Ballia/Aligarh/Varanasi: Raising slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Agnipath Vapas Lo’, youths vandalised trains and torched a railway coach in Ballia. They also damaged buses at other places as protests erupted again Friday in various parts of Uttar Pradesh over the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme. Police wielded lathis, lobbed teargas shells and took 100 people in custody in Ballia.
Officials said protests over the recently announced scheme took place at 17 places across Uttar Pradesh, including Firozabad, Amethi, Varanasi, Unnao and Deoria.
A bus was set afire on the Yamuna Expressway near Tappal in Aligarh and at least two others damaged. Four buses were damaged in stone pelting on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Firozabad. Protesters also targeted buses in Varanasi and Ballia.
Several trains were cancelled or held back by the Railways to prevent damage.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said arson was reported from Ballia and Aligarh.
“In Ballia, youths set a bogie of a spare coach train on fire. Minor incidents were reported from other places. Police officials have explained to the protesters the ‘Agnipath’ scheme. Through the public representatives, the youths are being taken into confidence,” the ADGP told reporters.
A video showed the youths raising slogans and vandalising the Ballia-Varanasi Memu and Ballia-Shahganj trains. They also pelted stones near the railway godown and targeted private shops at the railway station platform.
Ballia Superintendent of Police Raj Karan Nayyar said, “Some students, while returning from the railway station, tried to break the window pane of an empty train at the washing pit. They also set on fire a bogey. RPF and police reached the spot as soon as they got the news, and brought the fire under control,” Nayyar said.
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District Magistrate of Ballia Saumya Agarwal informed that around 100 persons have been taken into custody. They have been identified using CCTV footage and strict action will be initiated against the accused. The situation is under control, and there is peace. Adequate force is deployed.
Dharmendra Singh, younger brother of Uttar Pradesh Transport Minister and Ballia MLA Daya Shankar Singh, said, “Unruly elements pelted stones at the camp office of Daya Shankar Singh and also damaged the hoarding put up at the office gate.”
District Inspector of Schools Rakesh Kumar has ordered that the re-opening of schools after the summer vacation should be done only after further orders.
Road traffic was badly affected in Aligarh and Noida since Friday morning.
In Unnao, youths staged a demonstration in Safipur area near Mahatma Gandhi Inter College. Later, they handed over a memorandum to sub-divisional magistrate addressed to the defence minister. They also took out a bike rally and shouted slogans against Agnipath.
Unnao Senior Superintendent of Police Shashi Shekhar said, “There is peace.” He said the protesters were sent back after explaining them the new recruitment scheme.
