Policemen stand guard at the Haunted House. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, Oct. 1: A day after deputy commissioner K.K. Soan directed for the opening of Rock Garden to public, several persons burnt down the haunted house located on the garden premises, sending the message that they were not in favour of it being opened.

The garden had been closed since August 15 after a violent incident there in which a villager died and seven policemen were injured. The district administration had sealed the garden on August 16.

Later, Soan directed for opening it on September 29 for the public, writing a letter to the Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA).

According to the police, the unidentified miscreants burnt down the haunted house around midnight yesterday when the district administration was busy managing the law and order in the city for the Durga puja festivities. No one has been arrested yet.

Rock Garden is situated on Kanke Road.

The RRDA had given the garden to a Calcutta-based company, M/s Nerve Knock Park Theme Private Limited, on “Build Operate and Transfer (BOT)” basis on 21-year lease in 1998. The company had agreed to pay Rs 12 lakh to the RRDA every year and invest Rs 10 crore to develop it.

The company, it is said, had already invested Rs 1.5 crore to construct the air-conditioned haunted house. The then chief minister of Bihar, Rabri Devi, inaugurated it in January 1999. It was the first of its kind in the state.

A 20-minute visit of the haunted house was sufficient to give one a sleepless night. Featuring on the lifestyle of Dracula, the house was constructed under the supervision of Calcutta-based artists and music director, who created the effects and background score.

The show included a tour of the house for 25 people at a time. In the welcome room, a person with blood dripping from his head was visible to the people. This apart, 15-20 heads hanging in an artistic manner were also there to greet the people amid horror sound effects. The air-conditioners were installed close to the floors to add to the chilling effect to the visitors.