Dozens of trains cancelled in India amid violent Agnipath protests
A total of 200 train services have been affected due to the ongoing agitation against the government's short-term recruitment scheme for the armed forces, reported news agency ANI. Hundreds of angry youths vented their ire against the Agnipath scheme by burning train coaches, vandalising railroad property and blocking rail tracks and highways with boulders.
In Uttar Pradesh, a large number of youth vandalised two trains at Ballia railway station and set ablaze a compartment of a train in Washing line. Violent protests in Secunderabad left one dead and at least eight critically injured after police opened fire to control agitators who ransacked the railway stations and pelted stones.
In Bihar's Samastimpur, protesters torched train coaches of Jammu Tawi-Guwahati Lohit Express and ransacked the station premises. The protesters also blocked road traffic near Dharmpur chowk in Samastipur town. Protest-related unrest was reported from various parts of Buxar, rural Patna, Arwal, Khagaria, Bhojpur, and Lakhisarai districts.
As many as 35 train services stand cancelled while 13 have been short terminated across the country, according to ANI. Around 20 trains under East Central Railway were cancelled due to the arson, while many others were either short-terminated or run on alternate routes, reported PTI quoting an official. The Western Railway cancelled two DEMU (diesel electric multiple unit) trains after getting information about the protest in Indore, according to PTI.
North Central Railways said in a statement that two trains – 12335 Mumbai LTT SF Express and 12273 Howrah - New Delhi Duronto Express – have been cancelled due to the ongoing agitation under East Central Railway jurisdiction. 15483 Alidwarpur-Delhi Mahananda Express and 12505 Kamakhya-Anand Vihar North East Express were also cancelled as protests spread over different cities.
Moreover, 13401 Bhagalpur - Danapur Intercity Express and 03487 Jamalpur - Kiul DEMU Passenger Special will be short terminated at Dhanauri.
List of trains to be regulated:
1)12303 Howrah - New Delhi Poorva Express
2)12353 Howrah - Lalkuan Express
3) 18622 Ranchi - Patna Patliputra Express
4)18182 Danapur - Tata Express
5) 22387 Howrah - Dhanbad Black Diamond Express
6) 13512 Asansol - Tata Express
7) 13032 Jaynagar - Howrah Express
8) 13409 Malda Town - Kiul Express
