Dera Sacha Sauda row: Search operation underway in Ram Rahim's HQ; hard disks, cash recovered

A search operation has been initiated at the Dera Headquarters near Haryana's Sirsa town on Friday amid tight security and curfew in the area.

The Deputy Director, PRO, Haryana Government on Friday said a computer, hard disks and cash have been recovered, adding that a forensic team has been called from Roorke.

"A forensic team has been called from Roorke. Computer and hard disk, cash recovered and two rooms have been sealed," said Deputy Director, PRO Satish Mehra.

Ten companies of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), along with the Haryana Police, have been deployed at the Shah Satnaam Chowk.

The search operation had begun early in the morning.

"The search process has started in a peaceful manner and the Dera people are fully cooperating with us, while there is no kind of security issue there," Deputy Director Mehra, earlier, told ANI.

41 companies of the Paramilitary Forces, four columns of the Army, the Haryana Police from four-five districts, 16 Checkpoints, one SWAT team and one dog squad have been deployed.

A bomb squad will also accompany the officials and security personnel inside the headquarters in Sirsa.

A curfew has also been imposed in the areas surrounding the Dera and there will be no relaxation given in these areas till the search operation is on.

Ahead of the search operations, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim's close aide and Dera chairman Vipassana Insan appealed the self proclaimed godman's followers to maintain peace.

"The Dera has always followed the law. We appeal to all the followers to maintain peace," Vipassana Insan said, in a statement.

Earlier on September 5, the Punjab and Haryana High Court gave orders to conduct a search operation at the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda, under the supervision of a judicial officer.

This order came after the Haryana Police seized a cache of 33 licensed weapons of the Dera Sacha Sauda. These weapons include 14 revolvers, nine guns, four rifles and other modified weapons.

The police later seized and sealed all the weapons.

-With ANI inputs