Panchkula violence: Rajnath Singh calls high-level meet on Aug 26

New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh called a high-level meeting at his New Delhi's residence on Saturday in the wake of massive violence that took place after a verdict against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on an alleged rape charge

As per ANI, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other senior officials are likely to be present in the meet. 

Top home ministry officials, chiefs of paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies will attend the meeting to take stock of the situation in north India, an official said.

Singh has already spoken to chief ministers of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, and assured them central assistance to deal with any situation.

The central government has already dispatched around 20,000 paramilitary personnel to Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh to assist the local administration in maintaining law and order.

Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind took to Twitter to condemn the violence and damage to public property after the court verdict against Dera Sacha Sauda chief and appealed to all citizens to maintain peace.

"Violence and damage to public property after court verdict is highly condemnable; appeal to all citizens to maintain peace," President Kovind wrote. 

At least 28 people were killed and over 250 were injured in the violence unleashed by Dera Sacha Sauda followers.

Tens of thousands of followers of the Dera chief went on a rampage, burning vehicles and buildings and attacking media persons, after a special CBI court here pronounced the verdict in the 2002 case.

The unrest which began in Panchkula where the verdict was handed down, spread to other parts of Haryana and Punjab and even New Delhi where a bus and train were set on fire.