Dera violence: 31 dead, Army, police on toes; situation tense in Haryana

New Delhi/Sirsa: The death toll in the violence that erupted in Haryana after the rape conviction of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief has climbed to 31 and the situation "is tense but under control", the Union Home Ministry said on Saturday.

"As per Panchkula Control Room in Haryana, the situation in Panchkula and Sirsa is very tense but under control," a home ministry spokesperson said.

There were reports that 31 people lost their lives in the violence since Friday. Among the total fatalities, 29 were in Panchkula and two in Sirsa, he said.

The headquarters of the sect led by the self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is in Sirsa.

Violence erupted in Panchkula on Friday after a CBI court convicted Ram Rahim in a 15-year-old case.

The situation in most of the part of Haryana is tense, the official said.

Sources said no fresh incident of violence was reported till 6 am on Saturday.

Meanwhile, police have detained 15 Dera Sacha Sauda followers since Friday night in Sirsa even as the authorities have appealed to over one lakh supporters still present in the sect headquarters to vacate the premises.

"Police have detained 15 anti-social elements since last night," Sirsa SP Ashwin Shenvi said.

Another senior police official said the authorities have appealed the Dera followers to vacate the compound of sect headquarters.

Army has taken control of the area after two people died is Sirsa on Friday following violence triggered by the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a sexual exploitation case.

Arson by the frenzied followers of the head of Dera Sacha Sauda was also witnessed in some parts of Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan within a few hours of the pronouncement of the judgement by the CBI court in Haryana in the 2002 case.