BY SANJEEV VERMA The defiant attitude shown by Sant Rampal of Satlok Ashram in Barwala and his followers against orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has cost the Chandigarh Administration and city police Rs 3,29,20,639 by way of expenditure on maintaining law and order till November 17. To prevent Sant Rampal’s followers, carrying ‘acid bottles’ apart from sticks and stones, from marching towards the high court, the Chandigarh Police also had to take assistance from the police forces of Punjab as well as Haryana to seal the inter-state borders. Besides, services of the Rapid Action Force and the Central Reserve Police Force were also taken. Around 50,000 followers reached Chandigarh by adopting various modes of transportation like buses, train and private vehicles on the dates when hearing of the contempt case against the godman was scheduled in the high court. This was despite the court’s directions to the godman to ensure that none of his followers came to the city in connection with the hearing. Rampal’s followers were fully prepared to fight against the Chandigarh Police personnel deputed for maintaining law and order, says a report by Chandigarh SSP Sukhchain Singh, filed in the court registry on Wednesday. The report says that the presence of a large number of Rampal’s followers on these dates adversely affected the life of general public. Many people failed to reach their destinations as they were stopped by Rampal’s followers, causing great inconvenience, reads the report. On November 4 and 5, a total of 3,160 Chandigarh Police personnel were deployed at various places, especially the bus stands, the railway station and the high court premises, to prevent any breach of peace and security. Similarly, on November 9 and 10, as many as 4,517 policemen, and on November 16 and 17, a total of 4,317 police personnel were deployed across the city.
