Bihar bandh today over Agnipath; Security tightened, role of coaching centres behind violence being probed | 10 points

Students' organisations in Bihar, led by the All India Students' Association, have called a 24-hour Bihar bandh on June 18 demanding an immediate rollback of the Agnipath scheme, protests against which have singed the country in the last three days after the new recruitment scheme in the military was launched by the government. The call for bandh has got support from the RJD while former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said his Hindustan Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) which is an ally of the BJP will also support the bandh call in the interest of the nation and the youth. Also Read: Agnipath stir spreads, govt tries to douse fire

Appealing to students to protest peacefully, Patna DM Chandrashekhar Singh said security forces have been deployed at crucial spots in Patna. Video footage and WhatsApp messages of some coaching centres have been found from those who have been arrested in connection with the vandalisation at Danapur railway station, the DM said. "We're probing the role of coaching centres based on that content. Stringent action will be taken against coaching institutes whose involvement will be established," Singh said.

Here are the top 10 updates of Bihar Bandh Today:

1. Bihar has seen massive violence and arson in the ongoing protest against the Agnipath scheme. On Friday, the houses of Bihar deputy chief minister Renu Devi and Bihar BJP president and West Champaran MP Sanjay Jaiswal came under attack.

Also Read: Flights ticket prices from Patna see sharp rise amid Agnipath protests

2. Railway traffic was blocked and train coaches were set ablaze in Bihar as protests erupted in Muzaffarpur, Begusarai, Buxar in the last few days.

3. On Friday, cash worth ₹3 lakh was looted from a ticket counter at Bihiya railway station in Bihar's Arrah amid the ongoing protest.

4. Amid the raging protest in the state, internet services were suspended in 12 districts -- nearly one-third of the state

5. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) made a fresh plea to the Narendra Modi government to review the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, and assure protesting youngsters that their future will not be adversely affected by the new recruitment policy in the armed forces.

6. Supporting the 24-hour Bihar bandh, state RJD chief Jagadanand Singh said the short-term recruitment scheme is detrimental to the interests of the nation’s youth. "We support those who are agitating on streets in protest against Agnipath recruitment. The new short-term recruitment scheme in the armed forces is not in interest of country’s youth," he said.

7. Jitan Ram Manjhi said his party did not support the violence but would support the Bihar bandh call in the interest of the youth.

8. Chirag Paswan, president of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), said that he along with party workers would meet Governor Phagu Chouhan on Saturday and submit a memorandum, seeking the withdrawal of the scheme. "The Agnipath scheme will increase unemployment in the country. It will spread dissatisfaction among youths," he said.

9. Train services are likely to be hit massively on Saturday owing to the 24-hour Bihar bandh.

10. Around 320 arrests have been made in the last three days and 60 FIRs have been registered in connection with violent protests in the state