Several agitators and four policemen were injured during a clash near the Jharkhand assembly on Monday, as police used water cannons, tear gas and lathi-charged job aspirants protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, officials said. The clash took place after the protesters breached multiple barricades near the Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha. While the protesters alleged that several of them, including women, were injured in the police action, Ranchi City SP Paras Rana said four policemen suffered injuries during stone pelting by the demonstrators. The protesters breached the barricades and reached Gate No 1 of the assembly, where they staged a sit-in and refused to leave until their demands were addressed, even as police resorted to a fresh round of lathi-charge. The march began from outside the old assembly building around 10.30 am, as the agitation over recruitment exam “irregularities” entered its 17th day. It also coincided with Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday. Police used water cannons when the protesters reached the Jagannathpur Temple. The situation escalated after the demonstrators attempted to move beyond the final barricade, prompting the police to lathi-charge again. Several rounds of tear gas shells were also fired when the protesters came within around 200 metres of the assembly. Protests by thousands of job aspirants in Jharkhand against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) entered its 17th day on Monday. The protesters marched towards the state Assembly in Ranchi, with a majority reaching near the Vidhan Sabha. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for nine days and has lost 10.5 kg, joined the march in an ambulance while carrying a portrait of former chief minister Shibu Soren. The march came a day after the state government agreed to cancel three examinations, including the preliminary examination of the 14th JPSC Combined Civil Services Examination. Three JPSC members also resigned on Sunday. The protesters, however, are seeking wider reforms in the JPSC and JSSC, cancellation of additional examinations and an independent probe into the alleged irregularities. Authorities imposed prohibitory orders and deployed more than 1,500 security personnel, including the Rapid Action Force, Indian Reserve Battalion, district police and Quick Reaction Teams, along the four-kilometre route. Police resort to lathi charge during 'Vidhan Sabha gherao' march Jharkhand Police on Monday resorted to a lathi charge to control the crowd during the 'Vidhan Sabha gherao' march against alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examinations. Police had also used water cannons against the protesters in Ranchi. Vikram Kumar, a student protester injured in a lathi charge, said, "Hemant Soren ji, you should not have done this. We were protesting peacefully. We did not even hurl any abuses. Suddenly, the police launched a lathi charge. This is not good." Read the full story here #WATCH | JPSC-JSSC aspirants' protest in Ranchi (Jharkhand) | Police resort to lathi charge to control the crowd, during 'Vidhan Sabha gherao' march of protesting students. pic.twitter.com/f4XGdOajrh #WATCH | JPSC-JSSC aspirants' protest in Ranchi (Jharkhand) | Brajkishor, an injured student protester, says, "I was standing 150-200 metres behind the barricading. I was also a little drenched (due to water cannon by Police) when Police suddenly launched a lathi charge. It did… pic.twitter.com/FWVHmhWTcD Jharkhand police officer says used 'mild' lathi charge Gaurav Goswami, SP Rural, Ranchi, said that a mild lathi charge was carried out after some protesters attempted to cross the final barricade, where Section 163 is already in force. "Minimum use of lathi was done," he said. Goswami added, "We are speaking with the students continuously. They are peaceful right now; we are engaging with them continuously. The students have agreed with us to stop here itself for some time." Former JPSC Chairperson L Khiangte arrested by CID Jharkhand CID on Monday arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte in connection with alleged irregularities in the recruitment examinations. Khiangte, who was appointed as Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) chairperson in February last year after he retired as the state's chief secretary, tendered his resignation on July 22. "We have arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte in connection with irregularities in recruitment examinations," Additional Director General (CID), Manoj Kaushik, told PTI . Read the full story here Speaker questions absence of BJP MLAs from Jharkhand assembly Jharkhand assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato on Monday questioned the absence of BJP legislators from the House, saying raising queries and then not attending the proceedings was "not considered good practice in the parliamentary system". As the House assembled at 11 am on the third day of the Monsoon session, Mahato called out the names of BJP MLAs Nagendra Mahto, Chandreswar Prasad Singh and Raj Sinha to raise their queries during the Question Hour. However, when there was no response from the legislators, the speaker remarked, "Raising questions in the House and then not attending the proceedings is not considered good practice in the parliamentary system. Read the full story here Fresh clash erupts between protesters, police A fresh clash broke out between student protesters and police during the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march, with police firing tear gas shells to control the crowd. #WATCH | JPSC-JSSC aspirants' protest in Ranchi (Jharkhand) | Fresh clash between student protesters and Police during 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march. Police use tear gas shells for crowd control. pic.twitter.com/SCZDYjqszZ Ranchi City SP says protesters pelted stones at police Ranchi City SP Paras Rana said 90 per cent of the students were peaceful, while around 10 per cent ignored appeals and broke through barricades, injuring three police personnel. He said protesters also pelted stones at the police, but the force showed restraint and used minimal aggression for a short period as the protesters were students. Rana said, "...700 to1000 students in the crowd are not listening to anyone, not even to their representatives, and have broken barricading - pushing through the barricading and crushing three Police personnel." Rana appealed to the students to remain peaceful, saying their demands were reaching the government, and urged them not to resort to violence or stone-pelting. