Agnipath stir turns ugly in UP, several arrested

The protests against the Union government’s newly-launched Agnipath scheme turned violent in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, as the agitated youth torched trains, railway station, toll booth, party office and buses, while indulging in widespread arson, vandalism and stone-pelting, besides blocking several National Highways.
In a bid to disperse the mob, police used force, cane charged the protestors and fired tear gas shells at some places.
There were reports of violence and arson from Ballia, Barabanki, Agra, Mathura, Firozabad, Amethi, Aligarh, Varanasi, Deoria, Kushinagar, Etah, Unnao and Rae Bareli, where the agitators staged angry demonstrations, demanding revoking of Agnipath scheme and restoring of regular recruitment process in Defence services.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said that demonstrations and protests were reported from 17 places in the state. “Some intelligence inputs have been received in this regard and that some organisations are promoting such activities has come to fore. Police will take further action on this,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the wake of protest by the youth and students against the new recruitment policy, leave of Government Railway Police (GRP) staff has been cancelled till June 23. Additional Director General of Police (Railway) Piyush Anand issued an order to this effect on Friday.
As per the order, all the officers and employees, who are already on leave, have been directed to resume their duties on an immediate basis.
In the eastern district of Ballia, youth torched the coach of a train stationed at the yard. Police sources said that on Friday morning, a mob assembled at Veer Lorik Stadium, from where they marched towards the Ballia railway station.
“At the railway station the mob vandalised Ballia-Varanasi Memu and Ballia-Shahganj. They also targeted kiosks on the platform and a private bus,” the police said.
Police sources said that in a bid to disperse the mob, the police used mild force. “Some youths torched a coach of an isolated train. As the train was parked in the washing area no major loss was caused and the fire was controlled by Railway Protection Force, police and the fire tenders,” they said.
There were reports of stone pelting and disturbances from other parts of the city. District Magistrate Soumya Agarwal said police had been deployed since early morning to apprehend mischief elements. She said that some unruly youths came and attempted to pelt stones, but the attempt was foiled.
The DM said that 100 people have been arrested and were being sent to jail under section 151. “On the basis of CCTV footage more trouble-makers will be added and stern action will be taken. Deployment of force will continue till required,” he said.
In Firozabad district, protesters put up barricades on the road and pelted stones during which four government buses were damaged. The protestors fled from the spot after the police force reached there.
Similarly in Malpura area in Agra district, youths blocked the Agra-Gwalior highway which led to traffic jams on both the sides. Protesters also damaged the railing of the divider and when police made an attempt to disperse them they indulged in heavy stone pelting damaging police vehicles. The police used force and fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
Protests continued at different places in Mathura, including Kosi Kalan and Chhata where youths blocked national highways. In Chhata the youths also blocked the railway track and Jan Shatabdi Express from Kota to Hazrat Nizamuddin and the train was delayed by 20 minutes.
A group of youth torched a bus of Haryana roadways near Bharatpur cut in Mathura. Police sources said that two roadways buses and dozens of private vehicles were vandalised by the unruly mob on Yamuna Express in Bajana area.
In Mathura city, agitators blocked Agra-Delhi highway and indulged in stone pelting near an ATV factory after which the police cane charged the protestors. In Aligarh, a roadways bus was torched by the protestors near Tappal town.
In Varanasi, violent protests broke out in the Cantt area on Friday morning during which state roadways buses were vandalised. The protestors also squatted on the railway tracks. In a bid to control the situation, the police resorted to tear gas shells.
Inspector of Sigra police station and four constables were injured in stone pelting. Heavy police force and PAC personnel were called to control the situation. Around 12 protesters have been taken into custody by the police.
In Amethi, the youth blocked Amethi-Pratapgarh road and staged a dharna. Later, they reached the railway station and squatted on the tracks. District Magistrate Kumar Mishra and Superintendent of Police Dinesh Singh reached the spot and pacified the protestors.
In Kanpur Dehat district, youth squatted on the railway tracks at Lalpur Halt railway station and raised slogans against the government. The situation was controlled by the senior officers, who reached the spot and pacified the agitating youth.
In Jaunpur district youth aspiring to join armed forces blocked Wajidpur trisection which disrupted traffic from Varanasi, Prayagraj, Lucknow and Azamgarh routes.
In Prayagraj, students staged a protest at the Student Union building of Allahabad University and burnt an effigy of the Central government.
Meanwhile, ADG Kumar said, “A new system has been implemented by the central government on which youths have expressed some resentment. So far reports of demonstration and protest at 17 places have been received out of which incidents of arson took place at two places, including Ballia and Aligarh.”
He said the youth will be taken into confidence and they will be educated in this regard. “We are taking youths in confidence through elected representatives, like village heads and offices concerned and they are being told how their future will be more secure under this scheme and how they will get priority in other jobs,” he said.
Kumar said the state government has already announced to give priority to some jobs. “Our officers are on the move and the situation is totally under control,” he said.
UNI