By Shuriah Niazi
NEW DELHI (AA) - Indian self-proclaimed "godman" Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 10 years in jail Monday for the rape of two of his female followers in 2002.
According to media reports, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief broke down as he was sentenced by Judge Jagdeep Singh during a court hearing in the city of Rohtak city in Haryana State.
Thousands of police and para-military personnel were deployed at the prison and the army was kept on stand by to control law and order situation. Curfew was also imposed in some cities of Punjab and Haryana states.
Thirty-eight people lost their lives and over 200 were injured after violence on Friday, when 150,000 followers of Ram Rahim had gathered in the town Panchkula, where he was convicted by the court Friday.
The two states of Punjab and Haryana had ordered schools and colleges to remain shut, suspended mobile services and beefed up security ahead of court proceedings on Monday.