'Dera' followers, Sikhs clash in Moga; Sec 144 clamped

Prohibitory orders were clamped today and police fired in the air to disperse followers of Dera Sacha Sauda and people of Sikh community as the two groups indulged in stone pelting over sticking posters of Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's upcoming movie 'Messenger of God'.
The district administration also enforced Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), banning assembly of over five people in an area.
In the afternoon, tension gripped Baghapurana town when dera followers objected to the tearing of posters of the movie at a few places, police said here.
The dera followers again started sticking the posters of the movie 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.

However, both the groups indulged in stone pelting forcing police to fire in the air to disperse them.
Later, the situation was brought under control, police official said.
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.