BJP, AJSU workers enforce 9-hr bandh in Ranchi over politician's murder

Ranchi: Supporters of the BJP, AJSU Party and other organisations hit the streets of Ranchi on Thursday, enforcing a nine-hour bandh to protest the killing of a saffron party leader.

BJP's Ranchi Rural District general secretary Anil Mahto 'Tiger' was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants in the state capital on Wednesday. He was also a former Zilla Parishad member. Police claimed to have arrested one person in connection with the killing.

Holding party flags, the bandh enforcers staged demonstrations and burnt tyres on the roads to block vehicular traffic in various parts of Ranchi, including Harmu, Dhurwa, Kanke Road, Lalpur, Dhurwa and Piska More, since morning.

Many schools in the city were shut and most of the markets and business establishments remained closed while a few vehicles plied the roads.

"We had called for a nine-hour bandh from 8 am to 5 pm to protest the killing of Anil Mahto 'Tiger' and deteriorating law and order situation in the state," party spokesperson Pradeep Sinha said.

Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM), Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Kendriya Sarna Samiti and some other organisations also extended support to the bandh.

The Ranchi district administration made elaborate security arrangements to maintain law and order, and appealed to the protesters to observe bandh in a peaceful manner.

Several leaders from BJP, AJSU Party and JLKM were taken into preventive custody in Ranchi.

Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo claimed that he was detained by the police from his residence without stating any reason.

State party president Babulal Marandi criticised the detention of the workers.

"Police tried to suppress the democratic right to protest. Many party leaders and workers were detained without any reason. The law and order situation has deteriorated across the state," he said.

The final rites of the slain BJP leader, meanwhile, were performed at his ancestral home at Gangi village in Ranchi's Kanke block.

Ruling party leaders, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Radha Krishna Kishore, Excise Minister Yogendra Prasad and others visited the village and paid homage to the mortal remains of Anil Tiger.

Former chief minister Raghubar Das and AJSU party chief Sudesh Mahto were among several other leaders from the NDA who visited the village and paid their tributes.

"This is the first time since the creation of Jharkhand that law and order has become so pathetic. The government should make efforts to improve the situation," Das said.