Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], August 11 (ANI): Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato alleged that the police carried out a “cowardly act” by resorting to lathicharges on students during the JPSC-JSSC aspirants’ protest march in Ranchi, claiming that the incident had “deeply tarnished” their reputation.
Speaking to ANI about the protest march, Mahato said, “Today’s movement was truly historic, and until the evening, it was a peaceful protest. However, at night, the Jharkhand Police committed a cowardly act–an act that has deeply tarnished the force’s reputation.”
“Under the cover of darkness, with the lights turned off, they asked the students to sit down, assuring them that a dialogue would take place. The students sat there hoping for a meaningful conversation, but instead of talking, the police unleashed a lathi-charge–a brutal assault,” he alleged.
The JLKM MLA further alleged that women protesters were also subjected to police action. “Women were assaulted by male police officers; there were no female officers present to handle them,” Mahato claimed.
He said a decision regarding the future course of action would be taken soon and assured support to the protesting students. “A decision will be made soon, and we will support that call. We stood together during the protest, and we will continue to stand together in the future,” Mahato said.
Jharkhand Police on Monday used lathis and water cannons to control the crowd during the ‘Vidhan Sabha gherao’ march by Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) aspirants in Ranchi over alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC-Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examinations.
The protesting aspirants have been demanding cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, a CBI probe into alleged irregularities, and reforms in the recruitment process. They have alleged that their demands have not been fully accepted by the state government.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said the government respects the students’ right to raise their concerns and assured that their demands would be addressed through dialogue.
In a post on X, Soren thanked administrative and police officials for handling the situation with “restraint, sensitivity, and a deep sense of responsibility” during the student protest. He also urged students not to be influenced by any political narrative and called for resolving the issue through “dialogue and mutual trust”. (ANI)
Related reading
