According to police sources, Kumar had some disputes in the past with some other religious groups in his village. In September 2007, his house in the village was set on fire and the case was still pending in the court.

However, tension gripped the area and other towns of Punjab following the murder.

A Dera Sacha Sauda spokesperson said: 'Hundreds of our followers have gathered outside the hospital, where the dead body was kept, to condemn this incident. We will certainly fight for justice and demand Punjab police arrest the culprits.'

The sect, led by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, has thousands of followers in Punjab, and is headquartered at Sirsa town in Haryana, some 280 km from here.