Bengal: Anti-Agnipath protesters block rly tracks

Kolkata: Train services on the Sealdah-Barrackpore route in Bengal's North 24-Parganas district were disrupted for around one hour on Saturday as a group of anti-Agnipath agitators blocked railway tracks and did push-ups to register protest against the new scheme for recruitment in armed forces.

Around 20 protesters blocked both up and down lines at a level crossing from around 10 am, thus, also affecting vehicular traffic, a spokesperson of the Eastern Railway said.

"We love our country. Please don't play with our future. We have been preparing for the Army for several years, and now the Centre implements Agnipath scheme. We demand its immediate rollback," one of the protesters, carrying 'Boycott Agnipath' placard, said.

The protesters were removed from the spot around 11.15 am and railway services and movement of vehicles resumed, a GRP official said.

Meanwhile, agitating members of the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) and All India Democratic Youth Organisation (AIDYO) clashed with the police on Saturday afternoon when they tried to block roads protesting against the scheme in the Hazra area. Taking quick action, the cops detained them within an hour and ensured that the traffic movement was not affected in the area for long.

The state government has already directed the police top brass that measures should be taken so that people are not inconvenienced due to the protests.