The Morabadi ground of the capital city turned into a battlefield on Friday afternoon after assistant police personnel who have been protesting from the past one week, had a clash with the police.

Over a dozen assistant police personnel were injured when the police resorted to lathi charge and fired tear gas upon them in order to control them when they were marching towards the chief minister’s residence on Kanke road.

When police tried to stop the agitating assistant police personnel overturned barricading and all of sudden bricks and stones started flying from each side.

The clash continued for an hour after which employment in the area was increased.

But, Ranchi police claimed that agitating assistant police personnel started hitting police force by bricks and stone and they were creating ruckus.

“Some of the police personnel deputed here were injured when the agitation turned into an unruly crowd and started throwing stones upon us. They are still carrying agitation. FIR will be lodged against them for assaulting police and public servants on duty,” said an inspector rank official of Ranchi police.

The official said that the approaching road of the Morhabadi area was barricaded since protesters had announced to hold a demonstration outside the residence of the chief minister.

District administration had a tough time sending injured protesters to hospital for treatment as they were not ready to leave the ground.

In the morning officials of Jharkhand police unsuccessfully negotiated with them to

withdraw their agitation, but protesters refused to withdraw till the time their demands were fulfilled.

Around 2500 assistant police personnel from 12 rebel hit districts of Jharkhand have been demonstrating for regularization of their job. Three years back they were appointed on contractual basis and they said that they were assured that their job will be regularized if their performance is found satisfactory. They alleged that while their contract period is going to conclude the government has not taken any step for renewal of their contract and the process for job regularization. They were appointed to support regular police in maintaining law and order.

But protesting police personnel alleged that they were beaten unprovoked.

“We did not assault them. We were peacefully demonstrating when we were assaulted. Women were beaten by male constables. We get Rs 10000 as monthly honorarium for the tough job we render. Today we feel insulted and cheated by this government,” said a protester.The BJP criticised the government and termed the incident as barbaric.

“Today we have seen the barbaric face of this government which has cheated youths on the name of job. The government claimed to give five lakh jobs per year to youth. Now when these assistant police personnel are demanding a job they are beaten. Even women assistant police carrying their baby were not spared,” said state BJP spokesperson Pratul Nath Shahdeo.

“This government falsely promised to give jobs to 5 lakh youth in 1 year. And now demanding their permanent job, the assistant police personnel were brutally beaten up. The government, which has spoken about the tribal indigenous interests, has shown its oppressive thinking by ruthlessly beating the tribal indigenous people at the Morabadi ground. These assistant police personnel had been agitating for 6 days but not a single MLA or minister of the government had even tried to meet them at the site,” he added.