By Express News Service

HUBBALLI: Candidates taking a recruitment exam for probationary officer posts in regional rural banks turned violent here at a private educational institute on Saturday. They pelted stones at the institute. One of them slashed his forearm.

A large number of candidates rose in protest, seeking priority for aspirants from Karnataka as the recruitment was being done for banks functioning in the state. The protest started with a few candidates gathering and later swelled as more candidates joined them.

The agitators claimed that candidates from other states were stealing jobs that ought to go to Karnataka candidates. The Indian Banking Professional Selection (IBPS) is conducting the exam which is open to aspirants from across the country. A large number of aspirants from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana appeared for the test.

Angry agitators tore their hall tickets and raised slogans against the organisers. As the agitation intensified, some of the candidates hurled stones at the institute where the exam was to be held. By then, police forces reached the institute to control the agitation.

In the meantime, a candidate tried to commit suicide by cutting himself in the forearm. This further agitated the protesting candidates and more of them pelted stones at the institute. The police resorted mild caning. As top police officials including police commissioner M N Nagar and DCP B S Nyamagouda reached the spot, the situation was brought under control.

The injured candidate was rushed to KIMS Hospital. His condition is said be stable and he is recuperating.