WATCH - Agnipath stir turns ugly in Uttar Pradesh: Man holds child, runs for cover as protesters pelt stones in Mathura

Lucknow: Protest against union government's Agnipath Scheme turned violent in Uttar Pradesh on Friday as agitated youths torched trains, railway station, toll booth, party office and buses indulging in widespread arson, vandalism and stone-pelting while also blocking several national highways. 

In a bid to disperse the mob, police used force, cane charged protestors and fired tear gas shells at some places. Several protesters are said to have been detained, but it was not confirmed by the authorities.

There were reports of violence, arson in Ballia, Barabanki, Agra, Mathura, Firozabad, Amethi, Aligarh, Varanasi, Deoria, Kushinagar, Etah, Unnao and Rae Bareli where protesters staged angry demonstrations demanding revoking Agnipath scheme and restoring regular recruitment process to defence services.

In the eastern district of Ballia, youths torched the coach of a train stationed at the yard. Police sources said that on Friday morning a mob assembled at Veer Lorik Stadium from where they marched towards the Ballia railway station.

In UP's Ballia, a train set on fire by mob agitating against the centre's Agnipath scheme. pic.twitter.com/9WuwpOgxX6

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) June 17, 2022

"At the railway station the mob vandalised Ballia-Varanasi Memu and Ballia-Shahganj. They also targeted kiosks on the platform and a private bus," the police said.

Police sources said that in a bid to disperse the mob, the police used mild force. "Some youths torched a coach of an isolated train. As the train was parked in the washing area no major loss was caused and the fire was controlled by Railway Protection Force, police and the fire tenders," they said.

In UP's Ballia, massive stonepelting by the mob agitating against the centre's Agnipath scheme. pic.twitter.com/3JdZCFkqGt

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) June 17, 2022

There were reports of stone pelting and disturbances from other parts of the city. District Magistrate Soumya Agarwal said police was deployed since early morning to apprehend mischief elements. She said that some unruly youths came and attempted to pelt stones, but the attempt was foiled.

UP: Crowd gathered at Ballia Railway Station in protest against #AgnipathScheme

Forces have been deployed at station since morning. A few hooligans reached there but they were stopped from damaging much; they attempted stone-pelting. Action being taken: Ballia DM Saumya Agarwal pic.twitter.com/lSmW74l6tk

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 17, 2022

In Firozabad district, protesters put up barricades on the road and pelted stones during which four government buses were damaged.

In UP's Firozabad, roadways buses were targeted by the mob protesting against the centre's Agnipath scheme. pic.twitter.com/26UxvUBgKP

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) June 17, 2022

Similarly in Malpura area in Agra district, youths blocked the Agra-Gwalior highway which led to traffic jams on both the sides.

Protesters also damaged the railing of the divider and when police made an attempt to disperse them they indulged in heavy stone pelting damaging police vehicles. The police used force and fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

#WATCH Police shield commuters as protesters pelt stones during a protest on the Delhi-Agra highway in Mathura, police resort to tear gas shelling to disperse the

Youth protested against Agnipath scheme. Few vehicles were damaged. Traffic movement is normal now: Police pic.twitter.com/DldGvOPA2x

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 17, 2022

Police shielded commuters as protesters pelted stones on the Delhi-Agra highway in Mathura and a video is going viral on the social media in which a man can be seen running for cover with a child in his arms.

A man runs for cover with a #child in his arms in #Mathura as agitators took to stone pelting in protest against the #AgnipathScheme#Bihar #Agnipath#AgnipathRecruitmentScheme #Agniveer#AgnipathScheme#AgnipathRecruitmentScheme#???????? #tourofduty #Agniveers #???????_????? pic.twitter.com/MZ9EIW4CM3

— ??????? Rishabh Kant (@KantChhabra) June 17, 2022

Protests continued at different places in Mathura, including Kosi Kalan and Chhata where youths blocked national highways.

In Chhata the youths also blocked the railway track and Jan Shatabdi Express from Kota to Hazrat Nizamuddin and the train was delayed by 20 minutes.

In Mathura city, agitators blocked Agra-Delhi highway and indulged in stone pelting near an ATV factory after which the police cane charged the protestors. In Aligarh, a roadways bus was torched by the protestors.

In Varanasi, violent protests broke out in the Cantt area on Friday morning during which state roadways buses were vandalised. The protestors also squatted on the railway tracks. In a bid to control the situation, the police resorted to tear gas shells.

Protests erupt in PM’s constituency Varanasi as hundreds of youths holding placards & posters took out protest march against #AgnipathRecruitmentScheme,angry youths vandalised property of Varanasi Cantt.railway statn & wer videographer smashing windows of offices & seats 4 public pic.twitter.com/O1b3ac4Pum

— Shikha Salaria (@Salaria_Shikha1) June 17, 2022

Inspector of Sigra police station and four constables were injured in stone pelting. Heavy police force and PAC personnel were called to control the situation. Around 12 protesters have been taken into custody by the police.

In Amethi the youths blocked Amethi-Pratapgarh road and staged a dharna. Later, they reached the railway station and squatted on the tracks. District Magistrate Kumar Mishra and Superintendent of Police Dinesh Singh reached the spot and pacified the protestors. (UNI)