Sangrur, India - At least 12 people, including seven police personnel, were injured on Sunday when a clash broke out between Dera Sacha Sauda followers and Sikhs at Chural-kalan village in Punjab. According to police, a group of around 200 people, armed with sharp-edged weapons, tried to prevent a congregation by followers of Dera Sacha Sauda in the village bordering Haryana.
Both sides started pelting brickbats and stones, forcing police to resort to lathi charge. In the melee, seven policeman and others got injured, Moonak DSP Saranjit Singh said. The police earlier tried to persuade both sides from resorting to violence but some assailants started pelting stones, resulting in the clash, he said.
Meanwhile, political wing chairman of Dera Sacha Sauda Ram Singh alleged that the Dera followers were attacked while they were holding the congregation peacefully. He claimed that more than two dozen followers of the sect were injured. On the other hand, Sikh organisations leader Raj Singh said they were “abiding by the edict of Akal Takhat for banning Nam Charcha.”