From 7 am to 7 pm: How the march to Jharkhand Assembly unfolded

From Monday morning to early evening, thousands of job aspirants from across Jharkhand marched from the old Vidhan Sabha to the new one in Ranchi, demanding a thorough probe into alleged irregularities in the government exams. The protesters, mostly students and job aspirants, were met with lathi-charge, tear gas, and water cannons as they sought to breach the police barricades.

Former Jharkhand Public Service Commission chairman L Khiangte, an IAS officer, was among those arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation. Between 7 am and 8 am, over 10,000 people gathered near the old Assembly building, carrying placards, the Tricolour, and posters of Bhagat Singh, Shibu Soren, and Nirmal Mahato. After walking for two kilometers, the protesters reached the first set of police barricades, where they halted briefly to await leader Devendra Mahto, who was brought on a stretcher due to injuries.

Security forces, including Jharkhand police, Jaguar, and Rapid Action Force personnel, were present in large numbers. Despite the police's initial reluctance to use force, they resorted to lathi-charge after protesters attempted to push through the barricades violently, resulting in around five to six students being injured. Tear gas was fired twice more as the confrontation intensified.

Despite the confrontations and rain, several students remained near the Vidhan Sabha, continuing their protest even after the monsoon session had ended.