The violent face-off with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night that left 20 Indian soldiers dead sparked a wave of protests and condolence messages across the state.

Two soldiers from the state, Kundan Kumar Ojha from Sahebganj and Ganesh Hansda from East Singhbhum, both sepoys, were among those who died that night.

Despite restrictions on organising gatherings due to the coronavirus induced pandemic, at least two congregations were organised in Ranchi on Wednesday to express solidarity and respect for the armed forces. Similar gatherings were also held in Chatra and Ramgarh.

Rashtriya Yuva Shakti, a youth organisation, held a rally at Albert Ekka Chowk in Ranchi where they lodged a protest against the Chinese action at the border, paid tributes to the martyred soldiers and urged people to boycott Chinese goods.

They also burnt an effigy of the Chinese president Xi Jinping and later, in the evening, lit earthen lamps to pay tribute to the slain soldiers.

Members of Jan Adhikar Manch pay tributes to martyred soldiers by observing two-minute silence at Sindri in Dhanbad on Wednesday. Gautam Dey

“We will also begin a door-to-door campaign soon for approaching people and convincing them not to use Chinese goods,” the outfit’s president Uttam Yadav told The Telegraph Online, adding that they were calling it their Action Boycott programme.

They also urged the Union government to float an agency similar to a regulatory authority that would monitor inflow of Chinese goods in the country and enforce restrictions on use of such goods.

A Muslim group also staged a similar demonstration and burnt an effigy of the Chinese president at Kantatoli Chowk.

Reports also came in from Chatra and Ramgarh where people demonstrated, protesting against the Chinese attack on the border. At Chatra, a group of traders also burnt Chinese goods and urged people not to use Chinese goods.

The mood in Ramgarh was rather sombre. Ajsu Party supporters shaved their heads as a symbol of mourning and paid respects to the soldiers who were martyred on Monday night.