High alert continues at AP’s major railway, bus stations

VIJAYAWADA: High alert continues at all major railway and bus stations as also central government offices within Andhra Pradesh for the second consecutive day following protests against Agnipath scheme. Several student leaders have either been arrested or taken into preventive custody on Saturday to thwart any untoward incidents.

Based on a call for agitation on Saturday at Guntur Railway Station, reportedly given by aspirants for jobs in armed forces, large contingents of personnel from RPF, GRP, civil police and other wings had been deployed at the railway station. Over 150 youngsters have been taken into preventive custody. As a preventive measure, railway authorities have stopped issuing platform tickets and booking parcels.
Guntur divisional security commissioner K.S. Hara Prasad said, “We have ensured an incident-free situation at Guntur Railway Station on Saturday by stepping up vigil at all major installations.”

Vijayawada police arrested 12 youngsters who had been on their way from Chittoor to Vijayawada to participate in the agitation against Agnipath at Guntur station. Vijayawada police commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata said, “We will maintain high vigil at all major railway and bus stations, apart from central government offices, till normalcy is restored.”

Security has also been beefed up in Nellore, Tirupati and Prakasam districts. Several activists associated with ASFI, SFI and DYFI had been taken into preventive custody by police when they tried to a stage dharna against Agnipath scheme near Gandhi Statue Centre in Nellore. In Tirupati, AISF and TNSF activists staged a stir in front of the administrative building of SV University.

Kakinada police served notices on coaching centres not to allow their students to take part in processions, as this would affect their career and employment prospects.

In Visakhapatnam, total 312 agitators, including 208 rowdy sheeters, have been taken into preventive custody, said commissioner of police Ch. Srikanth. Tight security is being ensured at Visakhapatnam Railway Station.

Waltair railway divisional manager Anup Satpathy said, "More than a dozen trains have been cancelled on Saturday. No untoward incidents have been reported.” A railway intelligence source told DC that all surveillance systems in the city are under constant monitoring.

In Anantapur, security has been beefed up at Guntakal, the state’s second-biggest railway division. Anantapur SP Fakkeerappa Kaginelli said additional forces have been deployed to avoid untoward incidents.