Unrelenting protest against Agnipath; Bihar Railway loses Rs 200 crore in protest

Railways in Bihar have lost over Rs 200 crore in protests against the Agnipath Army recruitment drive. The news agency ANI quoted a senior railway official as saying that 50 coaches and five engines were completely burnt out. Hundreds set fire to and destroyed trains and railway stations for the third day in a row. Danapur Rail Division Divisional Manager Prabhat Kumar said the platforms, computer systems and other technical equipment were damaged.

Protesters set fire to about a dozen coaches on Friday. Three coaches of the Baroni-Gondia Express caught fire. In Sivan district, protesters tried to set fire to a train engine. Three air-conditioned compartments of the Vikramshila Express were looted and set on fire. The newly constructed platform in Ara district and the Bapudham railway station in Motihari were destroyed. One passenger was also injured. The East Central Railway said 30 trains, including four express trains, were canceled and others were delayed for hours. Some trains got stuck on the way.

Meanwhile, a man suspected of being the mastermind behind the protests in Secunderabad against the Agnipath scheme has been taken into custody. Andhra Pradesh police have arrested Subba Rao, an administrator of an army training center for job seekers. He will be handed over to the Railway Police Force. He was taken into custody for calling for protests through WhatsApp groups. According to the Railway Police, the protest against the fire in Secunderabad was planned. The protest was called by WhatsApp groups.

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