Latest as it comes from India about reaction to Rapist Jhoota Ram Rahim

Ludhiana (June 22, 2008)
Khalsa Action Committee members to meet in Jalandhar on 23 June: Information given by Ludhiana based office of Khalsa Action Committee has revealed that the Members of KAC shall meet on 23 June, 2008 at Gurudwara Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Jalandhar to decide the future course of Struggle against anti-Sikh sauda cult. It is expected that KAC shall extend it's support to Sant Samaj's rail roko call, as various member organizations of KAC, such as SADA (Panch Pardhani) and SSF has already extended its' support to said program. More strict plan of Action is expected to be announced after meeting.

Fatehgarh Sahib (June 21, 2008)
SAD(A) announces statewide agitation in case of inaction: Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) members on Saturday threatened to block traffic across Punjab if the Centre did not take steps to arrest Dera Sauda Sirsa (DSS) chief Gurmit Ram Rahim. Senior party leader Harpal Singh Cheema said this was decided after a meeting of the members.

Sirsa - Haryana (June 21, 2008)
Sirsa Sikhs Blocked Highway over Mumbai Incident: HUNDREDS OF Sikhs of the district blocked the national highway No.10 at Sahuwala village, about 17 km from here, this morning in protest against the killing of a Sikh in firing by a bodyguard of the Dera Sauda Sirsa (DSS) head in Mumbai last night. The protesters, who were led by Baba Gurmeet Singh Tilokewala and Sher Singh Mallewala, demanded the arrest of dera chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh and the withdrawal of Z-plus security given to him. .

Ambala - Haryana (June 21, 2008)
Sikhs Blocked Traffic at Ambala - Demanded Arrest of Dera Head: Sikhs today staged massive protests against Dera Sauda Sirsa (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the twin towns of Ambala. They demanded withdrawal of Z plus security given to the Dera chief. They said they would stage a protest against Dera head on July 5 when he would be here for court attendance in CBI cases against him.

Jalandhar (June 21, 2008)
Arrest or ‘rail roko': Taksal Representatives of Gurmat Sidhant Parchar Sant Samaj today gave an ultimatum to the government to ensure the arrest of the Dera Sauda Sirsa (DSS) head by June 24. Baba Harnam Singh of Damdami Taksal told mediapersons that the government must arrest the Dera head by Tuesday or a statewide "rail roko" agitation would be launched. Rail traffic would be stopped on the Amritsar-Delhi section at Madhopur, near Sirhind, on Wednesday he said, and it would also be disrupted in other parts of the state.

Jalandhar (June 21, 2008)
Protest at Jalandhar: Meanwhile various Sikh organizations held protest rallies and burnt the effigy of Dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim in Jalandhar.

Hoshiarpur (June 21, 2008)
Road blocked in Hoshiarpur : Agitated over the Mumbai incident in which a Sikh was killed by Dera Sauda Sirsa (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim's bodyguard, members of radical Sikh organisations held a demonstration and blocked traffic for over an hour at Parbhat Chowk in Hoshiarpur on Saturday. Demanding the arrest of the Dera chief and his bodyguard, the protesters, led by Dal Khalsa leader Harcharanjit Singh Dhami, took out a march in the city.

Bathinda (June 21, 2008)
Protests in Bathinda: Roads Blocked Sikhs reacted to the killing of a member of the community in Mumbai with protests in Bathinda at the bus stand and neighboring districts in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday. The police took out a flag march in the city. The Khalsa Action Committee blocked both rail and road traffic at the Rampura Phul crossing on the Bathinda-Chandigarh road.

