Devendra Mahto Hospitalised As Jharkhand Protest Escalates Over Recruitment Exams

JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahto was hospitalised after his health deteriorated while he participated in a protest march by students in Ranchi on Monday. Mahto had been on a hunger strike for nine days over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations and joined the protesters despite his weakened condition. Doctors at Ranchi Sadar Hospital described his condition as critical after a drastic fall in his blood sugar level.

Nancy Priya, a medical officer at Ranchi Sadar Hospital, said Mahto was being treated in the emergency ward. His hospitalisation came after he joined the protesting students during their march towards the Jharkhand Assembly earlier in the day. Despite his prolonged hunger strike, Mahto travelled to the protest site in an ambulance carrying a portrait of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren and later addressed the gathering while standing on a stretcher.

Speaking to reporters near the Assembly, Mahto said the government should respond to the concerns of protesters rather than use force against them. He criticised what he described as police action against the demonstrators and said he would continue his agitation despite his deteriorating health. Mahto has been demanding action over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in Jharkhand, with the issue becoming a major point of mobilisation among protesting students.

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Pankaj Kumar, an aide who was with Mahto at the hospital, alleged that Mahto was injured during a police lathi-charge near the Assembly. Kumar claimed the police action took place as protesters were marching towards the protest site. The allegation has not been independently established in the information available. Mahto himself alleged that police pushed and harassed him despite knowing that he had been fasting for nine days and said he was forcibly placed in an ambulance.

Mahto also alleged that the authorities were attempting to suppress the students’ movement and prevent protesters from reaching Ranchi. He claimed that passenger vehicles carrying protesters were stopped in several districts, restricting their ability to participate in the Assembly march. The allegations come amid the wider protest over recruitment examinations, with students demanding action over what they describe as irregularities in the examination process. The police and administration’s response to the allegations was not included in the information available.

The developments have added urgency to the students’ agitation, particularly after Mahto’s hospitalisation following his participation in the march. His nine-day hunger strike, combined with the sharp fall in blood sugar reported by doctors, has raised concerns over his health. At the same time, allegations of police action and restrictions on protesters have intensified the confrontation between the agitators and authorities. With the recruitment examination issue continuing to fuel protests, Mahto’s condition and the response of the Jharkhand government are likely to remain closely watched as the agitation continues.

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