New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS) Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been provided Z-plus security cover during his 21-day release on furlough from a Haryana jail, officials said on Tuesday.
He has been given the high security cover due to threat to his life from 'pro-Khalistan' extremists, officials added.
Rahim is on 21-day furlough from Sunaria jail and is camping in Gurugram. He will be getting 10 NSG security personnel for mobile security and eight security personnel for his residence security. The Haryana government's recommendation to grant the top layer security cover to the convicted sect leader comes following his request.
The Dera chief was released on furlough on February 7 after the Haryana government's conclusion that he does not fall in the category of hardcore prisoners.
Incidently, the 21-day furlough had come just days ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab that was held on February 20 and he has a large number of followers, particularly in Bathinda, Sangrur, Patiala and Muktsar.
The sect chief has been currently serving life imprisonment for the murder of former journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati and the rape of two Dera disciples. He was convicted by a special CBI court in Panchkula in 2017.
Soon after his release from the Sunaria jail in Rohtak, he was brought to his ashram in Gurugram. The Haryana police has deployed a heavy security in and near his ashram.
Suspected terrorists shot dead a J&K Police constable near his residence in Srinagar on Thursday night, sources said. Sources said the incident happened at Saidpora in the city.
The victim, Zile Singh, had been actively involved in serving food to farmers at the protest site on the Khatkar toll plaza for several months. He is survived by his wife and three children.
Bittu stirred up a row after he said the 'sacred' seats of Anandpur Sahib and Chamkaur Sahib have been given to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)
On Sunday, 61 young men and women were arrested by the Noida police from a farmhouse located in Sector-135 for partying and violating Covid-19 protocols. The Noida police also recovered expensive liquor and beer bottles from the spot.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday directed the health authorities to start vaccination of teachers, non-teaching staff and students in 18-45 age group from all schools and colleges from June 21, to enable educational institutions in the state to open safely.
Seeking urgent intervention, Tapish Saraswat, a student of the Law College under Rajasthan University, had lodged a complaint with the PMO on June 8, drawing its attention to the chemical contamination in Sutlej river and the canals supplying water in Rajasthan.
