The Haryana government has suspended internet services in Sirsa district until midnight on Thursday, following the death of religious leader Bahadur Chand Vakil. Vakil, who was the head of the influential Dera Jagmalwali in Sirsa, was cremated last Friday. Since then, the dispute over the leadership of the Mastana Shah Balochistani Dera, valued between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,500 crore, has intensified.
Vakil joined Dera Jagmalwali in 1968 and he was appointed its head on August 9, 1998. His death has sparked controversy as his followers have made allegations of foul play in his death.
The unrest has spread beyond Sirsa, with followers in Fatehabad and other neighbouring districts also questioning the circumstances surrounding his death. They have accused Virender Singh Dhillon, who has stepped forward as the new leader of the Dera, of being involved in Vakil’s alleged murder and have demanded a thorough investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Atma Ram, a follower, has alleged that Vakil was killed 10 days ago as part of a conspiracy. On Tuesday, a large number of Dera followers gathered in Fatehabad and filed a complaint with the police. They have requested that a zero FIR be lodged and sent to the Dabwali police station for further action.
Amar Singh, Vakil’s nephew, said that the assets of the Jagmalwali Dera are estimated to exceed R1,200 crore. This includes approximately 150 acres in Jagmalwali, as well as branches located in Delhi’s Keshavpuram and Bajitpur, along with 15 to 20 other deras across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab, as per a report by The Telegraph.
Recently, Gurpreet, the nephew of the former Dera chief’s manager, was declared the new head by some villagers. Amar Singh has endorsed Gurpreet Singh’s appointment as the new chief and has pointed to medical reports confirming Vakil Sahib’s death on July 21.
However, this development has been contested by Vakil’s son Omprakash, nephews Sanjay Singh and Vishnu. They argue that Virender is the rightful successor according to Vakil Sahib’s will and have disputed claims that Vakil Sahib died on July 21.
Omprakash and Vishnu have claimed that they met Vakil Sahib on July 31. Vishnu also alleged that Amar Singh is not Vakil’s nephew.
