Agnipath Protest: After attacking Dy CM Renu Devi's residence, Mobs now attack private property in Bettiah

On Friday, the agitators attacked the residence of deputy chief minister, Ms Renu Devi at Bettiah in West Champaran district. Deputy CM herself confirmed the incident and said anti social elements threw stones on the house,but none was injured.

The Toll collection post at Bettiah has been put on fire.

BJP state president, Sanjay Jaiswal, who represents Bettiah in Lok Sabha,said his house was attacked. He claimed they had used inflammable materials like diesel and petrol to set the house on fire.

At Gandhi Maidan circle in the heart of Patna, a mob attacked the police check post,set on fire over a dozen four wheelers,six autos and a dozen motor cycles.

At Bakhtiyarpur, 35 kms from here, police fired five rounds to disperse the mob after the railway station was put to fire.

District magistrate of Patna, Chandrashekhar Singh said police used lathis and later tear gas shells on the agitators who had burnt the entire Farakka Express on platform number one of Danapur station, 10 kms from Patna.Railway equipment were also damaged.

The RPF post was also destroyed in the .fire.Police arrested five people.Secindarabad_ Patna express stationed at Danapur was also burnt.

At Paliganj, 30 kms west from Patna, the revenue circle office,a police Jeep,four private vehicles and a bus were set on fire disrupting traffic on Patna-Aurangabad national highway.

Eastern Central on Friday noon announced cancellation of 55 express and passenger trains and five local inter-city trains following damage to tracks and trains.

On Thursday, BJP MLA Aruna Devi was attacked as she was passing through a railway crossing in Nawada. She was on her way to district headquarters in Nawada city to participate in an event.

When her car reached the railway crossing of Nawada railway station, a large number of protesters attacked her. They pelted stones on her vehicles. She somehow managed to escape in her car. Her driver however sustained minor injuries in the incident.

The violent protests against the new military recruitment policy has entered the third consecutive day. Trains were set afire, public and police vehicles are attacked in several states, including UP and Bihar.

The majority of the aspirants demanded withdrawal of the 'Agnipath' scheme and start of normal recruitment into defence forces.

The age limit for Agnipath recruitment has now been raised to 23 from 21 as a "one-time waiver" following the protests. The government has also put out a 10-point defence of the scheme and assured recruits they will not find themselves in the lurch after completing their four years in the military.

Published on: Friday, June 17, 2022, 11:19 AM IST