Ranchi students clash with JMM workers during recruitment protest

A protest in Ranchi by members of the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch turned into a scuffle on Friday after clashes erupted between students and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) workers. The students were marching toward Albert Ekka Chowk to burn effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to protest alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.

Protesters accused the state government of misleading them into withdrawing a previous agitation after the Jharkhand High Court stayed notifications regarding the cancellation of certain appointments. The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leader, Ravindra Paswan, alleged that JMM workers misbehaved with female participants and attempted to seize the effigies, prompting students to chase the workers to recover them.

Local police disputed the protesters' account, stating the disturbance was caused by the demonstrators deviating from an approved route. According to Lalpur police, the students moved toward the Jharkhand Public Service Commission office instead of the designated path, which resulted in traffic disruptions.