Top News

The protesters breached multiple barricades despite a heavy security deployment and attempted to reach the Assembly Complex. Police used water cannons when the march reached Jagannathpur Temple and later baton-charged demonstrators as they tried to advance.

Several protesters alleged that they were injured during the police action.

“The baton charge was barbaric. We were protesting peacefully, but the government used batons against us. They can only inflict physical injuries, not harm our thoughts,” protester Piyush Kumar Soni told PTI.

“Many female students sustained injuries. Police hit us on our heads, arms, faces—everywhere,” he alleged.

Vikram Kumar, who travelled from Hazaribag district to join the protest, claimed he suffered a head injury.

“Whatever the Hemant Soren government is doing to us is not good. We were protesting peacefully, then why is your police baton-charging us?” he asked.

Protesters March Towards Assembly

The march began outside the old Assembly building at around 10.30 am and coincided with Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday.

JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for nine days over the issue, joined the march in an ambulance while carrying a portrait of former Chief Minister Shibu Soren.

Mahto objected to the installation of barbed-wire barricades along the route, saying anger was growing among students over what they described as injustices in the recruitment process.

Carrying tricolours and placards, protesters raised slogans demanding the cancellation of recruitment examinations and an independent probe.

Their placards carried messages such as “Cancel JSSC-CGL Exams or Conduct a CBI Probe”, “Why is CID escaping from conducting a raid on JSSC?” and “Conduct an impartial investigation, bring out the truth”.

Water Cannons, Baton Charge

As police deployed water cannons near Jagannathpur Temple, protesters waved the tricolour and danced. The situation escalated when they attempted to move towards the Assembly, prompting police to baton-charge the demonstrators.

“If we cannot reach the Assembly, our voices must reach them. We do not fear the government, which is treating us like traitors. We have been compelled to take to the streets,” a protester said.

The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which is leading the agitation, said it had deployed around 500 volunteers to prevent anti-social elements from joining the march.

Its leader Ravindra Paswan alleged that attempts were being made by anti-social elements to disrupt the demonstrations.

Authorities imposed prohibitory orders and deployed more than 1,500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force, Indian Reserve Battalion, district police and Quick Response Teams along the nearly 4-km route to the Assembly.

What Are Protesters Demanding?

The protesters are seeking comprehensive reforms in the JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), along with the cancellation of several recruitment examinations, including the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination.

They are also demanding an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities, either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a panel of retired High Court judges from outside Jharkhand.

The government has held several rounds of talks with the protesters but has failed to resolve the deadlock.

Following the latest discussions, the government said it had accepted 98% of the protesters’ demands. The protesters, however, said the government had agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they wanted scrapped.

Khiangte’s arrest comes amid the continuing agitation and growing demands for an independent investigation into alleged irregularities in Jharkhand’s recruitment examinations.