Indian-origin woman serves home-cooked meals in Belfast after violence grips city: 'People are scared'

In a city shaken by violence and fear, an Indian-origin woman in Belfast stepped forward with home-cooked meals to support families too afraid to leave their homes.Ruchira Rangaprasad moved to Northern Ireland from India three years ago and began a social media appeal offering freshly prepared food to people affected by recent unrest. Her initiative quickly gained momentum, drawing in dozens of volunteers willing to help deliver meals across the city, reports by Reuters.Within a day, more than 50 food boxes were handed out, according to RTÉ News. Eventually, the effort expanded from a personal gesture into a wider community response.The support drive emerged after anti-immigration violence and riots spread through parts of Belfast following a knife attack earlier this week. Masked groups targeted ethnic minorities and foreign residents, with homes, vehicles and public property set on fire. Many migrant families were forced to stay indoors or flee after being directly targeted.Amid the unrest, Rangaprasad said she felt compelled to act despite her own fears. “People are scared to step out of their home, and food is like a basic need, and especially like nutritious home-cooked food… so that’s why I thought, let me cook and help feed people,” she told Reuters.Her call for help was answered rapidly, with more than 30 volunteers joining on June 10 alone. Most were strangers who stepped in to prepare and distribute meals to those in need.The violence left Belfast’s migrant communities unsettled. The disorder began after the stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie, who suffered serious injuries, including the loss of an eye. Police later charged 30-year-old Hadi Alodid with attempted murder, possession of a bladed article without good reason and making threats to kill an NHS worker. Ogilvie remains in stable condition, according to his family.In the days that followed, Northern Ireland saw two nights of unrest linked to the incident. 12 officers were injured and at least 16 people were arrested as violence spread through affected areas.