Jharkhand: 3 FIRs filed against 39 named, 900 unnamed people over police-students clashes
Three FIRs have been lodged against 39 named and more than 900 unnamed people in connection with clashes that broke out between the police and protesting job aspirants in Jharkhand’s Giridih and Hazaribag, officials said on Sunday.
The development comes a day after three FIRs were registered at Ranchi’s Kotwali police station against 14 named and 200 unidentified people for allegedly obstructing government work and clashing with the police.
In Giridih, two FIRs were filed at the Town police station in connection with clashes on Friday and Saturday, while another FIR was lodged in Hazaribag for allegedly obstructing government work and assaulting police personnel, the officials said.
On Friday, thousands of students protesting against alleged Jharkhand recruitment exam irregularities had gathered at the Gandhi Maidan to burn an effigy of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, where a scuffle between the agitators and the police took place.
In Hazaribag district, an FIR was registered against 18 named accused and 700 unnamed people at Korra police station for allegedly obstructing government work and assaulting policemen while attempting to burn an effigy of Soren on August 21, Hazaribag Sadar DSP Rupak Kumar Singh said.
“We lodged the FIR based on the application of Sadar Circle Officer Ashutosh Kumar,” he said. Korra police station officer-in-charge Nemdhari Rajak said so far no one has been arrested or detained in this connection, but the police are analysing CCTV and video footage to identify the miscreants. Rajak said a total of eight personnel, including four sub-inspectors who were OCs of four police stations — Korra, Lohsinghna, Sadar, and Bada Bazar — were injured.
The accused have been booked under the BNS for assaulting police, obstructing government staffers, and unlawful assembly, he added.
In Giridih, the first FIR was filed based on the application of ABVP activist Anish Rai, while the second was lodged on the application of Sadar Circle Inspector (CI) Manoj Kumar Singh. The officer-in-charge of Giridih Town police station told PTI that the first FIR was registered against JMM leaders and workers, and 11 people, including the party’s district president Sanjay Singh, have been named as accused, whereas 20 are unidentified.
In the second FIR, around 10 people are named accused and 200 are unidentified.
“The accused have been booked for alleged attempt to halt traffic at five locations, clash with the police for trying to burn effigy of the CM and using abusive language against him,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, JPSC-JSSC Reforms Manch leaders alleged that the government is harassing them and there are several members whose name are in FIRs both at Ranchi and Hazaribag, questioning how they could be present at both places.
“The FIRs in Ranchi and Hazaribag name Kunal Prata Singh, Ravindra Prasad and me... How can we be present at both the places simultaneously,” questioned Piyush Kumar Singh.
Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi demanded that the government take back the FIRs against students.
“If the government fails to recall FIRs, youths should not be afraid of jail... fill up the jails,” Marandi told reporters.
Former JNU students’ union president and Students Federation of India (SFI) national joint secretary Aishe Ghosh condemned the FIRs against the protesting students in Jharkhand.
“We condemn any form of brutality and atrocity on students in Jharkhand.
The students protesting have legitimate demands, and the government should listen to them to resolve their issues. There is always room for dialogue.
FIRs and intimidation against the student community should not happen,” Ghosh told PTI during a march led by the SFI here.
The state police, meanwhile, have issued an advisory on Sunday, saying organisers should obtain permission in advance for dharnas, demonstrations, processions, rallies and public meetings held in public places, and follow due procedure.
They made an appeal to students and the general public to not to pay heed to rumours.
Student leaders accused the state government of “deceiving” and “betraying” job aspirants, after the high court stayed some notifications cancelling appointments through the 11th and 13th JPSC examinations and the JSSC-CGL.
The high court on Friday stayed notifications cancelling the appointments of Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) and those recruited through the JSSC-CGL examination.
On Thursday, the court had stayed notifications cancelling the 11th and 13th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) examinations, and also stayed the order cancelling the appointments of food safety officers.
