Ranchi:

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said he has issued instructions to halt the ongoing recruitment drive for excise constables for the next three days in the wake of the deaths of some candidates, who appeared in the physical tests.

Mr Soren also said a committee of health experts has been formed to ascertain the cause of the deaths.

“I have issued instructions to halt the excise constables’ recruitment drive for three days. The physical tests, too, will not be held after 9 am,” Soren said in a post on X.

The panel will submit its report soon, he said.

Terming the deaths of aspirants as sad and heartbreaking, the CM said instructions have also been issued for immediate review of rules made by the previous government.

“There will be adequate presence of doctors for candidates who feel the need for a health check-up before the physical tests. Arrangements for breakfast/fruits will also be made so that the aspirants don’t participate in the run empty stomach,” Soren said.

The chief minister also said immediate relief is being provided to the victims’ families.

The BJP has claimed that 15 candidates have so far lost their lives, while according to the Jharkhand Police, deaths of 12 aspirants have been reported thus far. The state’s Health Minister Banna Gupta has put the figure at four.

The physical tests for Jharkhand excise constable recruitment began on August 22 at seven centres in six districts for 583 posts, and were scheduled to continue till September 9.

As of August 30, a total of 127,772 aspirants had participated in the physical tests, with 78,023 emerging successful, police said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ranchi:

Eleven candidates died while undertaking physical tests during a drive to recruit excise constables in Jharkhand, police said on Sunday.

Physical tests under the Jharkhand excise constable competitive examinations began on August 22 in seven centres across Ranchi, Giridih, Hazaribag, Palamu, East Singhbhum and Sahebganj districts.

Four deaths happened in Palamu, two persons each died in Giridih and Hazaribag, and one person each in Ranchi’s Jaguar centre, and East Singhbhum’s Mosabani and Sahebganj centres, said IG (Operations) Amol V Homkar.

He said cases of unnatural death were registered and investigations were underway.

A total of 1,27,772 aspirants appeared for the physical tests till August 30, out of which 78,023 cleared it, he added.

Mr Homkar said adequate arrangements, including medical teams, medicines, ambulance, mobile toilets and drinking water, were ensured at all centres.

Alleging that the deaths happened due to mismanagement by the authorities, the BJP youth wing demonstrated against the JMM-led government in Ranchi’s Albert Ekka Chowk.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)