High alert in Faridkot after Dera chief's close aide's death in jail; security beefed up

Faridkot: A high alert has been sounded in Punjab’s Faridkot after the murder of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s close aide and the Bargari sacrilege cases accused, Mohinder Pal Singh Bittoo in a Patiala jail.

Bittoo died in Patiala’s New Nabha jail on Saturday after a fight broke out between him and two other inmates.

After the attack, he was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition where he was declared brought dead.

To ward off any untoward incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police of the district has written to all the departments especially hospitals, cautioning them about the possible protest by the Dera followers.

Earlier, some Dera followers had threatened that they would not hold the cremation ceremony of Bitto if the government does not give assurance of justice.

After Bitto’s death, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had ordered an inquiry into the matter and asked the state administration to beef up security in the wake of the attack.

According to reports, 49-year-old , who was accused of desecrating Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib in 2015 in Faridkot's Bargari, got into an altercation with two other inmates at the New Nabha Jail in Patiala. The altercation turned into a violent fight in which Mohinder received fatal injuries. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital but it was too late as doctors declared him brought dead.

Punjab's Chief Minister Office (CMO) released a statement saying that the Chief Minister has ordered an inquiry into the fatal assault on Mohinder Singh and warned the perpetrators of stringent punishment. The CM has also ordered beefing up of security in the state in the wake of the attack, confirmed the CMO.

In October 2015, at least 110 torn Angs (parts) of the holy Guru Granth Sahib were found in Bargari area of Faridkot district. The incident led to violent protests by the Sikh community and killing of two people by police as violent protesters were brandishing swords in the air and setting up a police vehicle on fire. The incident drew strong condemnation from Sikh diaspora in the US, United Kingdom and Canada.