Ranchi: Tension erupted in Ranchi and parts of Jharkhand on Friday after members of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch accused JMM workers of assaulting protesters and disrupting a pre-announced effigy-burning programme.The protesters marched from Bapu Vatika in Morabadi towards Albert Ekka Chowk to burn effigies of chief minister Hemant Soren and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, accusing the state govt of failing to defend in the high court its decision to scrap 22 recruitment examinations.Manch member Ravindra Paswan alleged that JMM workers snatched the effigies and assaulted protesters, including women. Similar confrontations were reported in Giridih and Hazaribag.Lalpur police station officer in-charge Rupesh Kumar said the protesters deviated from the approved route and moved through Radium Road and Kutchery Chowk, disrupting traffic. “They also stopped near the JPSC office and raised slogans,” he said.At a separate protest by the Manch at Gandhi Maidan in Hazaribag, stone-pelting prompted police to resort to a lathicharge. Sadar circle officer Ashutosh Kumar, two student leaders and three women were reportedly injured.JPSC-JSSC Abhyarthi Nyay Manch leader Devendra Nath Mahto announced a statewide ‘Bharti Vyavastha Sudhar Yatra’ from Nemra, the CM’s native village, on Monday. He said the march would cover all 24 districts to mobilise students against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by JPSC and JSSC.Mahto also threatened to gherao the CM’s residence and call an indefinite statewide bandh if the govt failed to file its response in court by Sept 15.
