Agnipath Scheme Protests: 316 Trains Affected, 200 Cancelled Across Country

The officials said the coaches of seven trains have so far been set ablaze by the protestors.

Protests against Agnipath scheme. (Image: ANI)

New Delhi: As protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s Agnipath recruitment scheme continue in several parts of the country for the third day on Friday, the Indian Railways said that over 300 trains have been affected and more than 200 cancelled so far, news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. The Railways said that 94 mail and express trains and 140 passenger trains have been cancelled due to the protests, while 65 mail and express and 30 passenger trains were partially cancelled. The officials said the Railways has also diverted 11 mail and express trains, adding the total number of trains affected so far stands at 340.

The zonal railways in a statement said 164 trains were cancelled in the East Central Railways (ECR), 34 in North Eastern Railways (NER), 13 in Northern Railways (NR) and around three in Northeast Frontier Railways.

The officials said the coaches of seven trains have so far been set ablaze by the protestors.

The officials said that coaches of three running trains in the ECR and one empty rake in Kulharia, in the same zone, were damaged by the protestors, adding one coach of a train was also damaged in the washing line at Uttar Pradesh's Ballia.

The officials further said that 64 trains were so far short terminated in ECR and added that there were no protests on tracks since 5 p.m.

All trains moving from its jurisdiction towards Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh will be short-terminated due to widespread agitations and arson there over the Agnipath scheme, the Southern Railways said in a statement.

The officials said they are keeping an eye on the movement of train and will decide on their operation as the situation evolves.

The trains being monitored are: 12303 Howrah-New Delhi Poorva Express 12353 Howrah-Lalkuan Express 18622 Ranchi-Patna Patliputra Express 18182 Danapur-Tata Express 22387 Howrah-Dhanbad Black Diamond Express 13512 Asansol-Tata Express 13032 Jaynagar-Howrah Express 13409 Malda Town-Kiul Express Under the ECR, the 12335 Malda Town-Lokmanya Tilak (T) Express and the Howrah- New Delhi Duronto Express have been cancelled, the news agency reported officials as saying.

The Indian Railways said several trains run by the Northeast Frontier Railways pass through ECR jurisdiction and added that three of them have been hit by the protests.

Around 13 trains, including 15624 Kamakhya-Bhagat Ki Kothi Express 15623 Bhagat Ki Kothi Kamakhya Express 12565 Darbhanga-New Delhi Bihar Sampark Kranti Express 15273 Raxual-Anand Vihar Terminal Satyagrah Express 02563 Saharsa-New Delhi train 12273 Howrah-New Delhi Duronto Express 12435 Jaynagar-Anand Vihar Terminal Garib Rath Express, have been cancelled in the Northern Railway Zone, which is the country’s biggest railway zone.

One person was killed in police firing in Secunderabad during the protests on Friday. This came as the protestors torched trains, vandalised public property and blocked tracks and highways.

Urging the youths not to destroy railway assets, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said: “I appeal to the youth to not indulge in violent protests and not damage the property of the Railways.”

The protests, which began in Bihar, has now spread to West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

As a precautionary measure to maintain the law and order situation in Haryana’s Gurugram district, orders have been issued restricting the assembly of four or more persons. The violators will, as per the order, be punished under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had earlier in the day closed the gates of several metro stations as a precautionary step. The gates have, however, been opened now.   

The All India Students’ Association (AISA) has called for a Bihar bandh on Saturday against the Agnipath scheme.