Cops ensure blissful V-Day celebrations

Ranchi/Jamshedpur: The spirit of Valentine’s Day was in the air across Ranchi and Jamshedpur on Saturday. With no moral policing by right wing activists, youngsters were seen happily walking on the roads, sitting at eateries and spending quality time with their loved ones.
Painted red with heart-shaped balloons, the cities saw young couples wearing colourful dresses to celebrate the day of love.However, with most parks of the city closed for fear of The Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena brigades, Raj Bhavan garden became the favourite and safest hangout for couples.
A young couple said on terms of anonymity, “Here at Raj Bhavan we have sufficient police protection and will not be disturbed by the moral police.” Malls and restaurants decked up with flowers, ribbons and heart balloons, were the other popular hangout spots to celebrate the day of love.
For the first time in the last few years, no moral policing was seen in the capital by Hindu outfits. Instead, Shivsena members were seen offering homage to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdeo and Rajguru, whose mercy plea was rejected on this day. Also, Vishva Hindu Parishad members organized an awareness rally and blood donation camp in the city.
In Jamshedpur, amid mild protests from a group of people, Valentine Day was celebrated peacefully by the love birds.
Adequate security arrangements at popular hangouts proved to be a comfort zone for couples who wished to spend intimate moments on the day.
The Jubilee Park, located at the centre of the industrial town, witnessed a huge turnout of couples who arrived to exchange gifts and cards. Popular tourist spots like Dimna Lake, Sir Dorabji Tata Park, Bhetia Park, Theme Park were also abuzz with young couples.
“Thankfully, police presence in the park is comparatively more than what it used to be in the previous years,” said 27-year-old Ratnesh Kumar, a pharmaceutical company executive who came to Jubilee Park to celebrate Valentine’s Day with his fiancee.
A group of self-claimed guardians of the Hindu society ventured into the Jubilee Park to oppose celebration of the day, but the policemen present at the site forced them to retreat.
“Our intention is not to create a scene over here. All we desire from our brothers and sisters is to boycott Valentine’s Day that reflects the western culture,” said Rashtriya Manav Jankalyan Sena convenor, Krishna Murari Mishra. He was accompanied by Bajrang Dal activists.
As a part of its effective security arrangement, district police deployed over six small action teams (SATs), three Shakti Vahani(consisting of women police personnel) and over a dozen motorcycle-borne mobile teams in the identified parks, hotels and restaurants. Schools and colleges also had several police vans moving around them.
“All necessary steps have been taken to ensure law and order in the city on Valentine’s Day,” said SP, City, Karthik S to the reporters.
Over 20 couples gave the perfect gift to each other on this day by getting married to each other at the district registrar’s office on Saturday. However, not coming as pleasant news, roses, one of the essential gifts onV-Day, became costlier by almost 30% compared with the previous year.