Jharkhand Protest: Ranchi Police Registers FIR Against 14 Named, Over 200 Unidentified Protesters

Jharkhand: Ranchi Police has registered three FIRs against 14 named people and more than 200 unidentified persons following Friday’s clash between police and protesters linked to the JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch in Jharkhand’s capital. 

According to Ranchi City SP Paras Rana, the cases were filed at the Kotwali police station in response to the protest confrontation. Among those named in the FIRs are Kunal Pratap Singh, Piyush Kumar, and Ravindra Paswan, all of whom are members of the JPSC-JSSC Reform Manch. Chandi Tiwari is also among those mentioned.

The cases involve claims of disrupting government activity and confronting police officers during the protest. The police filed one FIR, while the other two were based on individual complaints.

What Led To The Clash In Ranchi?

The action comes after a clash on Friday when demonstrators attempted to burn effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as part of a countrywide protest.

JMM workers disrupted a student-organized effigy-burning campaign, escalating the tension. Clashes were reported in at least four district headquarters in Jharkhand.

The JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch has been leading the protests against alleged anomalies in recruitment exams, requesting the cancelation and reform of numerous JPSC and JSSC exams. Following previous court rulings, student leaders accused the state administration of "deceiving" job seekers.

Why Are Students Angry Over The FIRs?

According to a police official, one FIR alleges obstruction of government duty and a breach of the protest route chart. The remaining two instances were lodged in response to individual complaints.

The police move provoked anger among student organizations, which have been protesting recruitment difficulties in the state. The latest developments follow a slew of court orders governing appointments and recruiting exams. On Friday, the Jharkhand High Court stopped notifications that would have canceled the appointments of Child Development Project Officers and JSSC-CGL applicants.   

A day before, the court stayed notifications canceling the 11th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission exams. It also suspended the order that canceled the appointments of food safety officers.

‘No One is a Supremo’: Student Leader Devendra Nath Mahato Condemns Police Action

Reacting to the police action against students and the incident during the effigy-burning programme, student leader Devendra Nath Mahato strongly criticised the developments and said peaceful protest is a constitutional right. 

“This is a condemnable incident. This should not happen in democracy. However much it is condemned, it is less. Now tell me, here there is a democratic system, here there is governance system by the Constitution. And in the Constitution, everyone has rights, he can put forth his point peacefully. Whether he is a student, poor, farmer, labourer, everyone has the right. In this democratic system, no one is a supremo...” 

Mahato also questioned the questioning of a woman student and alleged that the administration was attempting to silence the protesters.

“After all what, the girl student who is being interrogated, somewhere an attempt is being made to suppress the democratic voice. If it is the work of the police administration, then Jharkhand is being looted, coal is being stolen, sand is being stolen, here bauxite iron is being stolen, criminals are roaming openly, murder is being done in broad daylight, murder is being done...”

He further described the incident as unprecedented in the state and criticised the alleged role of political workers during the protest.

“It is very unfortunate, in 26 years of Jharkhand this had never happened till now. In a democratic system, the Constitution of India gives the right to peaceful agitation. The program of effigy burning is a democratic and peaceful program. The act done by the party workers under the protection of administration and government, this is hooliganism, this is absolutely not acceptable in a democratic system...”

Recruitment Reform Yatra To Begin On August 24

Mahato also announced that the student movement would now expand across the state, with a recruitment reform campaign planned in all 24 districts.

"On upcoming 24th August, 2026, Monday, we are starting the Recruitment System Reform Yatra for all 24 districts from Nemra Ramgarh, the birthplace of Guru Shibu Soren ji, and by going village to village we will raise the voice of the youth..."

The FIRs and the allegations from both sides come amid continued protests over recruitment examinations in Jharkhand, with student organisations demanding changes in the recruitment system and action over alleged irregularities.