India guru rape case: 23 die in unrest as Ram Rahim Singh convicted
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-41049705The victims are believed to be Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's followers. Angry supporters rampaged through Panchkula town, near Chandigarh.
About 2,500 of Singh's followers have been arrested, police said.
Earlier, his devotees smashed cars and set media vans alight, saying he was innocent.
More than 200,000 of his followers had flocked to the Chandigarh area ahead of Friday's verdict.
Singh, who says he has millions of disciples, was found guilty of raping two women at the headquarters of his sect, known as Dera Sacha Sauda, in 2002.
Thousands of army, police and paramilitary forces were deployed. They fired tear-gas canisters and water cannon into the crowd to try to restore control, says the BBC's Ravinder Singh Robin in Panchkula.
However, the region's police chief BS Sandhu said the violence was now under control.
Controversial leader of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, which claims to have 60 million followers around the world
- Took over the sect - which describes itself as "a non-profit social welfare and spiritual organisation" - when he was 23
- Performs at rock concerts, acts in films and even has his own line of food products
- Known as "rockstar baba" and "guru of bling" because of his shiny, colourful clothes
- Has been accused of mocking Sikh and Hindu figures
- Has been investigated for murder and rape, charges he denies
- Has been accused of forcing followers to undergo castration to "get closer to god"