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahato says agitation not going to stop During the 'Vidhan Sabha gherao' march, student leader Devendra Nath Mahato said the agitation would continue, calling it a mass movement. He added that the palindrome of 'Yuva' (youth) is 'Vayu' (wind), and said, "nobody can stop 'Vayu'". He added, "You can see the pain of students in this Vidhan Sabha march. Even after nine days of my hunger strike, I came here in an ambulance and a I am part of this march on a stretcher. But this government is crushing our voice, and using water cannon and tear gas shells. This is condemnable. government is scared; this is coward government. Sarkar jab jab darti hai, tab tab Police ko aage karti hai ..." "We will continue to march ahead. We had three rounds of discussions with the government, they should meet our demands. If students' demands are not met, the CM post will be under threat. Government will be shaken, this agitation is not going to stop." ED launches probe into alleged exam irregularities The Enforcement Directorate has launched a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the conduct of multiple recruitment examinations in Jharkhand particularly the JSSC-CGL examination, officials said on Monday. They said the central agency took cognisance of a state police CID FIR and some other complaints and chargesheets to initiate a probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Read the full story here Protesters reach near Jharkhand Assembly; house adjourned for the day Protesters reached near the Jharkhand Assembly on Monday, defying multiple barricades during the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march. The district administration appealed to the protesting students to return, informing them that the Assembly had been adjourned for the day. However, the students remained firm, saying they would not leave until all their demands were met. Protesters claim injury in police action Several protesters claimed they were injured in the police action, which took place when they reached the final barricade near Jagannathpur Temple on the road to the assembly. "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," Piyush Kumar Soni, a protester, told PTI .

"Many female students sustained injuries. Police hit us on our head, arms, face everywhere," he claimed. Vikram Kumar, who came from Hazaribag district, claimed to have sustained 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. #WATCH | Ranchi, Jharkhand: During 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march, a student protester shows marks on his back after Police lathi charge during the protest march. pic.twitter.com/0jCFcHVCe9 Student leader Ravindra Paswan urges 'peaceful protest' after fresh clash during Assembly march Amid a clash between youth protesters and police on Monday during the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march in Ranchi over alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations, student leader Ravindra Paswan appealed for a peaceful and constitutional protest, while urging the administration to identify anti-social elements attempting to disrupt the movement. "We are peaceful. Students are adamant about their issues. A few anti-social elements are attempting to take the protest in a different direction. But we, the students, are supporting our issue," Paswan told ANI . He added that CCTV footage and videos would be examined to identify those involved in any untoward incidents. Use of force against students protesting in Jharkhand wrong: Rahul Gandhi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the use of force against students protesting in Jharkhand is wrong and called on the state government to continue to hear the protesters out and resolve their issues immediately. The Congress is part of the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand. In a post on X, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said the use of force against students protesting in Jharkhand is wrong. "Students have a right to peaceful protest, and only dialogue can yield solutions. The Jharkhand government must continue to hear these students out and resolve their issues immediately," he said. Read the full story here झारखंड में विरोध-प्रदर्शन कर रहे छात्रों के ख़िलाफ़ बल का इस्तेमाल ग़लत है। छात्रों को शांतिपूर्ण विरोध का अधिकार है और बातचीत से ही समाधान निकल सकता है। झारखंड सरकार को इन छात्रों की बात सुननी चाहिए और हर समस्या का तुरंत समाधान करना चाहिए। The use of force against students… BJP 'hijacked' Jharkhand students' movement, misled them: Minister Sudivya Kumar in House Jharkhand minister Sudivya Kumar on Monday accused the opposition BJP of "hijacking" the students’ agitation for political gains and misleading protesters. Replying to a question on the students’ protest during Zero Hour in the Assembly, the state higher and technical education minister said the students had been holding a peaceful and democratic agitation but alleged