The villagers, pitching in with food for troops

We decided that all our villages would feed the personnel through the day,” said Satbir Singh.

Apart from being an enthralled audience as the police kept evacuating people from the ashram all morning and afternoon, there was a continuous flow of tea, fruit, biscuits, roti, and water through the day. Villagers used their own tempos to travel through the police ranks, and indeed theirs were the only vehicles allowed to break the cordon.

“The guru at this ashram says that our religion counts for nothing. His followers refuse to let us farm near the ashram, and threaten and intimidate us. We are with the personnel. They are fighting for us,” Rajiv Gujjar said.

By 2 in the afternoon, men with orange bandanas too joined the food distribution process. “We are from the Arya Samaj. We have always spoken out against Rampal’s practices and he has shown his true colours. We came from Rohtak when we heard the forces needed help,” said one man sporting an Arya Samaj symbol.

It was members of the Arya Samaj that Rampal’s supporters first clashed with in Rohtak in 2006, resulting in one death. For this case, Rampal and others were accused and arrested on charges of murder.

As night fell, it became clearer that Rampal would have no choice but to be escorted away by the police. That happened at 8:45. In half an hour, they danced together.