Garhwa (Jharkhand), April 1, 2026
Jharkhand’s Garhwa town erupted in violent clashes between police and local residents on Wednesday after a youth was killed in a road accident, leading to tension in the area.
As police carried out a baton charge to disperse the agitated crowd, angry protesting villagers then started pelting stones, in which a police vehicle was badly damaged.
According to reports, Pankaj Kumar, 20, a resident of Jurha village, died after being hit by an unidentified vehicle near Ramgarh Mor on the Garhwa-Nagar Untari main road, which is currently being upgraded into a four-lane highway. He was reportedly on his way to the market on a two-wheeler when a speeding vehicle rammed into him, killing him on the spot.
The incident sparked outrage among villagers, who staged a protest demanding the immediate arrest of the driver and alleging negligence by the road construction company.
Hundreds of protesters blocked key roads, including Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk, bringing traffic in the area to a complete halt.
After receiving the information, police rushed to the spot and attempted to pacify the crowd, but tensions escalated after talks failed. The situation worsened when police used mild force, which angered villagers, and they started resorting to stone-pelting and targeted a police vehicle, badly damaging it.
A heavy police deployment has since been made in the area, and efforts are underway to restore normalcy.
Meanwhile, District Council Chairperson Shanti Devi and JMM leaders Tahir Ansari and Deepak Pratap Dev reached the spot, expressed condolences to the bereaved family, and backed the villagers’ demands.
They also urged the district administration to initiate dialogue with the villagers to resolve the situation.
Police said efforts are on to identify the vehicle involved in the accident and arrest the driver, adding that a detailed investigation into the incident has been launched.(Agency)
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