Ranchi: In a sigh of relief to the administration on Friday, prayers across the city were concluded peacefully a week after violent protests had turned the city into a battlefield. But the city still wore a deserted look as traffic was sparse and a section of shops remained closed on Main Road.
Muslim clerics who presided over Friday prayers, also appealed for peace and harmony saying the incidents which followed last Friday prayers were a result of rumours.Some youths were also misled, they added.
“Our city has always been a peaceful place and people from different faiths have lived in harmony for years. In my message after the prayers I have also appealed people to maintain peace and harmony,” said Khatib of Ekra Masjid Hazrat, Maulana Dr Obeidullah Qasmi.
Asked about reports of people instigating youths of Ranchi to turn the protest violent, Qasmi said police are investigating the case.
Namaz at Ekra Masjid was conducted amid tight security. Senior administrative as well as police officials, too, were camping at the spot led by Ranchi SDM Deepak Dubey as well as six circle officers and three DSPs. At other mosques in Doranda, Bariatu and Haj, namaz was carried out peacefully too.
Soon after the namaz was over, a delegation of Mahaveer Mandal led by its president Jai Singh Yadav reached the spot and also appealed for peace and harmony. “I am here to stand with my Muslim friends to ensure that we live in peace and harmony. Our Hanuman temple is very important but I am also of the view that Ekra Masjid is equally important,” he said.
But prohibitory orders will not be lifted, the district administration said.
Talking to TOI, Ranchi DC Chhavi Ranjan, said, “We are going to monitor the situation for a few more days and then a decision will be taken about relaxing prohibitory orders. There will not be any relaxation in Main Road area and the businesses will be allowed to function only between 1pm and 5pm. Police deployment, too, will continue.”
