Ex-J'khand CM Champai Soren under house arrest in view of tribals' protest over land acquisition
Ranchi, Aug 24 (PTI): Former Jharkhand chief minister and BJP leader Champai Soren was placed under house arrest on Sunday to prevent law and order issues in view of a protest by tribal outfits against land acquisition for a multi-crore state-run health institute, police said.
The protesters alleged that police lathi-charged and fired tear gas shells to disperse them from the site of the proposed project in Nagri area of Ranchi. However, police could not be reached for a comment to verify the claim.
Champai Soren's son Babulal, along with supporters who were on their way to Ranchi, have also been detained at a police station, police said.
"Champai Soren is under house arrest as a preventive measure to maintain law and order in view of the tribal outfits' protests," Ranchi City Deputy Superintendent of Police K V Raman told PTI.
A large number of police personnel have also been deployed and barricades put up at strategic points in the wake of the protest, he said.
Soren, however, termed the move undemocratic and said his house arrest was ordered for supporting the tribals and their protest.
Security has also been beefed up at the residence of Soren, who has announced that he will join the protest.
Over 20 tribal groups, farmers and land owners have called for a 'Hal Joto, Ropa Ropo' (plough field, plant saplings) protest on Sunday at the site where the Rs 1,074-crore RIMS-2 hospital project has been proposed.
RIMS-2 refers to the expansion of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), a premier health facility in the state.
Despite barricades put up along roads leading to Nagri area, protesters, farmers and land owners from different villages gathered at the proposed site with posters in their hands displaying pictures of former chief minister Shibu Soren and his message 'Harwa toh joto na yaar... kaise bachega?' (plough the field... else how will you survive?).
Many protesters were seen wearing the mask of Shibu Soren, who is popularly known as 'Dishom Guru' (leader of the land).
Protesters alleged that the police lathi-charged and fired tear gas at them to disperse them from the protest spot.
The agitators claimed that by defying resistance from the police, they planted saplings on the land, where the hospital project is proposed to be set up.
Police, however, could not be reached for a comment regarding the claim.
The barricades put up by the administration caused trouble for the commuters. A local of the area, 50-year-old Basant Kumar Mahato, said he was stopped near Chandni Chowk in Kanke.
"I reside at Ring Road, but I am not allowed to go to my home," he claimed.
The Ranchi district administration has also clamped prohibitory orders banning public gatherings in Nagri area.
The orders ban public meetings and gatherings of five or more people within the specified perimeter.
Carrying arms and ammunition, explosives and other weapons is prohibited and using loudspeakers is also barred in the area, an official release said.
The health department has allotted 207 acres of land for the project.
Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari had last month claimed that the RIMS-2 will feature a 2,600-bed hospital, and have 100 undergraduate and 50 postgraduate seats.
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Hailstorm brings relief to Bengaluru from scorching summer
Bengaluru (PTI): Bringing much relief to the people battered by the scorching summer, heavy rains coupled with hailstorm lashed the city on Wednesday.
The thunderous downpour with stormy wind cooled the city, where the temperature had soared to 37 degree.
With the rains, the city, from being parched, witnessed waterlogging in just two hours.
There was waist-deep water in many areas in the city such as Richmond Town and Shanthinagar resembling a river.
The unexpected rain did not spare Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power, as water gushed inside the government offices from the lobby. The office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka was also flooded.
Since the downpour occurred in the evening, many office goers struggled to return home.
Uprooting of trees was reported in many parts of the city, including Malleswaram, Shanthinagar and Seshadripuram.
