Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, June 17
The anti-Agnipath agitation that was limited to attacks on railways has now spread to private property too as the vehement stir entered the third day on Friday.
The agitators today attacked the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Ms Renu Devi at Bettiah in West Champaran district. Renu Devi herself confirmed the incident and said anti-social elements pelted stones at the house but none was injured.
The toll collection post at Bettiah has been put on fire.
BJP State President Sanjay Jaiswal, who represents Bettiah in Lok Sabha, said his house was attacked. He claimed they had used inflammable materials like diesel and petrol to set the house on fire.
BJP legislator and former minister Vinay Bihari was also assaulted and his vehicle was damaged by agitators at Lauriya.
A passenger travelling in passenger train died of suffocation as the train was set on fire, he could not detrain. Police said he was sleeping.
At Gandhi Maidan circle in the heart of Patna, a mob attacked the police check post-set on fire over a dozen four wheelers, six autos and a dozen motorcycles. In Bakhtiyarpur, 35 kms from here, police fired five rounds to disperse the mob after the railway station was put to fire.
District magistrate of Patna Chandrashekhar Singh said police used lathis and later tear gas shells on the agitators who had burnt the entire Farakka Express on platform number one of Danapur station,10 kms from Patna. Railway equipment were also damaged.
The RPF post was also destroyed in the fire. Police arrested five people. Secundarabad-Patna express stationed at Danapur was also burnt.
At Paliganj, 30 kms west from Patna, the revenue circle office, a police Jeep, four private vehicles and a bus were set on fire disrupting traffic on Patna-Aurangabad national highway.
Eastern Central on Friday noon announced cancellation of 55 express and passenger trains and five local inter-city trains following damage to tracks and trains.
The long distance prestigious express trains-Jammu Tawi Guwahati and Bikramshilla Express coaches were set on fire, passengers were forced to detrain and loco pilots were beaten up. Air- conditioned coaches in the trains were damaged.
At several railway stations, the agitators set on fire the tracks, platforms, booking counters and even looted goods from the stalls on the platforms.
At Lakhisarai station, agitators assembled at the platform early morning and forced passengers to come out of the coaches, set on fire the engine and the coaches. At Arwal, they blocked movement of vehicles on national highway 139 and at adjoining Gaya railway stations, set on fire a passenger train.
At Mohiuddinnagar station in Samastipur station, the Swatantra Senani express was out on fire while in Purnia, Kosi express became victim of arson. At Lakhminiya, the agitators set on fire the entire railway station,
At Hajipur railway station, six agitators were arrested by the Government Railway Police after the railway station was vandalised and stationery passenger was attacked. Reports of violence and arson are reported from Begusarai, Barauni, Supaul stations too. At Saharasa,the Sharsa-Darbhanga passenger train were set on fire, at Bihta station, long distance Seemanchal Express between Amritsar and Katihar was put on fire.
Trains at Bihiya, Dumraon, Mansi, Munger, Nalanda also became targets of the agitators on Friday morning. According to a report received from Bettiah in West Champaran district, youths held an express train and later burnt its coaches. Similiar incident has been reported from Sara railway station, 50 kms from here.
National president of the Janata Dal U Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh and JDU Parliamentary Board Chairman Upendra Kushwaha have demanded recall of the Agnipath employment scheme. Leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, in a statement, criticised the decision of the Defence ministry and alleged it was against the aspirants from Bihar and UP.
Anti_ Agneepath agitation spread to different parts of Jharkhand on Friday.
Youths held a protest demonstration at Army Recruitment Centre at Ranchi.They were driven out of the Main Road.
At Daltonganj railway station ,large number of youths squatted on the railway tracks.Police used lathi to disperse them.
At Dhanbad too,youths organused a protest rally from Randhir Verma chauk to Dhanbad railway station.Tyres were
burnt on the railway tracks.
At Koderma railway station between Dhanbad and Gaya,a passenger train to Dehri on Sone was stopped by the agitators.At Jidapokhar station ,they sat on dharna.
At Jugsalai station in West Singhbhum district too,movement of trains was stopped by the agitators.
On national highway 2( ,GT road),youths from different parts of Giridih district,blocked the movement of vehicles at Dumri on highway leading to West Bengal.
Police dispersed them through lathi charge.
In Bihar,district offices of BJP at Sasaram,Madhepura,
Motihari and Nawada were damaged.
A BJP legislator and former minister,Vinay Bihari was assaulted by the agitating youths at Bettiah and his vehicle was badly damaged
