Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], August 13 (ANI): Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Thursday met student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 11 days protesting alleged corruption in Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations.
In a post on X, Mahto said, “Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand@dasraghubarji reached the hospital and inquired about my well-being, while also assuring support for our movement.”
झारखंड के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री @dasraghubar जी अस्पताल पहुंचे और मेरा हाल-चाल जाना, साथ ही हमारे आंदोलन को अपना समर्थन देने का आश्वासन दिया।#devendranathmahato #JharkhandProtest #jharkhandstudentprotest pic.twitter.com/NMI8lfXs5B
— Devendra Nath Mahto (@DevendraNathMa9) August 13, 2026
Mahto is currently undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital following injuries sustained during a police lathi-charge on August 10, and wrote a formal application to the Civil Surgeon, stating that being away from his fellow protesters is causing him more distress than his physical ailments.
Earlier, he sought formal permission from hospital authorities to return to the protest site at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi.
“My body is undergoing treatment in the hospital bed, but my soul and resolve are at the Satyagraha site where students and youth are engaged in a just struggle for their future. The indefinite hunger strike continues on its 11th day in Sadar Hospital,” Mahto stated in a message shared on social media.
In his handwritten letter to the medical authorities, Mahto emphasised his responsibility toward the thousands of students protesting against the alleged irregularities in the recruitment examinations.
Mahto was forcefully moved to the hospital by the administration late Monday evening after police used force to disperse thousands of aspirants who had marched toward the state assembly.
On Monday, Jharkhand Police used lathis and water cannons to control the crowd during the ‘Vidhan Sabha gherao’ march by JPSC and JSSC aspirants in Ranchi over alleged irregularities in the JPSC and JSSC-Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examinations.
The protesting aspirants have been demanding cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination, a CBI probe into alleged irregularities, and reforms in the recruitment process. They have alleged that their demands have not been fully accepted by the state government. (ANI)