This Article is From Jun 02, 2009

Plane leaves for Vienna to bring Dera chief

Chandigarh:

A special chartered plane on Tuesday left for Vienna from New Delhi to bring Dera Sach Khand Ballan chief Niranjan Dass, who was injured in an attack in Vienna last month.

The aircraft will also bring the body of Sant Rama Nand, who had died after the attack.

The 15-seater aircraft, arranged by the Punjab government, had senior state officials besides two doctors on board.

The plane is expected to reach New Delhi on Wednesday night or early Thursday, sources said. A special helicopter has also been arranged to fly Sant Dass to Dera headquarters in Jalandhar from New Delhi.

Harcharan Bains, media advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, said this step was taken keeping in mind the sentiments of people in the state.

Meanwhile, situation in violence-hit areas of Punjab remained normal, even as night curfew was still in force in places which had witnessed violence following the killing of the sect leader.

The situation was peaceful in Jalandhar, Phagwara, Malout, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana. However, as a precautionary measure night curfew in these areas was still continuing, officials said.

Punjab's Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Rajan Gupta said situation was completely peaceful in the violence-hit areas of the state.

He said that additional forces would be deployed to ensure that followers of the Dera, a large number of whom are expected to attend the last rites of the Sant Rama Nand in Jalandhar, face no problem besides making sure there was no law and order problem.

Punjab and parts of Haryana witnessed widespread violence after Dera Sach Khand preacher Sant Rama Nand was killed and Dera head Sant Niranjan Dass was injured in Vienna on May 24.

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