The national Tricolour, flying at half-mast on Ranchi Hill since April 17, was finally brought down on Thursday in a much-needed face-saver for a beleaguered Jharkhand government.

The torn and tattered flag was handed over to SDO Aditya Kumar Anand by Sanjeev Kumar Singh, general manager (project) of Kashish Developers, the agency hired for the rescue after the army's chopper mission came a cropper.

On how the giant 99ft by 66ft flag, weighing 60kg, was lowered from the 293-feet-tall pole, Singh said they had to balance ladders on the scaffolding to achieve the feat.

"This (Thursday) morning, we found a portion of the flag ripped apart (by the wind) and realised the urgency to bring it down without further delay. We had erected the scaffolding to a height of 145ft yesterday (Wednesday), but raising it to the flag in a day was a challenge. So, we used ladders," he said.

Singh claimed two ladders, each 6.5 metres long, were tied end to end and inclined on the pole from the scaffolding to gain access to the flag. "Labourers Durga and Ranjeet risked the climb, braving the afternoon heat, and brought down the Tricolour from the rope around 1pm."

A small army of 10 labourers then bundled the flag and lowered it from the scaffolding to the ground with ropes around 3.40pm.

While the operation was underway, representatives of various social and religious organisations such as Rashtriya Yuva Shakti, Rashtriya Sainik Sangh and Hindu Jagran Manch swamped Pahari Mandir.

One Pradeep Kumar of Rashtriya Yuva Shakti climbed up the scaffolding and tried to bring down the flag all by himself, but was stopped.

Sujit Singh of Hindu Jagran Manch demanded respectful disposal of the flag in the presence of mediapersons. "The Tiranga was hoisted amid fanfare and now not a single representative of Pahari Mandir Vikas Samiti is here to supervise how it is being pulled down. If the district administration had any respect for the flag, it would have dissolved the Samiti by now. What a disgrace it has brought to the city!" he said.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Kashish Developers called Ranchi deputy commissioner Manoj Kumar, seeking police protection.

By 2.30pm, SDO Anand reached the spot and pacified the protesters. "The district administration will dispose of the Tricolour in adherence to the Flag Code of India," the SDO promised.

PIL in high court

One Kailash Yadav filed a PIL in Jharkhand High Court on Thursday, seeking "restoration" of the Tricolour on Ranchi Hill. The petitioner has made the chief secretary and Ranchi deputy commissioner and SSP parties to the case, saying both the state and district administrations had failed to maintain the dignity of the national flag.

Do you think the Tricolour should be hoisted here again? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com