Ranchi: The Ranchi administration on Friday sealed all entry points to Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, the nerve centre of a 25-day agitation by job aspirants, amid apprehension that protesters could regroup after Jharkhand high court stayed the govt’s cancellation order in several recruitment exam cases.Though no formal prohibitory order barring entry to the stadium had been issued till the filing of this report, its gates remained locked throughout the day. Police attributed the closure to proposed repair work, but did not specify either the nature of the work or when the centrally located ground would reopen.Kotwali police station officer in-charge Sanoj Kumar said access had been restricted because repairs were set to begin. “The ground will remain closed till the work is completed,” he said, declining to give a timeline.The sudden closure also hit morning walkers, joggers and young athletes, who had already been unable to use the stadium during the agitation. “Senior citizens and sportspersons suffered for nearly a month because of the protest. We thought the ground would reopen after the stir was suspended, but the gates have been locked again,” Main Road resident Santosh Kumar said.The stadium had emerged as the centre of the PSC-JSSC agitation, which began on July 25. Aspirants braved rain, held hunger strikes and organised marches to Albert Ekka Chowk and the state assembly, seeking cancellation of allegedly tainted examinations, a CBI probe into suspected paper leaks and an overhaul of the recruitment system.Protesters suspended the agitation on Wednesday after state govt notified the cancellation of 22 recruitment examinations, placed six processes on hold and ordered scrutiny of 17 others. However, fresh resentment surfaced after the high court on Thursday stayed the cancellation of appointments linked to the 11th and 13th JPSC civil services examinations and the recruitment of food safety officers. Student leaders fear the interim relief could dilute the govt’s assurances and revive the mobilisation.
