Jharkhand: BJP leaders, including ex-CM, detained during protest against exam irregularities

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi and several Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were detained on Monday while protesting outside Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s home against alleged irregularities in the conduct of civil services examinations, ANI reported.

The BJP leaders had gathered outside the chief minister’s residence as thousands of job aspirants began marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly on Monday morning.

Several protesters were also seen crossing police barricades heading towards the Vidhan Sabha. A video by PTI showed the police using water cannons in an attempt to control the demonstration.

VIDEO | Ranchi, Jharkhand: Police use water cannons to disperse the protesting students.

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/R4db3zsGKO— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 10, 2026

The students have been protesting in Ranchi since July 25, inspired by the agitation across the country against the alleged mismanagement of national competitive exams. The protesters have been holding a sit-in at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, with six demonstrators on a fast.

The detentions came a day after the Jharkhand government agreed to cancel three examinations, including the preliminary examination of the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission Combined Civil Services, after talks with two delegations of protesting students.

The government also agreed to involve the Enforcement Directorate in an inquiry into alleged financial irregularities linked to the 14th civil services...

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