Ranchi:
Dramatic scenes unfolded at a Ranchi hospital as Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto tried to leave the premises to participate in a Tiranga Yatra taken out by Jharkhand student protesters on the occasion of Independence Day.
In a video from Ranchi’s Sadar Hospital, Mahto – with a Tricolour in his hand, a Tricolour scarf around his neck, and a Tricolour bandana on his forehead – was seen engaged in a tussle with police officials who stopped him from going out.
Cops were seen dragging Mahto into his hospital room as he struggled to leave. Mahto was allegedly stopped by police from participating in a Tiranga Yatra at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, which is the epicentre of protests by job aspirants.
#BREAKING | Independence day crackdown in Jharkhand, Devendra Mahto confined to hospital
NDTV’s @SomuAnand_ joins @AdityaRajKaul, with more details pic.twitter.com/gYrvlFgDYf
— NDTV (@ndtv) August 15, 2026
Thousands of people are demonstrating against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).
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Mahto is on the 14th day of his indefinite hunger strike, which he began on August 2. He was admitted to Sadar Hospital after the Ranchi Vidhan Sabha Gherao march, which turned chaotic after police unleashed lathicharge and used tear gas along with water cannons against the protesting students.
Jharkhand Protesting students took out a Tiranga Yatra on Saturday
“I have been stopped from unfurling the Tricolour. I had given an undertaking that I would leave on my own responsibility and the hospital administration would not be liable for my health. Even then I was stopped forcefully,” Mahto said amid the commotion.
Earlier in the day, Mahto said that heavy police deployment could be witnessed outside his hospital room after he expressed a desire to join the flag hoisting march today.
“After expressing my desire to participate in the flag hoisting and Tiranga March organised at the protest site, Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, a heavy police force has been deployed outside my room in Sadar Hospital. What kind of freedom is this, after all? Are we not even free to hoist the Tricolour and participate in the Tiranga March in our own country? Despite the difficult circumstances, I want to join this program in a peaceful manner,” Mahto posted on X.
Mahto’s supporters also engaged in a heated argument and physical altercation with the police as they tried to take Mahto out for the Tiranga Yatra.
Ranchi Tiranga Yatra
As this happened, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren assured that the state government was working towards ensuring transparency in examinations, especially those conducted by bodies like the JPSC and JSSC.
“For me, the youth of the state are very important, and so is their faith in us. We have decided to bring changes in the system. Transparent examinations will be ensured,” Soren said while addressing the gathering at a state-level Independence Day celebration.
He said that the state government has initiated “Chhatron Ki Baat – Chhatron Ke Sath” and sought their suggestions to improve the education system. He said that the contribution of students remains crucial to establishing a “good education system”.
Mahto had earlier issued a fervent appeal from his hospital bed, cautioning participants against active attempts to derail and fracture the student movement in Jharkhand. He alleged that external elements are trying to divert the direction of the protests nearly a month after their inception, and urged participants not to let it break or scatter.
