After the daylong disturbance on Saturday, the Capital City remained peaceful on Sunday after efforts to restore normalcy by district administration and local residents. Although Section 144 imposed on Saturday was not revoked till Sunday evening, no untoward incident was reported from across the city and people could be seen on roads spending a regular Sunday.
A 'Peace March' under the leadership of Ranchi DC Manoj Kumar and SSP Prabhat Kumar was organised by Central Peace Committee of Ranchi on Sunday from Albert Ekka Chowk to Hinoo appealing everyone to maintain peace in the city. The march was actively participated by various associations, including Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya, members of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) along with the other members of Peace Committee.
Section 144 was imposed in few parts of the State capital on Saturday morning following clashes between two groups in different places. A few people also sustained minor injuries but the situation later came under control following the pro-active steps taken by the district administration. The clashes erupted after prohibited meat was thrown outside a temple late on Friday night by some unknown miscreant.
District administration appealed people to defeat nefarious design to disturb peace in the city. "We received good response people from all communities we came across during the March. As most of the people in Ranchi are in support of peace, we received such a good response, supported by over 500 people from all communities,” said Ranchi DC Manoj Kumar. SSP Prabhat Kumar on the other hand, appealed not to give substance to rumours being propagated through social media.
According to Kumar, the disturbances on Saturday were sparked off due to the irresponsible posts on social media. The SSP, however, assured that the situation will normalise soon in the coming days.
"The march was attended by people from all walks of life belonging to different communities" said SSP.
Ranchi Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijayvergiya, calling the March as historical, said that such a long distance march covering both affected and non-affected parts never had taken place in Ranchi earlier. "Peace could be easily noticed in the city. The situation drastically changed after Chief Minister Raghubar Das came on the streets of Ranchi and appealed to maintain peace in the city," said the Deputy Mayor.
FJCCI president Pawan Sharma and general secretary Vinay Agrawal in a joint statement also appealed the business communities to unite to maintain peace in the city so that the situation in Ranchi could remain as earlier. He also asked everyone to cooperate with the police and do not give importance to the rumours on social media.
Jharkhand, according to Sharma, is a place of peace lovers where people of different communities have been living together for years. "Some anti-social elements definitely had tried to damage peace in the city, but due to pro-active steps taken by the district administration, peace could again be maintained in Ranchi," said Sharma. As it a festive season, FJCCI appeals everyone in the city to cooperate in maintaining peace, added Sharma.
Central Peace Committee Member Shamsher Alam said that the March, which started from Albert Ekka Chowk and went on till Hinoo Chowk via Main Road and Doranda, received excellent response from the people. "We went on till Hinoo meeting whoever came across appealing them to maintain peace in the city," said Alam.