Over 1000 supporters of the self-style godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of the quasi-religious group Dera Sacha Sauda have been detained by security personnel. Ram Rahim Singh, who is also known for his quirky film 'MSG: The Messenger Of God' has been convicted for raping two female followers back in 2002.
After his conviction, his followers went on a rampage, destroying property and beating up journalists and policemen. Over 15,000 paramilitary personnel who were deployed in both Punjab and Haryana as a precautionary measure failed to maintain the law and order situation that quickly went out of hand. About 32 people died in the violence and over 500 were reportedly injured.
These 21 pictures will show you the gravity of the situation in the violence-affected areas: