The convoy of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim was attacked at about 3 pm today at Bhutana near Pipli in Karnal district. The Dera chief escaped unhurt but 10 others were injured in the blast.

Four people who were travelling in the black Scorpio that was damaged in the blast were taken to a hospital in Karnal. There were six vehicles between the truck from where allegedly a bomb was hurled and the car in which the chief was travelling. The Baba has Z-plus category security cover.

“It was an attempt on the Dera chief by some people. Some evidence has been collected in this regard that points towards the same,” said Karnal SSP A.S. Chawla.

There are cases of murder and sexual exploitation cases registered against the Baba by former Sadhvis of his Dera. In fact, he was on his way from Ambala to Barnava Ashram near Meerut, where he had gone to appear in the court in connection with these cases.

The Dera chief was also at the centre of a religious and political storm last May. His followers and the Akalis fought bitterly over an advertisement showing him distributing amrit (nectar) while dressed in a robe — inviting charges from Sikh bodies that he was trying to emulate Guru Gobind Singh.

The controversy took a violent turn with hardliners in Punjab issuing threats to the Dera chief that he would be “taught a lesson.”

Meanwhile, the town was tense as followers of the Baba gathered in Karnal, forcing the police to resort to a lathi-charge.

... contd.