Haryana Director-General of Police S.N. Vashisht said on Tuesday that two FIRs were registered after the standoff at Satlok Ashram in Hisar.
One has been filed against Rampal for keeping people “captive” and for attempting immolation and another against the ashram authorities for putting the lives of all at risk by resisting execution of the non-bailable warrant issued by the High Court.
The police were also aware that there were weapons with the ashram inmates. Mr. Vashisht said ex-army and police personnel had trained the followers. A day before two persons had been held with 10 cartridges and they revealed that their licensed weapons had been seized by the ashram authorities.
Among the injured in Tuesday’s clash was a woman, who had sustained severe burn injuries. “We don’t know if she immolated herself or was injured by a petrol bomb,” Mr. Vashisht said. He, however, denied that four women died of burn injuries in the standoff, as claimed by the ashram authorities.
As part of the operation to execute the NBW, all roads leading to the ashram were sealed and its power and water supply was cut. Supply of vegetables and other essential items was also cut. Police personnel encircled the ashram.
The police acted with patience as they wanted to shift the 2,000-3,000 women and children, including infants, who were kept in the ashram as human shield.
