President Ram Nath Kovind condemns Panchkula violence over Dera Sacha chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's conviction

The President urged people to maintain peace.

"Violence and damage to public property after court verdict is highly condemnable; appeal to all citizens to maintain peace #PresidentKovind," the President's official Twitter page posted.

More than 10 people were killed as the followers of self-styled spiritual leader attacked police, journalists, destroyed vehicles, burned down trains and even damaged public property following the conviction.

Several media OB vans were also damaged by attackers.

Apart from Haryana,violence were reported from Delhi,Rajasthan and Punjab.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar have urged people in the states to maintain peace.

They briefed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also urged people to maintain peace in the national capital, reports said.

"I urge everyone to stay calm and maintain peace," he tweeted.

The  Special Court found Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh guilty of raping  two woman followers in 2002.

The court reserved its order for the quantum of punishment for Aug 28 and the self-styled Godman was taken into custody.

He faces a jail term up to seven years.

The verdict passed by Justice Jagdeep Singh, came amid a heightened tension with massive security forces, including the Army, being deployed ahead of the verdict to maintain peace in case of a sectarian frenzy.

After the conviction, the leader was shifted to a prison in Haryana's Rohtak town, media reports said.

Tens of thousands of Dera followers had started taking to the street since Wednesday, much ahead of verdict, prompting the state Governments of Haryana and Punjab to take an unprecedented security measure to prevent any sectarian frenzy.

The sect claims to have sway over million of people.

The Haryana government imposed an indefinite curfew in Sirsa as a precautionary measure and a 72-hour ban on mobile internet services, except voice calls.

As many as 72 trains have been cancelled in view of the law and order situation.

The Centre has extended its support and provided security in both the states.

All educational institutions in Haryana remained closed and shops businessmen downed shutters.

Twenty columns of army, 53 companies of paramilitary forces and 50,000 policemen have been deployed in what came as an unprecedented preventive measure.

The CBI had filed an FIR against the self-styled God man, accusing him of raping two ‘sadhvis’ (female followers), in 2002 and the case came to trial in 2008.

The CBI move came after the Punjab and Haryana High Court took suo moto action on the basis of a letter written by one of the alleged victims to the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Bajpayee.

On the last day of the hearing, the court had directed Gurmeet Ram Rahim  him to appear before it at 2.45 pm on Friday — when the verdict is likely to be announced.