RANCHI: Thousands of job aspirants protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment exams clashed with police on Monday after breaching multiple barricades in an attempt to march to the state assembly, which is currently in session.The confrontation turned violent near Jagannathpur Temple, the final barricade point on the route to the new assembly complex, where police first used water cannons and then resorted to a lathi charge as protesters pushed forward.
Protest march in Jharkhand
Several demonstrators alleged they were injured in the police action. Piyush Kumar Soni, one of the protesters, alleged police beat them on the “head, arms, face — everywhere,” and claimed several female students were injured. Vikram Kumar, who travelled from Hazaribag, said he sustained a head injury and questioned why police used force against what he called a peaceful protest.The march coincided with chief minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday and marked the 17th day of the agitation. It began around 10:30 am from outside the old assembly building, with protesters carrying tricolours and placards demanding cancellation of the JSSC-CGL exams and a CBI probe into alleged irregularities.JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, on a hunger strike for nine days, joined the march in an ambulance, carrying a portrait of former CM Shibu Soren. He objected to barbed-wire barricades installed along the route, saying anger was building among students over perceived injustices.More than 1,500 personnel — from the Rapid Action Force, Indian Reserve Battalion, district police and QRT — were deployed along the roughly 4-km stretch, officials said, with prohibitory orders in place.The government claims it has accepted 98% of the protesters’ demands, but demonstrators dispute this, saying only three of the 13 exams they want scrapped have been cancelled so far.Separately, the Enforcement Directorate on Monday registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act linked to alleged irregularities in JPSC-conducted exams, amid the protesters’ demand for a CBI investigation.(With agency inputs)
