Beas dera followers protest district authorities’ bid to demarcate prohibited area

The deputy commissioner along with other officials attempted to demarcate the prohibited area, including a boundary wall of the Beas dera, falling under 1,000 meters from the ammunition depot of the army, triggering protest by the followers

Followers of Dera Radha Soami Satsang and local residents in Beas on Saturday protested against the district administration’s attempt to demarcate the prohibited area, including a boundary wall of the sect, falling under 1,000 meters from the ammunition depot of the army.

Beas dera followers protest district authorities’ bid to demarcate prohibited area (HT)

Considering a civil writ petition, the Punjab and Haryana high court had recently ordered the deputy commissioner to demolish the wall, which is around one-and-a-half kilometres long, and other buildings, falling within 1,000 meters from the depot.

Led by deputy commissioner Harpreet Singh Sudan, the teams comprising officials from revenue department and other concerned departments, reached the town to demarcate the area amid heavy deployment of police force.

However, the sect followers and local residents in large numbers, whose houses and other buildings fall in the prohibited area, gathered and staged a dharna outside the gate of the depot, led by senior officials of the dera. They shouted slogans against the army, Punjab government and the district administration.

With the situation getting tense, the administration had to put the demarcation on hold.

Meanwhile, the officials went through the related revenue record in the office of Tehsil Baba Bakala.

“The honourable high court directed me to demarcate the prohibited area falling around the depot keeping in view of safety of the people, but the demarcation could not be carried out due to some flaws found in the revenue record. A written report in this regard will also be submitted to the high court and adequate compensation to the affected people will be recommended,” the deputy commissioner said, while interacting with the protesters.

Speaking on the row over dera’s buildings, he said, “already cases are pending in the court in this regard. Action will only be taken against those buildings which were erected after the depot was established. New construction is strictly prohibited.”