Agnipath protest: 17 arrested in Chengalpattu railway station

CHENNAI: Police on Saturday arrested 17 people who were involved in a protest against the Agnipath requirement scheme at the Chengalpattu railway station.

In Chengalpattu, the district president of the Youth Association of India, Purushothaman, took out a rally from Chengalpattu new bus stand shouting slogans. When they tried to enter the railway station, as a precautionary measure, more than 100 police personnel on duty put up iron barricades in front of the railway station to stop them from entering the premises.

The police arrested 17 people, including a woman, as they continued to protest and have been confined them to a private marriage hall in the area. This created a stir at the railway station.

The Agnipath scheme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few days ago evoked protests in several parts of the country. In the northern states, especially, there have been several protests, including rail blockades, burning of trains, and looting of shops.