Four staff members of the Dera Sacha Sauda chief held in connection with the gunning down of a 40-year-old Sikh outside a suburban mall were taken to the spot of the crime in order to reconstruct the sequence of events which led to the shooting, police said on Tuesday.
Statements of 30 persons, including the 14 accused and six officials from Mumbai police's Special Branch who were escorting the Dera chief have been recorded so far, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria said in Mumbai.
Maria said the SB officials escorting Ram Rahim Singh were only aware of the spiritual guru's visit in Andheri, but not about the visit to a mall in Mulund where the incident occurred.
When asked as to why did the SB officials did not stop at the spot after the firing, Maria said it was the SB officials who informed the Police Control Room about the incident but they proceeded with the cavalcade as they had to look after the safety of a high risk individual like Rahim Singh who enjoys Z category security cover.
Based on the statements, the police can ascertain if the firing was unprovoked or in self defence.
Balkar Singh Thakur Singh was killed after a security guard in the Dera chief's motorcade allegedly shot at him outside a mall in suburban Mulund on Friday evening.
Some of the Dera chief's staff also took out sticks and started hitting people and damaged the deceased's vehicle.
The incident led to violent protesting by Sikhs in Mulund locality till Saturday. Fourteen staff members of the Dera chief were arrested in connection with the murder and rioting incident on Friday while 27 Sikhs were held for the violent protests the next day.
© 2024 Rediff.com -