250 booked for blocking Karnal-Kaithal highway

KARNAL: At least 250 youths have been booked by the Kaithal police for blocking roads in protest against the Centre’s Agnipath recruitment scheme.

As per the FIR, the youths had blocked the Karnal-Kaithal highway for nearly three hours on Monday, leading to inconvenience for commuters.

Later, deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Vivek Chaudhry and DSP Abhimanyu Goyat reached the spot and managed to lift the blockade. Kaithal superintendent of police Maqsood Ahemad said 250 people, including 21 by name, have been booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation) of the Indian Penal Code.

He said police are trying to identify the accused through closed-circuit television camera footage and videos being circulated on social media.

The SP said nobody will be allowed to break the law and strict action will be taken against the violators. He also announced that owners of private coaching centres will face action if they were found instigating youths for protests.

SKM gears up for June 24 protests

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has asked farmers associations to hold peaceful protests at the block and district-levels as part of statewide protests against the Centre’s Agnipath recruitment scheme on June 24.

The farmers bodies protesting against the banner of SKM have also been asked to

Submit memorandums with authorities along with the protest. Haryana president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) Rattan Mann said a decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of SKM leaders. He said all farm organisations associated with the SKM will join the protest and submit a memorandum addressed to the President, seeking immediate withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme. He further said no protests will be held at toll plazas. BKU (Charuni), which held similar protests on Monday, has not yet decided on whether to support to SKM protests. “We have called a meeting at Sampla of Rohtak on Wednesday and the decision to join this protest on the call of SKM will be taken at Sampla meeting,” said BKU spokesperson Rakesh Bains.

COPS ARE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE ACCUSED THROUGH CCTV CAMERA FOOTAGE