'You Have to Attack, But Say You are on Your Own,' Dera Supporter to his Aide

New Delhi: A day after violence ripped through Panchkula and Sirsa, killing 36 people, CNN-News18 has accessed audio tapes of two Dera Sacha Sauda supporters, suggesting they were well-prepared to create panic and chaos, anticipating the CBI verdict against the self-styled godman, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

One of the Dera supporters asked another not to take the name of Baba (Gurmeet Ram Rahim) while he listed out an array of things to do, including the attack.

"Should we attack or not?" asked the second supporter, to which the first one responded positively, but with a caveat. "You have to attack, but if a reporter asks, you have to say that you have come here of your own volition."

Thousands of Dera Sacha Sauda supporters, including men, women, and children, had started camping in Panchkula and nearby areas at least three days before a special CBI court was to pronounce its verdict in a rape case against the spiritual leader.

The second Dera supporter can be heard administering the first to ask all the parents to "tell their kids that they had also joined this large congregation of their own accord".

The arrangements for a langar (community eating) were also made, and the supporter guided his associate to "hide things and don't show it to anyone." "Use it when needed."

The Punjab and Haryana Court on Saturday said that the hearing on "quantum of sentence and pronouncement of the sentence" will take place in Rohtak's Sunaria jail. The CBI judge, who pronounced Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh guilty, will be flown to the Sunaria jail on Monday.

The government has been directed to make security arrangements at the jail to ensure there is no repeat of the violence. Earlier, the authorities had planned to conduct the sentencing via video-conferencing.

Ahead of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s prison sentencing on Monday, 10 companies of paramilitary troops are being sent to Rohtak. The Army has also been kept on standby and will arrive in Rohtak on Sunday. Army says it will only intervene, if and when the routine sources get exhausted.