Jharkhand Exam Protest: FIR Against 300 Unidentified Persons Over Assembly March

Ranchi, August 13: Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against 300 unidentified individuals in connection with a march to the Jharkhand Assembly on August 10, which was organised by job aspirants protesting alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations. The case has been filed at the Vidhan Sabha police station, a senior officer confirmed on Thursday.

The FIR names no specific persons but cites violations of prohibitory orders, damage to government property, and attacks on police personnel during the demonstration. “An FIR has been lodged against 300 unknown miscreants for disrupting the peaceful march to the assembly on August 10,” said Ranchi Superintendent of Police Paras Rana. He added that the process to identify those involved is underway.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Hatia) Neeraj Kumar said video footage from the event is being analysed to pinpoint the individuals responsible. “The identification process through video evidence is in progress,” he said. The move comes amid ongoing demonstrations by job aspirants in Ranchi for the past 20 days.

The protesters allege irregularities in the conduct of recruitment examinations for various government posts in Jharkhand. They have demanded a transparent probe and re-conduction of the exams where malpractices are suspected. The demonstrations have remained largely peaceful, though the August 10 march saw confrontations when participants attempted to move beyond designated areas.

Legal experts note that while the right to peaceful assembly is constitutionally protected, authorities can impose reasonable restrictions to maintain public order. Filing an FIR against unidentified persons is a standard procedural step when specific culprits are not immediately identifiable. The law also mandates that any accused be given a fair hearing and an opportunity to defend themselves.

Police have urged the protesters to cooperate with the investigation and reiterated that the action is aimed at holding accountable those who resorted to violence, not at curbing legitimate protest. Meanwhile, civil society groups have called for a balanced approach, emphasising both the need for lawful conduct and the importance of addressing the underlying grievances of the aspirants.

This incident highlights the friction between mass movements seeking swift action and the state’s obligation to enforce legal boundaries. The state government has formed a panel to look into the exam irregularities, but protesters say its progress has been slow. Further strain is expected if the identification of individuals from the video footage leads to arrests.

As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the August 10 march. The investigation continues, with police collecting evidence and recording statements from witnesses. The coming days will determine how the situation evolves, and whether trust can be rebuilt between the administration and the demonstrators.