Over 600 skeletons buried inside Dera headquarters: Sources

Sirsa: More than 600 skeletons are believed to be buried inside the Dera Saccha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa.

Sources in the special investigation team (SIT) told Zee News that several skeletons are buried across the massive Dera campus, with saplings planted over them. Some of these saplings are now large trees.

Dera followers said that 'Baba' Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh – chief of the Dera sect – had ordered the burial of the skeletons to attain 'moksh'.

Speaking to Zee News, former Haryana-based journalist Ramanand Tatia had claimed that if excavations are carried inside the Dera campus, large number of human skeletons will be found, explaining the mysterious disappearance of nearly 500 people.

The journalist said anyone opposing Singh were brutally murdered and then secretly buried inside the campus.

He had further suggested that the excavations should be done in the presence of national media.

A CBI special court sentenced Singh to 20 years in prison for raping two sadhvis or female followers 15 years ago inside the Dera premises.

Following Singh's conviction, a massive search and sanitisation operation was launched inside Dera headquarters.

The operation revealed that Singh lived like a king, trying to recreate the seven wonders of the world.

The police also discovered a illegal abortion and skin grafting clinics inside the premises.

Meanwhile, patrolling has been stepped up along the Indo-Nepal border in Maharajganj and adjoining districts to nab jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief's adopted daughter Honeypreet Insan.