Agnipath protests in Karnataka’s Dharwad: Police use lathi-charge to disperse crowd

Mangalore Today News Network

Dharwad, June 18, 2022: Police resorted to a mild lathi-charge to disperse anti-Agnipath protesters as they attempted to take out a protest march against the defence recruitment scheme in Dharwad district of Karnataka, police officials said on Saturday, June 18. The incident in Dharwad comes in the wake of violent protests in Telangana’s Secunderabad and in other places in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal and Rajasthan.

 

According to the police, the aspirants had gathered at Kala Bhavan in Dharwad from various parts of the district, and wanted to stage a protest. The Additional Deputy Commissioner of the district received a memorandum from the protesters. A section of protesters pelted stones on a bus nearby leaving it partially damaged, an act which prompted police to use lathi-charge to disperse all the protesters, police said. The protesters were not allowed to head towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office

Some of the protesters have been taken into custody, while others have been dispersed, and the situation is currently under control, police officials said. There are also reports of protests in Gokak and other parts of neighbouring Belagavi district. Congress MLA from Khanapur constituency Anjali Nimbalkar too participated in one such protest.

Under the Agnipath scheme, young persons will be provided an opportunity to serve in the armed forces as ’Agniveer’ for a period of four years, including training period. Protests against the Agnipath scheme raged through several states across the country for the fourth day on Saturday. Since the protests saw attacks on railway property, the Southern Railway has increased security at all major stations across Tamil Nadu.

Security was also beefed up at Vijayawada, Kurnool, Tirupati and other major railway stations in Andhra Pradesh as a precautionary measure in the wake of violent protests at the Secunderabad railway station on Friday. At least six train coaches were set on fire and one person was reported dead in the violent protests in Secunderabad over the Agnipath scheme.

Courtesy: The News Minute