Pressure mounts on 'godman', sedition charges slapped

Ruling out any talks with 'godman' Rampal, authorities today mounted pressure on him as sedition and other serious charges were slapped against him and several of his followers while bodies of four women were found in the ashram here in Haryana, a day after clashes.
Haryana Director General of Police S N Vashisht today said Rampal is still inside the ashram and asserted that police will continue its "operation" till he is arrested for production before Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday in a contempt case.
He said the authorities of the ashram in Barwala in Hisar district have handed over bodies of four women and two sick persons, including an infant, who also died in a hospital later. The cause of their death will be investigated.

The vicinity of the ashram looked like a war-zone, a day after clashes between police and 'private army' of Rampal's supporters, who allegedly indulged in firing and throwing petrol bombs at security personnel.
About 15,000 followers of Rampal were holed up in the ashram, out of which 10,000 have been evacuated, the DGP said. Many of those who left the ashram narrated how they were prevented from leaving by the 'godman's 'private army'.
"There is no possibility of negotiations... There is not even any plan.. He is accused of serious crimes. My suggestion to him is that he should surrender before the law," Vashisht said while addressing a press conference in Chandigarh.

Police registered fresh cases last night against Rampal, ashram spokesman Raj Kapoor, another key functionary Purshottam Dass and several other followers under under various Sections of the IPC.
The cases have been filed under Sections 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India), 121A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the state) and 122 (Collecting arms etc. With the intention of waging war against the Govt of India).