1 killed, 12 trains burnt, stations vandalised amid nationwide protests over 'Agnipath': Key facts

A 19-year-old from Warangal has died and over 15 were injured in Telangana's Secunderabad as violent protests spread to the southern state.

Several states like Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have witnessed violent agitation over the new scheme.

The army aspirants protesting against the scheme targeted railway stations and set on fire some trains in Bihar and Telangana.

In Bihar, agitating students torched six compartments of a train at Moihuddin Nagar in Samastipur and two coaches of another train at Lakhisarai station. The aspirants also blocked railway traffic at Bihiya station near Ara and Lakhisarai.

Army job aspirants have given a call for Bihar bandh on June 18 to protest against Agnipath recruitment scheme in all three wings of Armed forces while opposition parties extended their support to make bandh call a success.

The protesting students also staged peaceful agitations at Muzaffarpur carrying national flags.

In Bihar, the house of Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi was attacked in Bettiah in West Champaran district.

Internet has been suspended in 12 districts in Bihar. as the government said that the misuse of social networking sites is likely to be detrimental to the interests of peace in these 12 districts.

In Uttar Pradesh, a mob entered a railway station in Ballia this morning and set a train coach on fire. They also damaged railway station property before the police used force to disperse them.

Protests also erupted in Varanasi, Firozabad and Amethi, causing damage to government buses and other symbols of public property. A local BJP leader's car was torched in Aligarh.

Due to the protest at Secunderabad Railway Station in Telangana, the South Central Railway (SCR) on Friday cancelled/partially cancelled and partially diverted nine trains.

As the agitation is spreading across many states, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw appealed to the youth to not indulge in violence. He also urged the students not to damage the railway's property.

The Opposition has also stepped up its attack on the Centre over the new recruitment scheme, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi not take 'agnipareeksha (trial by fire)' of their patience by making them walk on Agnipath.

Almost all opposition parties in Bihar have extended their support to Bandh call which included Congress, Left parties and RJD. Opposition parties also alleged that the new recruitment scheme in the Army would prove to be detrimental to the interests of youths of the country.

UP's Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, meanwhile, called the move "negligent" and potentially "fatal" for the country's future.

What is the Agnipath scheme?

The Centre unveiled Agnipath scheme on Tuesday what it as a "transformative" one for the recruitment of soldiers in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis.

The youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers.

"Agnipath allows patriotic and motivated youth to serve in the Armed Forces for a period of four years," read the statement issued by the defence ministry.

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.

On completion of the engagement period of four years, Agniveers will be paid one time ‘SevaNidhi’ package which shall comprise their contribution including accrued interest thereon and matching contribution from the Government equal to the accumulated amount of their contribution including interest.