Devendra Mahto Alleges Police Lathi-Charge During Jharkhand Protest, Tells Dipke

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke spoke to Jharkhand student leader Devendra Nath Mahto over a video call on Monday night, shortly after Mahto was admitted to hospital following his participation in a protest march in Ranchi. Dipke said Mahto told him during the conversation that he had been lathi-charged during the protest and was also experiencing chest pain. Dipke expressed support for Mahto and condemned what he described as police brutality during the demonstration.

Mahto has been on a hunger strike for nine days as students and job aspirants continue to protest in Ranchi over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC). The prolonged agitation has placed pressure on the state government to address the protesters’ concerns. Mahto has emerged as one of the prominent figures of the movement, continuing his hunger strike at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium while demanding action over the allegations surrounding the recruitment examinations.

Despite his deteriorating health, Mahto joined protesters on Monday for a ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ march towards the Jharkhand Assembly. The demonstration was organised as part of the wider campaign by students and job aspirants seeking attention to their demands. Police attempted to prevent the protesters from reaching the Assembly and used lathicharges and water cannons to disperse the gathering. The confrontation resulted in competing accounts, with protesters and their supporters alleging excessive police action while authorities have maintained that force was used to control the situation.

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Dipke’s video call with Mahto took place after the student leader’s health worsened following the march. According to Dipke, Mahto told him that he had been lathi-charged before being taken to hospital. Dipke also said Mahto was suffering from chest pain at the time of their conversation. These details are based on Dipke’s account of the video call and have not been independently established in the information provided. Earlier, an aide of Mahto had also alleged that the student leader was injured during police action near the Assembly, while police have defended their response to the protest.

The confrontation comes against the backdrop of an increasingly prolonged dispute over the alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations. Students and job aspirants have continued to demand answers and action from the authorities, arguing that concerns surrounding the recruitment process need to be addressed. Monday’s Assembly march was an attempt to intensify pressure on the state government, but the use of water cannons and lathicharges led to a further escalation. The police have said their actions were aimed at preventing the protesters from moving towards the Assembly and maintaining order.

Mahto’s hospitalisation has now added a health concern to the political and administrative dispute. He had already spent nine days on hunger strike before joining the march, despite his weakened condition. Dipke’s intervention has brought additional political attention to Mahto’s allegations, with the CJP founder publicly backing the student leader and criticising the reported police action. As the agitation continues, the immediate focus is likely to remain on Mahto’s health, the allegations made about Monday’s confrontation and the government’s response to the students’ demands. The broader dispute over the JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations remains unresolved, leaving the protesters and authorities facing continued pressure to find a way forward.

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