Lakhisarai: Jammu Tawi Guwahati Express train set on fire by a mob in protest against the Centre's 'Agnipath' scheme, in Hajipur, Friday, June 17, 2022. (PTI Photo)
Ballia/Aligarh/Varanasi, June 17 (PTI) Raising slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Agnipath Vapas Lo', youths vandalised trains and torched a railway coach in Ballia and damaged buses at other places as protests erupted again in Uttar Pradesh on Friday 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 the state, 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 them the 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 and 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," he said.
District Magistrate of Ballia Saumya Agarwal told PTI, "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 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.
In Deoria, too, youths staged a demonstration.
Firozabad Superintendent of Police (rural) Akhilesh Narayan said that the protesters in Matsena police station area setup barriers around 7 am and stopped buses on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway. Around four buses were vandalised.
"The passengers were provided with alternative buses," he said.
The unruly elements are from nearby villages and they are being identified, the SP added.
Scores of youngsters also descended on the Yamuna Expressway and blocked traffic briefly near Jewar, officials said.
The movement through Jewar toll plaza between Greater Noida and Mathura-Agra was blocked for around an hour from 12 pm, they said.
In Varanasi, youths raised anti-government slogans at the Cantonment Railway Station and damaged buses and carts outside.
As the police force chased them, they ran towards the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth and pelted stones, officials said. The youths also damaged buses outside the DRM office in the Lahartara area of the city.
Varanasi Police Commissioner A Satish Ganesh said an appeal has been made to those trying to take law into their own hands to maintain peace and warned action will be taken against them as per law if they don't abide by it.
In Amethi, too, youths staged a protest against the Agnipath scheme and blocked the Amethi-Durgapur and Amethi-Pratapgarh road.
As protests snowballed, the North-Eastern Railways, North-Central Railways and Northern Railways cancelled some trains while they stopped few others.
North-Eastern Railways spokesperson Pankaj Singh told PTI that 12 trains have been cancelled. These are Varanasi-Chhapra, Chhapra-Aurihar, Ballia-Varanasi, Azamgarh-Varanasi, Prayagraj Rambagh-Mau, Mau-Prayagraj Rambagh, Thave-Chhapra Kacheri, Chhapra-Varanasi, Thave-Masrakh, Masrakh-Thave, Varanasi-Ballia and Banaras-Patna Express.
Another 15 trains have been stopped at various railway stations and services will resume once the situation improves, he added.
Spokespersons of North-Central Railways and Northern Railways said there was no damage to trains, but several of them had been stopped as a precautionary measure.
Protests have erupted in several states since Wednesday against the Agnipath scheme to recruit jawans into the army, the navy and the air force for a four-year-period followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits.
