Ranchi, March 27 (HS): A significant impact was observed from the Ranchi shutdown called by the BJP on Thursday in protest against the murder of BJP leader and former Zila Parishad member Anil Tiger. Shops and establishments in the city and rural areas were closed, and vehicle movement on main roads was halted for hours. A large number of shutdown supporters protested and chanted slogans against the state government. One hundred twenty-five supporters were detained in the district but were released later in the evening.
During the Ranchi shutdown called by the BJP in protest against the murder of the BJP leader, shutdown supporters took to the streets and blocked roads for hours in various areas, including Kokar, Lalpur, Bariatu, Buti Chowk, Albert Ekka Chowk, Kanke, Argoda, Chutia, Kishoreganj, Tatissilwe, Namkum, Hinu, Dhurwa, Ratu, and others. During this time, all major routes were blocked, and shops and establishments remained closed. The shutdown was supported by the AJSU party, JD(U), LJP, and JAILAKM.
On Wednesday, BJP leader and former Zila Parishad member Anil Tiger was shot dead at Kanke Chowk in Ranchi. One of the criminals involved in the incident was chased by the police and shot in the thigh during the encounter, resulting in his arrest.
Central Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth remained with supporters at Piska Mor during the shutdown. He went onto the street with workers from Pandara Mandal and Sukdev Nagar Mandal and expressed his protests by sitting on the road near Piska Mor. Before this, Sanjay Seth went up to Ratu Road, appealing to all businessmen, shopkeepers, and others to support the shutdown. The Defence Minister sat on the road at Piska Mor for six hours from morning.
During the road blockade, Sanjay Seth stated that this blockade is the beginning of a mass movement against the deteriorating law and order situation in Ranchi. If the government and administration do not ensure Ranchi's security immediately, the intensity of the protests will increase. In support of the shutdown, state organization general secretary Karamveer Singh, BJP district president Varun Sahu, and other party officials took to the streets.
During the shutdown, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdev, Bhairav Singh, Shashank Raj, and senior leaders of the Ajsu party, Praveen Prabhakar and Kumud Verma, along with other leaders, were taken into custody. Jailekam leader Devendra Nath Mahto was also taken into custody while protesting at Albert Ekka Chowk.
Ranchi's DIG and SSP, Chandan Kumar Sinha, stated that there were no reports of any unpleasant incidents during the shutdown. A total of 125 supporters of the shutdown were detained from the district and were released later in the evening.
Meanwhile, the current state president and MP Deepak Prakash, state general secretary and MP Aditya Sahu, and Dr. Pradeep Verma visited the home of the deceased BJP leader to meet the family and offer their condolences.
The last rites of BJP leader Anil Tiger were conducted in Gagi village, located in Kanke. His son, Suraj Mahto, performed the last rites, and a large number of people were present during this time.
In protest against the murder of BJP leader Anil Tiger, BJP and Hindu organizations burned an effigy of Chief Minister Hemant Soren in Lohardaga district. Meanwhile, in Ramgarh, supporters of the Jharkhand Democratic Revolutionary Front (JLKMF) also protested, with party supporters blocking National Highway 33 near the Kothar Over Bridge for four hours.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
