Jharkhand exam stir: 110 ABVP workers detained during march to assembly over police action on students

RANCHI: Around 110 ABVP workers were detained on Tuesday during their march to the Jharkhand Assembly here to protest against police action on students agitating over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in the state, a senior officer said.

The detention was made as members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) started their procession from the old Vidhan Sabha area here, he said.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out between ABVP workers and police personnel as the protesters did not allow the bus with detainees on board to move.

Some women protesters were also detained by the police during the march.

Two students, including a girl, fainted during the demonstration. Security officials carried the girl to a nearby sheltered area, where fellow protesters offered her water.

The ABVP demanded answers from the government over alleged police atrocities against students and claimed that over 200 workers were arrested by the Ranchi Police during their protest march to the assembly.

"Around 110 ABVP workers were detained during their march to the assembly. No one was arrested," City SP Paras Rana said.

Kumar Divyanshu, an ABVP worker, said the government was trying to suppress the voice of the youth and students.

"The goons of CM Hemant Soren have detained us as we were moving towards the assembly," he said.

Tushar, another ABVP worker, who sat in front of the bus carrying the detainees, alleged that they were being detained without any rhyme or reason and demanded that they be allowed to march peacefully.

Several ABVP workers were seen lying on the road in front of the police vehicle, while some climbed atop it.

"The government should remember that they can't suppress the voice of lakhs of students. We have been raising demands for a CBI probe into the alleged exam irregularities. We are raising our voices for them," another protester said.

Priti Kumari from Chatra district, who came to Ranchi to take part in the ABVP's march to the assembly, said, "We want to ask the government why the exam papers are being leaked? We demand a CBI probe. We study day and night so that we can get a job, but the papers keep getting leaked; we are beaten. What kind of justice is this?"

The RSS-affiliated student organisation had called for the march to protest against the baton charge on students during their demonstration on Monday.

Thousands of job aspirants marched towards the assembly, breached multiple barricades and clashed with police personnel on August 10.

The police used water cannons near Jagannathpur Temple and fired tear gas shells as the protesters moved towards the assembly.

Several protesters claimed they were injured, while Ranchi Police said 14 policemen suffered injuries during the protest.

The students and job aspirants have been agitating since July 25, demanding transparency in recruitment examinations, reforms in the functioning of the JPSC and JSSC, cancellation of several examinations and an independent investigation by the CBI or a panel of retired high court judges from outside Jharkhand.