Agnipath Bharat Bandh live updates | Centre stands firm on roll-out; security beefed up after storm in States

Here are the latest developments from the ongoing protests against the Agnipath scheme from across the country

Protests erupted in several states on June 16 against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme for recruitment of soldiers between 17.5 and 21 years of age across the three services for a four-year period followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits. The Centre on June 18 announced several incentives including a 10% reservation in vacancies in the defence ministry and paramilitary forces for Agnipath retirees as it tried to defuse the violent protests that raged on against the new military recruitment scheme in many states and the opposition parties stepped up pressure for a rollback.

Mobs set ablaze Taregana railway station in Bihar during a bandh on June 18 and vandalised Ludhiana railway station in Punjab, as protesters continued to target railway properties on the fourth day of the stir and blocked roads and rail tracks in several states including West Bengal, Haryana, Rajasthan, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. Railways cancelled 369 trains and passengers faced a harrowing time. Over 200 trains were cancelled a day earlier after the railways faced the brunt of the protests. The agitation also spread to the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, with aspirants doing push-ups on roads at some places to register their protest.

Explained | The Agnipath scheme for armed forces

Despite the Centre's steps to assuage concerns and police arresting hundreds of people for the violence, there was no let-up in the protests. In Patna and its outskirts, bandh supporters were restrained by Bihar police from forcing shops to down their shutters, but they hurled stones and set fire to Taregana railway station in Masaurhi sub-division and a jeep belonging to the railway police. There was also cross-firing and journalists covering the clash were assaulted.

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 Traffic in parts of central Delhi will be affected on June 20 due to the Congress’ protest against the Centre’s Agnipath scheme and “vendetta politics” against Rahul Gandhi, according to traffic police.

Mr. Gandhi is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald money laundering case and will appear before the agency for the fourth time on Monday. - PTI