Stand-off between Haryana govt, 'godman' supporters continues

There have been indications that hundreds of people have been detained by his 'private army' at his ashram

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The stand-off between the Haryana government and 'godman' Rampal's supporters continued today amid indications that hundreds of people have been detained by his 'private army' at his ashram here.

With Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday giving the government time till Friday to produce Rampal in contempt of court case, authorities have been asking the devotees in and around the Satlok Ashram to disperse and help them comply with court order.

Some disciples who managed to come out from the ashram premises today claimed that 'thousands' of people were inside and most of them wanted to leave but were being prevented by lathi-wielding supporters of the 'godman' from leaving.

A large number of women and children, are among those who are still inside the Satlok Ashram here, they claimed.

A woman follower, aged around 40, who identified herself as Kusum from Uttar Pradesh, said she somehow managed to come out from inside the Ashram today.

"I forced my way out. There are scores of people still inside," she said.

Another middle-aged woman follower, who came out from the Ashram, said "I am from Dadri. There are so many people still inside and vast majority of them want to leave. But they are not being allowed to leave."

When asked who was putting pressure on them to stay back, a woman follower from Aligarh told reporters that, "I forced my way out. People are facing difficulty in getting food and water. But some men carrying lathis told us to stay back and tried to prevent us from leaving. They told us that the (court) decision will soon come and everything will be alright. We persisted that we wanted to leave and then we came out in a group."