Ranchi Protest Turns Chaotic as Several Booked Over Clash Against Jharkhand HC Exam Stay

Ranchi Protest Turns Violent Over Jharkhand HC Exam Order; Three FIRs Name 15

Three FIRs have been registered in connection with a clash during a protest in Ranchi over the Jharkhand High Court’s decision to stay the state government’s cancellation of several recruitment examinations and appointments. The cases name 15 people as accused, along with several unidentified individuals.

The protest was organised on August 21 by the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, one of the groups leading the recent agitation over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Demonstrations involving the burning of effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were planned across all 24 districts.

The protest came a day after the Jharkhand High Court stayed the government’s decision to cancel recruitments linked to the 11th to 13th JPSC Combined Civil Services examinations, Food Safety Officer recruitment, JSSC Combined Graduate Level examination and Child Development Project Officer examination.

What Happened In Ranchi?

According to one of the police complaints, a confrontation broke out between protesters and some people allegedly associated with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), though the party has denied any organisational role in the incident.

A complaint filed at Lower Bazar police station by 34-year-old Shahbaz Alam alleged that he and his friend Mohd Kaif encountered a large group of protesters near Albert Ekka Chowk around 7 pm.

Alam claimed that after they questioned the protesters over anti-government slogans, they were abused and assaulted before being chased by the crowd. He alleged that around 200-250 people were involved and said police eventually intervened and rescued them.

He also alleged that a coaching teacher and three students, including two women, had provoked the crowd.

Members of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch rejected these allegations. They claimed that police and individuals allegedly linked to the JMM attempted to disrupt their march.

A protester alleged that police resorted to lathi-charge after the confrontation and claimed some injured protesters, including a coaching teacher, were forcibly discharged from hospital.

Two More Complaints Filed

A second complaint was filed by Ranchi city Circle Officer Shiv Shankar Pandey, who had been deployed as a magistrate during the demonstration.

Pandey alleged that around 200-250 protesters proceeded without permission and deviated from the designated route. He further claimed that members of the procession misbehaved with and assaulted a woman before attacking two men. Police subsequently intervened and took the injured men to Sadar Hospital, according to the complaint.

In the third case, 28-year-old Ankita Verma alleged that members of the procession attacked her after accusing her of belonging to another group.

Police sources said the protesters changed their route midway, causing traffic disruption. An officer claimed that when the group was asked to follow the prescribed route, a confrontation broke out with members of the public, forcing police to intervene.

JMM Denies Involvement

The JMM has rejected allegations that its workers were involved in the confrontation.

Party spokesperson Mithlesh Thakur alleged that Opposition workers had been brought to the protest to provoke the agitation. He also said the state government had accepted the students’ demands except for a CBI probe and urged protesters to respect the High Court’s decision.

The clash comes shortly after students ended their nearly month-long agitation over alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations.

The Soren government had agreed to most of their demands and cancelled 21 recruitment examinations. The High Court subsequently stayed the cancellation order following petitions filed by candidates challenging the government’s decision.

The latest confrontation has now added a fresh layer of tension to an already contentious dispute over recruitment examinations and appointments in Jharkhand.