New Delhi: Self-styled 'godman' Rampal Dass was born in a family of farmers in Sonepat district's Thanana village on September 8, 1951. He has a diploma in engineering and has worked in Haryana government's irrigation and public health department as a junior engineer.
In May 2000, he was dismissed from the job.
A seer, Swami Ramdevanand, had taken him under his wing in 1982. In 1999, Rampal established the Satlok Ashram in Rohtak district's Karontha village.
He set up several ashrams across the state, including the one at Barwala, calling himself as an incarnation of the 15th century mystic poet Kabir. His band of followers hit new heights calling themselves Kabirpantis.
By 2000, he had run afoul of several Arya Samajis after he allegedly made derogatory remarks against the group's founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati. In 2006, the differences between the two groups culminated in a clash that resulted in the death of one person.
Following the clash, Rampal was arrested on charges of murder and attempt to murder and his ashram at Karontha attached by the government. He was released on bail two years later, on April 30, 2008, after which he shifted base to Hisar district's Barwala town.
In November 2010, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Rohtak administration to hand the ashram back to Rampal.
On the Supreme Court's directive, the ashram was handed over to Rampal again on April 7, 2013.
A month later, on May 12, 2013 clashes again erupted between a group of Arya Samajis and Rampal's followers. Two people were killed and around 100 injured as the police opened fire.
In July 2014, Rampal and his followers went on the rampage in a Hisar court where he was to appear for a murder conspiracy in 2006.
Rampal, who faces contempt of court, murder and attempt to murder cases in various courts, has skipped hearings 42 times. An arrest warrant was issued when he failed to heed court summons last week, leading to the current standoff.
(The data is compiled from various sources)
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