Uttar Pradesh: No end to protest against Agnipath; Yogi govt lodges FIRs, 300 arrested

As violent protests continues in most of the districts of Uttar Pradesh against the new recruitment policy in armed forces in the name of Agnipath, the state government has started taking punitive actions against the agitated mob of youths.

On Saturday, heavy police force was deployed at the Agra-Lucknow expressway and Yamuna expressway to prevent youths from blocking it. In Mainpuri, the police chased hundreds of youths trying to block the traffic on the Agra-Lucknow expressway and arrested one. In Jaunpur district, agitated lot of youths pelted stone on police vehicles hurting five. At many places in Jaunpur, the irate mob blocked traffic and indulged in arson. In Chandauli district the agitated youths ransacked Kachmann railway station and pelted stone at policemen deployed there. Several policemen were injured in the stone pelting incident and were rushed to hospitals. Flag march was taken out in Gorakhpur to maintain peace while in Mirzapur district the demonstration of youths turned violent on Saturday. Several roadways buses were damaged by irate mob of youths. In Aligarh, the markets have been closed due to fear of violence by youths.

According to the Additional Director General (ADG), Law & Order, Prashant Kumar 15 FIRs have been lodged in various districts so far against the troublemakers and 269 have been arrested. He informed that 168 people have been booked under section 151 and hunt is on to nab those damaged public properties. In Aligarh 4 separate cases have been lodged in which 66 people have been named including nine coaching owners. Police has arrested 40 people here. In Mathura 70 people have been arrested while 109 in Balia, 27 in Varanasi and 15 in Noida. Additional forces have been sent to Jaunpur and Raibareili where agitation is still going.