Senior journalist Aman Chopra reported that the Jharkhand Police detained and interrogated him following his coverage of ongoing protests concerning alleged irregularities in JPSC-JSSC examinations. In a video posted on X, Chopra stated that he and several other reporters covering the protests, including a march toward the Jharkhand Assembly, were briefly taken in for questioning by the police.

Chopra described his experience, claiming that police approached him while he was dining at a hotel and subjected him to nearly two hours of questioning before presenting him with a copy of the First Information Report (FIR). He alleged that the Hemant Soren government is specifically targeting journalists attempting to report on the student agitation.

In his remarks, Chopra suggested that the local government is actively attempting to suppress the dissemination of information related to the protests. He stated, “The FIR is the price we have to pay for doing our job,” implying a broader concern over media freedom in the region.

Political Reactions to the Allegations

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded to Chopra’s allegations by criticising the Jharkhand government for allegedly harassing journalists amid intensifying recruitment examination protests. BJP leader Amit Malviya questioned the motivations of the government, asking why it is apprehensive about journalists covering the protests.

Malviya also stated that the focus of law enforcement should be on maintaining order during the demonstrations, rather than targeting individuals working in media. This criticism highlights the increasing tensions between journalists and government authorities in Jharkhand, as protests escalate.

The situation has become increasingly fraught, especially as student protesters continue their march towards the Jharkhand Assembly, and confrontations with law enforcement appear to be on the rise.

Protests Escalate with Police Action

As protests escalated, police resorted to a lathicharge in response to marching aspirants who attempted to draw closer to the Assembly. Reports indicate that some demonstrators sustained injuries during these encounters. The protesters had commenced their march from the Old Assembly toward the New Assembly as part of their ongoing agitation over the alleged malpractice in recruitment procedures.

During the march, several police barricades were reportedly breached, prompting security personnel to deploy water cannons to disperse the crowd. Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for nine days, joined the march after being transported by ambulance and was later seen being carried on a stretcher.

This confrontation follows previous attempts by the government to engage with student groups, which have failed to yield a comprehensive resolution. Jharkhand Minister Deepika Pandey Singh indicated that the government has substantively addressed the majority of the protesters’ demands that it could manage, while expressing willingness to allow judicial oversight into alleged irregularities.

However, a significant sticking point remains, with the government maintaining that it cannot cancel the controversial JSSC-CGL examination unilaterally, as this decision is intertwined with judicial directives. Despite ongoing negotiations with the state authorities, the protesting aspirants continue to advocate for adequate action regarding the alleged discrepancies in both JPSC and JSSC examinations, prolonging their agitation in the face of governmental discussions.

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