Jharkhand Bandh Over Tribal Religious Sites Brings State to a Halt

Ranchi: A statewide bandh called by tribal organisations to protest alleged encroachments on traditional religious sites disrupted normal life across Jharkhand on Wednesday, paralyzing several districts and blocking major roads.

The bandh, led by groups including the Adivasi Bachao Morcha and Sirmatoli Bachao Morcha, was aimed at opposing what they claim are illegal construction activities near key tribal religious landmarks—particularly the central Sarna Sthal in Ranchi.

Protesters also demanded protection for other sacred tribal sites such as Marang Buru, Lugu Buru, Parasnath, Mudhar Hills (Pithoria), and Mahdani Sarna sites in Tamar and Bedo.

In Ranchi and districts like Gumla, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Latehar, and East Singhbhum, supporters blocked roads and highways, severely affecting traffic.

Key roads disrupted included:

Ranchi-Patna Road near Kuju (Ramgarh), blocked from 10 a.m., leading to major traffic congestion.

NH-39 at Udaypura Chowk (Latehar), where traffic came to a standstill.

Roads to Gumla and Lohardaga, blocked at Toto village, 10 km from Gumla.

In Ranchi, protesters obstructed traffic at multiple points including Khelgaon Chauraha, Argora, Morhabadi, Kanke, Ormanjhi, Kadru, Tatisilve, Ratu, and Mandar. Many were seen carrying traditional weapons, sticks, and bamboo barricades, with tyres set on fire to block roads.

Shops and markets remained shut in various locations. In East Singhbhum district towns like Ghatshila, Chakulia, Galudih, and Baharagora, demonstrators marched through the streets, shouting slogans and forcing businesses to close.

In response, the state administration deployed over 2,000 police personnel in Ranchi alone, with enhanced patrolling and security arrangements in other sensitive areas to maintain law and order.

Former minister Geetashree Oraon, addressing the media while leading the protest in Ranchi, criticized the Hemant Soren-led government for ignoring tribal concerns.

“The flyover ramp near the Sarna Sthal in Sirmatoli, Ranchi, has encroached on our sacred land. We’ve been protesting since January, but the government, despite claiming to be pro-tribal, has taken no action,” she said.

Tribal groups argue that ongoing construction and infrastructure development projects are threatening the sanctity of their ancestral religious spaces—sites that are deeply woven into the cultural and spiritual fabric of tribal life.

With inputs from IANS