baghapurana area in the district after followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and people of Sikh community clashed over putting up the posters of Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's upcoming movie, even as tension continued to grip the area.

Inspector General Police (Bathinda Zone) Parmraj Singh Umranangal and DIG Police (Ferozepur Range) Mohneesh Chawla today visited Baghapurana to take stock of the situation, a police official said here.

Senior police officials also held meeting with District Magistrate Parminder Singh Gill, SSP Moga Jatinder Singh Khaira to review the security arrangements after the two groups indulged in stone pelting yesterday.

Tension gripped Baghapurana town yesterday when followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and people of Sikh community indulged in stone pelting over sticking posters of Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's upcoming movie 'Messenger of God', prompting the police to fire in the air to disperse the crowd.

Dera followers had objected to tearing of movie posters at a few places, police said here. Later, yesterday, Dera followers again started sticking the posters leading to protests by Sikh groups led by some Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) members.

The members of Sikh groups started shouting slogans against Dera followers and the clash followed. District administration led by Additional Deputy Commissioner and senior police officers rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the warring groups. The situation was brought under control later yesterday, police said.

The district administration had also enforced Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), banning assembly of over five people in an area.

Moga SSP Jatinder Singh Khaira today said the police force has been directed to maintain law and order at all cost and violators of prohibitory orders would be dealt with sternly.

Meanwhile, police have also booked several people for tearing the posters on the complaint of Dera Sacha Sauda followers. Dera head Ram Rahim is in the line of fire from several Sikh organisations, including top temporal seat of Sikhs the Sri Akal Takht, for his upcoming film next year.

The sect head is set to hit the big screen next month with the movie, 'Messenger of God', where he himself is playing the lead role.

PTI