that the BJP had "hijacked" it. He cautioned that the saffron party's "anarchist elements" will be responsible for any violence. "The government made every effort to resolve the students’ issues. The agitating students would have accepted the government’s proposal, but the BJP hijacked the protest and misled them into holding today’s agitation," Kumar said. ABVP to gherao Jharkhand Assembly on Tuesday over lathi-charge on protesting students The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) will lead a peaceful gherao of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly on Tuesday against the alleged lathi-charge, use of water cannons and arrests of students protesting against irregularities in JPSC and JSSC examinations. In a statement, the student wing of RSS said thousands of students are expected to march peacefully from the Old Assembly Tinkonia Ground to the Legislative Assembly and raise their demands before the government. The ABVP said it strongly condemns the lathi-charge, use of water cannons and arrests of students protesting against irregularities in JPSC and JSSC examinations in Jharkhand. Students marching peacefully towards the Legislative Assembly with legitimate demands concerning their future were met with police force instead of dialogue and resolution, it said. Police use lathi charge to disperse aspirants protesting outside State Assembly in Ranchi #WATCH | Ranchi, Jharkhand: Police use lathi charge to disperse JPSC-JSSC aspirants who were protesting outside the State Assembly in Ranchi. pic.twitter.com/qz36WsmUi4 Ranchi City SP says police personnel injured in stone pelting Ranchi City SP Paras Rana said the JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum had announced a programme to lay siege to the Legislative Assembly and had initially promised a peaceful protest. He said police had made adequate security arrangements despite criticism over the barricading. Rana said some protesters repeatedly pelted stones at the police despite appeals from organisers to remain peaceful, injuring three to four personnel. Two police personnel suffered head injuries that required stitches, while three others were trampled when protesters breached the barricades. Despite multiple security layers, the protesters managed to reach the Assembly boundary, he said. The gherao has ended, with most protesters leaving the spot, while some remained to press their demands. Rana said no protesters had been detained from the site so far. #WATCH | Ranchi, Jharkhand: Ranchi City SP Paras Rana says, "The JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum had announced a program to lay siege to the Legislative Assembly. Initially, it was stated that the protest would be peaceful. The police had made adequate preparations on their end, although… pic.twitter.com/RkXLuqUhok Devendra Mahto, on fast for 9 days, hospitalised after joining protest march JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for the past nine days over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations, was admitted to a hospital here as his health condition deteritoated after participating in a march by protesting students. Doctors described Mahto’s condition as critical, due to a “drastic” drop in his blood sugar level. “He is being treated in the emergency ward,” Nancy Priya, Medical Officer at Ranchi Sadar Hospital, told PTI. Pankaj Kumar, an aide of Mahto who was with him in the hospital, claimed that he was injured during lathi-charge by police near the assembly. Several agitators and four policemen were injured during a clash near the Jharkhand assembly on Monday, as police used water cannons, tear gas and lathi-charged job aspirants protesting against the alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, officials said. BJP calls for Jharkhand bandh on Tuesday BJP calls for Jharkhand bandh on August 11 over police lathi-charge on students protesting against recruitment exam 'irregularities'. BJP trying to mislead protesting students for political gains: Jharkhand CM Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday lashed out at opposition BJP, accusing its leaders of trying to mislead protesting job aspirants for political gains. Soren, in a social media post, also appealed to the protesters to resolve their grievances through dialogue and trust. The agitation over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations entered its 17th day on Monday. "I ...understand that amidst your peaceful movement, some people from the opposition tried to spoil the atmosphere and mislead students for political gains. I appeal to all of you not to fall into the trap of any such political narrative. You are the future of Jharkhand," Soren wrote on X. It is not about ignoring students' voice, but listening to it and resolving the problems, which is the responsibility of the government, he said. "You have raised your voice for your demands in a peaceful manner. In a democracy, it is your right to express your views, and it is the government's responsibility to respect your opinion. I assure you that the government will look into your demands with utmost seriousness and sensitivity," Soren said. "We want to make the examination system more transparent, technology-enabled, secure, and accountable. Our clear objective is to eliminate shortcomings in the system so that no student has to face trouble in the future," the CM asserted. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest Use of force against students protesting in Jharkhand wrong: Rahul Gandhi BJP 'hijacked' Jharkhand students' movement, misled them: Minister Sudivya Kumar in House Police use lathi charge to disperse aspirants protesting outside State Assembly in Ranchi Devendra Mahto, on fast for 9 days, hospitalised after joining protest march Related Stories