Police used water cannons, lobbed tear gas shells, and lathi-charged job aspirants as they breached barricades and attempted to reach the state assembly, protesting the alleged recruitment exam irregularities. We were protesting peacefully, but the government used batons against us. We were protesting peacefully; then why is your police baton charging us," he asked. JLKM MLA Jairam Mahto, who joined the march a day after holding a fast over the issue, said, "The students are protesting peacefully; why is the police trying to restrain them? Meanwhile, state minister Sudivya Kumar claimed that the BJP had "hijacked" the protest for its political ambition.