Around 1,000 people of a residential complex in Ranchi were locked in by a 150-strong mob for three hours on Friday for allegedly releasing dirty water into an open drain, a crisis arising out of flawed civic planning in the capital.
The residents of Gokuldham Society were rescued after police forces from Bariatu, Lalpur and other adjoining thanas arrived at the spot to pacify the protesters, mostly residents of low-lying areas that are flooded by the overflowing drain, and broke open the locks.
The troubled broke out around 9am when the protesters locked the main gate of the society on Harihar Singh Road in Morabadi from outside.
Many society residents could not go office and children had to skip school while those who had gone for morning walk were forced to stay outside for three-four hours.
A large contingent of police arrived at the spot around 10am and after much resistance, they broke open the locks to release the "hostages" around 11.15am.
Harihar Singh Road is the address to upmarket Gokuldham Society, Indu Kamal Apartments, Anjali Apartments, Arunoday Apartments, Surya Apartments, Basundhara Apartment and Shree Durga Palace, and many other standalone homes, besides urban slums.
The main drain passing through the area doesn't have any outlet and thus, has been a cause for trouble for the past couple of years. Earlier, the drain used to open into a private land, the owner of which moved court and won the case. The outlet was consequently blocked but Ranchi Municipal Corporation didn't bother to find a viable alternative.
Now, every time it rains, the drain overflows and dirty water swamps the area, making life difficult for people who live in modest homes compared to those living in high-rises. Local residents have been alleging that Gokuldham Society is releasing sewage into the open drain, the main of bone of contention that had triggered a similar hostage drama in June last year.
The local people turned furious after a woman and her minor son met with an accident on Harihar Singh Road on Thursday evening after her two-wheeler skidded off the slippery stretch.
"She received fracture on her right ankle. Her minor son, barely five years old, also suffered bruises. These so-called elite residents of this posh housing society are so careless that they did not make provision for proper drainage" said a protester.
Are we responsible for this mess? Is it our duty to construct the drain or RMC and government? deputy mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya said.
