Haryana: Police to interrogate Dera chairperson Vipassana Insan in relation to violence

Chandigarh, Sep 13: The Haryana police will soon interrogate Dera Sacha Sauda chairperson Vipassana Insan in connection with the violence that had broken out in Panchkula and Sirsa following the sect head's rape conviction.

Vipassana is one of the likely successors of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and is the chairperson of the Dera. "Sirsa police will soon ask Vipassana Insan to join the investigation," Haryana DGP B S Sandhu said here today.

The police said it was making efforts to nab Ram Rahim's confidant and adopted daughter, Honeypreet, and key Dera functionary, Aditya Insaan who they believed are still in the country. "We have sent police teams to Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to track them. We are presuming that they are hiding somewhere in the country," said Sandhu, adding that a lookout notice against them was also issued following apprehensions that they might try to "escape the country".

Efforts to trace Honeypreet were initiated after the questioning of Surinder Dhiman Insan, another sect functionary who was arrested on charges of instigating violence, in connection with an alleged conspiracy to facilitate the Dera chief's escape after he was convicted of raping two disciples.

The Haryana police had earlier conducted raids at various places and police teams were sent to various locations, including Mumbai and the Nepal side. It was also in touch with the police of other states.

Three Punjab police officers, who were deployed to provide security to the Dera chief, were also arrested last week for conspiring to free Ram Rahim after his conviction. "Three Punjab cops have been taken into custody and we have issued notices to five other cops, asking them to join investigation," Sandhu said.

The DGP said that several vehicles that were a part of the cavalcade of Dera chief on August 25 were impounded. "Notices have also been sent to the owners of remaining vehicles," he added. Violence erupted in Panchkula and Sirsa in Haryana and parts of Punjab and Delhi on August 25 following the conviction of Ram Rahim. The mayhem left 35 dead in Panchkula and six in Sirsa.

PTI