Jagseer Singh’s body is believed to be in the sect’s headquarters in Haryana’s Sirsa district
In another blow to the reputation of jailed sect leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, a senior citizen from Punjab has urged Haryana police to provide him the remains of his son, who was allegedly murdered at the Dera Sacha Sauda and buried among hundreds of corpses.
Sarjeet Singh’s appeal came a day after a close aide of the self-styled godman purportedly told the special investigation team that 600 skeletons were concealed at the sect’s headquarters in Haryana’s Sirsa district.
Holding the photograph of his son, Jagseer, a teary-eyed Sarjeet said he was denied justice for 12 years by the police and authorities working under the influence of the flamboyant guru and his henchmen.
Violence by Ram Rahim’s supporters left over three dozen people dead on August 25 after a court held him guilty of raping two followers. The sect leader is serving a 20-year jail term.
‘The Dera chief silenced every voice that was raised against him. He would kill the person and then his body was buried in the fields. In order to destroy the evidence, he would ask his men to plant a sapling,’ said Sarjeet.
Dr PR Nain, vice-president of Dera Management Committee, who was summoned by the SIT constituted under the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to probe Ram Rahim’s alleged wrongdoings, purportedly told investigators that devotees had voluntarily allowed the sect to bury the remains of their family members.
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a helicopter in which he was flown from Panchkula to Rohtak town
They believed doing so will help the deceased go to heaven, he reportedly said.
Sources say Nain told the police that the Dera had also sought advice from a German scientist who said human bones contain phosphorus, which would improve the fertility of the land.
Sarjeet Singh is fighting for his son’s remains
However, observers say the belief was being used by the sect to cover up its wrongdoings. There are allegations that dozens of followers who were ‘punished’ by Ram Rahim for speaking against him were murdered.
A former follower had claimed that while many bodies were buried in the fields, some were even dumped in rivers.
Sarjeet, who hails from Khosa Randhir village in Punjab’s Moga district, said his 22-year-old son had joined the Dera sect in 2002 and remained there for three years.
He returned in 2005 and told his family about the alleged wrongdoings of Ram Rahim, including trading in drugs. Jagseer, according to his father, had an altercation with Sadhu Singh Bhangidas, a close aide of the guru, over the illicit activities, which left the sect chief and his men fuming.
‘The baba was selling drugs. When my son levelled the allegations, they threatened us. Later, they sent some people who took him to the Dera, saying he was required to apologise to Gurmeet Ram Rahim,’ said Sarjeet.
Jagseer, according to his father, was taken to the Dera on February 6, 2005. He never returned.
Indian spiritual guru, who calls himself Saint Dr Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan, arrives for a press conference ahead of the release of his new film MSG, The Warrior Lion Heart, in New Delhi, India
Days later, railway police told the family that his mutilated body was found on train tracks. However, the remains were not handed over to them. The family members got a photograph, which showed Jagseer’s head on the tracks.
They approached the Dera and asked for his body but were allegedly sent away by Ram Rahim’s men.
Sarjeet said he and his relatives were threatened of dire consequences by Sadhu Singh who now lives in Canada. The family members say they also wrote to Prime Minster Narendra Modi, seeking his assistance.
‘My son was killed by Sadhu Singh Bhangidas who now lives in Canada. They killed him and then buried his body inside the Dera,’ Sarjeet said.
The family members have been pursuing the case for the past 12 years but claim that the police did not help them as the matter was related to the influential baba, who had immense political clout.
They were told that Jagseer committed suicide.