6 days without food, protester hospitalised as Jharkhand stir hits day 14

One of the six protesters, who have been on a hunger strike as part of a demonstration against the alleged irregularities in recruitment exams in Jharkhand, was taken to a hospital here after his health condition deteriorated on Friday, an official said.

The student leader, identified as Rahul Kranti, who has been on fast since Tuesday night, was taken in an ambulance to the Ranchi Sadar hospital for treatment, he said.

Earlier in the day, Kranti had said the protesters had appealed to the administration for a health check-up, but no doctors reached the demonstration site till 8.30 am.

Five protesters, including two women, on Tuesday night joined Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto in his hunger strike. Mahto has been on fast for the past six days.

Social activist Sonam Wangchuk, who recently observed a 26-day hunger strike in Delhi over the NEET paper leak issue, spoke to Mahto over the phone on Wednesday and urged him to at least drink water, following which Mahto started taking water.

The protest against the alleged irregularities in recruitment exams in Jharkhand entered its 14th day on Friday with two student unions announcing that they would hold a march to the state assembly, which is in session, during the day.

The demonstrators have been demanding cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and an independent probe into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment test either by the CBI or by a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.

They also stressed comprehensive reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).