Agnipath protest: Railways cancels over 500 trains

595 trains were cancelled during the day across the county due to the protest against the Centre’s new recruitment scheme, ‘Agnipath’. These include 208 mail express and a total of 379 passenger trains. Four mail express and six passenger trains were partially cancelled due to the ongoing stir. The Northern Railways said that 71 Delhi-bound commuter trains (including return services) and 18 East bound train services scheduled from different northern railway terminals were cancelled.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh along with the three service chiefs – IAF, Army and Air Force, had launched the ‘Agnipath’ scheme on June 14. Despite meeting with nationwide stir and sharp criticism from the opposition leaders, the BJP-led Centre has refused to revoke the scheme. All the three service chiefs have said the policy will be beneficial to India’s youth and will also give them a chance to serve the nation. After the launch of the scheme, Railways properties in several places have been damaged, especially in Bihar.