U'khand CM orders magisterial probe into lathicharge on youths protesting paper leak scam

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered a magisterial probe into the lathicharge on youths protesting against paper leaks in Dehradun. A group of youngsters clashed with police at Dehradun's Gandhi Park on Thursday seeking a CBI inquiry into the alleged paper leak scam. Uttarakhand Chief Secretary SS Sandhu has been directed to conduct a magisterial probe into the incident and submit a detailed report.   

What happened at Gandhi Park, Dehradun? 

Protesting youths clashed with police at Gandhi Park on Thursday. Police say the students resorted to pelting stones. According to reports, the District Magistrate had attempted to reach out to the protestors in a bid to assuage them. Police asked protestors to leave Gandhi Park. However, when they did not listen, cops resorted to lathicharge. 

#BREAKING | Crackdown on students protesting against paper leak in Dehradun, Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/XVJJ0j9Bcc

— Republic (@republic) February 9, 2023

What is the paper leak scam? 

In December 2022, a UKPSC (Uttarakhand Public Service Commission) exam to be attempted by 1.4 lakh candidates had to be cancelled following reports of a paper leak. Further, another paper leak related to an UKSSSC (Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission) exam was reported in December 2021. In January, a special task force said that the Enforcement Directorate will probe the several recruitment scams reported in Uttarakhand.

“The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is going to crack down on the accused of recruitment scams in Uttarakhand,” STF SSP Ayush Aggarwal said. He added that the ED is probing a moneylaundering angle. 

“The federal agency has taken copies of cases related to the recruitment scam from the police. So far, seven cases have been registered in Uttarakhand regarding various recruitment scams. Another case has been filed against the accused of a recruitment scam, the ED has taken information from the police,” Aggarwal added. 

The Congress party, in Opposition in Uttarakhand, has echoed youngsters' demands of a CBI-led inquiry into the alleged irregularities. 

What is the Uttarakhand govt doing? 

While the CM has ordered a magisterial inquiry into Thursday's lathicharge, Pushkar Singh Dhami has also announced that the government will come up with a new law for recruitment exams to be conducted in the state. Dhami said the law will be called an 'anti-copying law' which will punish those involved in cheating during recruitment exams. The law will ban people indulging in cheating from taking the exams for the next 10 years.