Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh

Fearing riots after a court today decides if self-styled spiritual guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is guilty of rape, the government of Haryana has cut off mobile internet services and asked for the army to be ready to intervene if required.

Mobile Internet services have been suspended for 72 hours in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh, ahead of the court verdict in the sexual exploitation case against the Dera Sacha Sauda sect head tomorrow.

At least two major cities - Chandigarh and Panchkula - are in complete lockdown as they brace for a verdict tomorrow on whether popular and self-styled spiritual guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh sexually exploited two women followers nearly 15 years ago.

Prohibitory orders and holding of flag marches were among steps taken by the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh ahead of the court judgment in a sexual exploitation case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh on Friday.

Amid pressure from the Sikh community and hardliners, the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, today withdrew its edict pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.

Fearing riots after a court today decides if self-styled spiritual guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is guilty of rape, the government of Haryana has cut off mobile internet services and asked for the army to be ready to intervene if required.

Mobile Internet services have been suspended for 72 hours in Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh, ahead of the court verdict in the sexual exploitation case against the Dera Sacha Sauda sect head tomorrow.

At least two major cities - Chandigarh and Panchkula - are in complete lockdown as they brace for a verdict tomorrow on whether popular and self-styled spiritual guru Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh sexually exploited two women followers nearly 15 years ago.

Prohibitory orders and holding of flag marches were among steps taken by the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh ahead of the court judgment in a sexual exploitation case against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh on Friday.

Amid pressure from the Sikh community and hardliners, the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, today withdrew its edict pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case.