Jharkhand: Hunger-striking Mahato joins march; Police use lathi-charge as students breach barricades

Police opened Lathi charge as JPSC-JSSC aspirants intensified their protest in Ranchi. Thousands marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly, demanding cancellation of the JSSC-CGL exam and a CBI probe into alleged recruitment irregularities. Protesters reportedly crossed three layers of barricading during the Assembly gherao march. JLKM leader Devendra Nath Mahato, on a nine-day hunger strike, joined the protest in an ambulance and urged CM Hemant Soren to avoid any use of force. Meanwhile, BJP leader Tarun Chugh accused Rahul Gandhi and Congress of "double standards" over student protests in Jharkhand.