Jamshedpur, Nov. 28: About 500 home guard jawans have decided to go on strike from December, demanding an end to fresh recruitment when their case is pending in the high court.

District Home Guard Association working president Rajkumar Singh told reporters that the East Singhbhum deputy commissioner wanted to recruit 400 home guards though about 4,000 home guards, including 300 women, were on the district’s payroll.

Rajkumar Singh said fresh recruitment had been not done for the past 12 years in the undivided Bihar. But after Jharkhand’s creation, the retirement age was reduced to 44 from 58 years to provide additional employment

He said association state unit general secretary Wadhesh Kumar filed a case in Jharkhand High Court, challenging the government’s decision to lower the age of retirement. The case is now pending and a judgment is expected in January.

According to the association leader, the deputy commissioner of East Singhbhum insisted on the recruitment of additional home guards. “We know the high court would definitely scrap the government’s policy on retirement age. We will then get an opportunity to earn our bread. But the deputy commissioner insists on fresh recruitment,” he added.

He said the deputy commissioner had fixed December 7 for recruitment of home guards. The recruitment drive is scheduled to be kicked off at the Telco stadium. If the deputy commissioner does not reconsider the recruitment issue, 350 home-guards would surrender their firearms to police by December 6, he said.

Bus looted: A bus was looted near Pundag village, 16 km from the Ormanjhi police station, today, reports our Ranchi correspondent. The bus belonging to Singh Travels (Jh-5C-8286) was on its return journey from Ara.