Lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons greeted Jharkhand protesters as they marched to the Vidhan Sabha to protest alleged irregularities in government exams. As protests continued, former Jharkhand Public Service Commission chairman L Khiangte — the former Chief Secretary of Jharkhand and an IAS officer of the 1997 batch — was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged irregularities.Khiangte was appointed Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) chairperson in February last year after retiring as the state’s chief secretary. He tendered his resignation on July 22 after Jharkhand’s Crime Investigation Department took over the probe in the case.“We have arrested former JPSC chairperson L Khiangte in connection with irregularities in recruitment examinations,” Additional Director General (CID) Manoj Kaushik said.Thousands of students have been protesting alleged irregularities in JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations for the last fortnight. While the Jharkhand government has announced that it would cancel the preliminary examination of the 14th JPSC Combined Civil Services following six hours of discussions with two separate delegations of student groups, the students have so far refused to withdraw their protests, pushing ahead with the march to the Assembly on Monday.The protesters say they want a CBI probe and for the JSSC exam to be cancelled too.Among those who joined Monday’s march to the Assembly was Devendra Nath Mahato of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha, who has so far been on fast. Having lost 10.5 kg over nine days, Mahato, who followed the protesters in an ambulance, carried a portrait of former chief minister Shibu Soren.Also among those joining the protests are former chief minister Babulal Marandi and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Aditya Sahu, who were detained after a sit-in outside Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s residence while seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged irregularities.Story continues below this adThe march comes a day after three members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) resigned, citing the ongoing protests. As protesters marched to the third barricade near Jagannathpur Temple on the road to the new Assembly Complex in Ranchi, clashes were witnessed in the area.Also Read | Jharkhand student protest: Round 2 of talks with government fails to end deadlockOne protester told PTI. “We were protesting peacefully, but the government used batons against us.”The developments come days after Chief Minister Hemant Soren reiterated his promise to deliver justice to the agitating youths, insisting that “dialogue, not batons, can solve all problems”.“Unable to accept the state’s self-reliance, vested interests are working at full force in Jharkhand to disrupt democracy here. Samvad and not ‘lathi-danda-bandook’ (dialogue, not batons) can solve all problems,” he said Sunday while addressing the Jharkhand Adivasi Mahotsav.Story continues below this ad“Weapons are meant for enemies at the border. I promise the exam protesters that justice will be delivered with full transparency. Justice will not only be done, but will also be seen to be done,” he said.Also Read | Stalled jobs, pending court cases: Who is on the Jharkhand protest stage, and why?The protests have roiled the Assembly, with the Opposition seeking to corner the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha government. “Students have been protesting for the past 14-15 days. Some have been on hunger strike, while others have fallen ill and are undergoing treatment in hospitals. The government is only making assurances and is not taking any concrete action,” Marandi told the Assembly.He also alleged that while Opposition MLAs decided to meet Chief Minister Hemant Soren at his residence to discuss the issue, they were not allowed inside. “We then planned to go to the Assembly and raise the issue with the CM, but we were not allowed to meet anyone there either. Instead, we were detained and brought here to Khel Gaon. This clearly shows the dictatorial attitude of this government,” he said.Chandan Rajak, one of the organisers of the JPSC-JSSC Abhyarthi Nyay Manch, said the organisers were not at the front of the march and therefore did not know exactly what had happened. “Our entire team is not in front including Devendra Mahato. We are at the back, so we have no idea what exactly happened,” he said.Story continues below this adHowever, Rajak said he saw tear gas being fired at the protesters. “I was also vomiting when the tear gas was fired. My eyes are burning. This should not happen. We have no idea what exactly led to the incident,” he said.He added that if no government delegation came to meet the protesters by the evening, they would not move from the spot. “If no delegation from the government side comes and meets us by evening, we will not move. But hopefully, by evening, everything will be all right and the matter will be resolved,” he said.(With PTI inputs)