Operations of over 200 trains have been affected so far due to protests against the ‘Agneepath’ scheme related to recruitment in the Armed Forces. The Railways gave this information on Friday.
Ashwini Vaishnav urged the youth not to damage railway property. “I appeal to the youth not to indulge in violent protests and not to damage railway properties,” he said.
Officials said that they are monitoring the movement of these trains and will take a decision regarding their operation as per the situation. The Railways said that several trains of North Frontier Railway pass through the jurisdiction of East Central and three of them have been affected.
The protesters damaged three trains of East Central Railway and an empty train. Railway officials said that the assessment of damage to immovable property is difficult at present. In Ballia, protesting youths set ablaze an empty train and ransacked some other trains, raising slogans such as ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Look back at Agneepath’. After this the police had to lathi-charge them.