PANCHKULA: At least 32 people were killed on Friday when clashes broke out in northern India after a court convicted a controversial religious leader of raping two of his followers, sparking fury among tens of thousands of supporters who had gathered to await the verdict.
Authorities rushed hundreds of troops to the city of Panchkula after followers of guru Ram Rahim Singh torched cars, threw rocks and attacked television vans, breaking their windows and overturning one.
More than 100,000 were estimated to have gone to the city in Haryana state, where India’s federal investigations agency had set up a special court to rule on the charge that he had raped two female devotees.
Parts of Haryana city placed under curfew; sentencing set for 28th
Authorities said 32 had been killed and around 180 injured after rioting broke out in Haryana, where many areas were now under curfew.