CONRAD DIAS
Ranchi, June 17: As the violent protest of June 10 completes a week today, the city looks gloomy and intimidated as the roads appear to be empty. The Main Road part of the city has been under section 144 since last Friday when a violent mob turned a protest rally into a riot-like situation.
A sense of fear in the common public prevails today as the district administration has deployed around 5,000 CRPF, RAF and police personnel across the city. Apart from this, the administration is keeping an eye on the activities across the city with the help of drones.
Every shop in the Main Road area, apart from medical shops, was seen shut on Friday morning. There were minimal crowds seen on the road.
Mokhtar Ahmed, the General Secretary of Ranchi Anjuman Islamia, sent a letter to all Muslims in Ranchi on Thursday, asking them to pray in their local mosques on Friday.
While encouraging people to pray in their local mosques, it also cautioned parents to watch their children and prevent them from spreading rumours or false information. He also advised parents to tell their children to ignore people who summoned them to a march.
In order to prevent any violent clash like last Friday, police personnel equipped with anti-riot suits, tear gas and guns have been deployed in the heart of the city. A few female police personnel wearing anti-riot suits were also seen near the Urdu Library.
As police officials refused to give any information, lagatar24.com spoke to a few residents of main road in order to get their insights.
“We have been informed to carry out our Friday prayer at home and to not take out any procession. We will follow any order that has been given to us. What happened last week was something which should never happen again,” said Aslam Khan, one of the residents of Main Road.
Notably, Jharkhand police performed mock drills on Thursday to deal with any rowdy mob that emerges to disrupt the city’s peace on Friday. The decision was made after authorities received information about the risk of a riot following Friday (Jumma) prayers at various mosques.
Anti-riot vehicles of Jharkhand Police were also seen near Capitol Hill, Daily Market Police Station and Taxi Stand. Police have also erected barricades in six police station areas, including Lower Bazar, Daily Market, Hindpiri, Chutia, and Kotwali, where section 144 of the CrPC has already been implemented.
