Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) leader Devendra Nath Mahto, who has been on a hunger strike for the past nine days over alleged irregularities
in Jharkhand recruitment examinations, was hospitalised on Monday after his health deteriorated following a protest march by students. Doctors said Mahto's condition was critical due to a "drastic" drop in his blood sugar level. "He is being treated in the emergency ward," Nancy Priya, Medical Officer at Ranchi Sadar Hospital. Mahto was taken to the hospital after participating in a march by job aspirants protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. Pankaj Kumar, an aide of Mahto who was with him at the hospital, claimed that Mahto was injured during a police lathi-charge near the Jharkhand Assembly. Several protesters and four policemen were injured during a clash near the Jharkhand Assembly on Monday, officials said. Police used water cannons and tear gas and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse job aspirants protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, they said.
Earlier in the day, Mahato joined the JPSC-JSSC Reform Morcha's 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' march against alleged exam irregularities, arriving at the protest site on an ambulance amid his ongoing hunger strike.
Carrying former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren's portrait, Mahato said the state government "will have to listen to the students' demands."
"Despite being on hunger strike, the barbed wires will not be able to stop us. I came here in an ambulance. The government will have to listen to us," he said.
"Today it's CM Hemant Soren's birthday, and he should not take such a step where some unfortunate events like at the Jantar Mantar take place here. Do not do anything that causes someone to bleed or get injured and makes the crowd even more agitated. Arrest is a legal process, but there should be no bloodshed. If the government does not agree to the demands, it will be remembered as the one which killed democracy. I will not end the fast," he further added.
(With Inputs from PTI)
