AGNIPATH PROTESTS
baton charged to disperse the protesters who blocked railway tracks, threw burning tyres on roads and performed push-ups and other drills on the streets as a mark of protest against the new recruitment scheme.
In Nawada, the vehicle of BJP legislator Aruna Devi, who was on her way to a court, was attacked by the agitators who hurled stones at her car, leaving five persons, including the legislator, injured.
Railway property bore the brunt of the protesters as stationary bogeys were set on fire at Bhabhua and Chhapra stations and window panes of compartments smashed at many places.
In Arrah, the railway station was swarmed by a large number of protesters who were dispersed after the police fired teargas shells.
In Haryana, hundreds of youth took to the streets in Gurugram, Rewari and Palwal. A police vehicle was damaged in stone pelting in Palwal and the Agra Chowk on National Highway 19 was blocked.
The Haryana government ordered the temporary suspension of mobile internet services, all SMS services (including bulk SMS, excluding banking and mobile recharge), and all dongle services provided on mobile networks except voice calls in the territorial jurisdiction of Palwal district for 24 hours from 4pm on Thursday.
Scores of defence job aspirants led by the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) staged protests in several parts of Rajasthan. Job aspirants and RLP activists took out protest rallies in Jodhpur, Sikar, Jaipur, Nagaur, Ajmer and Jhunjhunu districts.
Additional police forces were deployed at these protest centres, a senior police officer said.
In Uttar Pradesh, defence service candidates pelted stones at a government bus in Agra, and staged demonstrations in Bulandshahr and Ballia.
The stone pelting incident was reported in rural Agra’s Bah, while protests erupted in various pockets of Agra district.
Agra Senior Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh told reporters that the superintendent of police (city) and other police personnel reached the spot and the situation is under control.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior, 10 protesters were arrested and over 50 were detained for rioting and arson during a demonstration, police said.
During the demonstration, a mob set at least 20 vehicles on fire in Gola Ka Mandir, Gandhi Nagar and Padav areas. They also vandalised two trains, uprooted a small part of the railway track, threw wooden logs, tyres and plastic drums on the track. They also vandalised the Birla Nagar railway station.
Gwalior collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh said the situation is under control. According to a tweet from North Central Railway, the seven trains have been affected due to the protest.
Army aspirants and youth staged a protest and blocked traffic in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district. Senior officials of the district administration and police reached the spot and pacified the protesters, following which traffic blockade could be removed.
Meanwhile, at Delhi’s Nangloi railway station, protesters blocked railway tracks and stopped one train, though no violence was reported, the Delhi Police said.