New Delhi: Even though Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years in jail, the family of the woman whose testimony sent the ‘Baba’ behind bars is already looking ahead to the next battle.
“My brother in law Ranjit Singh was murdered when he fought for his sister’s justice. And until we avenge his killers, our fight for justice will continue," said Sandeep Singh (name changed), the Braveheart’s uncle.
His village in Haryana has CCTV cameras installed outside almost every home, keeping a strict vigil on who enters and leaves the village.
Away from the chaos and media frenzy, the heroes who fought relentlessly against the influential Dera Chief say, “Our faith in the judicial system is upheld.”
"I have fought strongly all these years without fearing anyone," one of the Braveheart told News18.
The two women who were sexually assaulted by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh continue to live under heavy police protection.
News18 visited one of the victim’s family in Kurukshetra, Haryana. The woman is currently in a safe house in an undisclosed location. She was moved there by the CBI ahead of the August 25 verdict fearing a threat to her life.
Speaking to News18 through her family, she said, "I am very happy and extremely grateful to the judiciary."
Not just her, the family has also gone through hell. Some members of the family were disciples of Gurmeet Ram Rahim and used to live inside Dera Headquarters in Sirsa.
After getting to know about the crime, they severed all ties with the Dera Sacha Sauda. The Braveheart's elder brother Ranjit Singh, who used to be one of Ram Rahim’s key men, raised his voice against the Dera chief. It was then that he was killed.
The Braveheart acknowledges the sacrifices made by her family, "All these years, my family has suffered immensely but they stood strong by my side. My brother had to pay with his life. This victory is not just mine but also my family’s.”
The security here at the ancestral home too has been tightened. There are more than 15 Haryana police personnel sitting in the front yard. “The policemen are like family to us now. They have lived here all these years. We share meals together," said Sandeep Singh. He heads the joint family and is fearless of Baba's goons. "I don't care about them. We all have to die one day. It's all already in our fate. It is justice that I care about," he said.
He told News18 that the Braveheart is now married with two children, both of whom are studying in a secondary school. The family has law graduates and government servants. It is this educated background that Singh says helped the Braveheart raise her voice.
“We have taught her to always fight against what is wrong. We all come from educated backgrounds and we've taught our children to fearlessly stand by the truth. Her upbringing was such that she took on a powerful man," said Singh.
They may have won the rape case, but they lost a son in the family. The final hearings in the murder case will begin on September 16 in a special CBI court.
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