Curfew was imposed in Dabwali in Haryana as the town witnessed arson and violence for over six hours on Friday following a clash between the Dera Sacha Sauda followers and Sikh activists, that left one dead and several others seriously injured, including some policemen.
The houses and
shops of Dera followers were set on fire by the angry mob after the Dera followers killed one Sikh activist. The Army has also been called out in the wake of the tension prevailing in the area.
According to sources, the trouble began over Naam Charcha (religious discourse), which was organised by Sham Sunder Mehta, a staunch Dera follower. Mehta held a congregation of nearly 200 Dera followers in his house to celebrate the birth of his grandson Karan today morning. As the congregation was on, more than dozen volunteers of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Sabha, a Sikh outfit having the radical lineage, reached the venue and demanded the Dera followers to wind up the function. The Sikhs activists brandished kirpans, swords and they started performing gatka, the Sikh martial art. This infuriated the Dera followers, who resorted to the brick pelting on the Sikh protestors, the sources said.
The situation is reported to be tense at Sirsa, where the headquarters of Dera Sacha Sauda is located.