# Jharkhand protest talks fail as Maharashtra withdraws FIRs on students 2026-08-07T19:57:24+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Jharkhand's student protest over alleged recruitment scams in JPSC and JSSC exams has entered its third week. Talks between a student delegation and state ministers on August 8 failed. The protesters, led by Devendra Nath Mahto who began a hunger strike on August 2, demand cancellation of the exams and a CBI inquiry. The Hemant Soren government has arrested 19 people and offered a CID probe, but students reject it. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, the government decided to withdraw FIRs registered against students and youth over NEET paper-leak protests. However, Mumbai Police say investigations continue until a formal order to halt is received. The AISF has welcomed the move but warns that students are still being served notices, creating confusion. The contradiction between the government's announcement and the police's ongoing investigation has caused uncertainty. Student organisations like Harsha Disha allege that police are using WhatsApp to send FIR notices even after the decision, calling it an intimidation tactic. The government's resolution on case withdrawal is valid only until July 31, making an extension likely as charge sheets are yet to be filed. ## Coverage - thehindu.com - frontline.thehindu.com Tags: AISF, CJP, FIR withdrawal, Maharashtra, Mumbai Police, student protests Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/maharashtra-to-withdraw-firs-against-protesters-police-continue-probe/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/maharashtra-to-withdraw-firs-against-protesters-police-continue-probe/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.