Jamshedpur, Feb. 6: Around 200 aspiring Home Guard jawans today staged a demonstration at chief minister Raghubar Das's residence at Agrico in Sidhgora in Jamshedpur, blocking the Agrico-Bhuiyandih Main Road for nearly 40 minutes, alleging they had been unfairly turned away from taking part in recruitment tests.

According to sources, the prospective Home Guard jawans weren't allowed to take the physical test at Golmuri police lines as they could not produce residential certificates. They then resorted to a blockade near the chief minister's house from 11am.

The protesters agreed to lift their road blcok after around 40 minutes on the intervention of steel city DSP Animesh Naithany.

"They were agitating as they were not allowed to take part in the physical test. We persuaded them to approach the administration," the DSP said.

The protesters then trooped in to the district collectorate and staged a demonstration after which East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amit Kumar gave them 10 days to submit residential certificates.

"We took an undertaking that they would submit their residential certificates after 10 days and then allowed them to take part in the physical test," said East Singhbhum ADC Sunil Kumar, explaining that they had to produce residential certificates along with educational certificates and caste certificates (for those seeking reservation) for taking part in the drive.

"Many candidates had applied for residential certificates a day or two earlier. It usually takes five days for the certificates to be issued," Kumar said.

Recruitments are being held for around 900 vacancies in the Home Guard, a unit of state police. Today's blockade led to a long queue of vehicles till Sitaramdera bus terminus inconveniencing commuters.

"I had to take an alternative route via Straight Mile Road, a detour of 2km, to reach my house in Sidhgora from Sitaramdera bus terminus. It took me more than 30 minutes in an auto," said Anand Masih Tirkey, a bank clerk posted in Ranchi, who came to Jamshedour by bus to visit his ailing mother.

He said the Agrico-Bhuiyandih stretch of the road was crucial as it not only connected Sitaramdera bus terminus with residential areas of Bhuiyandih, Agrico, Sidhgora and Baridih, but was also used by heavy vehicles serving companies like like Tata Bluescope, TataSteel Processing and Distribution, Timken India etc.

"Police should not allow protests on the road," Tirkey fumed.