Ex-JPSC chief L. Khiangte arrested, ED opens money-laundering probe as JSSC-CGL protest turns violent on CM Soren’s birthday
Ranchi erupted in chaos on Monday as thousands of job aspirants, protesting alleged large-scale irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations, broke through multiple police barricades in a march toward the Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha. Police responded with tear gas, water cannons, and a lathi-charge, leaving several protesters injured, including student Sanjay Mahto, who said he was bleeding from a head wound.
The unrest came hours after the Jharkhand CID arrested former JPSC chairperson L. Khiangte in connection with the alleged exam fraud. Khiangte, who took charge after retiring as the state’s chief secretary, had resigned from the post on July 22. Separately, the Enforcement Directorate launched a money-laundering investigation under the PMLA into irregularities in the JSSC-CGL exam, building on a CID FIR and multiple complaints.
Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, on hunger strike for nine days, joined the march from an ambulance, urging restraint and invoking Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s birthday to appeal for peace, while accusing the government of “inviting anarchy” by refusing to fully accept protesters’ demands.
State minister Deepika Pandey Singh insisted the government respected the right to protest and had ordered no use of force, even as visuals showed tear gas and baton charges. Police officials claimed only “minimum” force was used after protesters breached the final barricade near a Section 163 zone.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders Babulal Marandi and Aditya Sahu were detained during a sit-in outside the CM’s residence demanding a CBI probe. Talks between student representatives and the government collapsed for a sixth time on Sunday, deepening the standoff over the cancellation and re-examination of the contested papers.
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