Sikhs protest in Mumbai,

Three bodyguards of Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, who

were arrested yesterday for shooting a man to death at a Mumbai mall, have been remanded in police custody till July 2. The names of the bodyguards are Jagdev Singh, Satnam Arora and Rajguru Taneja.
Police said the three men were arrested shortly after they fired at the Sikh protesters who opposed the presence of the Baba at Mumbai's Nirmal Lifestyle mall.
One Sikh, Balkar Singh, died after receiving bullet injuries, the police said. The incident inflamed passions with thousands of Sikhs hitting the roads. Schools and colleges run by the Sikh community remained shut today to protest the incident.
Protests were reported from the region also.
The community, which has a strong presence in Mulund, Thane and nearby areas, descended on the Mulund railway station and blocked trains. They were demanding the arrest of the Baba as a pre-condition for cremating the remains of the dead youth.
According to the police, at least 1,000 Sikhs descended on the Mulund railway station at 11.30 am and blocked the traffic. Several food stalls and shops in the vicinity of the railway station were stoned by the protesters.
A statement made by the Central Railway said several local trains going towards Kalyan, Thane, Ambernath, Kasara and Karjat were cancelled.
Outstation trains to Pune and other places were also delayed for more than two hours. However, after the intervention of the Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil and senior police officials, the protesters allowed the train services to resume. According to the Central Railway, train services were fully restored by evening.
Patil said the Maharashtra government would give a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family of the dead and Rs 25,000 each for those injured in the incident. The Deputy CM, who also handles the home ministry, ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
Police said, the family of Balkar Singh had taken his body for cremation.
Meanwhile, peaceful protests are continuing. “We have decided to hold peaceful protests without resorting to violence,” local Congress party MLA Charan Singh Chapra said. Chapra, who had been in the forefront of the agitation, said the Sikhs were hurt that the Baba was allowed to leave Mumbai without being booked for the incident. However, police say they are still not sure if he personally ordered his guards to fire on the protesters.
According to Chapra, the community would take a decision on Monday on whether to continue the agitation.
Meanwhile, other factions of the Sikh community, owing allegiance to other leaders, continued to hold protests in other parts of Mumbai. On the Eastern Express Highway at the Airoli junction in Navi Mumbai, Sikh protesters attempted to block the traffic.
However, the administration deployed the State Reserve Police Force and city police in riot gear. Late in the afternoon, the police fired teargas shells to disperse the protesters.
According to the local police, a number of miscreants had joined the protests and were resorting to hit-and-run attacks, taking advantage of the thick mangrove cover in the area.
Meanwhile, shortly after the yesterday’s incident, the Baba left Mumbai by road for Pune from where he was to take a flight back home. As the news of Baba’s departure spread, members of the Sikh community tried to block the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. However, police did not allow the flow of traffic to be disturbed and 33 sword-bearing youths were arrested.
Meanwhile, the police said security had been tightened at Ratnagiri, where the Dera owns an ashram, to prevent any untoward incident in the town.
According to the police, security had also been beefed up at Nanded.
Jammu: Various Sikh organisations today held a demonstration in Jammu to protest against the killing of a Sikh in Mumbai.
Agitating Sikhs demanded that the Dera chief be immediately arrested for hurting the sentiments of the Sikh community throughout the world.
Angry protesters also burnt an effigy of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Raising anti-Dera Sacha Sauda slogans, they also burnt tyres on the road.
Sikhs protesters alleged that the killing had taken place to belittle the Sikh community.

Mumbai killing: Protesters block rail, road traffic

SGPC announces Rs 5 lakh for family of Balkar

To seek meeting with Pm

A five-member team of the SGPC, headed by its president Avtar Singh, will leave for Mumbai by air tomorrow to take firsthand information of the incident in which a Sikh was killed and three were injured in the firing by a bodyguard of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief yesterday.
The SGPC president has sought time from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the incident. He said the team would seek immediate arrest of Dera chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh apart from imposing a ban on the activities of the Dera. The SGPC would give Rs 5 lakh to the family of Balkar Singh who was killed in the firing and bear expenses on the treatment of the injured.
The SGPC president lashed out at the Congress and the Centre for not containing the anti-Sikh activities of the Dera.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, while describing the Mumbai incident “unfortunate”, urged the Sikh community to exercise restraint and help the state in maintaining peace and harmony. He, however, said nobody would be allowed to take law into his hand.
Activists of various Sikh organisations, including the Khalsa Action Committee, Akal Purkh Ki Fauj, Sikh Students Federation (Mehta), staged a protest against the killing of Balkar Singh by a bodyguard of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
The children of the slain militants, led by Sandeep Kaur, also held a protest near the Hall Gate. A few skirmishes were reported in certain areas, but the situation remained under control. Earlier, the agitators blocked traffic on the Bandari bridge for half an hour.
HOSHIARPUR: Hundreds of activists of various Sikh organisations, led by former president of the Dal Khalsa Harcharanjit Singh Dhami, district president of the All-India Sikh Students Federation (Peer Mohamad) Kirpal Singh Ahluwalia, senior vice-president of the SAD (Amritsar) Lakhwinder Singh, staged a dharna and blocked traffic at the Prabhat chowk here for more than an hour.
The leaders demanded immediate arrest of the culprits responsible for the killing of a Sikh in Mumbai, registration of cases of rape and murder against Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and his immediate arrest.
They submitted a memorandum to SDM Karnail Singh.
PHAGWARA: Activists of the SAD (Amritsar Panj Pardhani), led by its leaders Kulbir Singh Barapind and Manjit Singh Khalsa, stopped the Amritsar-bound Paschim Express at the local railway station for at least 10 minutes. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the SDM demanding the immediate arrest of the Dera chief.
SANGRUR: Sikh organisations and saints staged a dharna and blocked traffic at the traffic lights chowk, near main bus stand here. Prominent Sikh saints and leaders, including Baba Sukhchain Singh Dharampura, Baba Buta Singh Gurthli Wale, SGPC member Nirmal Singh Gharachon, president of the Panthic Vichar Manch Parshotam Singh Phaguwala and joint secretary of the SAD (Panch Pardhani) Babu Singh Kahangarh, participated in the agitation. The protesters demanded the arrest of Dera Sacha Sauda chief. They submitted a memorandum to naib tehsildar Nirmal Singh at the dharna site.

