Angry Sikh protesters took to the streets in Mumbai and clashed with the police after violent protests hit the city following the death of 50-year-old Sikh man, who was killed by the body guard of Dera Sccha Sauda Chief -- Ram Rahim Singh. Angry Sikh protesters staged rail rokko and attacked buses on Saturday (June 21) in Mulund, Mumbai. Several trains were also disrupted following the protesters demand to arrest controversial leader Ram Rahim Singh. The situation went out of hand, as the Sikh protesters continued vicious attacks, blocking the train services at Mulund station, disrupting normalcy in the central railways lines in Mumbai.
The angry crowd also forced shops to be shut in the locality, as they went on with their swords and knives all around the area, hampering peace in the suburban area of Mulund in the city. These protesters demanded the arrest of Ram Rahim Singh after the incident on Friday night. There was a huge cloud of tension hovering around the area, as these protesters had massive clashes with the police personnel in the same area. However, the DCP Zone 7, Mumbai said that the situation is under control and the police officials are ensuring that the agitation is curbed. "Efforts are being made to control the rising protests by the Sikhs in the city," he added.Security was stepped up at the Nirmal Lifestyle mall, the Mulund police station and other spots in the vicinity. The Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, and the Eastern Express Highway, both important arterial roads, were blocked by protestors from the Sikh community. Security efforts were implied, but looked paralysed, as the agitation continued in the city, causing immense issues for the people in the Mulund area. A group of Sikhs had raised anti-Dera slogans inside the Nirmal Lifestyles mall in suburban Mulund during a visit by the Dera head to the place last evening (Friday, June 20), which led to an altercation between Singh's supporters and the Sikh group, that later turned violent. Sikhs have been enraged at Singh after he was seen at a public function dressed as Sikh Guru Gobind Singh in Haryana's Sirsa where a religious commune started by him is located.
Three arrested in connection with firing Three persons were arrested in connection with the firing by the body guard. "Three persons of the group, who are suspected to have fired, have been arrested and the revolver used in the crime has also been recovered from them," KN Prasad -- Mumbai's Jt. Commissioner of Police said. Asked if any action would be taken against the sect head, the officer said it will depend only upon the progress made during investigations and on the statements of arrested people as well as the witnesses. A case of murder, attempt to murder and unlawful assembly under the provisions of Arms Act has been registered in connection with the incident, which left one dead and two others injured. Prasad went on to add that the entire probe into the case has been now handed over to the city police's crime branch for investigation. The body of the deceased, Balkar Singh Thakur Singh has been, meanwhile, sent for postmortem and security has been beefed up across the city to avert any possibility of road blockades by the Sikh community to protest against the incident.
Ram Rahim Singh left Khopoli last night itself (Friday, June 20) and is reported to have reached Pune airport from where he will take a flight for a north Indian destination, police sources said.
"A mob of over hundered persons were stopped on their way to Khopoli at Airoli junction on the Eastern Express highway resulting in a traffic blockade. We had reports that the mob was on its way to take action ....against Singh and his followers, who were held near Khopoli," the officer added.
(With inputs from PTI) Source: http://www.panthic.org/news/126/ARTICLE/4184/2008-06-20.html
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