Police detains 15 Dera followers from Sirsa compound

Sirsa: Police have detained 15 Dera Sacha Sauda followers since last night here even as the authorities have appealed to over one lakh supporters still present in the sect headquarters to vacate the premises.

The situation in Sirsa remained tense but under control, according to police.

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

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 yesterday following violence triggered by the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a sexual exploitation case.

At least 31 people have been killed and 250 injured in widespread violence, arson and police firing in Haryana yesterday.

While 29 people were killed in Panchkula, the epicentre of the violence, two died in Sirsa.

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 here in the 2002 case.