Hyderabad: 46 people have been arrested in connection with the violence at the Secunderabad Railway Station for protesting against the Centre's new military short-term recruitment scheme, 'Agnipath' said Anuradha, a senior official of the Government Railway Police on Sunday.
The incident is said to have destroyed 58 coaches. According to the SP, property worth Rs 12 crore was destroyed in the Secunderabad station violence.
SP Anuradha said the protests were planned by setting up a WhatsApp group called Railway Station Block Group, Hakimpet Army Group and Soldiers Die Group. Responding to the firing on the protesters, Anuradha said that there were 4,000 litres of oil in the loco engine and if it caught fire, there was a possibility of further danger.
She said, the demonstrators were purportedly instigated by some army recruitment coaching academies. The crowd was around 2,000 people, with some wielding sticks and rods causing damage to railway equipment, burning coaches, and throwing stones at police.
SP Anuradha said they had CC footages and were examining them. Nine railway staff were injured in the incident and a case has been transferred to the Hyderabad police, said SP.
Tirupati district Yarravaripalem police have arrested two Army aspirants who had posted messages targeting the Tirupati railway station. The two men, Rajesh and Rupesh both are from Yarravaripalem zone. They are accused of provoking the youth by creating two WhatsApp groups. According to ABP Desam report, the police arrested the two persons after receiving a tip-off and further investigations are on.
Meanwhile, security has been tightened at the Turipati station, with the deployment of personnel from the Railway Protection Force, AP Special Police Battalion from Venkatagiri, policemen from Srikalahasti, Government Railway Police and a 28-member Anti-Sabotage Team, Octopus.
(With inputs from ABP Desam — It is a Telugu platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from two Telugu states, follow https://telugu.abplive.com//amp)