The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s call for a state-wide strike is underway in protest against the police action on protesting students in Ranchi. Jharkhand BJP president Aditya Sahu said the shutdown would begin at 8 am and continue until midnight. He said essential services would remain outside the scope of the bandh. The strike was called following clashes between police and job aspirants near the Jharkhand Assembly where at least several protesters and four policemen got injured. Police used water cannons, tear gas shells and lathicharge to disperse the demonstrators after they allegedly breached multiple barricades put up near the Assembly.
ABVP to organise student march today
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has announced plans to intensify its agitation against alleged irregularities in JSSC and JPSC examinations. ABVP will organise a student march today, August 11 at 11:30 am from the Old Assembly Ground at Tinkonia to new Assembly building.
What happened at student protest in Ranchi?
The protesting students alleged that several demonstrators, including women, suffered injuries during the police action. Ranchi City SP Paras Rana, however, said four policemen were injured after protesters allegedly resorted to stone pelting. The latest confrontation took place during the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march organised by the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch.
Meanwhile, student activist 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 in Ranchi as his health condition deteriorated. Doctors described Mahto's condition as critical, due to a "drastic" drop in his blood sugar level.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren applauded police and administrative officials for handling the situation with restraint, sensitivity, and complete responsibility. He also addressed students through a post on X, saying, "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 voice. We want to make the examination system more transparent, technology-enabled, secure, and accountable. Your participation in this change is the most important."
However, the Opposition Leader Babulal Marandi extended his support to the protesting students and demanded a CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities. ""Students in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi's Jai Pal Singh Munda Stadium have been protesting for the past 15 days demanding a CBI investigation into the selling of jobs in JPSC and JSSC exams, but the government has only been stalling so far," Marandi said. He pointed to alleged irregularities in several recruitment examinations and said questions had been raised over the credibility of the recruitment process," said the LoP.
CID arrests former JPSC Chairman L Khiangte
Jharkhand CID has arrested former PSC Chairman L.Khiangte for his alleged role in JPSC and JSSC job scams, as per sources. He was questioned by CID multiple times for his alleged involvement in recruitment exam irregularities. The arrest comes amid continuing protests by JPSC-JSSC aspirants in Ranchi, who have been demanding an independent investigation and reforms in the state's recruitment examination system.
Additional Director General of CID Manoj Kaushik confirmed Khiangte's arrest, saying that the former JPSC chief was taken into custody in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the commission. "We have arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte in connection with irregularities in recruitment examinations," Additional Director General (CID), Manoj Kaushik, told PTI.
ED steps in to investigate irregularities in JPSC exam
The Enforcement Directorate, ED has stepped in to investigate irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) 14th preliminary exam. The ED has filed an ECIR last week based on the FIR registered with CID.
What are the students' demand
The protesting JPSC-JSSC aspirants are demanding the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, a CBI investigation into alleged irregularities and comprehensive reforms in the state's recruitment system. The students have been staging their agitation in Ranchi for several days, with the issue now becoming a major political flashpoint between the ruling government and the Opposition.
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