Hazaribag: Defying a ban imposed by the state government on public gatherings and religious processions in the state, a few akharas in Hazaribag on Tuesday took out the first mangalwari julus (pre-Ramnavami processions held on Tuesdays) ahead of Ramnavami on April 21.
On being informed, the police team under SDO (sadar) Vidya Bhushan Kumar and SDPO (headquarters) Mahesh Prajapati visited the busy Jhanda Chowk where the congregation of akharas took place for taking out a procession. Traditionally, the procession marks beginning of Ramnavami from the traditional Bara Akhara Mandir in the Boddom Bazar locality. On seeing police, the crowd shouted slogans and protested for stopping their procession.
The district administration then warned the crowd of police action if they tried to defy Section 144 clamped in the area by going ahead with the processions.
Talking to TOI, Kumar said, “Taking out a procession was a violation of the circular issued by the Government of India and the state disaster management department in view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.”
Explaining in details, he said that the central peace committee meeting, which was attended by the officials of civil administration, police and prominent citizens belonging to all communities agreed that this year no procession during Ramnavami, Sarhul, Easter and other festivals will be allowed to be taken out.
“Tuesday evening, some rigid members of the puja committees started arguing with the administration and threatened that at any cost they will take out the procession like other years. At this point, we prevented them from going ahead and due to heavy police arrangements, the procession was forced to disperse,” he said.
Kumar added, to control the situation, additional forces and RAF were deployed. Asked if the administration has lodged an FIR or arrested the violators, the SDO said no punitive action has been taken as yet. “A strong warning was issued to everyone and if the violation continues, proper cases will be lodged against violators,” he said.