India death toll rises after clashes over guru's rape conviction

New Delhi (CNN)The number of people killed in clashes in northern India rose to 31 Saturday, one day after a controversial spiritual leader was found guilty of raping two of his followers, according to local official Gauri Prashar Joshi.

Flamboyant spiritual leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted Friday in a case that dates back to 1999. Following the verdict, followers of Singh clashed with police officers in the city of Panchkula.

Joshi, the deputy commissioner for Panchkula, said Friday that in addition to deaths, at least 120 people had been admitted to the hospital. She added that the army had been called in to calm the violence, which had since subsided.

No new clashes were reported Saturday.

Followers of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh overturn a satellite van Friday in Panchkula, India.

Singh is the spiritual leader of Dera Sacha Sauda, a controversial spiritual sect founded in 1948. The group describes itself as a "selfless socio-spiritual organization" and claims millions of followers worldwide.

After news of the verdict filtered out, supporters went on a rampage in towns across the northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana, Reuters reported. Television vans were attacked, cars set on fire and hospitals struggled to cope with scores of injured.

In New Delhi, Singh's supporters set fire to buses and two empty train carriages.

The unrest appears to have affected public transportation into Saturday. India's Northern Railway reported that 690 trains had been affected by the "law and order situation" in Haryana and Punjab as of 2:30 p.m. local time.

Modi condemns violence

Prime Minister Narenda Modi appealed for calm as the violence broke out. "The instances of violence today are deeply distressing. I strongly condemn the violence & urge everyone to maintain peace," Modi said on Twitter

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com