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India guru rape: High alert ahead of Ram Rahim sentence | India guru rape: High alert ahead of Ram Rahim sentence |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Indian security forces have been put on high alert ahead of the sentencing of a controversial guru convicted of rape. | |
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's followers rioted after Friday's verdict in Panchkula - 38 people were killed. | |
The self-styled holy man was found guilty of sexually assaulting two female followers. He faces a maximum sentence of life in jail. | |
A curfew has been imposed in several areas of Haryana and Punjab states, while the capital Delhi is on alert. | A curfew has been imposed in several areas of Haryana and Punjab states, while the capital Delhi is on alert. |
The army has been put on standby and police say they have been given "shoot on sight" orders in case of trouble. | The army has been put on standby and police say they have been given "shoot on sight" orders in case of trouble. |
Singh, 50, will not be taken to court to hear his sentence. Instead, the judge who convicted him will be flown to Rohtak jail where he is being held, to deliver it. | Singh, 50, will not be taken to court to hear his sentence. Instead, the judge who convicted him will be flown to Rohtak jail where he is being held, to deliver it. |
The verdict is expected at 14:30pm local time (09:00 GMT). | The verdict is expected at 14:30pm local time (09:00 GMT). |
Who is Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh? | Who is Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh? |
The prison has been transformed into a fortress, with journalists banned within a 1.5km (one mile) radius. | The prison has been transformed into a fortress, with journalists banned within a 1.5km (one mile) radius. |
Rohtak town, in Haryana state, is also under police and military lockdown, the roads lined with barbed-wire barricades. | Rohtak town, in Haryana state, is also under police and military lockdown, the roads lined with barbed-wire barricades. |
There is also heavy security outside Singh's 1,000-acre compound in Sirsa, Haryana. | There is also heavy security outside Singh's 1,000-acre compound in Sirsa, Haryana. |
Schools and colleges will remain closed. Mobile internet services were cut in Haryana last Thursday, and the ban has been extended for a further 48 hours. | Schools and colleges will remain closed. Mobile internet services were cut in Haryana last Thursday, and the ban has been extended for a further 48 hours. |
Tens of thousands of his supporters are still believed to be inside the Dera Sacha Sauda sect headquarters, despite many opting to leave following a tense stand-off with soldiers. | Tens of thousands of his supporters are still believed to be inside the Dera Sacha Sauda sect headquarters, despite many opting to leave following a tense stand-off with soldiers. |
The Dera's Sirsa headquarters is a huge township that houses schools, a hospital and a cinema. Hundreds of soldiers and riot police had blocked approaches to the sprawling premises on Saturday, and urged those inside to leave peacefully. | The Dera's Sirsa headquarters is a huge township that houses schools, a hospital and a cinema. Hundreds of soldiers and riot police had blocked approaches to the sprawling premises on Saturday, and urged those inside to leave peacefully. |
A curfew imposed in Sirsa was briefly lifted on Sunday to allow the guru's loyalists to leave the compound. | A curfew imposed in Sirsa was briefly lifted on Sunday to allow the guru's loyalists to leave the compound. |
In his monthly radio address on Sunday, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it was "natural to be worried" after days of violence which had briefly reached the capital, Delhi. | |
"Violence is not acceptable in the nation, in any form," Mr Modi said. | "Violence is not acceptable in the nation, in any form," Mr Modi said. |
"Those who take law in their hands or take to violence will not be spared, whoever they are." | "Those who take law in their hands or take to violence will not be spared, whoever they are." |