The Jharkhand student protest over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations entered its 17th day on Monday, with thousands of job aspirants clashing with police during a march towards the state Assembly.

The protesters breached multiple barricades erected along the route to the new Assembly Complex, prompting police to use water cannons and later resort to a lathicharge near Jagannathpur Temple, news agency PTI reported.

Several protesters claimed they were injured in the police action, including on their heads, arms and faces.

When did the march to the Assembly begin?

The march began around 10:30 am from outside the old Assembly building. The protest also coincided with Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s 51st birthday. The protesters carried the national flag and placards demanding cancellation of recruitment examinations and an independent investigation into alleged irregularities.

One of the placards read, “Cancel JSSC-CGL Exams or Conduct a CBI Probe”, while others demanded an impartial investigation into the functioning of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

The police action came after demonstrators crossed one barricade after another despite a heavy security deployment along the nearly 4-km stretch leading to the Assembly.

Former JPSC chief arrested

Amid the protests, Jharkhand CID on Monday arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

Additional Director General (CID) Manoj Kaushik confirmed the arrest to PTI. Khiangte had been questioned four times since July 28.

His arrest takes the total number of people arrested by the CID in the case to 20.

Khiangte, who was appointed JPSC chairperson in February last year after retiring as Jharkhand’s chief secretary, resigned from the post on July 22. He had said he voluntarily stepped down to ensure an impartial investigation into the allegations.

The arrest came a day after all three JPSC members resigned amid mounting pressure from the protests by recruitment-exam aspirants.

Protestors’ key demands

The agitation, led by the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch, is centred on alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations and demands for changes in the functioning of both recruitment bodies.

The protesters are seeking cancellation of several examinations, including the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination, and an independent probe into the alleged irregularities.

They have demanded either a CBI investigation or an inquiry by a panel of retired High Court judges from outside Jharkhand.

The government has held several rounds of talks with the protesters but has so far failed to end the deadlock. After the latest round of discussions, the government said it had accepted 98 per cent of the protesters’ demands.

The protesters, however, have disputed this claim, saying the government has agreed to cancel only three of the 13 examinations they want scrapped.

Day 17 of hunger strikes

JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a fast for nine days over the issue, joined Monday’s march in an ambulance. He was carrying a portrait of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren.

Mahto criticised the deployment of barbed-wire barricades along the route, saying anger was growing among students over what they described as injustice in the recruitment process.

(With inputs from agencies)