Ranchi Protest: Students refuse to back down, continue peaceful sit-in after police barricading

Jharkhand students protesting alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC CGL examinations began their Assembly march from the old Assembly building in Ranchi on the 17th day of their agitation. Carrying banners, posters and the national flag, the protesters raised slogans against the state government and demanded cancellation of the JSSC CGL examination and action over alleged examination fraud. After moving only around 30 metres, students were stopped by police barricades and were not allowed to proceed toward the new Assembly, located around 4.5 km away. Police deployed heavy security, CCTV cameras and drones to monitor the protest. Student volunteers formed human chains to maintain discipline and prevent the march from becoming disorderly. Following instructions from their leaders, protesters sat peacefully on the road after being stopped and said they would remain there until their demands were addressed. Students insisted that they wanted to meet the Chief Minister and present their demands directly. Despite repeated appeals, they refused to withdraw, maintaining that their protest was peaceful and that they would continue their struggle for transparency, cancellation of the CGL examination and justice.