Protests against the Central government's Agnipath scheme continued on Saturday with reports of protesters damaging buses and public properties, and blocking main roads pouring in from various districts of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.
In Jaunpur and Kannauj, a Roadways bus and a motorcycle respectively were set afire by protestors who raised anti-government slogans.
Reports from Jaunpur said hundreds of youth gathered on Saturday morning on the streets. On the Jaunpur-Prayagraj highway, the protestors damaged two roadways buses and a police vehicle among other vehicles. In the morning, one of the damaged buses and a police jeep were set afire, which was extinguished later. Some motorcycles, including a police two-wheeler, were set on fire in the Lal Bazar area of Jaunpur. The protestors were chased away by the police and the situation was controlled. There were reports that the protestors pelted stones at police. A vehicle of a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader was damaged.
Senior officials reached the spot and controlled the situation. They asked the officials to remain vigilant.
The officials said that the protestors were being identified and if needed, Gangsters Act may also be imposed against them.
Adequate police force has been deployed at the railway and bus stations and police have increased vigil.
In Kannauj, youths protested against the Agnipath scheme on Saturday and urged the government to withdraw it.
On Agra-Lucknow Expressway, youths protested against the Agnipath scheme at Saurikh and handed over a memorandum addressed to the government to the officials. The police officials said the youths were sent back after making them understand the provisions of the Agnipath scheme.
Leaders of Rashtriya Lok Dal and Aam Aadmi Party staged protests in Meerut and demanded roll back of the Agnipath scheme.
In Lucknow, the AAP leaders staged a protest by selling cow dung cakes in the city.
The Centre on Tuesday had unveiled the ambitious scheme for recruitment of the youth aged between 17-1/2 and 21 in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis.
The youth recruited under the scheme will be known as Agniveers. After the completion of the four-year tenure, 25 per cent of the recruits from each specific batch will be offered regular service.