RANCHI: Protest by job aspirants over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations turned violent near the state assembly on Monday, with police using water cannons, tear gas and lathi-charge after demonstrators breached multiple barricades.Several protesters and four policemen were injured, officials said.The protesters broke through barricades and reached Gate No. 1 of the Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha, where they staged a sit-in and refused to leave until their demands were addressed. Police later carried out another lathi-charge to disperse them.The march began around 10.30am from outside the old assembly building as the agitation entered its 17th day. The protest also coincided with chief minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday.Police first used water cannons when the protesters reached the Jagannathpur Temple. The situation escalated when the demonstrators attempted to cross the final barricade. Several rounds of tear gas were fired after they came within about 200 metres of the assembly.Protesters alleged that the police action left several people, including women, injured. “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,” said demonstrator Piyush Kumar Soni.Soni claimed several women suffered injuries to their heads, arms and faces. Another protester, Vikram Kumar from Hazaribag, said he sustained a head injury.Student leader Ravindar Paswan alleged that protesters were chased and beaten for about a kilometre after being separated from the march. He accused the government of suppressing the students’ movement.Ranchi City SP Paras Rana, however, said four policemen were injured after protesters allegedly pelted stones. “Three of them received head injuries… While the majority of the protesters were peaceful, about 15 per cent became unruly,” Rana said.JLKM student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for nine days over the issue, joined the march in an ambulance carrying a portrait of former chief minister Shibu Soren.“A government cannot be run with batons, bullets and guns. A government is run by keeping the people satisfied. Today is the 17th day of the Satyagraha. I have been on a hunger strike for nine days,” Mahto said, alleging that he was forcibly taken away in an ambulance. He vowed to continue the protest.JLKM MLA Jairam Mahto, who joined the agitation a day after observing a fast, also questioned the police action, saying students were protesting peacefully.The agitation is being led by the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, which has been demanding comprehensive reforms in the functioning of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).The protesters are also seeking cancellation of several recruitment examinations and an independent probe, either by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside Jharkhand, into the alleged irregularities.They claimed that the government had agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they want scrapped. Several rounds of talks between the government and protesters have failed to resolve the deadlock.The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch said around 500 volunteers had been deployed to prevent anti-social elements from joining the march.More than 1,500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force, Indian Reserve Battalion, district police and quick response teams were deployed along the nearly four-kilometre route. Prohibitory orders were also imposed in the area.The BJP Yuva Morcha and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad condemned the police action. ABVP announced another march to the Vidhan Sabha on August 11.Meanwhile, Higher and Technical Education Minister Sudivya Kumar accused the BJP of “hijacking” the students’ agitation for political gains.The Jharkhand assembly was adjourned for the day in the afternoon.
