This Article is From Jun 17, 2022

Over 340 Trains Hit In 'Agnipath' Protests Over 2 Days: 10 Latest Updates

At least 12 trains have been set on fire since the protests against the Agnipath scheme erupted on Wednesday.

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India News

Indian Railways said that 140 passenger trains have been cancelled due to the protests.

Over 300 trains have been affected so far due to the protests against the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the defence services.

Here are 10 updates on this big story:

  1. Indian Railways today said that 340 trains have been affected due to the nationwide protests against the Agnipath recruitment scheme.

  2. At least 12 trains have been set on fire since the protests erupted on Wednesday.

  3. The Railways said that 94 mail and express trains and 140 passenger trains have been cancelled due to the protests. Sixty-five mail and express and 30 passenger trains have been partially cancelled.

  4. The Railways has also diverted 11 mail and express trains.

  5. According to the last statement by the zonal railways, 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.

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  7. The worst-hit East Central Railways -- covering Bihar, Jharkhand, and parts of Uttar Pradesh which have witnessed widespread protests -- has decided to "monitor" the operations of some trains due to the agitations.

  8. The Southern Railways, in a statement, said 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.

  9. The government unveiled Agnipath on Tuesday -- calling it a "transformative" scheme-- for the recruitment of soldiers in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis.

  10. Protesters are unhappy with the changes, particularly the length of service, no pension provisions for those released early, and the 17.5 to 21-year age restriction that now makes many of them ineligible.

  11. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw urged youths not to destroy railway assets. "I appeal to the youth to not indulge in violent protests and not damage the property of the Railways," he said

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