Lucknow/Patna: Violent protests erupted in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Telangana, among other states, this past week over Agnipath — central government’s recruitment scheme for the armed forces.
Among those who have been accused of damaging public and private property during these protests were young aspirants who aim to someday become a part of the defence establishment. Tens of thousands of these aspirants join coaching centres to prepare for their entrance examinations.
The same coaching centres have now landed in the crosshairs in the wake of violent protests against the Agnipath scheme.
Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh have arrested the owners/managers of at least nine coaching centres, that groom aspirants for defence recruitment, for allegedly “inciting” violent protests.
Similar allegations have been levelled against coaching centres by police in Bihar’s Patna, where protests against the scheme took a violent turn in some areas.
“I don’t think academies who help with written exams are instigating students. Academies that offer physical training may be an accomplice in the violent protests,” alleged Rajesh Kumar Singh, director of Patna-based Hind Academy, who favours the Agnipath scheme.
While police in UP’s Agra have ruled out that owners/managers of coaching centres had a role in the violent protests, most coaching centres in Agra – acting on “advice” from the police – have decided not to hold classes till the “situation normalises”.
The Agnipath scheme envisages the annual recruitment of 46,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen on an “all-India, all-class” basis. Only 25 per cent of these personnel, who will be known as ‘Agniveers’, will be absorbed by the armed forces upon completion of four years in service.
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No ‘blanket ban’ on coaching centres in Agra
Clusters of coaching centres in Agra’s New Agra and Bhagwan Talkies areas, most affected by Thursday’s violent protests against the Agnipath scheme, now lay deserted.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Agra), Sudhir Kumar Singh, told media persons Saturday that coaching centres have been advised not to hold classes at least for the next two-three days in light of the situation.
“… because youths will go there for studying and can gather there and can come under the influence of someone. They have taken our advice and have shut their coaching centres for the next two-three days and as soon as the situation becomes normal, they will reopen their coaching centres,” SSP Singh said.
Appealing to the youth not to act under anyone’s influence, SSP Sudhir Kumar Singh said: “If an FIR is lodged, their future will definitely be affected. Some mischievous elements too, enter the crowd and resort to damage to property even as the names of the youths remain at the forefront.
“They should not come under anyone’s influence and gather. If they want to say something, we officers are present here. They can hand over their memorandums to us,” he added.
Some aspirants, who held a protest Saturday, were pacified and asked to return to their homes, the police official said.
The manager of a coaching centre in Agra’s Ahir told ThePrint, on condition of anonymity, that the institute has decided not to hold classes for now as a “precautionary measure”.
He added that the police’s “advice” is primarily meant for institutes in areas like New Agra and Bhagwan Talkies and the rural belt, that cater to aspirants looking for entry-level roles in the defence forces like that of “Other Ranks” in the Indian Army and provide coaching for “physical fitness and general duty” tests.
“There is no blanket ban on the functioning of coaching centres,” the manager clarified.
“We provide coaching for officer ranks but we are only shut due to precautionary measures. Some students are going home but there is no alarm. There is a lot of lack of information among the youth,” said the manager.
Aligarh police arrest 9 with links to coaching centres
In UP’s Aligarh, the owners/managers of at least nine coaching centres have been named in an FIR lodged by police in connection with the violent protests that erupted in parts of the city this past week.
Nine individuals associated with such centres have been arrested so far while the total number of people arrested by Aligarh police in connection with the violence stands at 80, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kalanidhi Naithani told reporters Saturday.
Citing information from “reliable sources”, police claim the owners/managers of these coaching centres allegedly “circulating provocative and inciteful messages on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, etc. which led to spread of violence”.
“Reliable sources have informed that managers running coaching centres have sent the aspirants (for protests) after conspiracy with anarchic elements,” reads one FIR , a copy of which has been accessed by ThePrint.
Lodged at Aligarh’s Tappal police station, where a police chowki (post) and some police vehicles were set ablaze by protesters Friday, the FIR mentions 66 individuals identified by name and 400-500 unidentified accused.
The FIR was lodged under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Other sections invoked in the FIR include 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 427 (mischief causing damage), 336 (any act so rash or negligent as to endanger human life or the personal safety of others), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc.), 333 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 120-b (criminal conspiracy), along with section 7 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act and relevant sections of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Aligarh range, Deepak Kumar told media persons Saturday that “some anarchic elements tried to incite violence” by hiding behind young aspirants.
“Four FIRs have been lodged so far, and all those who were enflaming the situation on micro-blogging sites and social media, action is being taken against them too. Since a lot of persons from this area go to coaching centres, we are in regular touch with the coaching centres and the Sainik Kalyan Board and those persons associated with coaching centres who were inciting them, have been detained as well and they are being questioned.
“One FIR was lodged on a complaint from the UPSRTC (Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation), one by Nagar Palika (civic body) chairman and two on the complaints of police (personnel),” DIG Kumar said.
Meanwhile, armed forces veterans held a meeting in Aligarh’s Sainik Board area Saturday to deliberate on a response to the developments.
“We have served in the Army and we are disciplined. We can’t go against the government. A meeting was held in the Sainik Board area where the matter was discussed and it was decided that we will assist the administration in maintaining law and order,” said Indian Army Captain Ashin Khan (Retd), who now manages a coaching centre for defence aspirants in Aligarh.
‘Coaching centres instigated students’, allege Patna police
In Bihar’s Patna, police and the administration have alleged that coaching centres “instigated” agitators to engage in violent protests against the Defence Ministry’s Agnipath scheme.
Superintendent of Police Pramod Kumar Yadav, who heads three subdivisions (Patna city, Sadar Patna and Masaurhi), told ThePrint: “There was no violence in the two subdivisions, except Masaurhi. Coaching centres have instigated students to indulge in violent protests.”
Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna, Manavjit Singh Dhillon told ThePrint that while the initial demonstrations were spontaneous, protesting crowds now seem to be “organised”.
“We have filed 11 FIRs in Patna so far. As many as 145 persons have been arrested. Four group admins, who were running WhatsApp groups like Krantiveer and Agnivesh, have also been arrested,” said SSP Dhillon.
The police official further claimed that unemployed youth from sub-divisional towns are reaching Patna to join the protests against the Agnipath scheme.
Since protesters have been targeting the Railways, the Railway Police Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP), along with local police, have been deployed at railway stations across Bihar as a security measure. Additional security measures have also been put in place at Danapur railway station, Rajendra Nagar railway terminal and Patna junction.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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