5000 security personnel deployed, schools closed in Jharkhand in light of protests

More than 5000 security personnel were deployed in Jharkhand and schools remained shut across the state on Monday in view of the nationwide protests demanding roll back of the contentious 'Agnipath' scheme for recruitment in the Armed Forces, officials said. There was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the state so far during the day, Jharkhand Police spokesperson and IG (Operations) Amol V Homkar told PTI.
Shops and business establishments remained open in capital Ranchi, the steel city of Jamshedpur, Palamu and elsewhere.

Homkar said more than 5000 security personnel and battalions of the RAF, RPF and CRPF have been deployed across the state, including at state capital Ranchi and at key installations.

There was heavy security deployment in Ranchi railway station too.

"Two battalions of Rapid Action Forece, six battlions of Railway Protection Force and 24 battlions of CRPF have been deployed in view of the protests. So far there is no report of any violence," Homkar said.

School education and literacy department secretary Rajesh Kumar Sharma said in view of the bandh, government as well as private schools remained closed and fresh dates for the cancelled examinations of classes 9 and 11 will be announced soon.

Several trains, including Gorakhpur-Hatia-Maurya express, Chopan-Ranchi Express, Hatia- Purnea Court Express and Ranchi-Patna Jan Shatabdi Express were cancelled for the day, a railway official said.

Palamu division commissioner, Jata Shakar Choudhary said CRPF battlions have been deployed in the division in view of protests and the force has been asked to be vigilant at Medininagar, Hariharganj, Latehar, Balumath, Garhwa and Ranka.

In Koderma security forces staged a flag march,

In Lohardaga long distance buses and goods vehicles did not ply.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Congress alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre was bent on commercialising Armed Forces jobs while the country's youth aspire to embrace the profession out of their sense of service and attachment to the nation.

The Centre unveiled the Agnipath scheme on June 14 as a major overhaul to enhance the youthful profile of the Armed Force after recruitment remained stalled for two years during the pandemic.

On Monday the Army issued a notification for induction of soldiers under the scheme and said the mandatory online registration for it will begin in July.