Jharkhand protesters lathi-charged, tear-gassed, despite CM Soren's stance that dialogue, not force, would resolve the issue

As police deployed water cannons to hold back the crowd, some protesters responded by dancing under the water jets, drawing comparisons to similar scenes witnessed during the NEET protests in Patna.

NewsBharati    10-Aug-2026 15:37:41 PM
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Police resorted to lathi charges, water cannons, and tear gas on Monday, August 10, to disperse student protesters in Ranchi after they launched a peaceful protest in an attempt to reach the Jharkhand Assembly, despite Chief Minister Hemant Soren's earlier stance that dialogue, not force, was the way to resolve the issue.

In a related development, the state CID arrested L Khiangte, former chairperson of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), over irregularities in recruitment examinations. Khiangte had already stepped down from his post on July 22, and his arrest came as thousands of students converged on the Assembly to demand reforms in the recruitment process. Student leader Devendra Mahto, currently on hunger strike, was among those who took part in the march.
 
Jharkhand protest 

As police deployed water cannons to hold back the crowd, some protesters responded by dancing under the water jets, drawing comparisons to similar scenes witnessed during the NEET protests in Patna. Students had poured into the state capital from various districts since the morning, arriving by trains, buses, and other means of transport to join the demonstration in large numbers.
 

To manage the situation, authorities had set up barricades at key intersections and sensitive locations across the city, anticipating potential law-and-order concerns. A heavy police presence was maintained throughout, and most schools in Ranchi remained closed for the day. In an effort to limit the influx of protesters, police had also been inspecting buses and private vehicles at district borders, along highways, and on major roads.
 
 

Separately, BJP leaders staged their own protest outside CM Soren's residence. The unrest stems largely from allegations of paper leaks in exams conducted by the JPSC and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). Today's march came after several rounds of negotiations between protesting groups and a government-appointed committee failed to bring the 16-day-old agitation to an end. Even the sixth round of talks held the previous day ended without resolution, as students continued to push for a CBI investigation into the alleged malpractice.
 
 

Previously, the state government harassed journalist Aman Chopra and also filed FIR against him for covering the said students' protest in Jharkhand. BJP's Amit Malviya, following this, slammed the Hemant Soren government for targeting Chopra, alleging that Jharkhand Police showed up at his hotel and took him in for questioning. Posting the video, Malviya questioned why action was being taken against a journalist reporting on the student protests, and asked why police appeared more focused on questioning media personnel than on maintaining order during the demonstrations.
 
ALSO READ: Jharkhand protest: Students walk towards Vidhan Sabha amid heavy security 'arrangements', dangerous barricades 

Ranchi witnessed a heavy police presence as protesters assembled at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium before setting off towards the Assembly building. Several BJP figures, including former chief minister Babulal Marandi and state BJP president Aditya Sahu, were also detained while protesting outside CM Hemant Soren's residence.

Meanwhile, JPSC protest leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike, joined the march after arriving in an ambulance and was later seen being carried by supporters on a stretcher as he headed toward the Assembly.
Jharkhand lathi charge tear-gas shells protest