Large-scale violence broke out at Secunderabad railway station on Friday morning after a mob of youth protesting the Agnipath scheme indulged in destructing railway property and set ablaze stationary bogies and booked parcel items.
The railway station and its surrounding areas resembled war zone with damaged vehicles and railway property. Several vehicles parked on the station premises also were damaged.
Police fired shots in the air to control the anti-Agnipath scheme protesters at the station resulting in injuries to at least three youth.
Protesters collapse on platform
Preliminary reports suggested that at least 15 rounds were fired on the protesters to quell the mob. Television visuals showed some injured protesters collapsing on the platform and railway tracks being taken away by fellow agitators.
In what appeared to a meticulously planned act, hundreds of youth with their faces covered with handkerchiefs suddenly descended on the railway station and started ransacking the railway property. First they ransacked the food stalls and damaged the surveillance cameras installed on the premises.
Later a group of youth, claiming to be Army recruitment aspirants began to target the parcel booking items that arrived by some express trains. They threw the parcel items including booked two vehicles on the railway tracks and set them ablaze.
A train set ablaze at the Secunderabad railway station by anti-Agnipath scheme protesters | Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal
Platform 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10 bore the brunt of the violence, which continues till reports last came in. Additional police forces were rushed to the station to bring the situation under control. The mob continued to throw stones and went on rampage setting afire the trains on platforms.
ALSO READ: Upper age limit for Agnipath scheme hiring raised to 23 for 2022
Movement of all trains to and from the station was halted as a precautionary measure.
Hundreds of passengers, who had arrived by the trains and or were waiting for their trains to arrive on the platforms were caught unaware. Several of them with kids were seen desperately trying to escape the area.
The situation is still tense as the agitators refused to vacate the railway station premises.
Top Developments
- Stationary bogies were set ablaze
- Booked parcel items were thrown on tracks, set afire
- Food stalls and CCTV cameras were damaged
- Recruitment aspirants went on a rampage
- Additional police forces rushed in to control mob
- Situation still tense at the station
