Five boys found in Dera, two minor

Security forces cordoned off the road leading to the Dera headquarters in Sirsa on Friday. Jaipal Singh

Five boys were found in a residential colony of Dera Sacha Sauda when the security forces conducted a search operation there on Friday. “Two of the boys are minor while three are above 18 years. They were found in Upkar Colony of the Dera during the search operation,” said Satish Mehra, Deputy Director of Haryana Government’s public relations department.

One of the minor boys belongs to a family from Kaithal town in Haryana, while another is from a locality in Sirsa town. The seven-year-old boy was left behind a few day ago when his mother came from Kaithal to attend a satsang at the Dera. The 12-year-old boy from a colony of Sirsa had gone to the Dera by mistake a few days ago. Administrative officials have contacted families of both boys and they are likely to be united with their parents on Saturday.

“One of these boys had been missing since August 15. They have not complained about anything. For the time being, both minor boys have been handed over to the officials of Women and Child Development Department after medical examination,” said an official. The family members of the other boys are also being contacted. Officials have provided counselling to all the boys to ascertain the motives for remaining in the Dera, as all other followers had already left the Dera.

Meanwhile, relatives of missing persons are arriving in Sirsa in search of their kin. Shadab (22), a resident of Kota, has been missing for eight years. His parents have been showing his photograph to local residents, enquiring about him. “We came here after we saw him on a TV channel in footage related to Sirsa,” they said.