Train services affected amid protest against Agnipath in Indore

Indore, June 17 (IANS) Hundreds of youths on Friday demonstrated against the Centre's new military recruitment policy, Agnipath at the Indore railway station forcing cancellation of several trains.

Agitators barged into the Laxmi Bai railway station, raised slogans opposing the new policy and indulged in stone pelting. Heavy police force have been deployed to disperse the protesters and to control the situation.

According to official information, services of at least five to six trains were disrupted for over three hours. Several protesters were detained and security forces deployed in nearby railway stations, including Ratlam, Shajapur, Ujjain.

The agitation here started a day after it rocked Gwalior on Friday. Panic gripped the city for almost three-four hours. Private and public properties were damaged and tyres burnt on the railway track.

Two FIRs - one in Railway police and another at local police station have been registered and identification of youth that damaged properties during the protest in Gwalior is underway.

As the protest spread in the state, leaders of the ruling BJP accused the opposition of "misleading" the people which resulted in a stir.

State Home Minister Narottam Mishra blamed MP Congress Kamal Nath for misleading the youth in the state. "Agnipath is a revolutionary step by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the armed forces. Kamal Nath's message on social media (twitter) seems to have misled youth and they are protesting," Mishra has said on Thursday's protest in Gwalior.