RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, June 17: The one-kilometre section of Main Road between Iqra mosque and Hanuman Temple, which saw unrest after the Jumma Namaz last Friday, appeared calm and peaceful today.
There were speculations that the stretch would be disrupted again today in protest over the killing of two Muslim youths during a police firing last Friday. The district administration had made extraordinary preparations to deal with the situation, but everything remained tranquil.
On Friday, Namaz was offered quietly at Iqra mosque, which was the hub of unrest on June 10. Before the Namaz, Maulana Obaidulla Quasmi made Muslims aware of the gist of Islam, emphasising that Islam does not approve of actions performed in rage or emotion.
“Gusse V Jazwe Mein Uthaya Gaya Kadam Islam Pasand Nahi Karta,” Maulana said to those who had come to offer Namaz. Apart from that, Maulana spoke about Islam in general and urged Muslims to take proactive measures to prevent the propagation of misinformation and superstition in the name of Islam.
As Maulana was sharing excellent thoughts in his Takreer, a large crowd of media and police officers gathered to listen to his speech.
On the road, no one spotted anyone offering Namaz. Muslims returned home calmly after prayers. Some of them complied with media requests by making a statement about their current experience of offering Namaz in a calm environment.
Almost all other mosques in the city remained in the same scenario and no adverse incidents in the name of Islam have been reported.
When asked how he could bring calm to the city, the Maulana responded, “It is the culmination of a weeklong effort after an episode of violence in the city.”
The majority of establishments were closed because the bulk of the shops in the area are owned by Muslims who close on Friday. Those who had opened their stores were seen going about their business without showing any signs of anxiety. Women were seen roaming about fearlessly. Traffic flowed normally as well. Prayer was going on as usual at the Hanuman temple on Main Road.
Deepak Kumar, the city’s Deputy SP, verified the tranquillity, adding it could only be achieved with everyone’s help. “I’m hoping for a continuation of this situation,” he remarked.
According to a district control room official, up to 5000 police officers equipped with riot control vehicles were deployed throughout the city.
