Deputy mayor Ajay Nath Shahdeo, DGP Neyaz Ahmed and chief secretary AK Singh with the Baton at Vidhan Sabha grounds; and (above) Sylbaneus Dungdung during the relay. Pictures by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, Aug. 6: The wait is over. Finally, the state capital got to hold and hail the Queen’s Baton — a shining symbol of the sporting extravaganza that will unfold in Delhi this October.

Brandishing placards and flags, everyone — right from the top bureaucrats to the eminent sportsperson to the neighbourhood kids to the local chaiwala — basked in the glory of being a part of the historic moment.

The Telegraph was there to track every move.

Grand welcome

Deputy commissioner K.K. Soan welcomed the Ramgarh officials with the Baton at Chutupalu Ghati at 12.20pm. The team was escorted to War Memorial at Dipatoli where the Baton was handed over to Soan at 1.10pm in the presence of a huge crowd, including schoolchildren who stood braving the intermittent rains.

Crowd chaos

A frenzy gripped the crowd at War Memorial as everyone, from sportspersons to office- bearers of sports associations, wanted to touch the Baton. Chaos followed. The scheduled sequence of passing the Baton went haywire. Even Union minister and Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahay had to brave a pushing and jostling crowd to hold the Baton. In the commotion, the first Baton- bearer of today’s relay, Sylbaneus Dungdung and JOA president R.K. Anand, could not be spotted for a while.

RElay route

The run began from War Memorial in Dipatoli with the relay team stopping at DAV School in Bariatu, RIMS and Raj Bhavan. Other halts were Vidhan Sabha grounds, Birsa Chowk, Rajendra Chowk, Albert Ekka Chowk and Jaipal Singh Stadium before the relay ended near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Morabadi grounds.

Car count

Over 100 vehicles accompanied the relay team, not to forget the eight bikes with noted sportspersons riding them.

Protest shadow

Although the cheers drowned amid the jeers, members of the BJP’s sports cell were rounded up as they were protesting the Baton’s arrival. Hindu Jagaran Manch also staged an agitation on Bariatu Road near RIMS.

VIP list

The VIPs who got the opportunity to touch the Queen’s Baton included Governor M.O.H Farook, Subodh Kant Sahay, Jharkhand Olympic Association president R.K. Anand and advisers to governor Wilfred Lakra and R.R. Prasad

Celebration time

A cultural programme was held at Gymnastics stadium, Hotwar, in the evening in honour of the Baton. It will set off for Jamshedpur tomorrow morning.