Ranchi: Normal life came to a standstill across parts of Jharkhand on Tuesday as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers enforced a state-wide shutdown from 8:00 AM to midnight, protesting police action against job aspirants marching toward the state Assembly a day earlier. The protests stem from alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). Most educational institutions and commercial establishments remained closed, while public transit and vehicular movement dropped significantly in Ranchi and other major cities. Essential services were excluded from the shutdown.
The bandh was declared following Monday’s clashes in Ranchi, where thousands of job aspirants breached security barricades, resulting in police deploying water cannons, tear gas, and batons. While several demonstrators were injured, Ranchi police confirmed that 14 personnel also sustained injuries during the confrontation. In political developments surrounding the agitation, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi condemned the use of force and advocated for dialogue, prompting sharp criticism from BJP leaders who pointed to the Congress party’s participation in the Hemant Soren-led ruling coalition. Chief Minister Hemant Soren urged students to maintain peace, assuring them that the government remains committed to making recruitment processes transparent while warning against political exploitation of the agitation.
Simultaneously, legal and investigative actions over the examination irregularities intensified on multiple fronts. The Enforcement Directorate launched a money laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, taking cognisance of state CID FIRs, specifically regarding the JSSC-CGL examination. In a significant law enforcement action, the Jharkhand CID arrested former JPSC chairperson and retired IAS officer L. Khiangte, bringing total arrests in the case to 20, following the resignation of three serving JPSC members. Additionally, Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha leader Devendra Nath Mahto was admitted to Ranchi Sadar Hospital in critical condition after his health deteriorated during a nine-day hunger strike.
