Jharkhand youths march to gherao assembly; police use batons, tear gas shells

RANCHI: Jharkhand Police on Thursday used batons and tear gas shells on a group of youths who wanted to gherao the assembly to protest against the state government’s new recruitment policy. The police detained eight protestors in a bid to restore peace and later released them, an officer said.

Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar Sinha told reporters that youths in large numbers proceeded towards the assembly and some of them threw stones. “In a bid to control them, police resorted to mild lathi charge and used tear gas,” he said. Raising anti-government slogans, hundreds of youths from various organisations proceeded towards the Jharkhand Assembly.

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However, the police stopped them around 500 meters away leading to a scuffle. Student leader Jairam Mahto alleged that the police baton-charged on their “peaceful protest” against the new recruitment policy. The protestors also alleged that government plans to introduce a recruitment policy in which 60 per cent of seats will be reserved for various underprivileged categories while 40 per cent of seats will be open for all. The state cabinet had on March 3 approved amendments to various rules related to the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations.