Agnipath: Law enforcement agencies fail even as intelligence warns of threats

Hyderabad: Intelligence Bureau officials submitted a comprehensive report on violent anti-Agnipath protests at the Secunderabad railway station to the union home ministry, hours after the incident, sources said on Friday.  

It was reported that three days ago, the Intelligence officials had circulated a warning on possible threats to law and order in view of “several circumstances” prevailing in the country.
The intelligence officials had reportedly issued a circular to all state police forces including those in Telangana on the possible threats from anti-social elements and ISIS extremists at sensitive places. However, the agencies count not anticipate the Agnipath protests turning violent in the city, sources said.

In preliminary reports, the officials have found that the around 800 candidates, who had finished physical and medical tests for Army recruitment, had got in touch with each other by creating groups on social media and WhatsApp. They planned to hold protests at the railway station in the pattern of those held in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states.

On Thursday night, the candidates reached the Secunderabad station from different places and squatted stayed overnight on the platforms. The law enforcement agencies at the railway station were unable to control the situation when hundreds of candidates started shouted slogans on the platforms on Friday morning.

Based on the intelligence reports, the Union home ministry with the close assistance of railways would call for an internal inquiry on the lead-up to the incidents and the handling of the situation. The sources stated that a central agency was likely to take up the investigation process the violence took place inside the railway station premises.

It was also suspected that some anti-social elements had mingled with the candidates and caused havoc.