Sant Samaj threatens rail roko

Echoing the demand of Sikh community of Mumbai, the Sant Samaj, a conglomerate of several Sikh organisations, here issued a three-day ultimatum to the Centre and Maharashtra government to arrest Dera Sacha Sauda chief Grumeet Ram Rahim Singh.
President of the Sant Samaj Harnam Singh Khalsa, also chief of the Damdami Taksal, said if the Centre and Maharashtra government failed to arrest the Dera chief within three days, a rail roko would be observed on Wednesday between Amritsar and Delhi from 8 am to 7 pm.
Khalsa said the Dera chief should be arrested for murders of Balkar Singh in Mumbai yesterday and Karamjit Singh in Sunam last year. He appealed to the Sikh community of Mumbai to maintain peace.

Sikhs block NH-10 for five hours

Sikhs protesters block traffic on the Fazilka-Delhi highway in Sirsa on Saturday.

Sikhs, led by leaders of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and heads of Sikh Deras, held a five-hour long protest by blocking traffic on vital NH-10, commonly known as Fazilka-Delhi highway.
Protests against the killing of an elderly Sikh by the bodyguard of Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, chief of Dera Sacha Sauda in Mumbai yesterday, began at seven in the morning near Gurudwara Guru Teg Bahadur in Sahuwala village falling under police station Badagudda. It was lifted only after the deputy commissioner V Umashankar and SP Venkat Ramana visited the place.
Keeping in view the sensitivity of the matter, the Haryana government beefed up the security in and around the town. Security around the Dera, located nearly 12 km from the city on Begu road, was also consolidated.
The deputy commissioner said two additional companies of the state police had arrived for consolidating security of the Dera and other sensitive parts of the city. He said paramilitary forces could also be requisitioned if needed.
The dormant peace committee, comprising nearly 50 individuals from various walks of life, which was constituted at the height of Sikh-Dera face-off last year, was immediately called today.
The Sikh leaders handed over a memorandum minutes before concluding their protest. It demanded registration of a murder case against the Dera chief in Mumbai and adequate compensation to the family of the deceased and injured.
Although SDM H.C Bhatia reached the place of protest and was joined by ASP Sajjan Singh, the protesters refused to lift the protest. Hence, the traffic had to be diverted on NH-10 in order to avoid jam and inconvenience to the commuters.
Baba Baljit Singh Daduwala and Sant Gurmit Tilokewala, both head of Sikh Deras, participated in the protest with their followers. Among others were Hardam Singh, member, SGPC from Sirsa and Parkash Singh Sahuwala, president, local Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
Jagdish Singh Jhinda, president, Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, while talking on the phone said, "The Centre should intervene to avoid the situation spilling out of hands.” In order to chalk out future strategy, we would hold district-level meetings on June 23, he added.
Meanwhile, Sukhwinder Singh Khalsa, state president, Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Committee, said they would hold a protest march from the historic Gurdwara Patchahi Daswi, located in the city, to the residence of the deputy commissioner and would also hand over a memorandum to him.

‘Anti-social elements attacked Dera chief’

Defending firing by a security guard of Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, its spokesperson Aditya Insan said some “anti-social elements'' had attacked the cavalcade of the spiritual head in Mumbai yesterday. Talking to the media persons in the Dera premises here today, he said the attack was in self-defence and added that about 15 Dera followers were also injured in the attack.
He said many times "terrorists" had attacked the cavalcade of the Dera chief but the police failed to take actions against the culprits.