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Watch Video: Protests over Agnipath scheme seen in four districts of West Bengal, train services hit
Kolkata: Incidents of sporadic violence due to the Central Government’s Agnipath scheme were seen in four districts of Bengal on Friday.
In Thakurnagar, protesters protested in front of BJP MP and MoS Shantanu Thakur’s residence.
A group of protesters also blocked Thakurnagar railway station disrupting the normal train services of Sealdah-Bongaon line under Eastern Railway.
The protestors demanded immediate roll back of the Agnipath scheme as they claimed that they have crossed the age as there was no examination for the last two years.
“Due to the pandemic there was no examination for the last two years. Service of four years and a package of 11 lakh during exit is not enough. The central government should also increase the age limit,” said the protestors.
In Purulia–Barakar road police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the crowd as the protestors were blocking the railway tracks disrupting free flowing of the trains.
Protests were also seen in Siliguri and on Howrah Bridge. Traffic was thrown out of gear near Howrah bridge and several people who were about to reach the station had to wait in a long line.
Chanting slogans against the BJP government, the protestors on Howrah Bridge said that they prepare themselves for three years and it is not ‘enough’ that they will do service only for four years.
#Agnipath protest reaches #Kolkata. Protesters assembled at Howrah station, started their march towards Indian Army Hq in the city, blocked traffic on Howrah bridge and also gave push ups. Protesters have scattered themselves after police intervened and removed the blockade. pic.twitter.com/Cv0tusjGoJ
— Tamal Saha (@Tamal0401) June 17, 2022Several trains were suspended and some were rescheduled after they were set on fire in Bihar.
Students and passengers who came to Kolkata were seen sitting inside Howrah station as they didn’t know when the connecting trains for their destinations would start. Some students also agitated in front of the enquiry office of Howrah station demanding refund for their tickets.
Eastern Railway CPRO Eklavya Chakraborty said that several trains are stranded under East Central Railways for which several trains are cancelled.
“We are in touch with East Central Railway authorities and if everything goes well then we will try to drop the passengers at Dhanbad, border of Jharkhand or anywhere which is safe,” said Chakraborty.
However, BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh said that there are ‘group’ of people who are always ready to instigate violence.
Former Major General KK Gangopadhyay also said that he is ‘unhappy’ with the decision of the Central Government.