Protests against the Centre’s Agneepath scheme continued on Friday as several youths descended on the Yamuna Expressway and disrupted traffic for some time, following which the Gautam Buddh Nagar police registered an FIR against 225 protesters and 15 others, officials said. Arrested.
The Agneepath scheme was launched by the Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on 14 June. Unveiling the scheme, the government had said that youth in the age group of 17-and-a-half to 21 years would be inducted for a four-year term, while 25 per cent of them would be inducted for regular service later. He will be called ‘Agnivar’.
Protests have erupted in several states since Wednesday for the recruitment of soldiers in the Army, Navy and Air Force for a period of four years, following the announcement of the scheme, followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits. Has been.
Eight policemen and the driver of a private bus were injured in the violence that broke out during protests in Jewar area of the district adjoining Delhi in western Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
He said the movement from Jewar toll plaza between Greater Noida and Mathura-Agra was disrupted for about an hour from 12 noon. “In view of the law and order situation, a large number of police personnel were sent to the site of the protest,” a police officer said.
Due to the protest, movement at Jewar toll plaza was briefly disrupted and several vehicles were diverted from Pari Chowk, a traffic police official said. Police Commissioner Alok Singh said in a statement at around 1.30 pm that no highway was closed in Noida or Greater Noida due to the protest and vehicular movement was normal in Gautam Buddh Nagar.
Later in the evening, the police said in a statement that it had arrested 10 people and lodged an FIR against 225 people in connection with the protests obstructing vehicular movement during the day.
According to UP ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar, the number of arrests was later increased to 15.
“The road was blocked by some chaotic elements, protested in unison and stone pelting. A private bus parked on the road was vandalized, in which eight policemen and a bus driver were injured, following which the local Jewar police station An FIR was registered in the district, the local police said in a statement.
Of those accused, 75 are named and 225 are unidentified, police said.
FIR registered under sections 147, 148, 149 (all relating to rioting), 323 (causing hurt), 504 (insult to breach the peace), 332 (causing hurt to prevent public servant from duty) of the Indian Penal Code Has been. 353 (assault on public servant), 336 (endangering life of others), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 427 (mischief), the police said.
According to the statement, charges have also been made in the FIR under the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932.
Police earlier said, “So far 10 people have been arrested. Efforts are on to identify others involved in the violence with the help of CCTV footage, videos and photographs, after which strict legal action will be taken against them.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Alok Singh and Joint Commissioner (Law and Order) Luv Kumar visited the protest site, where they interacted with the candidates of Defense Services and informed them about the details of Agneepath scheme.
The officials also told the general public and youth that they can approach their local police stations in a peaceful manner in case of any complaint and all efforts will be made to resolve the same, according to the statement.
(with PTI inputs)