More than 900 unidentified people and 28 named individuals have been booked in three FIRs in connection with clashes between police and protesting job aspirants in Ranchi, Giridih and Hazaribag.
The protests were sparked by alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment examinations and subsequent legal developments affecting job aspirants. Student leaders under the banner of the "JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch" accused the state government of "deceiving" and "betraying" aspirants after the High Court intervened in cases related to recruitment cancellations.
On Friday, three FIRs were registered at Ranchi's Kotwali police station against 14 named and 200 unidentified people for allegedly obstructing government work and clashing with police.
Thousands of students had gathered at Gandhi Maidan to burn an effigy of Chief Minister Hemant Soren over the alleged irregularities when a scuffle broke out between the protesters and police. Protesters also attempted to burn effigies at Albert Chowk, leading to a confrontation involving police and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha workers. Similar incidents were reported in other districts.
In Hazaribag, an FIR was registered at Korra police station against 18 named accused and 700 unidentified people for allegedly obstructing government work and assaulting police personnel while attempting to burn an effigy of Soren on August 21, Hazaribag Sadar DSP Rupak Kumar Singh told PTI.
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"We lodged the FIR based on the application of Sadar CO Ashutosh Kumar," he said.
Korra police station officer-in-charge Nemdhari Rajak said no one had been arrested or detained so far. Police are analysing CCTV and video footage to identify those involved.
Eight personnel, including four sub-inspectors serving as OCs of Korra, Lohsinghna, Sadar and Bada Bazar police stations, were injured, Rajak said.
The accused have been booked under the BNS for assaulting police, obstructing government duty and unlawful assembly, he added.
In Giridih, two FIRs were filed at the town police station in connection with clashes on Friday and Saturday. The first was based on a complaint by ABVP activist Anish Rai, while the second was filed on the application of Sadar Circle Inspector Manoj Kumar Singh.
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The officer-in-charge of Giridih Town police station told PTI that the first FIR names 11 people, including JMM district president Sanjay Singh, while 20 others are unidentified. The second FIR names around 10 people and includes 200 unidentified accused.
"The accused have been booked for an alleged attempt to halt traffic at five locations, clash with the police for trying to burn effigies of the CM and using abusive language against him…" the officer said.
The action against the protesters followed the High Court's intervention in cases involving recruitment cancellations.
On Friday, the court stayed notifications cancelling the appointments of Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) and candidates recruited through the JSSC-CGL examination.
A day earlier, the court had stayed notifications cancelling the 11th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations and also stayed an order cancelling the appointments of food safety officers.
The student protest was organised on Friday following a call by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission-Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JPSC-JSSC) Reform Forum, which had appealed to students to burn effigies of the Chief Minister across all 24 districts of Jharkhand in protest against the High Court's stay on the cancellation of JPSC examinations and appointments.