RANCHI, India — Jharkhand Police used a lathi charge and water cannons on Monday, August 10, 2026, during a ‘Vidhan Sabha gherao’ march in Ranchi organised by students protesting alleged irregularities in examinations and the recruitment process linked to the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level (JSSC-CGL) examinations.
- Jharkhand Police used a lathi charge to control protesters during the march.
- Water cannons were also deployed against demonstrators near the Vidhan Sabha.
- Protesting aspirants are demanding cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination and a CBI probe.
- The Enforcement Directorate registered an ECIR under the PMLA over alleged irregularities in JPSC examinations.
Jharkhand Police use lathi charge during protest march
A large number of student protesters gathered near the Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha in Ranchi as part of the march led by the JPSC-JSSC Reform Morcha. The demonstration centred on allegations concerning examination procedures and recruitment processes.
Police deployed water cannons before resorting to a lathi charge to control the gathering. The action led to injuries among some protesters, according to the supplied report.
Vikram Kumar, a student protester who said he was injured during the police action, alleged that the demonstration had been peaceful before the lathi charge began.
“We were protesting peacefully. We did not even hurl any abuses. Suddenly, the police launched a lathi charge. This is not good.”
Students demand action over JPSC and JSSC-CGL exams
The protesting JPSC-JSSC aspirants have said that their principal demands have not been fully accepted by the state government. Their demands include cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into alleged irregularities and reforms in the recruitment process.
The protest was organised under the banner of the JPSC-JSSC Reform Morcha, with students gathering at the state Assembly as part of the planned gherao programme.
Devendra Nath Mahto joins Vidhan Sabha gherao
Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha leader Devendra Nath Mahto also participated in the march. Carrying a portrait of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, Mahto said the government would have to respond to the students’ demands.
Mahto has been on hunger strike at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, identified as the main protest site, for nine days. He said he had reached the protest in an ambulance and maintained that the presence of barriers would not stop the agitation.
Jairam Kumar Mahato calls agitation a student-led movement
JLKM MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato said the protest was fundamentally an agitation by students seeking accountability. He maintained that political parties may extend indirect support to such movements, but the central issue remained the students’ demands.
According to Mahato, the agitation would end once the protesters’ demands were fulfilled. He also said he would visit the march and subsequently explain the situation.
ED registers ECIR amid demand for CBI probe
The protest comes amid a fresh development concerning the allegations surrounding examination irregularities. On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate registered an Enforcement Case Information Report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with alleged irregularities in examinations conducted by the JPSC.
The development follows the protesters’ demand for a CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities. The supplied report does not provide further details about the scope or specific findings of the ED’s action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are students protesting in Ranchi?
The protesters are opposing alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC-CGL examinations and the recruitment process. They are seeking examination cancellation, a CBI investigation and recruitment reforms.
What action did Jharkhand Police take during the march?
Police used water cannons and later resorted to a lathi charge to control the gathering during the Vidhan Sabha gherao march in Ranchi.
