Sirsa, Haryana, India (November 19, 2012): According to media reports Dera Sauda Sirsa (DSS) men chased five Sikhs, who were travelling in a car, and attacked them near Jeevan Nagar.
As per The Tribune: “The feud over showing black flags to the Dera Sacha Sauda chief two days ago has turned uglier with some dera followers attacking five persons returning to their village. Over 1,000 supporters of the dera later blocked the National Highway 10 at Sirsa in protest against the registration of criminal cases after the attack”.
Dera Sauda Sirsa (DSS) followers blocked Trafic
“According to the relatives of Jasbir Singh, who was among the two Sikhs injured, he was attacked while returning from Ellenabad after attending a religious function along with three persons. ‘All of them were travelling in a car and the Dera followers were following them in another vehicle from Ellenabad. As the two vehicles approached Jiwannagar, the Dera followers attacked them with sharp-edged weapons.’ They also accused the sect followers of assaulting a small boy accompanying Jasbir” reported Times of India (TOI).
It is notable the tensions were simmering between dera followers and the Sikhs as some Sikhs reportedly showed black flags to Dera Sauda Sirsa head Gurmeet Ram Rahim near Ellenabad on November 15, 2012.
According to reports after the registration of the FIR, regarding attack on five Sikhs by Dera Sauda Sirsa men, over a thousand dera followers, including women, blocked traffic at the National Highway 10 near Laal Batti Chowk in Sirsa in protest. The protesters alleged that the police had registered a “false case”, claiming that their volunteers had also been injured in the incident.
“The dera followers lifted the blockade only when the City Magistrate assured them that the police would take appropriate action on their complaint” The Tribune reported has added.
It is notable that DSS head had invited the wrath of Sikhs after he attempted to personify himself as Tenth Guru of Sikhs. Personification of Sikh Gurus is a prohibited practice. Dera head had attempted to insult historic and pious traditions of Sikhs. All this had led to issuance of an edit from Sri Akal Takhat Sahib against the blasphemous and notorious practices as well as activities of DSS and it’s head.