Hours ahead of sentencing, Gurugram remains eerily calm

GURUGRAM: After a major debacle on Friday in the maintenance of law and order, the Haryana government is taking no chances for yet another failure and announced that on Monday all private and public schools and colleges in Haryana will remain closed.

Moreover, mobile internet services have been restricted for 48 hours.

However, amid all the fear and anxiety surrounding the quantum of punishment to be announced on Monday to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2002 rape case, Gurugram will continue to function as usual.

Highlighting that the situation in Haryana's richest district is peaceful, Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh said that all the public and private educational institututions, banks and offices will open on Monday.

He added that buses, Metro and trains will operate normally and internet and cellular services will not be disrupted.

Though the district administration has assured that there are no reasons to worry, many private educational institutions have decided to stay closed.

Taking note of the violence reported from parts of Delhi and Ghaziabad, most corporate houses too have advised their professionals to work from home if necessary. Though a sizable number of Dera Sacha Sauda followers reside in and around Gurugram, no violence was reported on Friday, when Rahim was convicted in the 15-year-old rape case by a special CBI court in Panchkula.

Yet, Gurugram Police, along with other reserved forces, are taking no chances.

Heavy deployment of personnel and barricades was seen at busy traffic junctions in the city, while rigorous checking caused heavy traffic jams and slow movement of traffic. Several public and private functions scheduled for Monday have been postponed or deferred.

Moreover, police have arrested eight dera 'premis', who were suspected to create trouble in the future.

"At a time when the rest of the state is under virtual lockdown, it feels good that the situation in Gurugram is better. However, I expect that the public administration should not take it lightly, as it took only 30 minutes for creating widespread destruction in Panchkula on Friday," said Ranjana Sachdeva, a Gurugram resident.