India: 491 train services affected amid protests against Agnipath scheme

A total of 491 train services have been affected throughout the country, due to the ongoing agitation in various parts of the country against the new recruitment scheme in the Armed Forces, informed railway officials on Sunday.

As many as 229 mail express and 254 passenger trains stand cancelled, while eight mail express have been partially cancelled.

Due to operational reasons, 31 trains terminated at various railway stations in Delhi and Ghaziabad along with Mumbai bound train from Punjab will remain cancelled on June 20.

Amid the ongoing agitation against Agnipath Scheme in East Central Railway jurisdiction seven trains originating from various cities of Bihar and West Bengal were cancelled while ten other trains originating from both the states have been rescheduled for June 20.

Further, the route of another two trains originating from cities in Bihar and West Bengal has been curtailed on June 20.

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“In the three days (from June 15 to June 17), around 620 people have been arrested and as many as 130 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered in Bihar,” Sanjay Singh ADG, Law and Order, had said earlier on the protests against Agnipath recruitment scheme, adding that “140 people were arrested on Saturday”.

As per the East Central Railway, over 60 trains were cancelled till Saturday and two were terminated due to the prevailing law and order problems and threat perception to the railway property and passengers in Bihar.

The Union Cabinet on June 14 approved a recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the three services of the Armed Forces called Agnipath and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers

Agnipath is a pan India merit-based recruitment scheme for enrolling soldiers, airmen and sailors. The scheme provides an opportunity for the youth to serve in the regular cadre of the armed forces. All those recruited under the Agnipath Scheme will be called ‘Agniveers’.

Agniveers will be enrolled for a service duration of 4 years including the training period. After four years, only 25 per cent of the Agniveers will be retained or re-enlisted in the regular cadre based on merit, willingness and medical fitness.

• India