Section 144 imposed in Rajasthan's Kota in view of Agneepath outrage, details here

Section 144 was imposed as a large number of Army aspirants on Friday held a protest in Kota demanding that the Union government complete their recruitment process by conducting a written exam.

(Photo credit: Reuters)

Kota: Amid the ongoing nationwide protest against the Centre’s new defence recruitment scheme Agneepath, Section 144 has been imposed in Rajasthan’s Kota district till July 18 to maintain peace, law and order, ANI reported quoting Hari Mohan Meena, District Magistrate. This comes as a large number of Army aspirants on Friday held a protest in Kota demanding that the Union government complete their recruitment process by conducting a written exam. Most students claim and are concerned as most of them have already cleared the physical test, which is the crucial part of the Army recruitment process. The Centre has not yet clarified what will happen to the candidates who have already cleared the process as per the older recruitment scheme.

Rajasthan | Section 144 has been imposed in the Kota district till July 18th to maintain peace, law and order: Hari Mohan Meena, District Magistrate, Kota pic.twitter.com/9LqWxWjIi9

— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) June 18, 2022

They had cleared a physical test last year for Army recruitment, the process for which had begun in 2019, and were preparing for the written exam but all of them were left disheartened when the government "cancelled" it, said Rahuveer Singh, president of the Veer Force, an organisation representing Army aspirants.

Meanwhile, in other parts of Rajasthan, protests continued for the third consecutive day against the scheme launched by the Centre for short-term recruitment in the armed forces.

Students blocked the Jaipur-Agra railway track in Bharatpur on Friday morning, where they clashed with the police and even pelted stones. Similar demonstrations were staged in many other districts.

In one incident, a youth preparing for the army in Alwar tried to commit suicide but timely intervention by his friends saved his life.

(With agency inputs)