A fresh controversy erupted during the ongoing student protest in Ranchi, Jharkhand, after All India Students Association (AISA) President Neha Bora alleged that a man identified as Amarnath Pandey (26) threw ink at her during a protest march and claimed that he was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Neha Bora, speaking to the media after the incident, said the protesters started a march from Birsa Munda Stadium when the attack took place.
#WATCH | Ranchi, Jharkhand | President of the All India Students Association, Neha Bora says, "...Today we were taking out a march from Birsa Munda Stadium. When I was standing there along with other colleagues, a man identified as Amarnath Pandey (26) who is also an RSS member,… pic.twitter.com/sKe41phDAz
— ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2026
According to Bora, “Today we were taking out a march from Birsa Munda Stadium. And I was standing there with some of my colleagues when Amarnath Pandey (26), an RSS member, threw ink on me. To justify his criminal act, he did the same thing that people connected with the RSS do—chanted 'Jai Shri Ram'. People at the protest caught him and handed him over to the police.
Police took the accused into custody and are investigating the incident. No one has yet publicly confirmed the accused's affiliation with the RSS. The charge was made by Neha Bora and has not been independently confirmed by the police.
The ink-throwing incident temporarily interrupted the demonstration before police arrived and tried to restore order at the protest site. No injuries were reported, the police said.
Neha Bora also used the occasion to appeal to political parties that had earlier supported the student movement to continue backing the ongoing agitation.
She added: “Political parties who expressed their unity over the students’ protest last month demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, we demand those parties to accept the demands of students protesting at Jaipal Singh Munda too."
Her comments were in reference to student protests that picked up national weight in recent weeks, when several opposition parties had stood with protestors demanding accountability for education problems.
The protest at Jaipal Singh Munda Ground still focuses on student-related demands, and the protesters are now demanding that their demands be met and the authorities respond to those demands. The ink attack has brought politics into the agitation, and student organisations and political leaders have taken sides.
Student organisations condemned the incident, describing it as an attempt to intimidate protesters and disrupt a peaceful demonstration. They demanded strict legal action against the accused and called on the administration to provide adequate security for participants.
But political reactions are certain because the incident has already generated discussion on social media and public forums. Police are looking at eyewitness accounts, video footage, and other evidence to determine the sequence of events, and legal action will be taken in the aftermath.
The incident once again shows the tension surrounding the student movement going on in Jharkhand. The investigation will reveal more about the accused and the circumstances of the ink-throwing incident, and the student protest is ongoing as the students continue to call for the fulfillment of their demands.
